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Tailgaters

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Tailgaters

Postby Pinch » 16 Mar 2018, 20:49

Good evening chaps, 8-)

Whilst waiting for a client to visit the workshop this afternoon, I got thinking about an experience I had yesterday and decided to start doing something about it.

I imagine we’ve all experienced tailgaters at some point. I can’t stand them - these people are bullies! I find them extremely annoying and intrusive. I used to be a bit of a speedy driver myself, but I was never a tailgater. I am more of a leisurely driver these days mainly because my daily drive is on country lanes where the roads are narrow, lots of bends, hills and there are plenty of horse riders where I live.

Driving back home from work yesterday, I noticed a van way behind in my rear view mirror and I thought then, this guy is going to be a tailgater. Sure enough, within a minute, this van was on my tail with no respect for me as a driver. I was travelling around 35-40mph on a bendy narrow country lane. Even this speed can be too fast for these roads. But oh no, this van wanted to try and bully me out of the way. If this driver was by himself, I might have stopped in the road and got out to warn him off, but, he was with two other blokes so there were three of them. Instead, I carried on driving at ‘my’ speed trying to ignore them. Out of principle, I wasn’t prepared to pull over to let them by at the next opportunity. The driver then started to deliberately slow down and then accelerate close up to the rear of my car – total intimidation! My response to that; I slowed down to 25mph and stayed at this speed. He then started to snake the road behind me – what a dick head!

If the van was in a genuine rush like an emergency, he would have continuously flashed his lights or made some kind of serious gesture to say he was in a genuine rush, but this guy was out to bully other road users.

Up ahead was a T junction which I’m very familiar with, so I wondered what this idiot was going to do. As we approached the junction, the van backed off by quite a margin and almost came to a halt. I stopped at the junction and waited for him to approach me which he did very slowly. Once the van stopped behind me, I sat there for another 10 seconds or so. I could see all three of these guy’s faces in my rear view mirror. They were staring at my car waiting for me to either drive off, or get out. I somehow feel they were anticipating I was going to get out and challenge them.

I drove off and the van shortly followed. The idiot was then on my rear again. I stayed calm and before long, I approached our village and maintained a steady 20mph. When I turned into my home road, the van sped straight on, blasting his horn as he did – idiot!

I actually felt quite stressed when I arrived home. This sort of road behaviour is so unnecessary, but tailgaters are a part of life I suppose. Fortunately, I don’t have many of these idiots behind me – certainly not like that one yesterday.

So this is what I’m coming to... A project I’m calling – “The Tailgater’s Just Desserts.”

I would like to design and make a mod for my car which includes a 50 litre storage tank and a firing hose. The mod would be activated from a switch on the dashboard of the car. This will automatically open the boot, project the hose in aim of the tailgater and trigger a switch to then fire copious amounts of cow poo in the direction of the tailgater’s windscreen. I’m not sure how to produce the energy to exert a slushy material through a 25mm diameter hose at a force which will spray large particles into the air.

I’m in the early stages of this home project and have prepared a few simple diagrams.



Firstly, a sticker on the back of my car would be a warning to those devilish tailgaters. 8-)
Image




Here I am driving along quite happily. :D
Image




And then the van - oh how boring. The driver looks very unhappy stuck behind me. :P
Image




After a few warnings, it's time to press that button. :eusa-whistle:
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WALLOP! :lol:
Image




I've also made a short slide film.
[youtube]ScirCnva2aQ[/youtube]


Back in the workshop tomorrow to do what I didn't do this afternoon. :lol:

:text-bravo:

:obscene-drinkingcheers:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby MattS » 16 Mar 2018, 21:15

Pinch, absolutely brilliant! :text-bravo: :text-goodpost:

Once you’ve mastered it I hope you’ll be making the plans freely available to the forum. I also hate tailgaters!!!!
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby selectortone » 16 Mar 2018, 21:23

In between my two periods working my true vocation as a guitar repairman I was, for 30 years, a travelling salesman, driving up and down the length and breadth of the UK and further afield. I had a growing family to support. I would often notch up 50-60,000 miles a year and in one memorable year clocked up over 100,000 miles.

In those years I encountered many tailgaters. In extreme cases I would lightly tap my brakes while turning my lights on. If the rear foglights are turned on they light up when you turn the lights on too. This causes the whole of the back of the car to suddenly light up VERY red and is pretty much guaranteed to give the following driver an urgent need to change their underwear.

Yes, I know - it's dangerous. Definitely not recommended for motorway driving. MOST definitely only do this when the road behind the tailgater is clear to avoid multiple soiling of underpants in following vehicles. Nowadays if someone tailgates me on a single carriageway road I will wait until I can safely pull in and let the idiot pass. I'm much more chilled nowadays. :mrgreen:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby RogerS » 16 Mar 2018, 22:24

Mmmm...there is only one way that I have found works.

Braking...very bad...just makes them incensed...they then strive to overtake you then slam on the anchors in front of you.

Try driving fast and lose them ? They see it as a race.

Try driving sower and slower ? They get more and more annoyed.

No. You drive as if you've just drunk a bottle of whisky. You veer. You straddle. You act * out of your mind. Its non-aggressive and their own self-preservation kicks in.

Mind you, a few months back I had a tailgater on the country lane leading up to the Death on Speed (aka A69). We stopped at the Give Way prior to joining. I got out. Nonchalantly walked and looked at the back of my car. I looked puzzled. I walked towards his car. He wound his window down. I asked him

"Where's the tow rope?"
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Woodster » 16 Mar 2018, 23:13

I got tailgated by an unmarked Police car many years ago. I was unwilling to play their silly game and luckily they lost interest in me when a Mercedes went past us at 100 mph.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Halo Jones » 17 Mar 2018, 10:42

I'm pretty sure you could modify this for your use:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MePIx82V1ks

:eusa-whistle:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Woodbloke » 17 Mar 2018, 13:53

The way I've works for tailgaters is to gradually go slower and slower and slower until they get so fed up they pass - Rob
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Rod » 17 Mar 2018, 15:51

The problem with Tailgaters is deciding if they are just yobs or the criminal kind trying to induce an accident and make a fraudulent “whiplash” insurance claim.
I try to ignore them and drive as normally as I can and at a speed I feel is safe.
If I’m following a car in front I allow double the space for braking so that the idiot behind can also brake safely.

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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Doug » 17 Mar 2018, 16:57

Driving a large van I usually find it’s the boy racers or sports cars that are inevitably up my tail pipe, I simply look out for an upcoming bit of road that has muck, loose chippings etc on it drive straight over it & spray them with the detritus, on country lanes I’ve even driven a little up the verge when safe to do.
It’s amazing how quickly they will back off & drive at a more cautious distance
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Phil » 17 Mar 2018, 17:01

Doug wrote:Driving a large van I usually find it’s the boy racers or sports cars that are inevitably up my tail pipe, I simply look out for an upcoming bit of road that has muck, loose chippings etc on it drive straight over it & spray them with the detritus, on country lanes I’ve even driven a little up the verge when safe to do.
It’s amazing how quickly they will back off & drive at a more cautious distance



I like your style! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Phil » 17 Mar 2018, 17:04

I get totally PI$$ED off with tailgaters.
Would generally just touch the brakes which gives big red lights at the back (3 of them)

From our estate to the main road is 4Km
It is 2 lanes, lots of pot holes and patched pot holes and 13 speed humps.
Feeding this are 4 very upmarket estates and the plebs plus 1 (that’s us) plus 2 schools
I tend to stick to 40KPH being the speed limit.

You look into the rear view mirror and there is this massive Beemer or Merc 4x4 trying to get into the back of your car.
It is driven by some blonde bimbo, probably running late for her appointment at the dog parlour. :twisted:

So, like any good well mannered law abiding citizen I keep to the 40 but slow to 5 when crossing the speed humps. Need to protect the suspension of my pickup.

Looking in the rear view mirror, her eyes are like red hot coals, hands white clutching the steering wheel, is the bimbo. There are also small kids in the vehicle not even strapped in! (what a doos) :twisted:

And, by the way, there are at least 20 vehicles ahead of us. So I am really not quite sure where the F…..ck she thinks she is going to go!

This is a daily occurrence.

At the entrance of each estate is a small round-a-bout to control the traffic.

It means absolutely nothing to these ‘upmarket’ people. They think and react like ‘just because I drive a Beemer or Merc ‘ road rules and common sense mean nothing.

Ok, so now I have at least reached the main rod,

And, yes, there are other tailgaters!!!!!

One morning driving back from the garage, there was a white car behind me, trying to get into the back of the pickup.

It was raining, the traffic light was red and I slowed down and stopped as there a number of cars ahead of me.

Wham!!! The idiot crashed into the pickup. He was too close, travelling too fast, and could not stop in time.
Young kid, 19 years old, climbed out, was a whiter shade of very white.
His mothers car and insurance.

Damage to the pickup quote was ZAR30k. He was driving a VW Golf with lots of plastic in the front and a lot lower than the pickup. Not sure what that repair cost.
Like a good citizen I contacted the mother to get the insurance details.

“My son said you suddenly stopped” said the mother. :o
Well for FFS lady the light was red and there were cars in front of me, I was taught 55 years ago to stop for red traffic lights. :o :o You can deal with my insurers.

I get my pickup back on Monday.
(not been too much of an inconvenience as I have been unable to drive for the past 4 weeks due to a shoulder operation, and relying on wife and neighbours for lifts)
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Mark A » 17 Mar 2018, 17:44

Brake checking is illegal so I'd be careful as dashboard cameras are becoming increasingly popular.

Tailgaters don't really bother me; if I'm keeping to the speed limit then it's up to them to overtake if they want to risk points on their licences. If I'm towing a trailer I will let vehicles past as it's the courteous thing to do.

Saying that, unnecessarily slow drivers can be enfuriating, but I still wouldn't purposely intimidate the driver.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby RogerS » 17 Mar 2018, 17:52

Mark A wrote:Brake checking is illegal so I'd be careful as dashboard cameras are becoming increasingly popular.Didn't he see that cat run out into the road? Dashcam must have missed it :eusa-whistle:

Tailgaters don't really bother me; if I'm keeping to the speed limit then it's up to them to overtake if they want to risk points on their licences. If I'm towing a trailer I will let vehicles past as it's the courteous thing to do.

Saying that, unnecessarily slow drivers can be enfuriating, but I still wouldn't purposely intimidate the driver.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Pinch » 18 Mar 2018, 15:29

MattS wrote:Pinch, absolutely brilliant! :text-bravo: :text-goodpost:

Once you’ve mastered it I hope you’ll be making the plans freely available to the forum. I also hate tailgaters!!!!


Cheers Matt :P

I certainly will Sir!

:text-bravo:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Pinch » 18 Mar 2018, 15:32

Halo Jones wrote:I'm pretty sure you could modify this for your use:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MePIx82V1ks

:eusa-whistle:


Brilliant! Thanks for posting Halo 8-)

I'm going to subscribe to Colin and send him a message.

:text-bravo:
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Pinch » 18 Mar 2018, 15:44

Thanks chaps for your excellent tips and views. 8-)

Halo posted up a link to a very cool dude indeed - Colin. I've now subscribed to his YouTube Channel. He has 5.7M subscribers - :shock: oh my wow... serious stuff. I like it.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby techauthorbob » 18 Mar 2018, 17:10

The best anti tailgate device I had was a really old tatty yellow series 2a Landrover with completely replaced and updated brakes, cos here in Yorkshire we have these funny things called Hills (upwards and downwards varieties) and also wandering sheep (don't ask!).

The rear crumple zone, I.e. Rear bumper paint, was employed on more than one occasion much to the annoyance of those too close behind me. Never had any damage that couldn't be repaired easily!

Also, lots of years ago I had a Ford 100e with vacuum wipers (yes, they really did exist!) and it used to rattle because of a build up of carbon in the cylinder head, so I had a pipe from the inlet manifold, through a vacuum wiper switch and to a can of Redex. Application of the switch drew Redex into the cylinders and helped loosen said carbon, making driving easier. An unfortunate byproduct of this was clouds of greyish smoke out of the exhaust - 'Nuff said - I think you can see where this is going...

Mind you in those days life on the roads was much easier. :eusa-violin: :eusa-violin:

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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Malc2098 » 18 Mar 2018, 17:32

Ah, a 100E Ford. My dad's first car! :D

Actually an E93A Pop was my schoolmate's first car.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Rod » 18 Mar 2018, 18:07

Yes the faster you drove the slower the wipers came. A really stupid and dangerous design.
If I remember correctly you had to throttle off to get them wiping again if you tried to accelerate quickly.

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Re: Tailgaters

Postby RogerS » 18 Mar 2018, 18:36

techauthorbob wrote:The best anti tailgate device I had was a really old tatty yellow series 2a Landrover with completely replaced and updated brakes, cos here in Yorkshire we have these funny things called Hills (upwards and downwards varieties) and also wandering sheep (don't ask!).

The rear crumple zone, I.e. Rear bumper paint, was employed on more than one occasion much to the annoyance of those too close behind me. Never had any damage that couldn't be repaired easily!

Also, lots of years ago I had a Ford 100e with vacuum wipers (yes, they really did exist!) and it used to rattle because of a build up of carbon in the cylinder head, so I had a pipe from the inlet manifold, through a vacuum wiper switch and to a can of Redex. Application of the switch drew Redex into the cylinders and helped loosen said carbon, making driving easier. An unfortunate byproduct of this was clouds of greyish smoke out of the exhaust - 'Nuff said - I think you can see where this is going...

Mind you in those days life on the roads was much easier. :eusa-violin: :eusa-violin:

Bob


I bet you still wish you had your Landy ? Those early models are worth a bomb.

Crumple zones ? The brilliant late author Iain Banks when asked about the crumple zones in his LWB Landy replied 'Other peoples cars'. :D

Was that Ford the one with the openable front window that hinged at the top with and opened with a screw thread ?
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby techauthorbob » 19 Mar 2018, 10:00

No, it was the later one, think it was 1172cc side valve or something.

Three speed gearbox (reverse, slow and nearly as slow). There is a slope near us called Hollins Hill that required three CAREFULLY timed "lift offs" of the throttle in wet weather, I can still see my old recognition points at the side of the road!.

Eventually retired this when it went into "limp home" mode, I.e. Barely moving and upon moving the head there were three pistons at TDC, one of them had completely parted company round the top piston ring groove.

Tough car though, me and my dad drove it from Whitby to Bradford with the clutch unable to be depressed, one of the driven plate cushion springs had broke up and jammed it. We just had to not stop if at all possible, there wasn't much traffic then.

Back home it only took 1 1/2 hours to change, try that these days!

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Re: Tailgaters

Postby RogerS » 19 Mar 2018, 10:56

Ah, OK. A friend of mine had an old car with that type of windscreen. We had a memorable trip to Snowdon one time when the dynamo died and we were driving on gradually dimming lights....we'd let someone overtake us and then try and keep up with them with our lights off! We made it OK but then a couple of days later, the fan decided to munch its way through the radiator. We crimped off as much as we could then kept pouring Barrs Leaks in and limped home.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Malc2098 » 19 Mar 2018, 11:02

Ah, the good old days!!

That reminds me of when I was in love in the 60s with only a BSA C11G to get me to and from her place 40 miles away, every Sunday (I was still at school).

The BSA's headlamp kept going out, so I used to let anything pass me, usually a lorry, and then have to tailgate it in the rural unlit areas of Surrey till I got to the urban lit areas of Middlesex.

Powerful thing love!
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Andyp » 19 Mar 2018, 13:26

I once drove a 2CV6 from London to Suffolk with my left leg crossed over my right knee so that my left foot could hold in the choke which for, at the time, an unexplained reason would not stay in on it's own.

I was not difficult to change up the gears without the clutch.

On arrival I found that I had left a small spanner (which I had used to remove replace the battery earlier) had got wedged around the carburettor linkages.

That 2CV was the last car I ever did any work on.
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Re: Tailgaters

Postby Woodbloke » 19 Mar 2018, 13:37

Andyp wrote:I once drove a 2CV6 from London to Suffolk with my left leg crossed over my right knee so that my left foot could hold in the choke which for, at the time, an unexplained reason would not stay in on it's own.

I was not difficult to change up the gears without the clutch.

On arrival I found that I had left a small spanner (which I had used to remove replace the battery earlier) had got wedged around the carburettor linkages.

That 2CV was the last car I ever did any work on.

I had one of those as well. Probably the worst car I ever had the misfortune to own, but my dad used to tell me that the Royal Marines used them as runabouts in Singapore, so they couldn't have been too bad - Rob
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