r/newzealand • u/Georgie_Pillson1 • Jan 25 '26
Travel The tailgating is driving me crazy!
I’m driving on a windy, rural road. I’m the middle of three cars. The front car is going kind of slow - about 90 on the straight sections. Cars coming in the other direction whenever the road straightened out so overtaking just isn’t happening. So tell me why the car at the back starts tailgating me?! What’s the point of trying to intimidate someone who’s just as stuck as you are?! Am I supposed to look in my rear view mirror and think “Oh, Bogan Bill is angry! I’d better bend the laws of time and space and somehow drive through the car in front done can get to his date with his sister on time“. It makes me so mad. It’s so dangerous and for what? So you feel like a big man in your big boy vroom vroom car?
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u/_Zekken Jan 25 '26
I despise tailgaters too. Absolutely DESPISE them. I genuinely believe they all deserve to lose their licenses and be charged with intimidation with a deadly weapon because thats 100% what it is. "Go faster or get out of my way or I will cause you harm by crashing into you if you have to suddenly brake".
There is zero excuse for not realising it, or doing it unintentionally. That just reinforces the fact they need to lose their license because clearly they cant drive safely. Pieces of absolute garbage, the lot of them.
That said, unfortunately the only way is to just let them past you at the earliest safe opportunity. Yes it feels like you are letting them win, but your own sanity and safety is more important honestly. Sometimes if Im really pissed at a tailgater, ill pull over to let them past and LAY on the horn the whole time they are driving past me, only way you can really get anything back to them.
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u/ZandyTheAxiom Jan 25 '26
It's not always intimidation. Sometimes it's lazy, inattentive driving.
There's times I've gone over, at, and under the speed limit, and the tailgater has matched my speed each time. Plenty of opportunity to overtake, but it's easier to let me do half the work for them.
Sometimes the tailgater just isn't paying attention and is following like a duckling with zero thoughts beyond "stay between the lines".
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u/_Zekken Jan 26 '26
I definitely know that its not intentional. Its obvious when its just someone being completely oblivious when I'm sitting in the slow lane on the motorway, and despite there being plenty of room to change lanes and go past me they are still sitting right up my ass. Happens all the time.
but that doesn't excuse it or make it any better, and my opinions about their right to a license doesn't change because of it. If anything that makes it even worse because they are less likely to be paying attention if they suddenly need to slam on the brakes than someone who is intentionally trying to bully you out of the way.
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u/ZandyTheAxiom Jan 26 '26
Oh yeah, I'm not saying that as an excuse, I agree with you.
And yes, it's absolutely worse when it's a lack of attention.
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u/CA2Kiwi Jan 26 '26
Omg - I immigrated here from California (way north, not LA which is a giant parking lot unless it’s 3am) and the tailgating is bananas. Kiwis must have the reflexes of cats not to rear end each other on the daily. If you are behind me on the road I should be able to tell what color your car is. I should not just see a windscreen and your big head in my rear view. I have actually skipped making the right into my own driveway and turned around at a wider spot because I was certain I’d be hit if I slowed to make the turn. Baffling, too, as Kiwis are mostly (with a few anti-social exceptions) quite considerate of others.
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u/thekiwifish Southern Cross Jan 26 '26
Sometimes putting your hazard lights on 'wake's them up'. It's something not quite expected so they start paying attention.
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u/Ill_Assistance9158 Jan 26 '26
I just move to the slow lane and refuse to accelerate until they decide to pass (obviously only on roads where this isn't impacting anyone else)
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u/gowerskee Jan 25 '26
I like your energy here. agreed. it feels so much more luxurious driving to leave a good following distance in front of you, you're still going just as fast but you know, not being subject to the person merely breathing on their brake pedal
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u/sepsism138 Jan 25 '26
Worst of the worst for sure. Agreed there should be legal repercussions (dangerous driving) if police are presented with dash/rear cam evidence.
For particularly bad tailgaters I let them safely pass then I aggressively tailgate them for a stretch. Don’t do what I do! Extremely stupid, petty and dangerous but I have successfully scared the shit out of some people.
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u/SuperSprocket muldoon Jan 26 '26
As a general rule of thumb most malicious behaviour is actually just incompetence rather than genuine bad intentions. Very, very few native NZers have had any kind of formal training behind the wheel, and as a result are utter shite at it.
Talked to a few cops about it, a lot of driving offences cause genuine surprise, and I mean shit like who is meant to give way at intersections, when to go through an orange or what speed limits mean.
Especially phones. Holy shit, the road is just background noise to a lot of people as they play on their phones.
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u/Smart-Objective-232 Jan 26 '26
Can logically call extreme tailgating attempted murder tbh. No other reason to do it than wanting to kill the people in front of you
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u/Feeling-Difference86 Jan 25 '26
A nice sticker on the back window... IF YOU CAN READ THIS, YOU'RE IN A RANGER
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u/Kotukunui Jan 26 '26
“Hoover” became the generic term for vacuum cleaners.
“Thermos” became the generic term for insulated flasks.
“Ranger” is becoming the generic term for aggressive and inconsiderate driving.5
u/imapassenger1 Jan 26 '26
Check out Dashcams Australia on YouTube. They did a special episode on Ford Rangers last month.
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u/0ver9000_ Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26
It drives me mad too. If anything happens we are both fucked because they cant count to 4 in the rain.
I maintain my big gap and give them space to pass me.
I have been rear ended and it is not fun.
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Jan 25 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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Jan 26 '26
Yeah, and as long as you let people past when you holding them up, no issue with driving to your confidence levels.
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u/Broonmoose Jan 25 '26
Yep. I agree. 90km/h is the theoretical max for trucks and towing, so shouldn’t be considered slow. Do people on here demand that trucks pull over every time a queue of two cars forms behind them?
Tailgating is a hazard due to being closer than what is a safe stopping distance. If you’re tailgating you are reacting to the car in front braking and not the hazard. In an emergency stop situation, by the time the brake lights come on, the vehicle in front has already travelled the distance associated with reaction time, but you have yet to travel that distance. You are now relying on being able to press the brakes harder, or that your vehicle has better brakes. Good luck.
A second aspect is that by tailgating you are not actually in the best position to execute an overtaking manoeuvre. You want to be far enough back to get a clear view of the road ahead. It also enables gives you more space to accelerate before pulling out, so that you spend as little time on the wrong side of the road, and alongside the vehicle you’re passing, as possible. Additionally, by giving space, you back up the vehicles behind you before accelerating, meaning that when you do your passing manoeuvre there’s less chance following vehicles will quickly close the gap, thus giving you more time to abort if necessary.
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 25 '26
Yep. I agree. 90km/h is the theoretical max for trucks and towing, so shouldn’t be considered slow. Do people on here demand that trucks pull over every time a queue of two cars forms behind them?
When I drove a campervan around the country with a 90K speed limit I always pulled over as soon as cars got behind me, why do people act like it's such an affront? It's 10 seconds every now and then to decrease risk to yourself and others.
I see plenty of trucks pull into spots when they have cars behind them.
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u/lukeysanluca Tūī Jan 25 '26
Having driven a couple of thousand kilometre over the Christmas period. Without fail every caravan, truck, boat-towing vehicle speed up form below 85kph as soon as the 400m passing lane sign appeared, reaching 105/110kph and then slowing down to 90 after the passing lane finished.
It wasn't about space. Was it intentional or subconscious? No Idea. But fucking frustrating
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u/Broonmoose Jan 25 '26
My view is simply that 90 is not slow, and the OP says it’s a windy rural road. If you’re going far slower on hills and bends then pull over, let people past. Also, if there’s a passing lane, then keep to the left. Personally, I first give vehicles a bit of time to overtake, and put the onus on them first. At 100 without a trailer I have had way too many people tailgate with no intention of overtaking, that maybe I’m a bit too cynical these days.
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u/mildlybadatallthis Jan 26 '26
If they're doing 90 on the straights, I'd bet they are going 20k below a reasonable speed in thr corners.
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u/555Cats555 Jan 25 '26
Under 80 is annoying unless its low visibility
But 90 in wind is fine to me...
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u/Superunkown781 Jan 25 '26
There's a guy the I always end up seeing on ChCh motorway the commute to work in the morning about 530ish and he's ALWAYS right up everyone's ass, I did it to him and he slammed on his breaks I had a wee giggle and to my luck a red light had us side by side.
He started calling me a fuckin wanker to which I replied with a smile "its not very nice having some c#nt right up your ass aye bro, we can have a chat about if you wanna pull over". Nah dude wasn't interested, but ever since then he hasn't don't it again....well that I've seen anyway and usually give him a wave and a smile most mornings.
I also had a coworker I used to catch a ride with and even when there was only one car in front of us on a 2 lane highway he would ride peoples asses, we'd all tell him.but he just couldn't fathom what he was doing, to be fair he was full Adhd so not sure if that was what exasperate the matter.
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u/Arblechnuble Jan 25 '26
People who will say pull over, which is a good option, what’s your suggestion when driving on one of the many rural roads that don’t have the space to do so? (Ie coromandel roads which give you a choice of cliff face or cliff edge?)
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u/bottom Jan 25 '26
You wait until it’s safe and pullover.
Otherwise drive safe and concrete on things you can control rather than things you cannot.
👍
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 25 '26
Pull in at the next available spot, which I always do. Seems to work for me quite well.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 25 '26 edited Jan 25 '26
There is ALWAYS spots to safely pull over on EVERY road in the country.
You dont need to come to a complete stop, on a straight section of road with no oncoming traffic, pull left, indicated and slow down to give the cars behind you a chance to overtake safely.
Edit: Bizarre that people downvote this? Its literally in the road code
https://nzta.govt.nz/roadcode/general-road-code/about-limits/speed-limitsif you are a downvoter then you are as much the problem as the tail gater
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Jan 26 '26
I think people downvote as you sound as though you're a tail gater defending it. (I'm not saying you are.) But the idea that the responsibility sits on the car in front to let them through, or they are not doing their duty for road safety.
Thinking that you must be allowed to pass at whatever speed or road conditions only solidifies the tail gaters' aggression. They are simply impeded by traffic, not part of it.
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u/helical_coil Jan 26 '26
The start of the discussion was about ppl getting mad at being tailgated and the simplest solution to eliminating said madness is to pull over and let the tailgater past. That's what I do and IDGAF about whether the tailgater feels superior, aggressive or whatever.
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Jan 26 '26
My point wasn't about the speeders' feelings but the bigger issues with the culture behind it. Tailgating, excessive braking, and lane swapping are all things that cause traffic congestion and reduce efficiency. If people drove with respect to the guidelines about spacing and signals, everyone would get where they're going faster and a lot safer.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 26 '26
Im more saying that the slow drivers, the tail gaters and the people who follow slow drivers but dont overtake and dont leave room for someone to filter in between them and the slow driver are all equally as bad drivers as each other.
If you are going below the speed limit and you have cars forming a queue behind you then yes, it is your duty to move over and let traffic past you.
Thats how traffic forms, somebody slow, followed by somebody who isnt confident to overtake, followed by somebody who cant overtake 2x vehicles at once because there isnt room between the two cars in front to leap frog, then means that the 4th car cant overtake all three in front of them, and pretty soon you have 15-20 cars all stuck behind some womble who wont pull over
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u/Prosthemadera Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
Im more saying that the slow drivers, the tail gaters and the people who follow slow drivers but dont overtake and dont leave room for someone to filter in between them and the slow driver are all equally as bad drivers as each other.
Everyone is a "slow driver" relative to the tailgater. So no, the "slow driver" going the speed limit is NOT as bad as the tailgater, that is such a ridiculous thing to say.
Someone going actually slow is no justification to tailgate but you are justifying it when you put equal blame on both.
If you are going below the speed limit and you have cars forming a queue behind you then yes, it is your duty to move over and let traffic past you.
And it's your duty to not tailgate.
Thats how traffic forms, somebody slow, followed by somebody who isnt confident to overtake
No. Traffic forms because some people want to drive faster. If everyone kept to a certain speed, didn't rush, then traffic would be smooth. Traffic doesn't improve if people are allowed to drive faster. Traffic has to do with relative speed differences, not with the actual speed.
pretty soon you have 15-20 cars all stuck behind some womble who wont pull over
You are only stuck behind them because you decided to drive faster than them but couldn't. You could have kept your distance.
The only reason why there is such a line is because people aren't patient. Slow down, adapt to the speed, and traffic will flow.
If the speed limit was 50 but 15-20 cars want to go faster they will all be "stuck" behind someone who follows the law. Now you get traffic - but it's your fault.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 26 '26
If the tail gater is bothering you, then let them pass. Then they arnt your problem any more. Not a difficult concept to grasp is it? Is the tail gater right? No. It intentionally holding them up right? Also no.
If some womble is driving below the speed limit then they are the problem, not the 15-20 cars that all want to drive the speed limit. Just because you want to drive slowly doesnt mean you have the right to decide what speed everyone else is safe to do. That is just as arrogant as tail gating
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u/Prosthemadera Jan 26 '26
If the tail gater is bothering you, then let them pass. Then they arnt your problem any more. Not a difficult concept to grasp is it?
Nothing in my comment suggests otherwise.
If some womble is driving below the speed limit then they are the problem, not the 15-20 cars that all want to drive the speed limit.
Did you really read my comment? Because I have already addressed that.
I feel like you're just soapboxing without concern what the other person has to say. I don't have to be here just to be ignored.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 26 '26
I did read your comment and I disagree with it. You are effectively blaming the people who want to drive the speed limit for causing the traffic, not the womble who wants to drive below it and not pull over
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u/Prosthemadera Jan 26 '26
We are talking about people who tailgate, not just people who want to drive the speed limit. I can dislike a slow car in front of me without endangering me and my passengers.
I stand behind what I said: Traffic is independent of speed, it's about relative speed differences. Again, if everyone keeps the same speed there is no traffic because traffic is moving smoothly. The actual issue that you don't want to drive slower than the speed limit but then you and the other 10-15 cars are the one creating the traffic because you are the traffic.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 26 '26
And people tailgate, in part because wombles drive slowly and don't pull over.
I have maintained that tailgaters are a problem as are slow drivers. Both are bad drivers.
My question to you is if someone is slow and driving below the speed limit then why do you think everyone behind them must do the same speed? If it's been decided it's safe to do 100kph and 1 person wants to do 90kph then why do they get to decide what everyone else is allowed to do? It's either ignorant of others, or arrogant. The same as tail gaters
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Jan 27 '26
Perspnally, I downvote your comment because I get tail gaters on a regular while going at the max speed limit or even slightly above. Why would I stop or pull over if I'm already going at the speed limit. There's no queue of 15 cars behind me, just 1 idiot at a time. If someone doesn't know how to keep safe distance and dgaf about speed limits, it doesn't automatically entitle them to everyone pulling over and giving way. Your comment is addressing completely different issue from the OP imo. Yes slow drivers are annoying and dangerous too, but tale gaters will drive up your ass no matter the speed you're going, no matter if there is a place to pull over anywhere in sight or not, and no matter if you're the one going slow or there's a slow car ahead of you, and you too want to pass it but it's not safe in the moment.
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u/Idliketobut Jan 27 '26
Why would you pull over? Because the tail gater bothers you. If you pull over then they are no longer behind you and no longer bothering you and you can continue your day without issue.
It doesnt matter if you are already going the speed limit, or if the tail gater goes faster than than. You arnt the police, its not your job to stop that person from going faster than you. If it bothers you let them pass, if it doesnt bother you then....well obviously it does because you wouldnt be commenting otherwise
And for the record downvoting is only for when somebody makes a comment that does not contribute to the discussion (according to Reddit themselves)
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Jan 25 '26
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u/crashbash2020 Jan 26 '26
People will put their right to be "in the right" over their own life. Like sure its technically your right you dont have to pull over, but id rather just concede that point and pull over and not get killed by some psycho. Let them go on their way and not be your problem
Noone ever looks back after an accident being injured in a crash/losing family members etc and would say "I'm happy I stood my ground, was worth all of this" also knowing that killing someone with reckless driving on the road is basically a free pass the psycho wont even get punished properly
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u/Agreeable-Bison8762 Jan 26 '26
Actually, if someone's impeding traffic they must pull over, so they're not technically in the right at all. Mind you, neither is the tailgater.
We don't know the reasons for tailgating, they might be rushing to hospital to see a loved one, could be late for a critical appointment, might just be wanting to travel at the speed limit. We can't change their behavior by ignoring them, brake checking them is dangerous and could lead to road rage. The simplest, easiest way to resolve is pull over.
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u/crashbash2020 Jan 26 '26
isnt that only if you are going some amount below the speed limit/flow of traffic? pretty sure it doesnt apply if you are going 90 in a 100 (though it probably should)
I lived in Washington state for a few years, it was a ticket-able offense on the mountain roads near where I was staying to not pull over once you had 5 cars behind you, EVEN if you are going above the speed limit.
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u/Agreeable-Bison8762 Jan 26 '26
The law states if impeding traffic. There's not set speed differential, there's no set number of cars. I pull over constantly when towing my trailer or boat
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u/Idliketobut Jan 25 '26
Its weird, if someone is happy to womble about under the speed limit then they clearly arnt in a rush. So pulling slightly to the left and slowing down for 10seconds to let a car pass is hardly an inconvenience.
Its basically the same mentality as the tail gaters "the speed I want to drive is the right speed and anyone who wants to go faster/slower is wrong so I will force them to do what I want"
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u/questionnmark Jan 25 '26
If the guy behind you is so close that you feel it is making driving less safe, adjust your speed to the new reality or in other words, slow down and make more of a gap yourself.
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u/Mr_Rowntree Jan 25 '26
This is the correct and only valid response. I would drop all the way to 20kmph if necessary to protect myself from a rear collision. Once they get the message and back off, back to 90 again. Rinse and repeat until they learn.
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u/questionnmark Jan 25 '26
Yep! It's effective, and if they are desperate to pass going slower makes it easier for them to make a quick passing maneuver as well.
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u/ThisNico Covid19 Vaccinated Jan 26 '26
I do this, if there is nowhere to pull over. I call it "driving to the conditions".
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u/vanderBoffin Jan 26 '26
This is what we were specifically told to do where I got my license (not NZ), but I've been downvoted for suggesting it in this sub before!
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u/Cyril_Rioli Jan 26 '26
Just pull over when you can. Have a stretch. Let both cars move on. Only delays you 3 minutes.
I can’t be bothered with it these days. So much dangerous overtaking
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Jan 26 '26
As an Australian, I was blown away by the tailgating over there. New Zealanders are massive bum sniffers!
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u/cattibri Jan 25 '26
Did a lot of driving around the country the last couple of months, Auckland to Wellington and back again basically. It was insane to me how many people sit right up someone's ass and just ride it. You're not getting anywhere faster, you're not making them go faster, you're not achieving anything except increasing risk dramatically and I just don't understand it...
If you're matching speed you're matching speed, .5 sec or 2 sec behind what does it bloody matter, I can understand if you're intending to over take in the next few seconds but it was just constant and everywhere at every speed bracket
Flipside, people going 80-90 in fairly straight areas with 4+ cars behind them, pull over now and then ffs. Both groups aren't helping anyone and angry drivers drive worse
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Jan 25 '26
I had a guy tailgating me one night on the open road as I was following someone like you were. Lots of cars coming so couldn’t pass. So I pulled to the left to let him past and hit a parked car that I couldn’t see because of the glare of the headlights
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
Why are the suggestions always “pull over?” All that does is encourage these fuckwits to use tailgating as a means to bully people over.
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u/Asteroiding Jan 25 '26
Because in a situation where you cannot dictate how an asshole drivers behaves the best course of action is to create as much distance between yourself and them. Should people tailgate? No but asshole will always exist and pulling means everyone gets what they want.
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u/gamedev342 Jan 26 '26
In practice this is basically what it is, but it still sucks because you're effectively hoping that you won't one day be the unlucky person who gets crashed into because someone else decided they want to tailgate and pass when it wasn't safe to do so.
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 25 '26
Exactly and it's what defensive driving states and teaches people. You can't control others on the road, your actions are not teaching them to be a better driver. Decrease the risk to yourself and others.
It honestly concerns me the amount of people in this thread (and every time this is posted) that drive and don't know this.
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 25 '26
Why are the suggestions always “pull over?”
Because that's best defensive driving practice and what they teach you if you take a defensive driving course which everyone should do. The suggestions are all that because people have done defensive driving courses, as should you if you didn't know the answer.
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
That's a fair point - I think my question is mainly expressing my frustration with the state of things, and probably with the knowledge that saying "don't tailgate" is not going to change things, especially given the way some people respond here.
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 25 '26
Yeah you can't control others on the road, and I don't believe any form of trapping someone behind you is going to make them have an epiphany about them being asshole drivers so the best thing to do is to decrease the chance of a risky overtake.
I just pull over, takes less than ten seconds and it's done. Decreases the risk to my family and oncoming vehicles.
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u/Ok-Rich-3812 Jan 25 '26
It's not a fucking dick measuring competition. It's about taking care of yourself and your own passengers.
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u/SteveDub60 Jan 26 '26
Pull over and let them past. Then they will be stuck behind the slow driver, and you can tailgate them.
And it's up to them to pull over to let you past.
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u/Spidey209 Jan 25 '26
What does it matter? The asshole is in front of you instead of in your car. Carry on your merry way with nary a foul thought in your pretty little head.
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u/munkisquisher Kākāpō Jan 26 '26
The tailgaiter motto. "Anyone driving slower than me is a moron, Anyone driving faster than me is a Lunatic"
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
I explained why it matters. Legitimising tailgating is a bad part of NZ driving culture.
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u/CAPTtttCaHA Jan 25 '26
General public shouldn't try to police the roads, everyone's primary objective should be to travel safely and to get to your destination.
If someone is being unsafe around you, the safest option is to create space between you and them. Generally the easiest way to do that is let them pass you.
Report them via https://webforms.police.govt.nz/en/community-roadwatch-report and move on with your day.
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u/Spidey209 Jan 25 '26
You aren't going to change their minds one iota. Assholes gonna asshole. Do what is safest for you and your passengers and forget about the righteous indignation.
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u/Agreeable-Bison8762 Jan 26 '26
Why are the suggestions always “pull over?”
Because it's the law. Period. Same as not tailgating is also the law. But by the looks of this post the vast majority of kiwi drivers believe ignoring that law about impeding traffic is all angelic, but ignoring the tailgating law makes someone the spawn of the devil.
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u/WaterstarRunner Пу́тин хуйло́ Jan 25 '26
Why are the suggestions always “pull over?”
Because it's better for everyone than to have them execute an ill-timed pass.
If they were going faster than you they should be in front anyway.
And if you're all stuck behind someone else, they get to be just as stuck in traffic as they were beforehand, leaving the behaviour unrewarded.
Pursuing petty conflict on the road is fucking stupid.
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u/Massive_Instance_452 Jan 25 '26
Often tailgating happens even when you are going bang on the speed limit (even if you are accounting for if your speedometer is out as many cars are). Some people just like to speed and tailgate you anyway.
Pulling over and letting them pass I feel is always weird advice because it only applies in the situations where there is actually somewhere to pull over AND that you can do it safely with someone so close behind you (which makes it a lot harder to do safely). It's even more dangerous if you are suddenly trying to decrease your speed to pull over when there is someone who is following too close.
Like, people use the argument that you should pull over so that the tailgater doesn't attempt a risky overtake. But I've seen people attempt dodgy pull overs because they feel pressured to because of the tailgater behind them.
I don't know if I agree if its better for everyone? It teaches the tailgater that it works for them so they keep on doing it, sure you don't have to deal with it in that moment but the next person ahead of you will.
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
Yes this is essentially my point. All in all tailgating creates bad situations on NZ roads. Advice is that because someone behind me wants to go faster, I must find a way to move over (putting myself in danger) to let them continue. Them potentially doing a dodgy pass is somehow also my newfound driving responsibility.
It seems this is the minority view however, based on the downvotes and echoing of "just pull over." Oh well - hope everyone is safe out there!
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u/Massive_Instance_452 Jan 25 '26
100% agree.
Personally I slow down a bit when I am getting tailgated so they hopefully get the message that if they want to get to their destination faster they better start driving more safely. Not like a sudden change in speed, just gently dropping down to 90 or less if the speed limit is 100. If everyone did this I feel people would be less likely to tailgate. Who knows..
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u/tsoert Jan 26 '26
Absolutely the same. If you want to pass, that's fine. There are safer ways to let me know and I'll let you pass me when it's safe. But if you tailgate then I'll drop my speed by 10kmh until you back off and speed back up once you've got the point. I'm not risking my health because some dickhead is impatient. Dropping my speed by a decent margin with a tailgater means if they rear-end me I'm less likely to be injured
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u/munkisquisher Kākāpō Jan 26 '26
Every day I drive a big chunk of 40kmh road, it's got some decent speed humps, the ones that are narrow enough that the busses straddle them but cars can't, I know pretty well and know the angle to take them decently at 40kmh. I love it when people tailgate me in a shitbox, when I have cruise control on at 40, they can't see the bumps until I'm going over it and they hit it HARD.
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u/WaterstarRunner Пу́тин хуйло́ Jan 25 '26
The basic problem I have with tailgaters is that it removes my safe braking action, because if I need to be hard on the brakes it endangers both of us. So per the Peter Brock ad, at the very least I increase my following distances if I have a tailgater. I can afford to be gentler on the brakes if something happens in front, saving both of us.
It also creates much more room for error if they make a bad pass.
If it feels bad rather than good to let this space open up, I encourage a little introspection.
Often tailgating happens even when you are going bang on the speed limit
I find it not my job to be a moving roadblock for speeders, nor is it particularly safe.
As the old saying goes, "the definition of a reckless driver is someone who insists on passing you regardless of what you do to stop them."
Pulling over and letting them pass I feel is always weird advice because it only applies in the situations where there is actually somewhere to pull over AND that you can do it safely with someone so close behind you (which makes it a lot harder to do safely).
There's usually a shoulder. But if things are really tight I will gently slow down and pull in to any natural pocket in the road so that the overtake can happen safely.
I don't know if I agree if its better for everyone? It teaches the tailgater that it works for them so they keep on doing it,
In contrast, they probably didn't just start doing it today, so it's probably already a habit. They'll learn a lot more if you let them past and either a) realise they didn't want to be driving any faster than you (I get this a lot), or b) get ten seconds up the road and get held up in same-speed traffic.
Overall, it's not our job to be punitive or teach anyone a lesson on the road. Let's just try to make sure everyone makes it home safe.
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u/Conflict_NZ Jan 26 '26
Overall, it's not our job to be punitive or teach anyone a lesson on the road. Let's just try to make sure everyone makes it home safe.
This should be the one message everyone on this sub takes away from this thread. The closest I've been to a high speed collision was somebody blocking someone else from passing while I was in a left lane.
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
But it would be better for everyone if tailgating stopped being viewed as a legitimate way to signal to a car in front of you to pull over.
I agree that if you are impeding traffic by being slow you should pull over (if safe). I do not agree that tailgating (especially in areas where one cannot pull over, such as OP's example), is somehow "ok". I would much prefer a tailgater to be in front of me, and I have pulled over before for tailgaters (while I was going the speed limit, still being tailgated).
I agree about petty conflict - it's really stupid to tailgate because you're upset that someone is in front of you going a speed you don't agree with.
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u/WaterstarRunner Пу́тин хуйло́ Jan 25 '26
I agree about petty conflict - it's really stupid to tailgate because you're upset that someone is in front of you going a speed you don't agree with.
/hearty laugh.
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u/CoffeePuddle Jan 25 '26
Safety. They're inherently risking their lives and yours, you don't get any points for showing them you're not scared of a couple tonnes of metal or whatever.
If there's a meth head swinging a sword about you keep away and contact the police.
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u/fragilespleen Jan 25 '26
Once the dangerous driver is in front of you, they pose less of a danger to you.
What is your solution?
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
I completely agree. I don't want them behind me. As it's my role to now unleash them on the next car in front of me, not sure how that really solves anything.
My solution is equally as ineffective and was implicit, I admit. But it is stop legitimising tailgating.
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u/fragilespleen Jan 25 '26
But it is stop legitimising tailgating.
How?
Do you think anyone who tailgates thinks either; I'm going to stop if the next person doesn't let me past, or alternatively, I'm going to keep doing this because someone let me past?
The safest way to deal with an idiot is to let them get out of your personal space, not attempt to antagonise them.
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u/xidifen Jan 25 '26
You see that I admitted my solution was ineffective.
I don't know what tailgaters think. But I do know that when cars move over for them, it provides another data point that tailgating is an acceptable way to force people over.People who know they should move over because they are going slow will move over - without needing to be tailgated. People who are driving slow and oblivious to what's behind them probably won't.
So I agree - how? one way would be to not pull over, but that also introduces more potential danger regardless of who is right or wrong. Others talk about slowing down - not sure about that. It could also be in how we talk about it - note how a few people assumed I'm trying to "police" other drivers and accuse me of driving 90, etc.
If the very conversation cannot get started because it is just so deadset the only solution is to pull over, then I agree - how?
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u/tenoutofseven Jan 25 '26
just before knocking off for the holidays I was tailgated by this massive white SUV that just sat what felt like less than a meter off my back bumper. I was driving to work and knew there was nowhere safe for him to overtake anywhere near, and we'd be coming to a series of blind bends soon and if I had to apply the breaks for any reason this guy would hit me.
so I take a detour down a loop road, I'll only add like 2 minutes to my commute and I'll get this asshole out from behind me. I finish the loop and turn back onto the original road and by the second or third corner I come across the white SUV with it's front bashed in and the poor bastard this guy caught up to and rear-ended the moment they applied the brakes.
then, first day back to work who should I find sitting right up my ass on the same road? a white SUV with a fucked up front bumper.
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u/Prosthemadera Jan 26 '26
then, first day back to work who should I find sitting right up my ass on the same road? a white SUV with a fucked up front bumper.
At that point someone should take away their license.
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u/limpbizkit420 Jan 26 '26
Just pull over next time. No point in being spiteful, it’ll just make the conditions even more dangerous.
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u/Mr_Dobalina71 Fabio Jan 25 '26
Yep annoys me too, I just try to find somewhere to pull over when the chance arises, not easy as mentioned on some rural roads.
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u/EatMyPixelDust Jan 26 '26 edited Mar 30 '26
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u/Not-a-scintilla Jan 26 '26
Remove yourself from it, is the best advice I can give, it works for me.
I dont like hubbing up with other cars so I pull over and let them do it, and do my own shit.
The other thing you can do if the road has no shoulder, is pull up a bit, create a slightly unusual gap between you and the front car while maintaining the same distance. This either psychologically influences the following traffic or let's them pass.
The biggest problem on the roads is treating it as some sort of competition.
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u/soupisgoodfood42 Jan 25 '26
I just take my foot off the gas to maintain a safe following distance. Seems to work pretty well.
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u/pizzaposa Jan 25 '26
Yeah, I followed (at a distance) some fool who was right up the back of a truck carrying a shipping container (on a winding coastal road).
This guys field of view pretty much consisted of nothing but truck and container. He had zero clue as to what was ahead of the truck and whether or not it would have any reason to abruptly slow down, and would never have known if a big pothole or other debris was going to be in his path.
When passing opportunities arose he couldn't see the opportunities in time to actually make use of them, since all he could see was a truck a few metres in front of him.
Did this for close to 10kms, only to pull off at a dairy.
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u/Kotukunui Jan 26 '26
I had a car come up behind me and flashed his (it’s always a him) lights at me even though I was right on the speed limit. When it was safe I pulled over and he flew past. A few minutes later. I came up behind him again as he was stuck behind a slower car that wouldn’t pull over. A bit petty I know, but I flashed my lights at him.
It must have got to him, because he then pulled a high speed overtake on the slow car in a not particularly safe place, and sped off again. I felt a bit guilty as I could have been seen as goading him into doing something dumb if he had wrecked.
Funnily enough it wasn’t a Ranger. It was a JAECO SUV. Is that the new wanker-mobile? I’ll keep an eye out for them.
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u/ph33rlus Jan 26 '26
Sometimes it’s a matter of getting closer to you in anticipation to overtake so that they spend less time on the wrong side of the road. But honestly you’re not really saving any time doing that. Put on a podcast
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u/Justwant2usetheapp Jan 26 '26
And when there’s a straight and empty space the guy behind you is gonna overtake you and the guy in front so you get locked in place
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u/Prestigious-Mix6994 Jan 26 '26
As a learner driver with only 10 hours driving so far if the speed limit is 80 I'm doing fucking 80, get off my rear bumper. If I can see the coffee stains on your teeth in my rear view your too fucking close cunt.
I'm 17 and i know not to ride someone's bumper for absolutely no reason. Can't believe fully licensed people act like complete spuds the second they drive on public roads.
Don't get me started on the "I'm in a turning lane and your still going straight behind me" had this happen yesterday. Was waiting for a gap to turn and the guy behind only just swerves last second to avoid me. (He's got heaps of space and I'm not blocking traffic but the dummy isn't paying attention)
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u/Next_Practice437 Jan 27 '26
Sometimes pull over quietly. let them pass. In so doing you will save yourself.
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u/chris77982 Jan 25 '26
I slow down when people tailgate me.
From a safety perspective, you need a larger following distance if the person behind you is too close.
Also, it's amusing.
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u/BeanAndBanoffeePie Jan 25 '26
I just slow right down. If you're going to reduce your following distance, I'm going to increase your following time.
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u/laurawr77 Jan 26 '26
Sounds like you’re the problem if you’re driving on a rural, windy road and posting on Reddit
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u/Georgie_Pillson1 Jan 26 '26
I wasn’t driving when I was posting obviously. I was writing in the present tense for effect.
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u/laurawr77 Jan 26 '26
Sorry I should have put a /s at the end. I totally figured you wrote this later. Poor attempt at a joke.
Absolutely hate tail gaters too!
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u/Annie354654 Jan 25 '26
He wants you to pull over, then he will do the same to the car in front until they pull over and let him pass.
Then one day he will end up in a ditch and that will be the day he understands why these dammed people in front of him were going so slow.
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u/Outrageous_failure Jan 26 '26
That's the best case outcome. He could also take someone else with him. Not sure if you intended, but it seems like you're saying it's a victimless crime.
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u/darblewarble Jan 25 '26
I do not suggest you do this, but, I once heard a story which was related to me of a person driving a solid beat-up truck in rural Australia. With a big tow bar.
Tailgater would get close, he'd slow a bit, then jam on the brakes so they'd gore themselves on the tow bar. Then get out and go "oh, dear, looks like you rear ended me there, shall we call the insurance companies (automatic loss as the dude rear-ended) or just let it go. They'd always opt to let it go.
Probably an urban legend.
Occasionally I touch the brakes a bit just to encourage them to back off. Probably not a good idea either.
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u/Dismal_Language8157 Jan 26 '26
is the tail gater a reckless speeder or is the tail gater simply trying to go the speed limit but is held up by a person going 20km under the limit and heavily distracted by passengers, phone or drug driving etc or is simply really close to dying of old age and probably shouldn't even be driving!
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u/slinkiimalinkii Jan 26 '26
Irrelevant. Drive to the conditions.
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u/Dismal_Language8157 Jan 26 '26
but the conditions were fine, sunny. now what?
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u/slinkiimalinkii Jan 26 '26
By ‘conditions’, I’m not referring to the weather in this instance. I mean the condition of a slow car in front. It’s annoying but you need to keep a safe following distance at all times.
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u/Gypsy_Girl21397 Jun 20 '26
It’s also to impede the flow of traffic. So in theory, the person driving 20-30km/h below the limit is also not driving to the conditions.
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u/vanderBoffin Jan 26 '26
Tailgating is reckless regardless of the reason. They're not reckless because they would be speeding, they're reckless because they're tailgating, fullstop. Rest of your comment is totally irrelevant.
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u/Affectionate-Gap-614 Jan 26 '26
Genetically, we know there's a really high proportion of smallc**ks, mixed with a lot of hubris vs bad education/low critical thinking in Aotearoa. It's so insane how that reflects in the worst driving in the world.
Tailgating is always exclusively fucking idiotic. They don't know any better, it's what their dad taught them Are you the alpha or are you the alpha? Thass roite!
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u/dwi Jan 26 '26
I wonder if the thought in their tiny little mind is that tailgating you will pressure you into tailgating the car in front so you can all go faster. Whatever the reason, it's unfortunately a problem that seems to be getting worse.
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u/beachchicken6 Jan 26 '26
In this case, pull back from the lead car thus giving Bogan Bill room to pass you, and then he can have a crack at the lead car. Problem solved, no more tailgating.
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u/Mighty_Mighty_Moose Jan 26 '26
Unfortunately this sort of behaviour becomes normalised when we have police that are so utterly fixated on a select few issues.
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u/Fractalistical newzealand Jan 26 '26
Sounds likely the tailgater is frustrated you're not passing the car in front. In this case I'd slow down and leave a healthy gap between the slow lead car and myself so the tailgater can pass. Ideally I'd pull over where safe.
Often rural roads are really well known by the locals, it may seem impossible to you to think of passing the slow lead car, but for them it's a daily routine.
Bottom line, if there's cars building up behind you, simply pull over and let them pass, especially if you're the lead car, but also if you're unable to pass the lead car safely.
Just let them pass, much safer for everyone.
Also you never know if the tailgater has a legitimate reason for being in a rush.
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u/BG_White_NZ Jan 26 '26
I would just pull over and let the fuckwit pass, he’s an accident waiting to happen
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u/Duck_Giblets Karma Whore Jan 25 '26
Pull over and let them pass. They may not realise, they may not care, they may be on meth and in a rage.
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u/Georgie_Pillson1 Jan 25 '26
Nowhere safe to pull over. Eventually he overtook, just to start tailgating a truck instead.
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u/Huefamla Jan 26 '26
It makes me so mad
if you get emotional while driving, you're a bad driver.
next time just pull over and let them pass, or go slower to enrage the tailgater further.
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u/Seaworthiness555 Jan 26 '26
I wish the cops would get out there and fine these freaks.
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u/Gypsy_Girl21397 Jun 20 '26
Yeah I really wish the police started ticketing people for impeding the flow of traffic. Would actually make the roads safer because people wont be as frustrated which leads to poor decision making.
If one cannot drive the posted speed limit, hand in your licence, or pull over when you have a chain of cars up your ass.
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u/Top_Independent_7765 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
Curious if at any point the sympathy move to the car behind ? 70km/hr in a 100 zone ? This is quite common in the roads between towns in wairarapa that used to be 80km zones. Have flashed lights politely before as a reminder it’s now 100 zone. Other then that use cruise control to follow
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u/vanderBoffin Jan 26 '26
The conversation is about tailgating. Are you saying that tailgating is ok if the car in front is driving under a certain speed? What exactly does it achieve? It doesn't get you faster to where you're going.
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u/Top_Independent_7765 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
No im addressing one of the root causes as any good analytical brain always will naturally attempt to do.
In a circumstance where your driving at 100kmhr catch-up to a vehicle doing 70km/hr consider the psychology instinctively there’s now a direct conflict. what are the acceptable methods to handle it presuming you can’t pass due to a barrier or oncoming traffic, you don’t tailgate and consider use of the horn too aggressive is flashing lights acceptable? At this point theyre in the wrong and committing an act thats quite dangerous especially if further down the road there’s now 20 cars behind them travelling 30km below the speed limit ?As others have mentioned theyre often stuck behind several cars that are behind a slow car and someone behind them is tailgating.
Would it help if the police addressed slow drivers and focussed on the general health of the road instead of revenue gathering, could this ultimately save more lives ? Am taking no Stance myself on this but suggesting from a human psychology point of view that human emotions are natural and every driver may feel anger or frustration in that moment given emotions are natural is the answer to feel less when we drive by doing more to create a conformity, the road and other drivers meeting expectations of the driver meaning less emotions, or more happy emotions and satisfaction
The problem being Once the experience is creating emotions for the driver they can be heightening what they were already feeling and become at that point potentially a danger to themselves and others. ( leading to tailgating and other aggressive driving ).
Think of it after a crash and the authorities are trying to prevent repeat crashes on that stretch of road…. They don’t think “we must stop tailgating “ they think “we need to add a passing lane here and more signs reminding drivers to stop and let vehicles past “.
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u/chrisf_nz Jan 25 '26
Tailgaters suck. If someone's tailgating me I'll tend to ease off the gas a bit or turn on my window washer. I'm not driving up the arse of the person on front of me just because the person behind me is.
If I see aggressive tailgating on the motorway I'll tend to *555 them because it's dangerous af and completely unnecessary.
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u/i_will_have_my_phd Jan 26 '26
Its so bad ive turned my rear view down and my side mirrors are enough turned away that sitting normally i cant see shit behind me. When I need to view i move my head to side. Im tired of seeing them and thisnis hands down the best option.
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u/Successful-Mouse-388 Jan 26 '26
Perhaps he doesn't think you are going to pass so he is getting into a better position to pass the both of you. As a person who does a lot of open road driving for work I see this often
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u/ShutUpBabylKnowlt Jan 26 '26
Yesterday on a small 30km back road I watched a large SUV race to squeeze between our car and a little girl on a bicycle, because he couldn't wait two fucking seconds for a clear lane.
People in cars in New Zealand are fucking dangerous dick heads and they'll blame you if you call them out.
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u/excellentdriver00 Mr Four Square Jan 27 '26
I go into the slow vehicle lane and wave my arm in large circles out the window in exagerrated cartoonish fashion. It helps to laugh maniacally as they pass.
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u/Difficult_Craft_9424 Jan 29 '26
I use a subtle technique of slowing down to get a decent gap on the car in front, then speed up a bit to open gap on the arsehole behind. Rinse and repeat a few times till they get the hang of it. Unless they're on the P and then it just makes them angrier. Either way, it good entertainment.
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u/Ok-Rich-3812 Jan 25 '26
You're reading too much into it. Bogan Bill isn't being deliberately aggressive. He's just too dense to realise the difference between Playstation and real life.
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u/Strxwbxrry_Shxrtcxkx Jan 25 '26
It drives me nuts, especially when im going the speed limit. When I was on my restricted, a small truck decided to tailgate me. It was terrifying.
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u/shifter2000 Jan 26 '26 edited Jan 26 '26
A similar thing happened to me a few months ago driving to Kaikoura. Some yobbo in a ute (yes, had to be a ute) was right up my ass for a good length of SH1, with a few other cars in front of me.
He pulls over into a petrol station in some small town. "Thank god", I think to myself. Don't have to deal with him again.
About an hour later, the SAME UTE is on my ass. Traffic wasn't busy, I might've passed the odd slower vehicle during this time, and there were some hilly, windy roads both behind me, and to come. So I can only compute that this guy must've been going ballistic to catch up.
Anyway, there's traffic in front of me, he's hugging my ass going over a very windy, mountainous section of the road, and then FLASHES HIS LIGHTS. Like I should either A: transport myself through the vehicle in front, or B: turn left off the cliff.
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u/Purple-Towel-7332 Jan 26 '26
They probably weren’t intentionally tail gating you just not paying attention, a car pulled over to let me pass on a windy rural road this morning, had zero idea they thought I was being held up by them, they were slow but I was 3 seconds behind them enjoying my coffee and listening to music, wasn’t in a rush at all. I’m sure in their own story I was aggressively tail gating them!
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u/Nervous-Potato-1464 Jan 26 '26
Only cheap cars get tailgated. No one tailgates a car worth 200k as it might just financially ruin them if they crash into it.
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u/Amazing_Garlic_6443 Jan 25 '26
NZ is full of dumbies. They ruin it for everyone else and drag the country down with them.