Tailgating a Tailgater - Am I The As-Hole?

smartProverble on 20/12/2024 - 23:18

So I saw this SUV on the passing right lane was getting tailgated by a Honda Civic (the one with those weird amber lights permanently on on the side, as if it's a truck or something), and it happened for a long time. The Civic driver was flashing his lights as well.

The SUV driver got the message and indicated left, but there was a car on the left side so they couldn't switch lanes… So they kept on going… And eventually when there was space to get out of the lane, they probably thought "f it, I'm gonna stay". The civic was continually tailgating and flashing.

I'm not a fan of tailgaters, I hate them especially when you are driving at the speed limit. (Driving at the speed limit on the passing / right lane is a different story but anyway…) So after watching this from behind, I thought "f this tailgator", switched lanes, and eventually tailgated the tailgator, flashing included. Civic was now sandwiched. Civic tried to brake check me, but I wasnt fazed.

The civic driver at this point could have easily just switched lanes to the left, but chose to stay.

Tailgating a tailgator - does this make me an as hole, or does two wrongs make a right?

Poll Options Mon, 31/03/2025 - 00:00

  • ?
    Tailgating a tailgator is and exception and ok
  • ?
    Tailgating a tailgator is still wrong
Automotive

Comments

  • coffeeinmyveins on 21/12/2024 - 09:18
    +4

    You're not the hero you think you are.

    People like that are super annoying, and they are dangerous, but it is best to just get out of their way.

    There's also another scenario you haven't considered, and people often forget. What if they are in an emergency situation? Not everyone is driving to their mums for tea.

    I say that because I have been in that situation. I had a medical emergency that required me to drive a family member to the hospital and I got caught behind someone in a single lane road who didn't move when the lights turned green, then when I beeped them they actually slammed their brakes on and sat there. I had to go on the wrong side of the road to overtake them.

    Just something to consider.

    • Protractor on 21/12/2024 - 10:13

      What was the emergency? Why no ambulance?
      Also how would other road users know someone is an emergency situation in another car?
      (even hazard lights on are no free ride)

      • SwarlesBarkley on 23/12/2024 - 13:35

        Somebody in labour about to give birth?

        I don't know how good the ambulances are where you are, but here it's much quicker to drive someone to Emergency (if possible) than to wait for an ambulance.

        • Protractor on 23/12/2024 - 13:40

          Oh, you were there?
          There are actually people who think minor issues are an excuse to hit the ED.
          And of course if you live further away from ambulance availability, that's worth considering.But in most of those scenarios there's not your typical load of traffic lights and suburbs, to navigate.
          It's probs not too smart to run the gauntlet too hard with an imminent birth onboard either. It's all about weighing up the risks, isn't it?

          • SwarlesBarkley on 24/12/2024 - 12:22

            @Protractor: No I wasn't there, I am just pointing out that there are valid scenarios when someone might need to rush to hospital but not use an ambulance.
            And I don't disagree with you that there are cases of people who don't need to be in ED who report there, but I'd much rather people do that and be properly triaged than the other way around.

            I should probably know, I work in a hospital after all…

            • Protractor on 24/12/2024 - 13:13

              @SwarlesBarkley: Congratulations. Thanks for your service.
              You'd also know that a lot of ppl abuse ED ($$) and that ties it up unnecessarily,pressures staff and the system.
              I was simply asking what that valid reason further back in this dialogue was .I think it matters what ppl call emergencies to justify their actions,don't you?

      • Euphemistic on 23/12/2024 - 15:23

        Recently had someone driving very agressively, flashing lights etc behind us. Car behind moved over. I chose the same. I chose what i believed was the safest option. Maybe they had an emergency (were headed in the general direction of a hospital), but equally could have been running from the cops or just high on drugs. Either way, the best option for me was to let them get in front and away rather than 'legally' stay in my lane at the speed limit and have them overtake into oncoming traffic or something equually dangerous.

        • Protractor on 23/12/2024 - 15:47

          It's all about weighing up the risks, isn't it?

  • someone else on 21/12/2024 - 09:38
    +3

    If you are tailgating a tailgator, you become a tailgator. Then another creature sees you tailgating and decides to do the same (for them you are the jerk) and tailgate you… Suddenly we can see a line of 100 tailgators…

    Seriously though, those psycho drivers are dangerous… He should be stopped by police and have the licence removed, but you have nothing to do with that. Just stay away…

  • doctordv8 on 21/12/2024 - 09:58

    OI… to all off the mark…. shush up unless answering the OP' question with Facts please.

    This is a Question on the OP's driving towards another driver. Not about beaten to death Road Rule exposé.

    Stick to the bloody question please, the Law/Road Rule is what it is, and it is in Black n White, no need for a discussion or in the case of many here an argument whose got a bigger dick. Read it, learn it, follow it - simple.

    Q. "Tailgating a tailgator - does this make me an as hole, or does two wrongs make a right?"

    You are also in the wrong, and although not an AH, but a bloody Idiot. I say that to every Rule breaker, so it is not just you.

    Anyone driving less the to the exact Road Rules and with courtesy and manners is a bloody idiot.

    Every minute of every drive.
    Back Off, and maybe..hopefully everybody goes home each day especially this close to Xmas.

    Ask yourselves this…. and then continue sticking your dumb ass chests out…
    Have you ever lost a loved one on the Roads??? I HAVE!!! Many of us here have, but some of you….. one day….ok.

    I hope you never do, but when it does happen, you will understand how much difference breaking a "small" Road Rule makes. You will learn that being 10 minutes late is a wonderful option. You will learn, that manners and courtesy regardless what or where you drive to do everything to AVOID a road incident is your only priority. You are not a perfect driver….ok.

    Now, safe driving to all, and to all a Merry Xmas (unless you do Happy holidays instead).

    Bring on the small minded Negs.

  • dylo on 21/12/2024 - 10:09
    +2

    Yes. Thankfully you didn't end up a statistic.

  • elgrande on 21/12/2024 - 10:49
    +2

    How can I vote for you in the next election?

  • RotundPolarBear on 21/12/2024 - 11:49

    You gave him a taste of his own medicine.

  • p1 ama on 21/12/2024 - 12:10
    +4

    Tailgating a tailgator - does this make me an as hole, or does two wrongs make a right?

    SUV driver is an (profanity) for not getting out of the right lane, which is for overtaking / passing. Increasingly typical behaviour for SUV drivers who believe they are above the law because they drive a big car.

    Civic driver is an (profanity) for tailgating, seems that the SUV already got the message and was going to move out of the way.

    You're the biggest (profanity) for getting involved in something that doesn't concern you and putting yourself and other drivers in danger for no reason other than for you to feel more like a man.

    I always get a kick out of how being inside a car brings out people's "true colours", almost as if they have no shame and a heightened sense of invulnerability. If you weren't in a car and you saw two people punching each other on the footpath, would you come along and start throwing punches as well?

  • churningNburning on 21/12/2024 - 13:02
    +3

    I think it's funny you did that, it's something I've contemplated myself. But it is stupid and wrong.

    PS. I do appreciate your work.

  • lonewolf on 21/12/2024 - 17:08
    -7

    Majority of accidents i have witnessed has been more because of people trying to get around slow drivers or drivers who dont know how to drive more so than aggressive or speeding drivers.

    • belongsinforums on 21/12/2024 - 17:13
      +5

      Amazing. You should publish your findings

      • lonewolf on 21/12/2024 - 17:15
        -5

        Ahh the low IQ sarcastic comments due to low self esteem, seems to be a growing faze.

    • Euphemistic on 21/12/2024 - 18:29
      -3

      If those drivers causing accidents because they were trying to get past slow drivers had been less agressive or didnt feel the need to speed up and pass maybe there wouldnt be as many problems

      • lonewolf on 22/12/2024 - 19:03

        You should go read what i wrote.

        • Euphemistic on 22/12/2024 - 19:50

          I did. You implied that impatient/aggressive/speedy people that cant wait behind a slower driver are the cause of accidents.

          • lonewolf on 22/12/2024 - 19:54

            @Euphemistic: Nope, I never implied impatient, aggressive or speedy drivers that cant wait behind a slower driver. I said aggressive or speedy drivers dont cause as much accidents as slow / drivers who dont know how to drive . Thats 2 separate groups in 2 separate scenarios. Because when people come across slow drivers who dont know how to drive, everyone else around them gets scared because the most dangerous part of driving is not knowing what the other person is going to do. If they are showing signs of not knowing how to drive themselves, thats even scarier and everyone generally wants to get away from them rather than be side on or behind them.

            • Euphemistic on 22/12/2024 - 21:38

              @lonewolf: You said

              because of people trying to get around slow drivers

              Slow drivers are not the problem in that statement. Impateient drivers are the problem. Unless you can find some data to back up your assertion its sounding more like confirmation bias.

              And how many crashes (not accidents) have you seen? You must live in an area that has relly bad drivers. In all my driving years, ive seen probably less than one per year and been involved in 2.

              • lonewolf on 23/12/2024 - 09:37
                -2

                @Euphemistic: Nope, slow drivers are the problem, because all normal drivers generally try to get around slow drivers or drivers that dont seem aware of their surroundings. As you never know what they will do next.

                I drive the busiest roads arguably in sydney or australia from what the news reports (hume highway, Homebush bay drive, epping road and lane cove road), I drive this every day both ways about 1 hour or so each way.

                • Euphemistic on 23/12/2024 - 10:14

                  @lonewolf:

                  As you never know what they will do next.

                  So then you need to be even more patient. Everyone on the roads needs to be more patient, myself included at times.

                  Habe to remember that the average driver isnt very good, and jalf the drivers are worse than average.

                  FWIW, watching some dashcam aus videos, aggressive drivers seem to cause the MAJORITY of crashes.

                  • lonewolf on 23/12/2024 - 10:18
                    -1

                    @Euphemistic: Actually no, you need to get away from them, because if you are near them and they dont know whats going on, anything can happen including crashing into you or not looking over their blind spot. Anyone who drives peak hour traffic will see pretty much every car behind or next to a car that seems to be going very slow and also seems unsure of blind spots, unaware of whats going on around them, will try to get away from them. I see it every day.

                    • Euphemistic on 23/12/2024 - 10:48
                      -1

                      @lonewolf: Dude, you need to chill a bit more o nthe roads. When was the last timenyounsaw an actual crash in person? How many have you seen?

                      You're sounding really nervous and maybe the roads arent the right place for you to be.

                • Protractor on 23/12/2024 - 13:43
                  -1

                  @lonewolf: Let me guess the max speed limit is currently too low?

    • ginormousgiraffe on 22/12/2024 - 06:49

      The road death toll ever since they started tracking always has speeders as the leading cause of deaths, not slow drivers.

      • Ughhh on 22/12/2024 - 10:16
        +2

        You can have 1000000000 accidents and 0 death toll though. Death toll shouldn't be the only focus.

        • ginormousgiraffe on 23/12/2024 - 07:12
          -1

          Do yourself a favour and look up the leading cause of road accidents in Australia… It's still speeding.

          Morons that say slow drivers cause accidents is just cope so they can feel better about their ordinary driving.

          • Ughhh on 23/12/2024 - 13:27
            +1

            @ginormousgiraffe: Goal post change.

            Your initial point was about death toll.

            Abnormal drivers, including Slow and fast drivers, can have an impact on the driving environment.

            • ginormousgiraffe on 24/12/2024 - 09:03

              @Ughhh: You're the one that changed the goalposts champ. Classic cope from someone that speeds regularly and drives aggressively that thinks the stats don't apply to them due to anecdotal experience.

      • lonewolf on 22/12/2024 - 19:03
        -1

        I never said death toll, I said accidents. And heres the thing about slow drivers or drivers who dont have a clue what they are doing. Others try to avoid hitting them and end up having an accident with someone else, seen it many times. They swerve out of the way or have to change lanes or have a lot of times , multiple cars all trying to weave or change lanes to get away from the slow driver who seems to not be fully aware of their surroundings and inevitably an accident occurs. A lot of times the slow driver just keeps going without having a clue anything occurred.

        Alot of times driving is about confidence, aggressive or speeding drivers a lot of times (not always) are also confident drivers so they know what they can do with their vehicle and what they cant. I am not talking about the portion who dont know how to drive or who drink and drive fast.

  • belongsinforums on 21/12/2024 - 17:13

    Funny but you're lucky nothing came of it. Lots of wackos out there

  • gromit on 21/12/2024 - 17:30

    moronic act, risking peoples lives to make a point. you would make a better point by sending dashcam footage to police of their actions rather than risking peoples lives.

  • apple2016 on 21/12/2024 - 18:10

    Play silly games , win…

  • theguyrules on 21/12/2024 - 18:53
    +2

    I do hate those side lights on the civics

  • Dack Smith on 21/12/2024 - 18:57

    Tailgating makes you feel badass and invokes a sense of superiority.

    It effectively turns you into Iron Man

  • freefall101 on 21/12/2024 - 19:37

    If they had to brake suddenly and you ran into the back of them, you're 100% at fault. What you did was just plain stupid. Tailgating an already reckless driver is just throwing fuel on the fire.

    Their driving is not your concern, worry about your own driving and stop contributing to making the roads more dangerous. What about traffic coming the other way? What about other cars around you while you played your little game? What would have you told a cop if you were pulled over for reckless driving?

  • DMFD on 21/12/2024 - 21:21

    ozb turning into reddard

  • voo123 on 21/12/2024 - 21:43

    With my daily commute being mostly on a 2 lane freeway with 110km/h speed limit, my main pet peeve are right lane hoggers. Traffic is relatively light so luckily most drivers stick to the left unless overtaking.

    However, there’s often the odd driver who stays on the right lane at speed limit or slowly overtaking at what seems like 2-3 km/h over the limit. This is fine when overtaking a car but at that overtaking speed past a b-double truck, it takes them agesss and arguably more risk to everyone. When overtaking I never try to stay beside these trucks for more than a few seconds.

    If driving conditions are good, I like to do my overtakes decisively and briskly, even if it means overtaking at 10km/h over the limit momentarily. Being next to another vehicles sides or blind spots at freeway speeds frightens me. Its either stay 1 car width behind adjacent vehicle or briskly overtake. I’m sure a truck driver would get uncomfortable at having to pay attention to slow overtakers aswell.

    With this driving style, I rarely get tail gated as I’m in and out of right lane quickly. Occasionally, an idiot gunning down at right lane at 160km/h might close the gap closely, but I glance my rears mirrors every 10-15 secs anyway so I can plan my overtakes easily and get out of the way promptly. Just staying on that right lane stubbornly vs a tailgater is dangerous to both parties so its not worth it.

    Admittedly, I’ve had to tailgate (non aggressively) these right lane hoggers drivers to get them out of the way or undertake them and carry on with the journey.

    I honestly think right lane hoggers along with slow merging from onramp makes it far more dangerous for everybody, rather than the typical tailgater.

    • p1 ama on 21/12/2024 - 21:49
      +1

      However, there’s often the odd driver who stays on the right lane at speed limit or slowly overtaking at what seems like 2-3 km/h over the limit. This is fine when overtaking a car but at that overtaking speed past a b-double truck, it takes them agesss and arguably more risk to everyone.

      To be honest, this is almost a direct byproduct of the draconian way that we enforce speed limits. I used to work a job where I drove quite a fair bit between the different states, and this timidness of trying to overtake at 2-3 km/h is a very Victorian thing (assuming you're also from VIC, as this is almost unique to VIC). In NSW and QLD, drivers are much brisker in their overtakes.

      Unsurprisingly, it's due to the fact that Victoria enforces speed limits in a much more draconian way than NSW and QLD. Many people I know (myself included) have been pinged at silly things like 64 km/h in a 60 km/h zone, which has never happened to me in NSW and QLD.

      • voo123 on 21/12/2024 - 22:50

        Yeah I’m from VIC. I have a total 2hr commute each day on the freeway and never been pulled over for a short brisk overtake. Maybe I’m just lucky.

    • Eeples on 22/12/2024 - 07:37

      Well if you are travelling 114km in the left or middle lane and go and overtake at 10km/hr in the right hand lane that’s speeding and you get what you get.

  • pegaxs on 21/12/2024 - 22:38
    +7

    Meh, all I see is 3 idiots in 2 tonne metal wrecking balls trying to find out who is the biggest man-child.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 21/12/2024 - 23:35
    +2

    In my experience, you can't fix stupid

  • May4th on 21/12/2024 - 23:41

    not an a-hole, just an i-diot in the nicest way possible

  • Eeples on 22/12/2024 - 01:07

    What was the speed limit?

  • bobbified on 22/12/2024 - 01:24

    That's a pretty dumb move. It's the quickest way to becoming the liable party in a multi-car pile-up!

  • SuperMid on 22/12/2024 - 07:56
    +1

    I would have driven past the civic in reverse and flipped them off

  • Morphio25 on 22/12/2024 - 07:57

    NTA - you are a hero amongst men. Give the prick a taste of his own medicine.

  • Alley Cat on 22/12/2024 - 09:59
    +1

    I noticed quite a few risky drivers in town in the past few weeks due to the holiday break. A few days ago, I was behind three cars slowly approaching a red light. The car right in front of me switching to the right lane, overtook the other two cars, and jumped right back just before the white line. You’d think people come to a beach town to unwind… Maybe the idea of unwinding is just different to everyone.

    A-hole or not is purely dependant on your intentions. It does look like they have successfully recruited you. Classic victim to perpetrator transition. Bullying the bully doesn’t make you a hero, it only turns you into another bully.

  • wkd on 22/12/2024 - 10:10

    let these idiots pass then wave at them at the next red light.

  • Brick Tamland on 22/12/2024 - 11:21
    +1

    Yep, it's definitely Christmas time on the roads at the moment. Maybe everyone chill out for a moment and everyone gets to where they are going safely.

  • megaalc on 22/12/2024 - 12:04

    lol … Unless you’ve got a couple of blasters and a phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range like in The Terminator, tailgating a tailgater is just a low-budget knockoff attempt at road justice….

  • kaleidoscope on 22/12/2024 - 13:36

    life too short to play god in these situations… just move out of the way and lets the idiots deal with it

    Tailgating a Tailgater - Am I The As-Hole?

    yes 100%

  • lordofdestruction on 22/12/2024 - 19:41

    Cant chance my vote. I like what you did but just to make sure you stay safe.

  • OzBarAnon on 22/12/2024 - 20:48

    Why is tailgating bad to begin with? Because it's dangerous and puts yourself and others at risk. So how does tailgating enact any sort of justice when you are just increasing the risk of unnecessary danger on the road?

  • jaffar on 22/12/2024 - 23:35
    +2

    You are the ahole. Only because you're making the situation more dangerous which could affect other road users - the priority should always be safety on the roads/getting safely to your destination.
    I get wanting to try and teach the other driver a lesson (I've thought about it too & I've stupidly done it too when I was younger and dumber - car rides my tailpipe, overtakes me dangerously, gets stuck, and then you follow them closer than you're usual distance because you want to get back at them) but leave the justice-dealing to the coppers and just chill and forget (thinking that they're racing to take a huge dump helps).

  • mauricem on 22/12/2024 - 23:39
    +2

    I'd avoid escalating potential road rage situations. You might be a bad ass but there are plenty of iced up psychos out there with nothing to lose and no off switch.

  • nobro25 on 23/12/2024 - 06:22

    Let Karma do the work… Eventually natural selection will take it's course. Why put effort and put yourself in that scenario. You have nothing to gain other than than gambling on self pride. If something happens you look like a total dofus if you don't already look like one by other passing cars.

  • xiaoli on 23/12/2024 - 08:09

    I never move over for tailgaters. Those ppl say "Right Lane is for overtaking only", then what is the tailgater doing there? Is he only there to overtake? Nope.

  • Purp on 23/12/2024 - 11:43

    Watch dash cam owners australia, the problem is the absolute entitlement of australian drivers and the pure selfishness of them. So many people speeding around in a hurry to get nowhere causing problems. No you are not that important that you can do 70 in a 50 zone, no you do not need to ride up someones ass because they are doing 50 in a 50 zone. States need to start actually taking peoples licenses away for repeat offenders, slap on the wrists dont do a thing. At least half of drivers with their full license couldn't even pass a driving test if they had to re-sit it today, people dont know how to leave a safe gap in front of them.

    • Protractor on 23/12/2024 - 13:49

      I want to know what is being done with all the so called time being saved.
      Not just via speeding, but click collect,food delivery.Multi tasking etc.
      Man there is a huge stash of time out there.If I get my hands on it……Benjamin Button time

      • Purp on 23/12/2024 - 14:03

        no time saved, they're always sitting at the next set of lights waiting

  • Ughhh on 23/12/2024 - 13:33

    Tailgater are usually high risk takers. Is your risk appetite as high as theirs?

    • Brick Tamland on 23/12/2024 - 13:50

      Play stupid games win stupid prizes.

  • northern nsw on 23/12/2024 - 15:53

    do you even have to ask…hand ya licence in ya numpty…

  • REDRUM on 23/12/2024 - 19:39

    I often contemplate it, but you know what… if the car in front brakes the brake checker, you are going to have a bad day.

    Drive smarter, not harder.

  • Mysterious on 23/12/2024 - 22:51

    If you really wanted to be a vigilante you would've sped up and went in front of the Civic and dropped your speed and continuously changed lanes if he tried to. Extra points for brake checking.

  • BadAtNames on 23/12/2024 - 23:23

    Tailgating someone is bad because it's dangerous, the risk isn't lessened because the the car you're tailgating is also tailgating, in fact, the risk is greater.

  • Protractor on 24/12/2024 - 13:49

    One sumo wrestler, an animal lover, saw another sumo wrestler riding a donkey.
    This angered him as the donkey was straining, and in pain under the massive weight on his back.
    The angry sumo yelled at the sumo on the donkey, and the donkey rider laughed out loud, as the donkey strained and buckled beneath him.
    This infuriated the angry kinder sumo even more. He decided to teach the laughing sumo a lesson. He ran towards the laughing sumo and donkey and threw himself on the laughing sumo's back."See how you like it having a massive weight on your back!"

    You can guess what happened next.
    Don't be a donkey OP, or the donkey on the donkey, or the donkey on him.

    • Euphemistic on 27/12/2024 - 10:46

      You can guess what happened next.

      They fell in love and got married?

      • Protractor on 27/12/2024 - 10:52

        Sure,if that's what you need.
        …and the donkey got a job in the ad industry.He made a fortune until his stupid agent convinced him to do a Telstra ad designed by a wannabe ad guru trying to outdo Russell Howcroft. The donkey is now unemployable.

        • Euphemistic on 27/12/2024 - 11:37

          That's a shame. The donkey had such good prospects. I guess it's lucky he didn't work on the jaguar ad.

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