Tailgating ...

[Beemer1150]

A serious enquiry. Does anyone know why tailgating is so common in France?

It doesn't seem to be done aggressively, as I used to encounter it sometimes in the UK, but more as a routine way of driving - almost as if it was taught when learning to drive. It seems unrelated to the desire to overtake, as groups of vehicles seem happy to travel nose-to-tail for miles examining each others' exhaust pipes in great detail.

Also, without wanting to appear age-ist, sexist, or car-ist, why is it so often young ladies in Renault Clios?

I have experienced similar behaviour on German autobahns, but nothing like as frequently as on French roads. Is this common in other European countries?

[woolybanana]

Cars sold in France are equipped with an enculade sensor!

[sid]

[quote user="Beemer1150"]

A serious enquiry. Does anyone know why tailgating is so common in France?

It doesn't seem to be done aggressively, as I used to encounter it sometimes in the UK, but more as a routine way of driving - almost as if it was taught when learning to drive. It seems unrelated to the desire to overtake, as groups of vehicles seem happy to travel nose-to-tail for miles examining each others' exhaust pipes in great detail.

Also, without wanting to appear age-ist, sexist, or car-ist, why is it so often young ladies in Renault Clios?

I have experienced similar behaviour on German autobahns, but nothing like as frequently as on French roads. Is this common in other European countries?

[/quote]

Ha ha! That made me laugh. I thought it was just my imagination! [:D]

Sid

[Chancer]

Funnily enough I was tailgated for about 20kms this evening I was driving at 80kph on a 90kph route nationale (trying to eke out my diesel) and the guy was right up my chuff the whole time, he did want to get past as he kept weaving but was so close that he couldnt really see past and missed several safe opportunities to overtake.

Eventually on a stretch of solid white line with cars coming in the other direction he got fed up and put his lights on full beam to hurry me up, it was an instinctive reaction and without even thinking about it I brake tested him big time. I have done this a few times before and in every case they sheepishly drop back and even pull over and stop rather than pull up behind me at the next traffic lights or roundabout so I do agree with you it is not intended as aggressive.

To be honest it does not bother me as normally it would force them to pay much more attention to the vehicle in front, if they were distracted and you were forced to brake there would be little speed differential between the vehicles at the point of impact, I have been involved in several first corner motor racing shunts and have only ever traded paint.

[nectarine]

It's my biggest complaint about driving in France, and I find it much more so over here than in the UK. I have no idea why so many French drivers tailgate, and I'm no slowcoach myself and keep a good speed. Mr. Nectarine has a technique of accelerating hard and just touching the brake whilst accelerating, just enough to cause them to back off. I wonder why the police do not treat tailgating as a serious offence, since it's just leading to an accident.

[Bugsy]

Braking on tailgaters is just asking for trouble. There are many ways to safely deal with them without putting you or your vehicle in any further danger.

I was going to write a list as taught by UK police advanced driving schools but its much easier to read this article as it covers most of the methods that can be used.

Note: bear in mind that the article refers to the UK driving on the left.

You think its dangerous when you're in your car, try the experience of one when you're on two wheels, travelling within the posted speed limit with  "Richard Head" one metre off your rear light. [:@]

.

[cooperlola]

Only marginally less scary than being in the car which is doing the tailgating.  Having been the victim of an RTA bigtime, I am now more aware than ever of the consequences of high speed shunts.  I also have had the misfortune to have to be conveyed by ambulance several times a week to out patients.  The number of ambulance drivers - professionals with ill and/or infirm people in their care - who themselves tailgate is horrifying.  What's more, when you're on a stretcher which is attached to the vehicle, but to which you are not attached (ie the equivalent of being without a seatbelt) it is scary stuff.  I spend entire journeys wondering if the person in front is going to brake suddenly, projecting me off the stretcher and on to a trip through the windscreen.

[mik]

I always pull over and let tailgaters past as soon as is practical, even if this means pulling into a laybye or other safe stopping place. It is not worth the hassle to do anything else.

[velcorin]

Tell me about it. I assumed it's part of the driving test. My missus does it, and all her family. She drives an Audi S4 Cabriolet though, not a dinky little Clio[:D] If you see a little blonde woman in her 30s in a silver Audi, be afraid, be VERY afraid, 77 plate [:D].

I have only once dared to wonder out loud, why she does drives so close that there is no way she could brake in time, and I kid you not this was her answer.......................Yes I would hit them, but because the relative speeds of the vehicles would be virtually the same there wouldn't be much damage [:-))] She also thinks that if there are ice and snow about, she needs to drive faster. That way she gets home quicker, and therefore won't have an accident. And they wonder why the deaths and injuries are so many factors higher in France than the UK[:@]

[Bugsy]

Duly noted Velcorin ...........[:D]

Of course there is the mitigating fact that in Paris, everyone drives like that.

.

[Sunday Driver]

It's easy to become intimidated by someone driving close behind you, but as mentioned earlier, vehicles seem able to travel nose to tail for miles without taking each other out. 

The problem occurs if you find yourself having to brake suddenly, giving the car behind no time to react in order to avoid a rear end collision.  You can exercise control over the situation by being alert to what's happening in front of you and using the simple 'drive for him' technique as mentioned in Bugsy's link.

 

[Judith]

Yes, Bugsy's link was most informative, and thank you.  Personally, I try to get rid of them if they are persistent, though if I am only going a short way, I can live with it.  What I dislike most (apart from the safety aspect) is that being so close completely blocks my rear view - and it is only when I don't have a clear rear view that I realise how much I use it to drive and analyse the road conditions etc.

[Hoddy]

I'm sure that when we discussed this before someone wrote that they were constantly being told to "Keep up" by their French driving instructor. Certainly it's been done to me by gendarmes who one imagines should know better.

I adopt Mik's approach and get out of their way if I can although this can be tiresome on a long journey.

Hoddy

[velcorin]

Don't think my wife has ever looking in her rearview mirror, 'cept to check her makeup. Bit like the indicators she never bothered having fitted, the handbrake that doesn't work, the cruise control that can only be set to 170km, and the steering wheel that stops working on the autoroute meaning she has to remain in the outside lane. 0-100km in 5seconds must be attempted from every set of lights, and parking in spaces only fit for a Smart can be guaranteed. Bizarrely 86% of French drivers rate themselves as excellent drivers. C'est la vie, stick a St Chrispher on the dash board he'll look after you, murky buckets.

NB she's Breton, not Parisian, or even French! Gets a bit prickly about be called French!

[AnOther]

[quote user="nectarine"]I wonder why the police do not treat tailgating as a serious offence, since it's just leading to an accident.[/quote]

Actually I think it is a specific offence not to maintain the pre-requisite

distance but I can't find the link to the relevent site listing

offences and penalties.

Personally it doesn't bother me very much and certainly doesn't intimidate me, it's just the way things are in this, a different country.

I agree that it would be better if it didn't happen but when I wonder was the last time you, or anybody for that matter, actually saw a rear end shunt. In 2.5 years I can't recall seeing one at all.

I wonder how many are caused by foreign drivers meting out the sudden brake treatment [Www]

[Chancer]

[quote user="AnOther"][quote user="nectarine"].[/quote]


I agree that it would be better if it didn't happen but when I wonder was the last time you, or anybody for that matter, actually saw a rear end shunt.
[/quote]

I have witnessed several near misses in my rear view mirror [;-)]

And I have been rear ended twice, not whilst brake testing but one progressive and one emergency stop, on both occasions the cars had been a safe distance behind but not paying attention which meant that the impacts were quite severe.

The first time I was travelling on the Reigate downhill stretch of the M25 all the traffic was doing 70mph (twas in the days before speed restrictions on road works) there were road works in the outside lane and central reservation, a banksman beckoned a lorry out a safe distance in front of me, I think it may have stalled I know that I came to a reasonably brief stop and put my hazards on, I made the big mistake of not applying my handbrake, I learnt a big lesson that day.

The van that hit me was a long way behind but didnt see me stop at all, witnesses said that he hit me at 60-70mph, I blacked out and came round after I dont know how many seconds to find myself lying prone in the back seat of a car coasting downhill at a fair lick with what seemed to be the mother of all hangovers, quite a surreal experience and bloomin awkward to slide forward and use the now unservoed brakes (the fuel pump inertia switch had popped) without a seat back to brace against.

Given the choice I would much prefer to be hit by a blonde French tailgating Audi driver.

Elle à raison Velcorin!

I wonder how many are caused by foreign drivers meting out the sudden brake treatment [Www]

Who are you calling foreign? [kiss]

[pachapapa]

Amusing shunt last week at the Chatillon roundabout.

Car stopped quickly whilst entering the roundabout at very low speed, the tailgater managed to get the radiator support strut firmly engaged with the towing hitch of car in front; The breakdown vehicle driver had to unbolt the tow hitch to free the two vehicles.

All this took a rather long time enfuriating the artics heading for Poitiers.

[Framboise]

I am bemused by driving here.

Yesterday my son went out in his new car. Coming up to a junction in a very small village he saw a car with tiny tailer in a side road, just sitting there waiting for something - what he did not know that said car was waiting for him. The old bloke pulled straight out in front of him turning left as he was just about to pass the junction, the trailer sideswiped my son as the car went right across his path. Now luckily my son had his french mate with him because the old bloke was about to leave the scene until the lad shouted "Where are you going?" or words to that effect!. Anyway the damage was minimal so the idiot parted with some euros and thats that - but honestly!!

And then yesterday in the supermarket carpark I saw no less that 3 other old men driving the wrong way in the one way system exits and another driving over a raised kerbside to get out of the terrible parking fiasco he got himself into! Myself and two other lady drivers just sat there watching incredulous at this unfolding in front of us.

[Chancer]

[quote user="Framboise"]I am bemused by driving here. Yesterday my son went out in his new car. Coming up to a junction in a very small village he saw a car with tiny tailer in a side road, just sitting there waiting for something - what he did not know that said car was waiting for him. The old bloke pulled straight out in front of him turning left as he was just about to pass the junction, the trailer sideswiped my son as the car went right across his path. Now luckily my son had his french mate with him because the old bloke was about to leave the scene until the lad shouted "Where are you going?" or words to that effect!. Anyway the damage was minimal so the idiot parted with some euros and thats that - but honestly!! And then yesterday in the supermarket carpark I saw no less that 3 other old men driving the wrong way in the one way system exits and another driving over a raised kerbside to get out of the terrible parking fiasco he got himself into! Myself and two other lady drivers just sat there watching incredulous at this unfolding in front of us.[/quote]

I am confused by whom is the idiot who left with a few Euros Framboise.

Is this a round about way of saying that your son did not stop at a Priorité à Droite and hence had to fork out for the presumably minimal cosmetic damage to the guys trailer.

If that were the case the guy may be a scheming old so and so but idiot? Je ne pense pas.

[bubbles]

I think that "the idiot parted with some euros"

should be interpreted as meaning the old codger handed over a few euros to the son.

lucky son i would say!

[Chancer]

Pray tell Framboise [:)]

[maude]

yes they are so bored and lonely they like to keep close,and wait for a village or brow of a hill,or oncoming traffic before overtaking.Hence the high accident rate! maude

[Gemonimo]

I thought tailgating was done at Varsity matches with a Fortnums hamper[Www]

[Jonzjob]

It certainly seems to be in the French mind to tailgate and if the French driving test book is anything to go by they are not taught to do it! I wonder if they are told that it saves fuel?

They are also not taught to go 3/4 of the way round roundabouts in the right hand lane without indicating.

And they are taught how to use indicators, but I am convinced that they are taught that the indicators are linked, via a very expensive tarif, to their home electricity bill!

Your missis would frighten the seven bells out of me Velcorin [:-))]

[Dog]

I reckon the French tailgate as they are all cyclists and they are just slipstreaming.

There I am trying to get under 4.2 litres to 100k and they ruin my consumption......

After a few K pull over and do it to them...