Why don't drivers who complain about tailgaters just let other traffic pass them?

Reading the survey about top 10 motorists' complaints, the one that amazed me was that 70 per cent of people disliked having someone following too closely behind. I had always assumed these people never looked in their mirrors so were blissfully unaware that they were holding up someone in a hurry, but judging by these results they obviously are aware. This then leads me to the question of why complain about something that can so easily be solved by slowing down slightly on a straight stretch of road to let the car, or hard working delivery driver, past? It seems to me that this simple act would make everyone's life a lot easier - the slow-moving car gets rid of the irritating driver behind, and the guy who wants to make progress is able to get on his way.

We are of course dealing with the kind of pig-headed person who thinks they are providing a public service by keeping everyone to the speed they deem appropriate - for example hogging the outside lane of a motorway at 70mph. Do you have any thoughts on how these habits can be changed? I was thinking about an illuminated windscreen banner saying something like "Why not just let me past?" but had assumed that a lack of mirror use would mean it would never be seen - this survey does at least give me some hope.

Asked on 8 November 2010 by TM, Tunbridge Wells

Answered by Honest John

The answer is to prosecute these obstructive idiots for “driving without due consideration for other road users.” But that requires police on the streets and is not as cost-effective as using cameras to fine drivers for speeding. You can prove almost anything you want to prove with research. I should know. I worked in advertising for 20 years. We'd get research that said black was white, so we'd do a black is white campaign. Then they'd research that and come to the conclusion that white is black.

When Ford wanted to increase Escort sales it changed the name of the Orion to the Escort 4-door and hey presto, Escort sales went up. When Peugeot simply asked people if the liked the 1007 they said yes then, when Peugeot built the 1007, hardly anyone bought it. This flawed report you have read states that the 10th bugbear at 48 per cent is too many speed cameras on rural roads, the 14th at 41 per cent is too many restrictions like speed cameras and the 15th at 40 per cent is too many speed cameras on motorways. So obviously, had they been added together, the main bugbear would have been too many speed cameras.

Tags: lane discipline motorways speed cameras driving techniques tailgate

Similar questions

Is speeding on the motorway just as selfish as lane hogging?

I am not a frequent motorway driver, but when I use the motorway system I endeavour to keep to the leftmost lane whenever possible. Sometimes this is not practical because as I catch up with slower vehicles,...

Why do drivers hog the middle lane on motorways?

Returning from overseas I read the police plan to prosecute drivers who are 'hogging' the middle lane (lane 2) of our motorways. I have not seen anything else on this subject, or how the police propose...

Why are there continuing arguments about lane discipline on motorways?

I refer to the letters in Motoring Lifestyle on Sunday 31 October regarding middle lane driving. Surely your reply misses the point that whatever one’s opinion of the speed limit, it is 70 mph and that...