What would you do?

jamief

jamief

jamief

Soldato
Joined
23 Sep 2005
Posts
5,524
Location
Fife
Was just thinking about something that happened just after Christmas. Was driving from Oban to Dundee - the part of the road is a fairly standard B-road along the side of a valley. Weather was appalling - pouring with rain and big patches of fog; I was doing circa 50-60 depending on how twisty the road got, slowing right down through the bends.

Next thing an HGV appears in my rear view mirror - soon he is about 3 feet (literally) from my rear bumper, in the pouring rain and fog. I was highly concerned that if I braked on a bend he would hit the back of me and send me off the side of the valley, so on a clear straight bit I tapped my brakes quite hard (kind of like saying "back the **** off please"). Next thing his lights are flashing and he's even closer. I pulled over at the first available space and let him pass.

Now I didn't think of phoning the police or anything - should I of?
 
Couldn't really of proved anything, if there were a number of reports they could have looked into it. Best taking the plate and time and telling them anyway - or even phoning the firm
 
I took both the plate and the firms name - was pretty furious (and a bit shaken) after it - never had someone drive that close to me in a car, let alone an HGV in the wet. Fiancées stepdad is a former policeman and he said to just phone 999 if it happens again, not sure if that is an overreaction though? Mind you, if you don't know what the local police station would be, are you best to just call 999 anyway?
 
Ben M said:
You were driving to fast as it is imo =0
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My speed was fine for the conditions, that's not the issue. Like I said, when the road was straight and clear I was doing 50-60 (closer to 50), when the road weaves I was slowing right down.
 
whilst he was in the wrong for tailgating you, brake testing an HGV in wet conditions already aware he may go into the back of you, is hardly the wisest thing to do also!
 
James_N said:
whilst he was in the wrong for tailgating you, brake testing an HGV in wet conditions already aware he may go into the back of you, is hardly the wisest thing to do also!
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It wasn't quite an emergency stop type brake, more a quick tap followed by a quick accelerate! I'm well aware that doing it too much could have caused a crash, but it was getting to the point where he was almost touching my car when I slowed down on the bends.
 
Na the best thing to do is just push your brake pedal really lightly, so the brake lights come on. Never actually brake properly.

Anyway, yeh, i guess pulling over was the best idea. But i'm also curious about how an HGV was able to keep up with you?
 
Gaygle said:
Na the best thing to do is just push your brake pedal really lightly, so the brake lights come on. Never actually brake properly.

Anyway, yeh, i guess pulling over was the best idea. But i'm also curious about how an HGV was able to keep up with you?
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In effect I didn't really slow down more than a few mph, and did so at a time when he wasn't almost touching the car... made him pretty ******* angry though!

The weather was *bad*, meaning me and the other cars on the road were slowing right down through large patches of freezing fog and when the road twists (which it does a lot). On the clear straights I pulled away from him, but invariably as soon as it got twisty or foggy he'd be right up the arse of the car, and after my brake light flash he was invariably flashing his lights (and I'm sure I saw him almost foam at the mouth!). I think, were it to happen again, I'd pull over and phone police, let them choose whether to do anything about it.

The reason I was annoyed wasn't so much that he was tailgaiting, moreso that in a bend, were I to have to brake suddenly, he'd of knocked me off the side of a valley most likely.
 
Ring the company, tell them to sort their lives out. Don't ring 999 its not an emergency, doing so makes you as bad as those idiots who ring up because they don't know the local taxi firm number or because they don't know how to work the microwave.
 
Personally I would have either pulled over or sped up if HGV is keeping up with you in the corners a car should safely be able to go quicker.

Brake testing a lorry is not a good idea, my mate decided to try this with a tail gater by just flashing the brake lights by braking slightly however he used his left foot accidently stomped on the brakes and the woman drove in the back of him causing a lot of damage. Of course the insurance still went in his favour however he was still a idiot for doing it.
 
Although the HGV driver sounds like a *****, how is he going faster than you in the bends?

Surely you'd be able to make better progress.
 
Shimmy said:
Although the HGV driver sounds like a *****, how is he going faster than you in the bends?

Surely you'd be able to make better progress.
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It was getting dark, temperature about -3, pouring with rain/sleet and huge patches of freezing fog. Actually, you're right, I'll just take the bends at 60 next time ok? Clown.
 
johnny6 said:
Ring the company, tell them to sort their lives out. Don't ring 999 its not an emergency, doing so makes you as bad as those idiots who ring up because they don't know the local taxi firm number or because they don't know how to work the microwave.
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So in your opinion it isn't dangerous driving? I'd like to see how you'd of reacted in the same situation...
 
Muffin` said:
Yes it does, it's not an emergency. A Wagon coming up your rear is no where as important as life/death situation, crime in progress or a situation which poses the risk of human incident.
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Okay - replace 999 with "local police station"

And just to say - the person who told me to phone 999 was actually a retired policeman.
 
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