Tailgating

[CustomDan]

Hi, This question has probably been asked many times...

What is the best way to deal with a tailgater?

Usually I will just pull in and let them past, But sometimes this is not safe. On my little 125 I am not usually going fast enough to slow down and cant really go much faster to gain any significant distance-(which is not a good idea anyway)

I have even resorted to looking back at the tailgater in the hope they might realize that their driving is a danger to me. But if that was the case then they would not be driving so close in the first place.

I have even had the stupid idea of slowing down enough then slamming my breaks on! obviously, I am not going to do that tho

any advice?

[Hetzer]

Come off the throttle, clutch in and come slowly to a stop in the middle of your lane. They'll either go around you or they'll get out and you can have words.

The next car coming might wipe you out though.
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"There's the horizon! Ride hard, ride fast and cut down all who stand in your way!"

[Andy_Pagin]

Vary your speed using only the throttle, nothing drastic, just enough to keep then swapping from accelerator to brake, usually they get fed up with continually having to think about what they're doing and back off.
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Yamaha Vity -> YBR125 -> FZS600 Fazer -> FZ1-S Fazer

[gbrand42]

Slow slightly to increase distance to the car in front, hopefully this will reduce the chances of you having to slam on the stoppers and have the bell-end steam over you from behind.

[berzerker]

Pull in and let them pass.
An idiot in front of you is easier to deal with than one behind you.

[Lupo]

With the car, I usually press down the brake pedal slightly, so my braking lights come on, it is and automatic response to any driver to press their brake when that happens.
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A por ellos, que son pocos y cobardes.

[CustomDan]

Cheers Lots of food for thought

[YBR Ric]

I either pull in or gradually slow down in an attempt to match my speed to their braking distance.
In the case of the latter, they eventually back-off or overtake, either way I'm happy.

[adam277]

Lightly tap your brake light several times so you tell them to back the fuck down or you will fuck them up in morse code.

[Christoffee]

Don't let the bastards pressure you. Your responsibility is to not crash and not hit the car in front. Don't exceed your own or the bikes limits to try to make the guy behind happier.
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Bike: CBF125

[Teflon-Mike]

Tail-Gaters - Back-Off

DON'T REACT - DON'T ENGAGE

Do NOTHING!

There's fucking idiots every-where; so you have one behind... there's ALWAYS an idiot behind you somewhere..... this one? Well, you have spotted this one; so fuckem. They are dealt with. Dont obscess about them, don't try and 'make' them do anything; thats the same as them trying to make YOU do something... worry about riding your bike; not them! They are just ONE of many many hazards that need your attension and you now know they are there; they dont need much more, and they sure as fuck dont need the attension you should be paying to the twenty million other bludy idiots out there you HAVEN'T spotted.... yet!

But follow link; read advice.
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Rogerborg]

Boils your piss, right?

So be aware of that, because that you'll get less rational the longer that you allow it to go on, and will make daft decisions.

Pull over ASAP or in extremis just come to a stop gradually in the lane and signal them to go around. I've only had to do the latter once, due to Postman Prat driving literally inches off my rear wheel.

It's not worth engaging with them. If they were reasonable or capable of self awareness, they wouldn't be endangering your life in the first place in return for shaving zero seconds off of their journey.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

I'm out on 125s regularly enough and for me the answer depends in part on the kind of road, and to some extent also the conditions and time of day. On an A road in decent conditions I'll be mirror checking a lot, always getting an idea of what's approaching, how fast, what kind of vehicle. If it looks fairly normal, being driven competently I get right over, early - which is meant to send the message "I'm not and or can't go any faster so here - have 95% of the road and fuck off." The intention being to nip any arse fondlers in the bud before they even get the idea. Most of the time this works and I often get an acknowledgement - a wave or two flashes of hazards, whatever.

At night or in rain though, or on narrow roads, I do what tef said. There are a great many deep, dangerous pot holes at the sides of the roads around here which when full of water are almost invisible. I'm not going to hit one of those.
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"Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent."

Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Turkish]

Increase the distance between you and the car in front and pull over when it is safe to do so.

These knuckledraggers have already demonstrated they are not capable of intelligent thought so slowing down for no reason, brake checking, flashing brake lights and so on will just help bring out the neanderthal tenancies.

Plus there is nothing more satisfying than filtering past these muppets a mile down the road.
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ZX-6R G2
CBR125R RW6

[Hefty]

[nathan k]

There's two ways to deal with it, method one is for helmet cameras.

-press your rear brake pedal just so the light comes on
-Turn around and do the "back up" hand thing.
-If problem persists turn around and do the "fuck off!" thing.
-Wait till traffic slows and make a Russian road rage style video.

No camera evidence and no wish to die, any of the following:

-Take a turning or extra loop around a roundabout
-Pull over only where safe
-Slow a little more, and wave them through to pass you when safe.
-Ignore them and counter effect it with more braking distance between you and the car in front, hopefully this will encourage them to pass too.

[Ribenapigeon]

Keep your distance from the vehicle ahead, if you can't pull over this saves you from the double danger of getting sandwiched. As others have said, don't let other road users pressure you, go at your own pace.

[thx1138]

I ride slower, so they pass me, I don't shout or gesture or even look at them, as I don't want any aggro from a nutter, just want them gone.

[Notj7]

This is why I don't like either being on a 125 or being in the car - you just get tailgated all the time. Never mind the '4 second gap' that's needed in wet weather. Even family members are guilty of this, they drive way way too close to the car in front and don't listen to me: "I've been driving 30 years and I've never hit anyone".

Being on a 600 sorts all that out. 25mph, 1st gear ----> 60 in about a second and a half
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Left the forum.

[dydey90]

I like to stick strictly to speed limits and suddenly turn into Mr. Thoughtful. Let everybody out of junctions, stop at amber lights, make sure to take every bend nice and slowly.
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This post is probably not serious and shouldn't be taken literally.
Past: CBR125,ER6f NINJA 650, ZZR600 Current: VFR750

[Nobby the Bastard]

I do make a point of looking out for smaller capacity bikes (especially if the have L plates on them) on my journeys and if they are being tailgated, I'll pull into their lane beside them and then back off, pushing the tailgater backwards.

For some reason a big, fast bike slowing them down gets the message across and and they back off. If they don't, I wait until I've opened up a gap from the other bike and then engage warp speed...
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Triumph Sprint ST 1050

[thx1138]

yeah, leave a sensible gap, someone fills it.

repeat, ad naseum

feels like you are riding backwards down the road at times