What do you do when being Tailgated?

[commodorenutt]

20 years ago the UK were up in arms over the "white van man" problem - tradies, couriers etc driving Transit/Transporter etc vans, driving aggressively, blocking the right lane etc.

Now it seems that scourge is well & truly hit the roads in Sydney's metro commuting arterials. There just doesn't seem to be a happy medium with the modern van driver - they're either daydreaming in the right lane at 10k under (on the phone usually) or they're sitting inches off the back of a car already doing 10k over.

Speaking of road rage - I see more of that from people who have been caught out than actual tailgaters or tailgatees.

Try honking one who has their head looking down & hands in their lap, at a green light, when all the cars in front have gone. They go ballistic, yet they're the ones updating facebook or sending a text.
Just this morning I was "chased" for 3 suburbs by a green P-plate girl who I had to politely give a little beep to, to wake her up out of her phone coma when all the cars in front had gone through the green light, and we were still sitting there. She waved her arms around, stuck her finger up & started to move off. Then she tried the brake check (at a green light), but I was far enough back to react - I went into the empty right turn lane around her & continued on before she realised her stupidity and that I had easily outsmarted her. That just made it worse - she went right off, tailgating me (I'm not a slow driver) all through Norwest, flashing her lights and carrying on like a fruit loop. Yet I did nothing wrong - all I did was a quick little "bip" of the horn to alert her the light was green...... She only gave up when forced to - I did a U-turn at a roundabout, doubled back, and did another U-turn at the previous one (Yes, she followed me). This gave me enough lead that I got through the next green light, and she was caught at the red.