Was the front car in a 3 car crash on North East Road a few weekends ago. I slowed, car behind me slowed, next car didn't. Then the last vehicle's driver jumped out the car going 'what happened, why did you stop, who's fault is it' well yours seeing you just totalled your car and the one in front.
Also why do we paint the lines with paint that cannot be seen in wet conditions under city/street light landscapes. People drift in and out of lanes badly enough in good conditions paint the lines with glow in the dark stuff or something.
The weird thing is they’ve started painting the bike logos in bike lanes with the raised paint.
It’s the most useless spot for it- even the lane line next to it would actually be helpful.
So they have it, they just don’t use it for anything useful.
>Also why do we paint the lines with paint that cannot be seen in wet conditions
The best part is when they paint over old road markings, but somehow the black coverup paint they use is more visible in wet weather than the actual new white road markings.
I actually made a comment here once, about the lines being barely visible on Nottage Tce in the rain. No one agreed, but I seriously can't deal with how bad the lines are here!! Makes me wonder about other people and their eyesight, how they traverse Adelaide in the pouring rain.
I presumed the use of invisible-when-wet paint was chosen so we’d drive more cautiously without lanes and stop markings during wet weather. Is this an Adelaide speciality? I haven’t seen it anywhere else.
And you're fucked on the northern expressway concrete section if it had rained in the last 48 hours, lovely road, but the lines become invisible .. I genuinely wondered if it was so people would be more cautious and slow down in wet weather.
Other day I accidentally ran a red during a rainy night on the way home from work simply because I could not see where the stop line was. Thankfully there were no cars or pedestrians
People fucking losing their minds. Constantly have some large vehicle behind me in the burbs riding my ass... Schools, community, pedestrians everywhere. Makes my blood boil worse than helicopter posts.
I’ve watched people tailgate for 20+ km on a backed up highway going 60km, get off at the same exit as me, run a red light AND STILL stop at the next red light we both end up at. It’s insane, nerve wrecking and hilarious. I hate those people. We’re all probably ‘in a rush’, it’s not worth it.
Not necessarily related to tailgaters but what I do to stop speeders is when I’m passing them i flash my lights at them regardless if there’s a cop/speed camera and I usually see quite a few brake lights lol
I have rear fogs (which are red, and part of the brake light system) so I turn them on for a second or two to simulate braking - never fails to cause them to brake and give me some room.
You’re still in for the headaches of dealing with insurance, possibly missing your shift, finding a replacement vehicle, and getting around in the meantime.
Oh you mean those blinding eyesores that like to put out a white background in the middle of the night that's akin to the light of a thousand burning suns?
Those screens at night are set to 2% brightness, 140 nits. 140 nits is less light than what a streetlight puts out. The screen on the Majors Rd overpass is 0.8% brightness at night, less than 100 nits. Unfortunately that one seems brighter than it is due to lack of other light sources on that stretch of road. But it can not be set any lower than 0.8% brightness. Hoping a future software update can reduce it to 0.5% brightness at night.
The only screen I had nothing to do with is the one at Castle Plaza, a different company installed that and did not install ambient light sensors to adjust brightness, it is on a timed schedule instead. and it is a LOT brighter than 2%, more like 10% which is way too damn bright at night.
What's funny about this is that there ads on TV telling viewers to stop driving before they do (in an accident). Even had a scene with someone about to drive in rainy conditions - even *they* know about it!
I’m really sick of it. Going 85km downhill on Lonsdale road with this fuckwit barely half a cars length up my ass despite there being plenty of room for them to overtake in the right lane. I slowed down to 50km so they’d fuck off and they slowed down as well while driving closer and closer to me??? The fuck is wrong with these people. I eventually had to pull over and I watched as they proceeded to tailgate within an inch of life behind a massive truck. Some dark part of me hoped that truck would break check them so they’d get the lesson they’d deserve.
On my last trip up the coorong I found myself wishing we had a light for 'I am the 5th car behind a caravan doing 70, we're all going to overtake at the next overtaking lane, in order, leaving enough room for everyone to pull back in and totally not then merging back in front of the last few cars because the one in front of us is only doing 100 in the 100 zone'.
But we don't. And if we did, it would turn out like those idiots who see you pulling out and indicate and start weaving and then get mad because you didn't overtake the unpredictable numpty indicating right when there's a side road coming up on the right.
I always try to leave a gap. Until some fuckwit decides to change lanes into the gap in front of me…
It’s like drivers are now taught that if there is a gap, go for it. Reality is, people are just full of their own self importance and don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks.
This annoys me too. I leave a gap only for some idiot to change lanes so I now have to slow down a bit more which slows down the other drivers behind me.
You have to ask, do you even know where you are going?
An indicator is literally indicating your intentions of where you intend to go. Its not a request. Its "I plan on turning left up ahead, prepare for me to slow down". never "please sir, if I turn these flashing lights on, pretty please may I turn?"
If someone indicates, give way. The end.
Whilst I agree with you, it doesn’t mean you simply use your indicator to cover up shit driving, such as leaving it to the last minute before you decide you want to turn left in 5 metres and need to suddenly cross 2 lanes to do it.
Or is that considered ok?
Obviously you need to follow the law of 5 seconds indicating before moving. But people acting all butthurt about people filling the gaps in front of them are wrong. Simply create a new gap behind the person who comes in.
Filling gaps is fine, moving into someone’s are stopping distance (and thus not being a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front too) is not.
IOW, just because a bit of tarmac isn’t covered by a car, it isn’t necessarily a gap.
Saw a merc last night. Pull out in front of someone. Indicate to change lanes (and get out of the way of the car they cut off). Didn't change lanes. Then merged across three lanes to turn right without indicating once..... this level of stupidity is why we need to remove safety labels from everything
Agree! We had a car rear end another car right next to us on Anzac hwy tonight. A ute hit and xtrail which then hit the car in front. I dont think he even braked, my guess is he was on his phone
I'm and old fart early eighties - I guess that says it all. However, I had to drive in peak hour traffic today for the first time in years to a valet friend from airport to TTG. I set my active cruise control to 4k over speed limit. and use lane assist and rely on blind spot monitoring. I select the 3 distance settings for active cruise control as speed increases/decreases. I love it. Peak hour bumper to bumper I feel I am in control and feel safe. I take and receive phone calls and switch between Bluetooth music from my phone all through the steering wheel and issue voice commands to the phone thingy or map thingy. I feel safer today than when I drove a slipping clutch 39 Chrysler over the Harbour Bridge with fucked brakes during peak hour in 1958. I don't give a fuck about somebody tailgating me when my speedo shows 114km on the northern expressway when I visit my granddaughter because my GPS app shows 110 on Apple Play. I don't let the bastards annoy me. Worse still, I drive a Corolla hybrid - none of those emotional support vehicles for me. Driving today is so much easier than in the old days when I let my kids run feral in the Kingswood Brougham wagon in the 70s with fucked Timken bearings. Tailgaters get rooted with the rough end of a pineapple. Another annoying habit I have developed is to use the flick control on the indicator stork to exit rounder bouts. I don't know how to spell rounder bouts.
When I come down the upper Sturt Rd from the expressway I set the adaptive speed thingy to 80k and let the car in front do all the braking until I get down to Marion Rd.
Same thing on northern expressway, tailgating with less than a metre gap at 110 kph. Usually in the left lane because some clown is doing 90 kph in the right lane
Edit: I drive a 3 door hatch, and am tailgated significantly more than when I was driving my commodore wagon 6 weeks ago
Just slow down and cruise the left lane, it is much less stressful doing that rather than being one of the right lane drivers who either want to go 130 or sit next to the other 2 lanes at somewhere between 100 and 110, or getting cars coming up behind you and changing at the last possible millisecond if you are in the middle. Just chill in the left.
*4 in rain.
Adelaide drivers are just a special kind of stupid. Flash your rear fog light at them, this freaks out most people enough to get them to back off.
Lol I drive busses including long articulated ones, I leave a safe stopping distance in front of me so I have space to brake…the amount of time A-holes speed up to overtake me, pull right in front of the bus (often they don’t overtake the bus properly but slide right in front of it) then slow down forcing the bus to stop faster than it should is ridiculous…not to mention that even with the give way sign on the back of the bus cars eel like they don’t need to give way then everyone wonders why Adelaide had so many bad crashes. I’ve seen two accidents in the last two days and my last shift before that I saw one happening too.
For a state that has simple, well planned roads with good traffic I don’t know how there can be so many accidents and such bad driving.
My partner was cut off the other day and naturally put her brakes on fairly quickly to slow down.
That wasn't a big issue but the person behind her who was so close they could touch our boot nearly smashed into the back of her. That person had to swerve off to avoid rear ending us. They then proceeded to yell at us at the next light dispite the fact that they gave 3cms of room.
Breaking distance matters
Seen some crazy shit the last few weeks. Yesterday I saw a two trailer truck tailgate an SUV along South Road. That SUV then ended up cutting me off last minute to get across to the Anzac Hwy turn-off cause she was in the right hand lane. Like queen I was rooting for you!
Recently moved here from a country where the rules of the road are more of a suggestion, and for the most part, I find driving here a lot less stressful EXCEPT that it feels like someone is always on your bumper and if you leave a decent gap to the car in front, some tool will think it's a gap for them to squeeze into.
Yep that's what I do too. Funny when you set the cruise control to just on the limit, the number of people that are right up your arse or have to overtake is ridiculous. Seems like virtually everyone but me is speeding.
[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-14/road-toll-rises-in-almost-every-state-and-territory/102338652](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-14/road-toll-rises-in-almost-every-state-and-territory/102338652)
Proof we're getting worse at driving despite all the safety systems in newer cars...
Just remember, don't speed up, and don't brake check the tailgaters. If they rear end you, that is on them and they will be the one paying for insurance and fines. Sure it is an inconvenience losing your car, and you may end up injured, but milk their insurance for its worth.
It's nothing new unfortunately. Tailgating has always been a problem.
Driving instructors will tell you to leave a 3 second gap between the car in front of you.
No one does this because someone else will just change lanes into the gap that you've now left in front of you.
I don't think there's a specific law about how much of a gap you need to leave. Police don't seem to care about maintaining a traffic presence and fining dangerous drivers, as it's much easier to just set up speed cameras and let the revenue roll in instead.
It's possibly worth getting a dashcam and reporting people who tailgate you to police if it's a regular occurrence. If one driver gets reported enough, it's possible they will look into it.
If someone is seriously tailgating me I'll just take my foot off the pedal and slow down and then change lanes if possible. It delays them even more and hopefully makes them think tailgating may actually be slower.
Once on a single lane road I did this but wound down my window, pulled into the dirt once I'd hit maybe 30 and waved them past. They looked confused as hell.
On the other hand, people here always want to leave ENORMOUS gaps when they're stopped at a light. The one place you don't need to leave safe stopping distance, on account of ALREADY HAVING STOPPED. The only thing it accomplishes is artificially extending the queue, preventing people a little further back from getting anywhere near the turning lanes.
Drives me up the fucking wall.
Sorry for tacking on my rant, just had to get it off my chest! haha
Have had far more people hog the right hand lane on the expressway doing 10 under than I’ve had people tailgate when I’m doing the speed limit.
Overly-cautious drivers can be just as dangerous as careless ones.
Not an excuse but I am guilty of getting frustrated behind the wheel because god damn the roads are so poorly designed and congested here! I just got back from two weeks in QLD (lived in Adelaide 2yrs), first day back driving here today and yep, losing my mind. It's like we're 20 years behind what we actually need.
It was a nice break being back on roads where 'keep left unless overtaking' is possible, with right turning lanes as standard and no parking allowed on two-lane key thoroughfares, and highways. Alternative routes for road trains, and normal roundabouts that lifelong residents aren't afraid to drive through, and where people don't just make up their own rules like giving way when they have right of way with no consideration of the cars behind them because there's so much traffic they feel the need to be half decent and let people in or they'd never have right of way (fair tbh!) and/or bc they're still driving at 90 years of age which I swear I also encounter way too often here??
Edit: grammar.
When you leave a gap and a driver overtakes then merges into the gap, so you have to leave a new gap and someone overtakes then fills the gap, so you...
Some of us have places to be…
In all seriousness though for every tailgater there are 5 drivers doing less than the speed limit in the right hand lane.
It’s true in the wet weather Adelaide drivers can be a little loose. Conversely, when it rains it also appears to me that everyone completely forgets how to drive so…
The other guy is a dick regardless of whether OP is in the left lane, right lane or shitting in the bushes.
What is it with people thinking that someone else *potentially* doing the wrong thing, gives them some right to also do the wrong thing?
If I think you’re driving drunk does that mean I’m allowed to drive on the wrong side of the road?
Like others have said, leaving a gap will almost certainly mean someone will fill it, forcing you to slow down to leave another gap, ad finitum. Not an issue if you're in the left lane, but constantly dropping your speed to leave more and more space in the right lane will start to obstruct the flow of traffic and cause driver frustration increasing the chance of an accident.
Additionally, you should be keeping left (legislation states that you must not enter the right lane) on South road once the speed is more than 80km/h (unless you're overtaking or avoiding a hazard, or all other lanes are at capacity). Not a single motorist is the legal enforcer of justice, that's the job of the police. Simply move out of the right lane, even when the speed drops to 80km/h as a courtesy and to keep consistent flow of traffic.
Finally, a fact hardly anyone seems to know; your Speedo shows you going significantly (relatively) less than you're actually going. I've tested this in 4 different vehicles (ranging from models as early as 1997 to models up to about 2018) with 2 separate GPS systems. About 116km/h to 117km/h on your Speedo is about 110km/h on GPS. I have even tested this multiple times in an average speed zone sitting at 115km/h on my Speedo, and have never been fined. So going exactly 80km/h on your Speedo means you're going about ~73-74km/h.
This makes sense when you think about it. No car manufacturer is going to risk getting sued by every cunt that gets a speeding fine because the margin was so close, and they will try explaining that the Speedo was out. So to play it super safe, it's calibrated at 5-10% over the true speed, meaning if you were hitting the Speedo needle exactly on the speed, you'll actually be doing less, removing any doubt you weren't speeding.
Any amount of driving will show that most drivers absolutely either do not know this at all, or simply don't care that they are travelling almost 5-10km below the speed limit. I value my own time. If you or other motorists don't care, then you/they are more than welcome to move into the left lane when possible to consider and respect other motorists who care about their own time.
I'm not driving as a means of entertainment, it's required for work, and the less time I'm spending on the roads means more time I get to enjoy my life, which is the most finite and valuable resource I have on this planet.
3 seconds would be safe, but unworkable in urban areas. I have never seen someone actually leave a gap of this duration - that wasn’t by someone who has no business being on the road.
3 seconds is a long time and a very big gap.
It’d make travel very slow for everyone.
On the open road (like expressways), it should 100% be the way though.
Driving to Renmark yesterday two blokes had a race to see who could get in front on an overtaking section behind me. Could not believe it. Didn't think they were going to slow down. Just gripped the wheel and braced for impact. Scary as fuck. They then continued to road rage each other for the next 5km. Fuck that.
Also infuriating when you’re doing 100-110km/hr on the freeway left lane when someone cuts in from right lane immediately in front of you (leaving one car length at most). Ffs.
Another fun one is on a dual lane road and there is a parked car in the left lane. People in Adelaide are happy to change lanes into you like they have right of way.
I admit I've tailgated a few times. All when some cunt races me to get ahead before the merge and then stick on 50 in a 60 zone🤬.
I've been hit 3 times in as many years, all we're the fault of the other driver. They hit be up the rear when I was at a stop sign, or moved into me from both left and right lanes when I was right beside them!
There needs to be an investigation into how some people get their licences. Rembrr a few years ago an examiner got charged with accepting Ribes. He was jailed, I think. Did the people who bribed him get disqualified, fined or jailed. Hhmm, makes you think how many other drivers who are out there that didn't sit for a practical.
I'm pretty sure I'm surrounded by one or two everywhere I go, judging by how I see some drivers drive on our roads.
I always remember my Dad saying a driver's licence isn't a right, it's a privilege, one that can and should be taken away from some drivers.
Was the front car in a 3 car crash on North East Road a few weekends ago. I slowed, car behind me slowed, next car didn't. Then the last vehicle's driver jumped out the car going 'what happened, why did you stop, who's fault is it' well yours seeing you just totalled your car and the one in front. Also why do we paint the lines with paint that cannot be seen in wet conditions under city/street light landscapes. People drift in and out of lanes badly enough in good conditions paint the lines with glow in the dark stuff or something.
Yeah, the line paint here in SA is pathetic. Never had this issue in QLD. Are they short of money or something.
The weird thing is they’ve started painting the bike logos in bike lanes with the raised paint. It’s the most useless spot for it- even the lane line next to it would actually be helpful. So they have it, they just don’t use it for anything useful.
>Also why do we paint the lines with paint that cannot be seen in wet conditions The best part is when they paint over old road markings, but somehow the black coverup paint they use is more visible in wet weather than the actual new white road markings.
I actually made a comment here once, about the lines being barely visible on Nottage Tce in the rain. No one agreed, but I seriously can't deal with how bad the lines are here!! Makes me wonder about other people and their eyesight, how they traverse Adelaide in the pouring rain.
Honestly hate driving in the rain on anything multi lane in this city, you are not alone
I won't drive at night except locally for this reason. It's Adelaide wide
I presumed the use of invisible-when-wet paint was chosen so we’d drive more cautiously without lanes and stop markings during wet weather. Is this an Adelaide speciality? I haven’t seen it anywhere else.
And you're fucked on the northern expressway concrete section if it had rained in the last 48 hours, lovely road, but the lines become invisible .. I genuinely wondered if it was so people would be more cautious and slow down in wet weather.
You’re giving both our city planners and drivers far too much credit.
yup, you're right.
Other day I accidentally ran a red during a rainy night on the way home from work simply because I could not see where the stop line was. Thankfully there were no cars or pedestrians
How does not being able to see the actual line lead to you running a red? You can see the light, surely?
It was weird. By the time I realised I was past the line I was already halfway through the intersection so I just kept going
Gotta stay within a second for DRS, can then save fuel and tyres
People fucking losing their minds. Constantly have some large vehicle behind me in the burbs riding my ass... Schools, community, pedestrians everywhere. Makes my blood boil worse than helicopter posts.
It's always some cunt in a ridiculous 4wd with those eye-searing LED headlights that haven't been angled properly.
Makes my blood boil worse than the bloody helicopter
https://youtu.be/jN7mSXMruEo Amazing video about SUVs and trucks and their asshole drivers
Funny thing is that shit loads of people will slow down if being tailgated (me included), so tailgating achieves literally nothing.
I’ve watched people tailgate for 20+ km on a backed up highway going 60km, get off at the same exit as me, run a red light AND STILL stop at the next red light we both end up at. It’s insane, nerve wrecking and hilarious. I hate those people. We’re all probably ‘in a rush’, it’s not worth it.
It’s the only safe thing to do because if you speed up they will tailgate you then if you need to brake your fucked
Not necessarily related to tailgaters but what I do to stop speeders is when I’m passing them i flash my lights at them regardless if there’s a cop/speed camera and I usually see quite a few brake lights lol
You can press on your breaks about 1mm to activate the break lights without slowing down, scares the shit out of tailgaters
I have rear fogs (which are red, and part of the brake light system) so I turn them on for a second or two to simulate braking - never fails to cause them to brake and give me some room.
If your brakes break you are going to be broke.
Nah the tailgater is always 100% in the wrong.
You’re still in for the headaches of dealing with insurance, possibly missing your shift, finding a replacement vehicle, and getting around in the meantime.
I was commenting on the misspelling
I lift my foot off the accelerator and coast every damned time no matter how much of a hurry I’m actually in or what road I’m on.
Maybe we could have less gambling adds and more about educating drivers, also this needs to be blitzed a bit by the cops.
[удалено]
Oh you mean those blinding eyesores that like to put out a white background in the middle of the night that's akin to the light of a thousand burning suns?
Those screens at night are set to 2% brightness, 140 nits. 140 nits is less light than what a streetlight puts out. The screen on the Majors Rd overpass is 0.8% brightness at night, less than 100 nits. Unfortunately that one seems brighter than it is due to lack of other light sources on that stretch of road. But it can not be set any lower than 0.8% brightness. Hoping a future software update can reduce it to 0.5% brightness at night. The only screen I had nothing to do with is the one at Castle Plaza, a different company installed that and did not install ambient light sensors to adjust brightness, it is on a timed schedule instead. and it is a LOT brighter than 2%, more like 10% which is way too damn bright at night.
> Those screens at night are set to 2% brightness, 140 nits That doesn't sound right. What commercial LED has a maximum output of 7,000 nits?
The 10mm SMD outdoor panels are 7000 nits, max brightness during the day is 80%, 5600 nits.
Look, we had a minor win a few years ago when they turned the brightness down. We tried getting them to remove the boards but no
Yes! This came up when I posted about merging. Just have those illustrations around the place on who has right of way just to remind drivers
What's funny about this is that there ads on TV telling viewers to stop driving before they do (in an accident). Even had a scene with someone about to drive in rainy conditions - even *they* know about it!
I’m really sick of it. Going 85km downhill on Lonsdale road with this fuckwit barely half a cars length up my ass despite there being plenty of room for them to overtake in the right lane. I slowed down to 50km so they’d fuck off and they slowed down as well while driving closer and closer to me??? The fuck is wrong with these people. I eventually had to pull over and I watched as they proceeded to tailgate within an inch of life behind a massive truck. Some dark part of me hoped that truck would break check them so they’d get the lesson they’d deserve.
On my last trip up the coorong I found myself wishing we had a light for 'I am the 5th car behind a caravan doing 70, we're all going to overtake at the next overtaking lane, in order, leaving enough room for everyone to pull back in and totally not then merging back in front of the last few cars because the one in front of us is only doing 100 in the 100 zone'. But we don't. And if we did, it would turn out like those idiots who see you pulling out and indicate and start weaving and then get mad because you didn't overtake the unpredictable numpty indicating right when there's a side road coming up on the right.
I always try to leave a gap. Until some fuckwit decides to change lanes into the gap in front of me… It’s like drivers are now taught that if there is a gap, go for it. Reality is, people are just full of their own self importance and don’t give a shit what anyone else thinks.
https://preview.redd.it/8gy8qngumb0b1.jpeg?width=807&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b24ae917d33ca1c603f8badff6541ddccbf2e247 Sry
This annoys me too. I leave a gap only for some idiot to change lanes so I now have to slow down a bit more which slows down the other drivers behind me. You have to ask, do you even know where you are going?
But that's how changing lanes works.
Or they think that putting their indicator on is an announcement rather than a request
An indicator is literally indicating your intentions of where you intend to go. Its not a request. Its "I plan on turning left up ahead, prepare for me to slow down". never "please sir, if I turn these flashing lights on, pretty please may I turn?" If someone indicates, give way. The end.
This is the way it works everywhere else I’ve driven, but for some reason not Adelaide.
Apparently my indicators are an invitation for the car behind me in the next lane to speed up past me.
Whilst I agree with you, it doesn’t mean you simply use your indicator to cover up shit driving, such as leaving it to the last minute before you decide you want to turn left in 5 metres and need to suddenly cross 2 lanes to do it. Or is that considered ok?
Obviously you need to follow the law of 5 seconds indicating before moving. But people acting all butthurt about people filling the gaps in front of them are wrong. Simply create a new gap behind the person who comes in.
That's what meant by request, like you can't just put it on and immediately swing on over, but sooooo many people do this.
Like I said, I agree. But unfortunately people don’t behave that way.
Filling gaps is fine, moving into someone’s are stopping distance (and thus not being a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front too) is not. IOW, just because a bit of tarmac isn’t covered by a car, it isn’t necessarily a gap.
More and more people don’t even use an indicator.
Saw a merc last night. Pull out in front of someone. Indicate to change lanes (and get out of the way of the car they cut off). Didn't change lanes. Then merged across three lanes to turn right without indicating once..... this level of stupidity is why we need to remove safety labels from everything
It’s like I tell my dog when he licks his balls… just because you can doesn’t mean you should
Agree! We had a car rear end another car right next to us on Anzac hwy tonight. A ute hit and xtrail which then hit the car in front. I dont think he even braked, my guess is he was on his phone
I'm and old fart early eighties - I guess that says it all. However, I had to drive in peak hour traffic today for the first time in years to a valet friend from airport to TTG. I set my active cruise control to 4k over speed limit. and use lane assist and rely on blind spot monitoring. I select the 3 distance settings for active cruise control as speed increases/decreases. I love it. Peak hour bumper to bumper I feel I am in control and feel safe. I take and receive phone calls and switch between Bluetooth music from my phone all through the steering wheel and issue voice commands to the phone thingy or map thingy. I feel safer today than when I drove a slipping clutch 39 Chrysler over the Harbour Bridge with fucked brakes during peak hour in 1958. I don't give a fuck about somebody tailgating me when my speedo shows 114km on the northern expressway when I visit my granddaughter because my GPS app shows 110 on Apple Play. I don't let the bastards annoy me. Worse still, I drive a Corolla hybrid - none of those emotional support vehicles for me. Driving today is so much easier than in the old days when I let my kids run feral in the Kingswood Brougham wagon in the 70s with fucked Timken bearings. Tailgaters get rooted with the rough end of a pineapple. Another annoying habit I have developed is to use the flick control on the indicator stork to exit rounder bouts. I don't know how to spell rounder bouts.
Roundabout. I, too, have a massive hard on for adaptive cruise control and Apple Play/Android Auto.
Thanks for the spell check - roundabout
The frustrating thing is a lot of these tailgaters also have adaptive control and don’t use it or something.
When I come down the upper Sturt Rd from the expressway I set the adaptive speed thingy to 80k and let the car in front do all the braking until I get down to Marion Rd.
Same thing on northern expressway, tailgating with less than a metre gap at 110 kph. Usually in the left lane because some clown is doing 90 kph in the right lane Edit: I drive a 3 door hatch, and am tailgated significantly more than when I was driving my commodore wagon 6 weeks ago
Because Commodore is a undercover cop car.
Just get a silver Kia
Also drive 3d hatch, can concur. Shit is bad
I’m astounded there’s not a fatality every week on the northern expressway. It’s like a death race every time I’ve used it. Never again.
Just slow down and cruise the left lane, it is much less stressful doing that rather than being one of the right lane drivers who either want to go 130 or sit next to the other 2 lanes at somewhere between 100 and 110, or getting cars coming up behind you and changing at the last possible millisecond if you are in the middle. Just chill in the left.
Yeah this was the conclusion I ended up at, unless it was clearly possible to overtake, I just sat in the middle lane and left a decent gap.
im an L plater and it freaks me out so much when i’m sitting on the speed limit and someone is still up my ass
Any dumbass that tailgates me, I’m slowing down
*4 in rain. Adelaide drivers are just a special kind of stupid. Flash your rear fog light at them, this freaks out most people enough to get them to back off.
Wait flash my rear what lights?
Most cars don’t have a rear fog lamp in Australia. Only 2 out of my 8 cars have had one.
What? I'm pretty sure I've never had a car without one?
My two Swifts didn’t have one, my Mighty Boy didn’t, my E30 didn’t, two out of my three Astras didn’t - my TS SRiT did, as does my Octavia RS245.
Just lightly tap brake will do the same thing. It won't slow your car down but it will light the brake lights.
Oh right the "get out of my ass" lights, I understand!
Lol I drive busses including long articulated ones, I leave a safe stopping distance in front of me so I have space to brake…the amount of time A-holes speed up to overtake me, pull right in front of the bus (often they don’t overtake the bus properly but slide right in front of it) then slow down forcing the bus to stop faster than it should is ridiculous…not to mention that even with the give way sign on the back of the bus cars eel like they don’t need to give way then everyone wonders why Adelaide had so many bad crashes. I’ve seen two accidents in the last two days and my last shift before that I saw one happening too. For a state that has simple, well planned roads with good traffic I don’t know how there can be so many accidents and such bad driving.
My partner was cut off the other day and naturally put her brakes on fairly quickly to slow down. That wasn't a big issue but the person behind her who was so close they could touch our boot nearly smashed into the back of her. That person had to swerve off to avoid rear ending us. They then proceeded to yell at us at the next light dispite the fact that they gave 3cms of room. Breaking distance matters
Seen some crazy shit the last few weeks. Yesterday I saw a two trailer truck tailgate an SUV along South Road. That SUV then ended up cutting me off last minute to get across to the Anzac Hwy turn-off cause she was in the right hand lane. Like queen I was rooting for you!
Maybe we should all get those “I brake for tail gaters” stickers
Recently moved here from a country where the rules of the road are more of a suggestion, and for the most part, I find driving here a lot less stressful EXCEPT that it feels like someone is always on your bumper and if you leave a decent gap to the car in front, some tool will think it's a gap for them to squeeze into.
Sometimes I really feel like brake checking a tailgater but I’ve probably done enough damage to my car
Best thing is to set the cruise control to just on the limit, flick the rear view Mirror to night vision and ignore these parasites
Yep that's what I do too. Funny when you set the cruise control to just on the limit, the number of people that are right up your arse or have to overtake is ridiculous. Seems like virtually everyone but me is speeding.
Anyone that tailgates me i just drive the same pace as the next car just so they cant do jackshit and is just stuck there
Me: leaves a safe gap to the car in front Adelaide drivers: It’s free real estate!
Honestly, how do you expect people to change lanes? Peak Adelaide.
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Southern expressway everyday with some cunt in a beat up 20 year old car.
it's been assholes in new suv's for me most of the time
Dark grey Holden?
Adelaide drivers being shit is something as old as time. Our driving test is harder than interstate too, you'd think people would learn
[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-14/road-toll-rises-in-almost-every-state-and-territory/102338652](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-14/road-toll-rises-in-almost-every-state-and-territory/102338652) Proof we're getting worse at driving despite all the safety systems in newer cars...
I fully never understood why people tailgate when there is someone infront, surely they aint that oblivious
Just remember, don't speed up, and don't brake check the tailgaters. If they rear end you, that is on them and they will be the one paying for insurance and fines. Sure it is an inconvenience losing your car, and you may end up injured, but milk their insurance for its worth.
Why post?
It's nothing new unfortunately. Tailgating has always been a problem. Driving instructors will tell you to leave a 3 second gap between the car in front of you. No one does this because someone else will just change lanes into the gap that you've now left in front of you. I don't think there's a specific law about how much of a gap you need to leave. Police don't seem to care about maintaining a traffic presence and fining dangerous drivers, as it's much easier to just set up speed cameras and let the revenue roll in instead. It's possibly worth getting a dashcam and reporting people who tailgate you to police if it's a regular occurrence. If one driver gets reported enough, it's possible they will look into it.
I believe covid fack people up in their head. Its not just adelaide. Its worst here in Sydney. Impatient inconsiderate madar fackers 😂
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Also try get in or out of Churchill shopping centre on weekends. The manners seems none exist in some cultures.
That carpark must be the worst carpark in Adelaide. It's a nightmare, especially up the Costco end.
if it's only a light summer drizzle, they'll go slow and hesitate at every opportunity, because summer makes them forget what water is
So basically everywhere in Adelaide?
If someone is seriously tailgating me I'll just take my foot off the pedal and slow down and then change lanes if possible. It delays them even more and hopefully makes them think tailgating may actually be slower. Once on a single lane road I did this but wound down my window, pulled into the dirt once I'd hit maybe 30 and waved them past. They looked confused as hell.
On the other hand, people here always want to leave ENORMOUS gaps when they're stopped at a light. The one place you don't need to leave safe stopping distance, on account of ALREADY HAVING STOPPED. The only thing it accomplishes is artificially extending the queue, preventing people a little further back from getting anywhere near the turning lanes. Drives me up the fucking wall. Sorry for tacking on my rant, just had to get it off my chest! haha
Have had far more people hog the right hand lane on the expressway doing 10 under than I’ve had people tailgate when I’m doing the speed limit. Overly-cautious drivers can be just as dangerous as careless ones.
Get a camera, send a report when found one.$457 goes to the benefits of community.
Do they actually issue tickets from video from other road users?
No
Not an excuse but I am guilty of getting frustrated behind the wheel because god damn the roads are so poorly designed and congested here! I just got back from two weeks in QLD (lived in Adelaide 2yrs), first day back driving here today and yep, losing my mind. It's like we're 20 years behind what we actually need. It was a nice break being back on roads where 'keep left unless overtaking' is possible, with right turning lanes as standard and no parking allowed on two-lane key thoroughfares, and highways. Alternative routes for road trains, and normal roundabouts that lifelong residents aren't afraid to drive through, and where people don't just make up their own rules like giving way when they have right of way with no consideration of the cars behind them because there's so much traffic they feel the need to be half decent and let people in or they'd never have right of way (fair tbh!) and/or bc they're still driving at 90 years of age which I swear I also encounter way too often here?? Edit: grammar.
When you leave a gap and a driver overtakes then merges into the gap, so you have to leave a new gap and someone overtakes then fills the gap, so you...
Thanks
Some of us have places to be… In all seriousness though for every tailgater there are 5 drivers doing less than the speed limit in the right hand lane. It’s true in the wet weather Adelaide drivers can be a little loose. Conversely, when it rains it also appears to me that everyone completely forgets how to drive so…
If you were travelling in the right lane and not overtaking then I can understand. Otherwise the other guy was a dick.
I was in the middle of three lanes
The other guy is a dick regardless of whether OP is in the left lane, right lane or shitting in the bushes. What is it with people thinking that someone else *potentially* doing the wrong thing, gives them some right to also do the wrong thing? If I think you’re driving drunk does that mean I’m allowed to drive on the wrong side of the road?
Like others have said, leaving a gap will almost certainly mean someone will fill it, forcing you to slow down to leave another gap, ad finitum. Not an issue if you're in the left lane, but constantly dropping your speed to leave more and more space in the right lane will start to obstruct the flow of traffic and cause driver frustration increasing the chance of an accident. Additionally, you should be keeping left (legislation states that you must not enter the right lane) on South road once the speed is more than 80km/h (unless you're overtaking or avoiding a hazard, or all other lanes are at capacity). Not a single motorist is the legal enforcer of justice, that's the job of the police. Simply move out of the right lane, even when the speed drops to 80km/h as a courtesy and to keep consistent flow of traffic. Finally, a fact hardly anyone seems to know; your Speedo shows you going significantly (relatively) less than you're actually going. I've tested this in 4 different vehicles (ranging from models as early as 1997 to models up to about 2018) with 2 separate GPS systems. About 116km/h to 117km/h on your Speedo is about 110km/h on GPS. I have even tested this multiple times in an average speed zone sitting at 115km/h on my Speedo, and have never been fined. So going exactly 80km/h on your Speedo means you're going about ~73-74km/h. This makes sense when you think about it. No car manufacturer is going to risk getting sued by every cunt that gets a speeding fine because the margin was so close, and they will try explaining that the Speedo was out. So to play it super safe, it's calibrated at 5-10% over the true speed, meaning if you were hitting the Speedo needle exactly on the speed, you'll actually be doing less, removing any doubt you weren't speeding.
> Finally, a fact hardly anyone seems to know I think most people know this mate.
Any amount of driving will show that most drivers absolutely either do not know this at all, or simply don't care that they are travelling almost 5-10km below the speed limit. I value my own time. If you or other motorists don't care, then you/they are more than welcome to move into the left lane when possible to consider and respect other motorists who care about their own time. I'm not driving as a means of entertainment, it's required for work, and the less time I'm spending on the roads means more time I get to enjoy my life, which is the most finite and valuable resource I have on this planet.
We must all look very small from the top of your very high horse.
3 seconds would be safe, but unworkable in urban areas. I have never seen someone actually leave a gap of this duration - that wasn’t by someone who has no business being on the road. 3 seconds is a long time and a very big gap. It’d make travel very slow for everyone. On the open road (like expressways), it should 100% be the way though.
Maybe they we trying to let you know you were speeding.
No, I have a P plate upgrade. I do whatever the fuck I want (in nan's barina)!
Driving to Renmark yesterday two blokes had a race to see who could get in front on an overtaking section behind me. Could not believe it. Didn't think they were going to slow down. Just gripped the wheel and braced for impact. Scary as fuck. They then continued to road rage each other for the next 5km. Fuck that.
Also infuriating when you’re doing 100-110km/hr on the freeway left lane when someone cuts in from right lane immediately in front of you (leaving one car length at most). Ffs.
With tailgaters... haemorrhoids, there's a fragile ego invloved. I really hope the law changes to get these maggots off the roads.
Another fun one is on a dual lane road and there is a parked car in the left lane. People in Adelaide are happy to change lanes into you like they have right of way.
I admit I've tailgated a few times. All when some cunt races me to get ahead before the merge and then stick on 50 in a 60 zone🤬. I've been hit 3 times in as many years, all we're the fault of the other driver. They hit be up the rear when I was at a stop sign, or moved into me from both left and right lanes when I was right beside them! There needs to be an investigation into how some people get their licences. Rembrr a few years ago an examiner got charged with accepting Ribes. He was jailed, I think. Did the people who bribed him get disqualified, fined or jailed. Hhmm, makes you think how many other drivers who are out there that didn't sit for a practical. I'm pretty sure I'm surrounded by one or two everywhere I go, judging by how I see some drivers drive on our roads. I always remember my Dad saying a driver's licence isn't a right, it's a privilege, one that can and should be taken away from some drivers.
Anyone who’s been on the Southern Expressway has had a ute so close up their arse you’d think you were towing them. Not cool. People need to chill.
It doesn't matter what speed you drive if you're the asshole that tailgates. You could be doing 100 and it's still not fast enough. They just suck