I agree totally with the new driver about tailgating.It seems to have become common practice on our roads these days and judging by some of the replies it is easy to see why.I have had an LGV license for nearly 40 years and have seen driving standards drop year by year.How some drivers think it is ok to carry out this extremely dangerous practice is beyond me and I would imagine they are the ones that think it will never happen to them.Our roads are very congested and this causes drivers to become complacent with things like safe distances and they do the same day in day out and think it is ok.I have been involved in road safety the past few years and can say most serious accidents involving HGVs are either caused by losing control on a bend(going to fast)or not being able to stop in time.The consequences of these accidents are often horrific and it is only luck there are not many more.The good news is that sooner rather than later any driver travelling to close to the vehicle in front will be prosecuted.The new transport minister is also looking into ways of changing driver attitudes which I am afraid in some cases will be very difficult.We all like to think of ourselves as good drivers but in reality many are really bad drivers.
Different breed Sydney!
Define tailgating. How close is tailgating and for how long ?
It seems to me that far too many people on the road these days are scared of the vehicle, scared of other peoples vehicles, unsure of their own abilities, incapable of independent thought and common sense, unaware of the rules of the road, ignorant of the presence of other vehicles, etc, etc. Then they get all upset because others do things they can’t, or are unaware that it is perfectly legal to do so. Like roundabouts. People who sit at a roundabout because a vehicle is approaching from the right, but that vehicle is still 200 yards away from the junction. Just because they don’t bother looking right until they reach the line, they have to stop. That is not good driving, but they take refuge in the fact that it is safe. Yes it is safe, but it is also unnecessary and disrupts the proper flow of traffic. Sitting at home all day is safe too, but it’s not an option for a truck driver.
So as far as tailgating is concerned, if you are closing on the back of another truck, and the ■■■■ in the car next to you takes so long to get past that you close up too much on the truck in front, should you be slamming the brakes on and losing so much speed you can’t now overtake, or should you leave it as long as you can and pull out as soon as you are able.
Maybe if you would prefer it if all roads had a “no HGV overtaking” rule. We can all drive along behind tractors all day.
Obviously if you have no intention of overtaking you shouldn’t get so close, but nobody wants to define tailgating in terms of circumstances or time spent doing it.
So lets have your definition. Imagine, if you like, you are writing a new entry for the highway code.
Welcome sydney
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sydney:
How some drivers think it is ok to carry out this extremely dangerous practice is beyond me and I would imagine they are the ones that think it will never happen to them
Complacency breeds contempt is a phrase that springs to mind.
sydney:
The good news is that sooner rather than later any driver travelling to close to the vehicle in front will be prosecuted.
The technology is here to do just that - A fixed or mobile camera resets to zero at vehicle one then awaits 2 seconds before resetting - if the 2 seconds is broken then it takes a pic of vehicle two.
smoker:
if you are closing on the back of another truck, and the ■■■■ in the car next to you takes so long to get past that you close up too much on the truck in front, should you be slamming the brakes on and losing so much speed you can’t now overtake, or should you leave it as long as you can and pull out as soon as you are able.
Slamming on brakes will not be necessary if the situation is read correctly in the first place - just realise that the situation is likely to occur and ease off early - always making sure that the minimum safety gap is maintained - the slowest speed you should get to is the speed of the vehicle you were going to overtake which would mean an increase on the accelerator when pulling out to overtake when safe - if unable to increase speed then wait for an opportunity to do so.
ROG:
Slamming on brakes will not be necessary if the situation is read correctly in the first place - just realise that the situation is likely to occur and ease off early - always making sure that the minimum safety gap is maintained - the slowest speed you should get to is the speed of the vehicle you were going to overtake which would mean an increase on the accelerator when pulling out to overtake when safe - if unable to increase speed then wait for an opportunity to do so.
The minimum safety gap is 2 seconds. So I am not allowed with 2 seconds of another vehicle ever ?
So if a truck overtakes me and I flash him in, I have to slow down to maintain a 2 second gap ?
Do me a favour.
smoker:
ROG:
Slamming on brakes will not be necessary if the situation is read correctly in the first place - just realise that the situation is likely to occur and ease off early - always making sure that the minimum safety gap is maintained - the slowest speed you should get to is the speed of the vehicle you were going to overtake which would mean an increase on the accelerator when pulling out to overtake when safe - if unable to increase speed then wait for an opportunity to do so.The minimum safety gap is 2 seconds. So I am not allowed with 2 seconds of another vehicle ever ?
So if a truck overtakes me and I flash him in, I have to slow down to maintain a 2 second gap ?
Do me a favour.
1.There is no requirement to flash anyone in
2. You have Flashed him/her in to early if you have to slowdown 
smoker:
The minimum safety gap is 2 seconds. So I am not allowed with 2 seconds of another vehicle ever ?
Try to avoid doing so at all times as it will compromise your safety (and possibly others) if an incident occurs.
smoker:
So if a truck overtakes me and I flash him in, I have to slow down to maintain a 2 second gap ?
Yes - you made the decision to flash it in too early 
Like a lot of other drivers (not just LGV drivers) you seem to be putting convenience above safety.
PRIORITIES for a good safe driver are -
1st = SAFE
2nd = LEGAL
3rd = CONVENIENT (as poss)
And yes, I do recognise that doing 50 on a NSL SC may be safe but not legal for a LGV in many circumstances but personally I do not condone breaking the law.
OY stop addin to your post
- would I do that
Thats what I said ROG
OY stop addin to your post 
with people like that see now why there bringing out driver cpc and i don’t blame them… i always said everyone should do there safed
BRICKTROTTER XL:
with people like that see now why there bringing out driver cpc and i don’t blame them… i always said everyone should do there safed
I found SAFED to be lacking in everything but fuel economy - it certainly did not focus on safe driving techniques but that is probably for a new thread otherwise this one will get hi-jacked on the subject.
[quote="sydney"I have had an LGV license for nearly 40 years and have seen driving standards drop year by year.
sorry sydney,but would that have anything to do with traffic volumes increasing ten fold during that time,while i dont condone tailgating and think it is a huge and dangerous practice,you cannot compare driving standards 40 years ago to todays standards,taking into account traffic volume.i personally think that as a direct result of more traffic,driving is becoming more difficult.
no need to flash in nowdays…90% of overtakers (namely tippers/containers) just cut back in whenever they feel there’s sufficient gap (usually 10ft!!) yes you!! DISCLAIMER: respect to the 10%…
I have seen two trucks from the same company ruuning together on route to Dover where the second truck is very close and follows the front vehicle like a shadow, and when the first truck had overtook a vehicle the second followed, but he or she had to stay along side the vehicle they overtook becouse the front truck could not get enough speed to make a gap for the second truck to pull in, the outcome of this was the second truck just put its indicator on to pull in behind the first truck caussing the other vehicle to brake and give him room,
Now to me the second truck is what I call tailgating, he was so close there was no way he could see ahead, so he is also a danger, he also forced another vehicle to slow down in order to get behind the other truck, a case of due and attention,
On the other hand I dont use the two second rule, never heard of it before now, but I will leave it to the last safest moment before pulling out behind a truck and use his slip stream to pass, if on the other hand I think I wont pass him, then thats when I ease off and make a good gap to follow. but I am not tailgating, the comments made by Smokey sums it all up for me.
"Do.nt be a fool use the 2 second rule " yeah it,s an old one use it and see how big the gap is and how many cars,puddlejumpers etc fill the gap
as far as im concerned i drive safely and sometimes i will get close to the vehicle in front whilst im overtaking but i time it properly i do,nt tailgate someone who,s doing the same speed as me cos then i,m blind but i know my limits and i see prats on the road everyday in alsorts and sizes of motors who aint got a clue.Sat behind a wincantons motor yesterday(ex hanbury)for about 6 miles on the a12 all of a sudden he slows to 50 i overtake have a look and he,s on the phone wtf MUPPET!!!
sydney:
The good news is that sooner rather than later any driver travelling to close to the vehicle in front will be prosecuted.The new transport minister is also looking into ways of changing driver attitudes which I am afraid in some cases will be very difficult.We all like to think of ourselves as good drivers but in reality many are really bad drivers.
So Sydney, if you’re not trolling, perhaps you’d like to tell me how I maintain a 300 metre gap between me and the vehicle in front on a busy motorway?
I am a good driver, Sydney. 1.8 million miles points and accident free.
I suggest you sod off back under the bridge you crawled out from, trollboy.
I never do Tailgating and no one does on me 
I mostly drive just 50mph,which gets me to,like today, 9,1 mpg,and most drive faster,and some slower
Conor:
perhaps you’d like to tell me how I maintain a 300 metre gap between me and the vehicle in front on a busy motorway?
That would be about a 6 second gap - I can say out loud “only a fool breaks the 2 second rule” twice between the 100 metre markers.
If there are lamp posts on the motorway then keeping the gap between two of them is about right for a minimum gap
That distance between lamp posts is also the same distance as the ‘keep apart 2 chevrons’ that are painted on the motorway in certain areas.
There are also about 6 lane lines between lamp posts/chevrons and I said before that one lane line (long or short) = 10 mph