ptholt

Coming into town tonight down a quiet road, i overtake this old volvo tank and notice someone quite a long way down the road behind flashing his lights at me.

He appeared to be gaining quite quickly so i accerlerated and carried on, the car behind is now gaining real fast, still flashing his lights at me, crawling all over my bumper and sitting on my rear quarter trying to get past at each and every opportunity.

I was concious of the fact there was a police station back down the road, so stay within legal limits approaching a roundabout and turn left. Car in question follows.
Next roundabout i stay in left lane, car behind there too, then as the road widens i indicate right, move over towards white lines in middle of road, car behind follows.

This car follows me all the way through town, even though twice i left my indicated intentions till the last minute at a few roundabouts, and he has to make some very hasty last minute moves to follow me.
I noticed that the car is fairly small and has spotlights on the front grill, meaning police car out of the question (rally style spots).

I double back through an industrial estate where he tries once again to come past through rush hour traffic, he can't get past too much oncoming traffic. Wifey is by now starting to fret and suggests going to the police station. (this would have been feasible if the police station opened better hours than the current 9-5 where it hands over to the next towns force).

By now i've decided enough is enough. Take him back out of town to the A-road single lane by-pass and loose him by driving like a nutter for a couple of sections (split by roundabouts) before doubling back at the last roundabout before leaving town on the road i originally came in on some 10-15 mins ago.

See the car coming the opposite way driving like a loon trying to catch up, he realises the game is up and departs back the way he came towards the A23, turned out to be some mercury grey xr2 with a single bloke in it.

I have not got a clue what was going on, I hadn't passed him earlier, so couldn't have done anything to upset him.... apart from overtaking the volvo when he was about half a mile behind !

The more i think about it, the more freaked out i get !

Jonas Hedvall

Well, I certainly think you kept a cool head about it and did the right thing by not stopping and getting out of your car.

Jonas

Reza

That's funny because I had a similair car (d.grey xr2) and driver do the same to me, for no apparent reason other than he wanted to overtake me but couldn't. This was in Sandhurst,Berks last July.

DaveU

I had quiet a scarey moment in the last week of owning my TypeR. This all happened at about midnight on a weekday. Coming along the A40 in High Wycombe noticed lights catching me up very quickly.
As it got closer the car pulled out and went passed me, it was a grey Nissan Primera. I wasn't trying to race away at this point as i was only mildly concerned until i looked behind me and noticed that there was ANOTHER grey Nissan Primera right on my bumper! The one in front then started slowing down quite hard so i was well boxed in!! Getting more than slightly concerned at this point.
The first main road that appeared on my right i steered violently into as we were going past it but the car behind STILL managed to follow me (just - lots of screeching). But now it's just the car behind and with no car in front i said bye bye and lost him. So Scooby power saves the day again!

Gethin

I have had similar events occur in the Bristol area. Usually happens with people driving cars which unless a Space Shuttle engine was installed had no way of keeping up with my car (eg. Mondeo, XR2, Jeeps etc). So what's their problem ????

I have found when I drive sensibly minding my own business I tend to agrivate other drivers. They must be thinking "why is that blode driving a fast car slowly...must be looking for a race....."

But when I drive "enthusiastically" I have no problems whatsoever..

I had this old crappy rusted nissan cut me up last night on a roundabout on the Fishponds turning after tailgating me for over a mile on the M32. I stuck to the speed limits. I mean this guy was seriously off his trolly. AND HE HAD 2 YOUNG KIDS IN THE BACK OF THE CAR WITHOUT BELTS ON!!! Just could not believe it! Then when his lane slowed down again because of traffic, he waited until I came up behind again and cut me up for the second time by jumping into my lane!

What a very sad life some people lead.....

blubs

ptholt,

I've posted a similar thread a while back so will not bore you with the details, but an exact replica of your incident happened to me in 1996 at 1am on my way home.
The vehicle following me also flashed from a long way back and then much closer, whilst following me down single track roads, (short cut home). I also became very uneasy and eventually decided also to put my foot down.
Result? Police unmarked Mondeo and mega points on licence/fine for speeding. Their excuse for not using the blue lights to immediately stop me.......you were 'driving suspiciously' so we were tailing you.

Driving suspiciously? It makes me want to weep

ptholt

I've had and heard similar instances with unmarked police cars, which is why i kept to legal limits to ensure it wasn't one.

I stayed as calm as poss as my missus was starting to fret and me doing so would have helped no one.

I was tempted to phone haywards heath police station and just drive him to it, but he would have probably just let me drive in alone feeling foolish.
The other option i was considering was if he carried on driving aggressively, I was going to phone a very large friend and pull into his road with a welcoming comittee prepared.

DavidRB

If I think I'm being followed, I'll go around a roundabout several times, or drive round the block a couple of times. That usually makes it obvious. Having heard of the tricks that unmarked police cars play, I no longer put my foot down if someone is tailgaiting or "driving suspiciously".

I suppose there's always a call to the police on the mobile if I was ever really worried.

As for the "welcoming committee" or any other form of personal retribution (from a blast of the lights to a baseball bat), you'll only end up in a lot more trouble. The police do not like vigilantes and neither do the magistrates...

The best advice has already been said - "Keep cool and don't get out".

boomer

I think that DavidRB has the solution, and so "do a Beckham". If a car is definitely following you, you have grounds to be afraid and should call 999 for assistance. If it turns out that "plod" was following, then at least you have documentary evidence of the time and place (via the phone company) of your concern - which may back you up in court. If it is not a plod following, then hopefully they will do their duty and come to your aid.

mb

ptholt

So long as the unmarked car that was folowing you doesn't stop you for using the mobile to add to whatever other charges they dream up.

On a more serious note my attitude to possible police cars behind me is if they want me to stop they can switch the lights on. I don't stop for anything that flashes.

sunilp

I doubt very much that the police would use a old XR2 as an unmarked car.

You did the best thing by not stopping and getting out....

Yex

I thought all unmarked traffic cars had the blue and red lights behind the grill so they were seen when being used but quite discreet otherwise....could be wrong though

Yex

DavidRB

A couple of years ago I saw a battered old-shape Vauxhall Astra... with a flashing blue light and a siren. There are unmarked cars and there are unmarked cars...

I think that the unmarked cars only sport blue lights as the red lenses are too visible.

ptholt

Yex,
from experience they don't have visible lights on newer unmarked cars. The green unmarked impreza doing the rounds in surrey has blue bulbs put into the front indicators and reversing lights, so no visible lights there.

There's an unmarked burgandy astra around Gatwick airport that has its lights in the passenger sun visor and nowhere else (I noticed this as he stopped me when on the bike).

Plus a few T5's that live in the 'M23 traffic police mans hut*' at the end of my road have no visible lights either.


* - its not a police station, just a few portacabins where the motorway police stop for coffee etc, good for spotting there unmarked cars in the car park tho