Its scarey when people try to keep up with you...

[Dippy]

On part of my journey to work, I go down a country lane which is just wide enough for two cars. It is derestricted, and has parts where I can safely go at 80mph, and has a few tight corners where I can still go at 40-60mph due to my suspension/tyres.

On many parts of this road there is a centre white line, particularly on the corners. I tend to get annoyed when I'm forced to follow cars at 30-40mph on the straights, then slow down to 20-30mph on the corners, but these other cars STILL cross the white line. I always consider them dangerous as if another car (like mine) came round the corner at 60mph (which they would be legally entitled to do), and accident could occur because the slower driver is unable to keep to his/her side of the road.

Anyway it got scarier this morning as I was followed up to the turning into this lane by a newish Passat (don't know what engine). I started going down the lane at 60mph and noticed that the Passat was trying to match me. This is quite rare.

The first corner is quite a tight one, and I doubt that I could have made it at 60mph with S4 stock suspension. However with my H&R + Toyos setup it is easy and I go round it as if on rails.

To my surprise, the Passat still tries to match me on speed, and came round the corner well over the centre line!

The next corner is harder left-hander, and since a lot of cars coming the other way cut the inside off, I am a bit more cautious so I only went at 50mph. Good job as today a car was coming round the corner at the same time.

Off down a 80mph straight(ish) bit, I glanced back at the corner and saw the Passat coming round it virtually on the wrong side of the road!

Maybe that scared him or maybe he didn't want to do my speed, but I then started to out distance him.

The next corner is a very tight one and it is dangerous as it goes downhill sharply partway through. I took it at 40mph (again only safe because of my set-up) but then had to brake as there was a car in front doing 30mph (quite common).

Due to this other car, I hadn't got much further when I saw the Passat catch up, going round the corner on the wrong side of the road again!

Fortunately soon after I took a turning, and am very glad that the Passat did not follow as it is a narrower lane where if you go fast you must be able to keep to your side of the road and have good brakes (and reaction).


That was the first time that I've ever thought of slowing down in order to protect the person following me!!!

[Taipan]

I swear it wasn't me in the Passat [img]images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

Eric