Australia’s most frustrating driving habits and what you can do about them

From tailgating, and litter throwing, to bad parkers. The driving behaviours that can be dangerous, illegal, or sometimes neither of these two things, but still absolutely frustrating are witnessed by many Aussies on a regular occurrence, carsales has compiled some of the most hated and what you can do about them.

Tailgating, or the action of one driver (usually an impatient tool bag) driving behind another vehicle without giving sufficient distance to stop without causing a collision if the front vehicle stops suddenly.

As well as being unsafe, it is illegal everywhere in Australia to tailgate meaning this behaviour not only pisses other drivers off but could result in a fine and/or the loss of demerit points.

“Unsafe and aggressive driver behaviour, like tailgating and road rage can be intimidating and can divert the concentration of a motorist, resulting in collisions or leading to unsafe driving speeds,” says RACV Head of Policy, James Williams.

If you are in the position of being tailgated while it can be appealing to do the ol’ brake-check test, this too is a chargeable offence if deemed aggravated, it can also be unsafe (so it’s best not to do this).

“While some drivers may be tempted to box a tailgater in and even tap on your brakes to send a message, it’s simply never worth the risk to put yourself in harm’s way,” says Williams.

So, what should you do?

“The RACV recommends that if you’re being tailgated or have become engaged in a road rage incident, stay calm, do not engage or further antagonise other motorists, maintain a safe speed, prioritise safety, focus on the road ahead and move over or let them pass when it’s safe to do so.”

Whether it is a cigarette butt out or a banana peel, throwing rubbish out of a vehicle window is one of my pet hates and many other Australians feel the same way. It is also illegal in most states and territories (yes, even fruit cores and skins as they can attract wildlife to the roadside and cause damage to them and drivers).

So, what do you do if you spot someone doing this?

Williams says that when it is safe to do so, report it.

“You can report all littering from vehicles on roads or in carparks to the EPA, this includes littering that occurs as someone is getting in and out of the vehicle. For more information, visit epa.vic.gov.au.”

So, like most features in vehicles, the indicator is there for a good reason and should be used for this.

This means indicating when you turn or change lanes and before you do it (not only while you are) as Williams says, “Your indicator should be used as a tool to let people know your intentions, rather than a tool to say I'm moving right now.”

While there is not a whole lot you can do about other drivers who do this or fail to do this, Williams does suggest being extra vigilant yourself (just in case).

“Motorists can get complacent over time or rely too much on technology (like blind spot indicators) when changing lanes. RACV recommends always doing a physical head check as a precaution, to avoid vehicles that have already entered your blind spot or are approaching laterally,” he says.

So, we’ve all been there at one time or another – perhaps it is at a car park we are unfamiliar with and we misjudged the space, perhaps we were in a hurry and thought ‘close enough’, or perhaps parallel parking just isn’t our thing (I understand). But it is to the repeated pattern of bad parking that many Australians just say, “Not good enough.” (Or post about it on their local bad parking social media group).

Again, unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot you can do about this issue but if you are a bad parker yourself, or are on friendly terms with someone who is, Williams suggests going back to basics.

“Awareness is also key to parking well in designated spaces. Many motorists will also put the car into the relevant parking gear first and then apply the handbrake last,” he says.

“This technique can increase the wear and tear on transmission components and may lead to repair costs. Motorists should apply the handbrake first in automatic vehicles, and then put the vehicle in Park (P) gear before turning the engine off. Motorists of manual transmission vehicles should also apply the handbrake first, and then select the relevant gear for parking.”

Related: Five bad driving habits that need to stop for the sake of your passengers

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