All drivers have had experience of being tailgated by a lorry.

I had better confirm at the outset that most lorry drivers are sensible and professional. But that is of little consolation when an exception puts you in fear of your life.

Last Saturday, I was driving down to Herne Bay where I was working the following day. There are roadworks on the M25; the lanes are reduced and the speed limit is currently 50mph.

Having three points on my licence makes me very aware of speed limits and the presence of average speed cameras sharpened that awareness. I was in the inside lane driving at exactly 50mph. Then a large lorry, headlights blazing, came up behind me and settled in so closely that I could only see his headlights in my wing mirror.

Not to put too fine a point on it, I was terrified. But I knew that if I were to accelerate to get out of his way my explanations in court would have fallen upon weary and deaf ears.

There was a steady line of traffic in the lane to my right travelling at the same speed. There was nowhere I could go to get away from the murderous maniac behind me.

So for several miles that seemed endless I prayed that nothing would compel me to brake.

He was so close that I doubt he would have seen my brake light anyway before his tonnage ploughed over my car.

When the road widened out again and I could accelerate legally away from him I did so; then slowed down to allow him to pass me so that I could get his registration number.

But what do I do with it? A serving police officer (not involved with traffic) told me that he had had a similar experience recently which induced him to make a report at his local station.

He was told exactly what I would doubtless be told. It’s one man’s word against another, so it wouldn’t be taken further.

I may contact the company whose lorry it was but I expect little solace from that.

But perhaps I should, on the off chance that a rare sympathetic person might just have a stern word and save others from similar terror.

I am now seriously considering buying one of those rear window cameras in case I encounter a similarly criminally insane driver.