tailgaters

[ScannaMan9]

If someone is tailgating you, and you are NOT going under the speed limit, just keep driving
Also, you have good reason to slow down. If someone was tailgating me at 40 or 50 mph, (And I had to slam on the brakes for whatever reason) I'd be worried that they would hit me, and injure me/ my passengers/ other people on the road. I'd consider that probable cause. And if I was creating a traffic jam, pull over!

IMO, if you slow down without brakes, even for ONLY a minute, to give them the hint, it's OK.
If someone is tailgating you, and you are holding up traffic, PULL OVER OR SPEED UP!!!!

If you are tailgating someone, remember how dangerous it is to you, other people driving, and people on the sidewalk.

Yesterday I was behind a elderly man going 10 in a 45. Dangerous because when that teenage driver going 90 around that corner it hits him, guess who gets injured? THAT IS WHY YOU DO NOT TAILGATE.

DON'T CREATE A ROAD RAGE SITUATION, AND THREATEN ANYONE.
Its NOT you're road, its everyones road.

[zz0468]

Wow. We have at least one rabid tailgater here. I'm not surprised.

How I react to people like com501 depends on the circumstances. If it's a two lane higway, I'll pull over as soon as I can. If it's a four lane highway, I'm probably already in the right lane. If I'm plowing along at 75 in a 65 zone, I'll slow down to create space enough between me and the car in front to stop two vehicles, mine and the idiot behind me.

If they persist, I tap the brake to flash the tail lights. If they're really persistant, I adjust the mirrors so that I can't see them. And if they hit me, it's their fault.

[rapidcharger]

Originally Posted by zz0468

If they persist, I tap the brake to flash the tail lights. If they're really persistant, I adjust the mirrors so that I can't see them. And if they hit me, it's their fault.

That's wreckless driving and more and more people are driving with evidence recorders. Your state isn't a no-fault state so next time you want to "tap" on your breaks and adjust your mirrors so you cant see out of them just think of how much fun it'll be fighting with the insurance company of the person behind you who says "well we have this video......."
And even if they do pay for the damage, cars that have been in wrecks really take a hit on resale value.

[ScannaMan9]

Originally Posted by zz0468

Wow. We have at least one rabid tailgater here. I'm not surprised.

How I react to people like com501 depends on the circumstances. If it's a two lane highway, I'll pull over as soon as I can. If it's a four lane highway, I'm probably already in the right lane. If I'm plowing along at 75 in a 65 zone, I'll slow down to create space enough between me and the car in front to stop two vehicles, mine and the idiot behind me.

I agree.

If they persist, I tap the brake to flash the tail lights. If they're really persistent, I adjust the mirrors so that I can't see them. And if they hit me, it's their fault.

Bad idea. With a dash-cam, they could be able to see you do that. And if someone hit you and saw this post, they would probably sue you.

Originally Posted by rapidcharger

That's reckless driving and more and more people are driving with evidence recorders. Your state isn't a no-fault state so next time you want to "tap" on your breaks and adjust your mirrors so you cant see out of them just think of how much fun it'll be fighting with the insurance company of the person behind you who says "well we have this video......."
And even if they do pay for the damage, cars that have been in wrecks really take a hit on resale value.

I 100% agree

[zz0468]

Originally Posted by rapidcharger

That's wreckless driving and more and more people are driving with evidence recorders.

What? You don't think the idiot tailgating isn't being reckless? The brake lights on the rear of the vehicle are intended as a signal to the car behind to pay attention and, perhaps, drop back some. THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE THERE FOR. Tapping on the brake just enough to flash the lights would hardly be evidence of anything except, perhaps, proof that the car with the camera is following entirely too close.

Originally Posted by rapidcharger

Your state isn't a no-fault state so next time you want to "tap" on your breaks and adjust your mirrors so you cant see out of them just think of how much fun it'll be fighting with the insurance company of the person behind you who says "well we have this video......."

Which way the mirrors are aimed isn't going to show up on camera.

But if it removes a visual distraction and prevents me from focusing too much on what's behind me, and less of what's in front of me, then I'm adjusting the mirrors.

Fact is, tailgating is dangerous. Try calculating how much reaction time a driver 10' back has when he's following a car going 65 or 70. The time would be measured in milliseconds. I refuse to allow those people to compromise MY safety.

[zz0468]

Originally Posted by ScannaMan9

And if someone hit you and saw this post, they would probably sue you.

???

WTF, over.

[ridgescan]

I was at work on a Saturday back in '85 when I got a call from an emergency responder, who made this call on behalf of my mom to notify me to come home because there was "an emergency regarding my dad" but would not tell me more. My dad was working that day too in Daly City far as I knew. I had to drive from the Cliff House area of San Francisco, all the way down the coast to the back of Linda Mar neighborhood of Pacifica, Ca.
Not knowing WTF happened, naturally I was in a state of shock, but I tried to keep my cool behind the wheel and when I got onto the two-lane southbound run of the Pacific Coast Hwy., I flashed the guy in front of me so I could pass. What did he do-straddled the 3 cars cruising the right lane to box me in.
I had to proceed at the speed he dictated, all the way to where I turned to go home. I still feel the stress as I type this, that I felt behind this guy who was completely ignorant to what was really going down in the car behind him. He thought he was teaching me a lesson.
I had no idea that my pop was in the ambulance going north. Never saw my dad again. He died of a massive heart attack-he drove home to be near mom when he felt it coming. That hospital was 3 minutes from his work I still don't get why he didn't go there.
Please think about this angle guys-90% of the tailgaters are jerks who want a free shot at some open space to speed, but 10% may be a guy like me going through something that could be considered an emergency. A good driver should default to the 10% IMO. One day it may be YOU.

[zz0468]

Originally Posted by ridgescan

Please think about this angle guys-90% of the tailgaters are jerks who want a free shot at some open space to speed, but 10% may be a guy like me going through something that could be considered an emergency. A good driver should default to the 10% IMO. One day it may be YOU.

I'm sorry for your loss, and how it all came down. Some people are just pigs... there's really no other word for it. The other driver you encountered was a pig.

As for my previous comments, if the tailgaters would carefully read my initial post, I stated quite clearly that 1. If it's a two lane highway, I pull over as soon as I can. 2. If it's a 4 lane highway (or more) I'll already be in, or move to, a right lane. The rest of my tactics are for the idiots who just drive to close.

Having someone else dictate my speed is a pet peeve, so I try not to do that to others. But some people just insist upon tailgating when there's nothing anyone can do to clear the path, or the path is already clear, and that's a pet peeve too. To use ridgescan's "statistic", 90% of tailgaters are simply impatient, aggressive, and possibly suffering from testosterone poisoning.

[rapidcharger]

I learned to drive on the Palmetto Expressway.
2 or more hours a day spent on that road and you'll become an expert in weaving and squeezing and psyching people out.
And your depth perception will become finely tuned down to centimeters.

The trick with rolling roadblocks, assuming you're the first car behind them is to make them think they've won. Slow way down and hold back until you're out of sight and they've forgotten about you. Fall off their radar. When a small crack appears, you've got to apply all your horsepower at that precise moment and squeeze through the crack while the idiot isn't even paying attention. You may sacrifice some time but you'll get through quicker in the end. As small as the crack may look from your vantage point, in actuality there's almost always room. Almost. Then the brake tappers get a taste of their own medicine.

[ridgescan]

Thanks zz