Topic: I "lost it" today with a tailgater

[toycollector10]

This prick gets right up behind me as I'm driving my car down a suburban street. Really close.

So I just slowed down to about 20 MPH. He got the hint and backed right off so I go back up to a good speed. Then as I'm approaching the next intersection there he is again, and as I slowed down to stop at the intersection and he is right on my bumper. I stop and get out of the car and go up to his window and say through the glass "have you ever heard of the two second rule?"

I broke all the rules I made for myself right there. I'm just so sick of the crap driving I see all the time, I've just had enough, especially with all the tailgating that goes on in this city.........Effing morons!!

[Sam Green Racing]

Chill out TC, you'll make youself poorly with worry.  Time to start #$%*in when the idiots back end you.

Sam.

[neil young]

you should come to Toronto or Montreal...everbody drives like a moron (in a hurry to meet you at the next light)i have been cut off by more people talking on there cell phones without a care in the world

[Sam Green Racing]

It's against the law to use a mobile phone while driving in the UK. It dosn't stop the idiots though Neil.

Sam.

[merc2dogs]

For some reason it never fails, when some moron gets on my bumper, some stupid kid steps into the road and I have to lock up the brakes. Always happens, just can't understand it. It's a good thing my normal driver is an old ford.

Ken.

[jdigga]

I had some lady tailing me in a minivan one time.  The road was a 25mph zone and I was doing 30.  Conditions were light rain.  She wouldn't get off my ass so I brake-checked her (not the best tactic, I suppose).  But, she jammed so hard on her brakes she fishtailed.    She fell waaaaay back after that. 

When I was in high school my dad was bringing me to school one day.  The trip is almost all highway, about 20 minutes worth.  On the onramp this guy wouldn't get off our ass.  My dad tapped his brake lights but that didn't deter the guy.  So my dad (who is usually about as low-key as you can get) got irritated.  He basically blocked the other guy the whole way.  Every time the guy made a break for it through traffic, my dad would find a way around and get in front of him.  He must have done it a dozen times.  Then we had to get off at the exit for the school.  That was a fun ride.

[edbikerii]

I just pull over and let them pass.  I find it less stressful for all involved parties.

[DammitDan]

I generally just tap my brakelights 4 or 5 times in quick succession.  If that doesn't work I slow down to about 50% of the speed limit.  If that doesn't work, I pull out of their way because obviouly they need to get somewhere, and putting my personal safety on the line is of small consequence.

I especially likeed it when I was pulling 65 on the interstate in the far right lane, and a douchebag in a Lexus pulls in on my bumper and start flashing his lights for me to get out of his way.  I calmly took the car out of gear and started slowly drifting slower and slower.  Around 25mph he finally swerves into the left lane and guns it past me.  I smiled and waved at him as he drove by simultaneously honking his horn and giving me the finger.   

They call me passive aggressive for a reason 

[jdigga]

Man, that's ridiculous--how are you supposed to get out of the way when you're already in the right lane? 

What I hate even worse is when you're on a single lane with slow traffic in front of you and a tailgater behind.  Tailgater can follow as close as they want, but they're not going go any faster. 

[edbikerii]

Very simple.  Just pull over and let them pass.  Yes, I've seen some real dummies out there, but typically they are impatient engough that they'll usually just pass when given adequate opportunity.

As I said, it is really less stressful to just let them by, rather than trying to "prove a point" that is pointless anyway.  Where's that going to get you?

[Bob Wessner]

I agree. There was a time when I might have given them an "educational gesture," but decided that most such folks are ineducable, so why bother. Avoid them instead.

[jdigga]

IMHO, on the highway the idiot can just go around in another lane; I'm not going inconvenience myself or potentially cause other traffic issues when he has an alternative.

I had this incident occur one night.  Single lane road, 35mph zone, stretches for a few miles between intersections.  Three cars--a sedan, an SUV, and my car.  Sedan was in front doing around 40.  SUV thought this was too slow and was all over the sedan's rear end.  At a park entrance along the road, the sedan pulled off into the entrance and slowed just long enough for the SUV to pull ahead.  As soon as the SUV was clear, the sedan pulled back into the road failing to make sure the road was clear.  Since I was behind the SUV, he nearly sideswiped into me, which caused me to swerve into an oncoming car, which caused the oncoming car to swerve into the soft shoulder.  Thank goodness there was no crash; it could have turned out far worse.

[Steve F]

I especially likeed it when I was pulling 65 on the interstate in the far right lane, and a douchebag in a Lexus pulls in on my bumper and start flashing his lights for me to get out of his way.  I calmly took the car out of gear and started slowly drifting slower and slower.  Around 25mph he finally swerves into the left lane and guns it past me.  I smiled and waved at him as he drove by simultaneously honking his horn and giving me the finger.   

They call me passive aggressive for a reason 

Being a volunteer emergency services worker in Illinois, I'm legally allowed to have blue flashing lights on my personal vehicle.  They say that I'm only allowed to used them for bonafide emergency situations, but there are times when I accidentally bump the switch, and the lights come on.  Imagine that!  Just so happened that I had the same situation, where I'm going at least 5 to 10 over the limit, and some douchebag (yes, they're everywhere) tries to get around, flashing the headlights and all.  I bumped that darned switch again while all of this was happening, and guess what, all of a sudden he wasn't in such hurry anymore.   

[edbikerii]

What I don't get is why everybody gets so uptight about how they are going a few miles over the speed limit, yet some other 'jerk' wants to pass.

Whey not just let them pass?  Why is it so common for everyone to get insulted?  And why do people have this "I'm going fast enough, so screw you" attitude?

I have an uncle who used to be a cop.  He used to deliberately drive at the speed limit in the fast lane, and his argument was "that's why it says 'SPEED LIMIT'".  If you're going faster, you are breaking the law!"

Personally, I think it is just common courtesy to allow people to pass you if they are in a bigger hurry than you are.

[Cvillechopper]

If you're on a multi-lane road, get in the right lane and let them go by.  If you're on a single lane, you shouldn't have to pull over to let them by.  If you're on the highway in the left lane and going slower than the person behind you, no matter how fast you're going, get out of the way.  It's a law in some states, punishable just as speeding, to stay in the left lane when someone is coming up behind you.  There are signs posted that say "slower traffic keep right". 
I have had aserious road rage case where some douche decided that my being in the right lane made it inconvient for him so I slowed, he just got closer and honked.  I hit the brakes pretty hard as if I saw a deer (that would have been my story if the cops had needed to be called) and the guy slams on brakes and slides onto the shoulder.  I just kept going nice and easy and he comes flying up on my rear like he's going to ram me so I braked again (I was driving an old nova at the time) so he had to swerve around me to the left which is the lane he should have gotten into in the first place.
I try not to let these idiots bother me any more but somethimes I perform a little public service and try to scare the hell outta these pricks.  Of course, I'm not allowed to do that as much anymore...

[jdigga]

What I don't get is why everybody gets so uptight about how they are going a few miles over the speed limit, yet some other 'jerk' wants to pass.

Whey not just let them pass?  Why is it so common for everyone to get insulted?  And why do people have this "I'm going fast enough, so screw you" attitude?

I have an uncle who used to be a cop.  He used to deliberately drive at the speed limit in the fast lane, and his argument was "that's why it says 'SPEED LIMIT'".  If you're going faster, you are breaking the law!"

Personally, I think it is just common courtesy to allow people to pass you if they are in a bigger hurry than you are.

I think it's because there's a courteous way to pass and a not-so-courteous way.  I've had occasion to pass a slow motorist but I'm not a jerk about it.  Stay back a few car lengths to allow a clear view of the road ahead; when the opportunity is available the extra distance allows you to accelerate before crossing the centerline, minimizing your time on the wrong side of the road.  Upon completion of the pass, I don't cut right back in, I give a few car lengths (when I can see the car I just passed in my rearview, not the side).

I forget the source, but a report said that most drivers typically average 5-7 mph above the posted speed limit.  It's also been reported that most posted speed limits are 5-10 mph under what would be considered safe and reasonable for the given road type and conditions.  Additionally most people have a comfort zone of about 72mph on the highway, regardless of the posted speed limit.  So "mild" speeding in the technical sense is more or less commonplace.  I read a study that showed it's not the speed on the highway that kills, it's the speed differential.  You have grandma going 49 and hot rod Jimmy going 90, that's an accident.  If everyone is driving at, say, 65, the relative speed between each vehicle is 0.

I don't care if someone wants to go 60 in a 35 as long as they do it in a manner that doesn't disturb other drivers.  Tailgating, weaving back and forth, flashing brights, honking horns--these aggressive behaviors can make the recipient nervous and potentially make poor decisions rather than concentrating on operating their own vehicle safely.

[dusterdude]

jdigga,i agree with you except on one point.flashing brights is the proper way to get someone out of the way when they are going slow in the fast lane.

[edbikerii]

Yes, I've noticed that nowadays simply flashing your high beams at someone in front of you has been labeled "aggressive driving".  Sorry, but that is just BS.  It is no different than saying "excuse me" when walking on the street.  Is there any better way to politely ask another driver to get out of the way?  I've tried turning on my left blinker, but that only rarely works, and seems to really frustrate those behind me.

Not allowing others to pass is just a different kind of aggressive driving that causes much greater frustration (for everyone) than simply getting out of the way.  I guess "passive aggressive" really is the best term for it.  And we all know how frustrating it is to deal with passive aggressive people.

How about asking ourselves a simple question:  If I were walking on the sidewalk and somebody came up behind me walking faster than I am, should I deliberately block him from passing me because "I'm walking fast enough"?  If he said "excuse me", would I then still deliberately try to block him?  What kind of reaction should I expect from that person?

Perhaps the false sense of security of being inside a 4000 lb. car deludes people into thinking they don't need to be courteous to others.  Well, we should expect that people will be discourteous to us in return.

[bill440cars]

        One night I was driving through our small town on a 2 lane street and had a tailgater. I flashed my brake lights a couple of times to no avail. Next thing I know, he zoomed around me, locked up his brakes for a short bit and then took off. He nearly caused me to hit him and didn't do the person approaching in the opposite lane any good either. If I'm in the left lane on a 4 lane highway, I try to keep an eye out and pull over if I can. However, if I'm on the Interstate and coming upon an entrance ramp, I do my best to be in the left lane and will not pull over at that time. Folks coming up on the interstate deserve a chance to get in the right lane also. Alot of these folks want consideration shown them, but don't think they should return that same consideration. Another problem, as I get older, my patience is getting shorter and that ain't good.

                                   Later on, Bill  

      BTW, I don't recall any of those who've offended me, flashing their lights. If lights are flashed, I usually can get over out of their way (I figure that, if a cop is up there somewhere, they'll find them)

[merc2dogs]

 I don't advocate doing it every time, but if all the lanes are open and the dipsh*t wants to ride my tail when there IS a clear passing I am under no obligation to encourage his behavior. I once put a guy in the ditch while going to the midnight movies, three cars on the road, My buddy and his girl in his car, me and my girl in mine, and this dip in a van, he got on my tail so close I couldn't see his headlights in my rearview, and wouldn't move even though the pass lane was clear, I did everything short of pulling over to 'be nice' and let him pass, changed lanes, slowed down, sped up etc, and he still rode my tail, so I just told my girlfriend to braced herself, braced myself and locked up the brakes, he went into the ditch after tapping me, no one got hurt, so I don't feel repentant in any way about it.
 
 If it's bumper to bumper traffic I say live with it and worry about the cars in front of you, but if it's an open road and there is no reason whatsoever that the driver can't pass (passing lane, broken yellow, no traffic etc) then do what you need to do, at the risk of sounding paranoid, and attributed to living an big cities, if there is absolutely no reason for someone to be acting the way they are, (riding my bumper on an open road is a good example) I tend to start asking myself WHY?

 Also, when driving the truck I get passed a LOT, simply because if I drive 70-80, I get 18-19mpg, if I drop to 65, I get 24-25mpg, and it generally only takes a few more minutes to get where I'm going so I'm happy to cruise along at 65. and stay in the slow lane except when passing someone even slower.

 Also few states have laws that say you have to pull over to allow faster traffic by, but EVERY state has laws against tailgating
 
Ken. 

[edbikerii]

So Ken, how do you know nobody got hurt?  Did you stop and check?

Many, if not all, states have regulations regarding passing on the left.  Usually it is stated along the lines of "keep right, except to pass".

[cafehonda]

I think it is unfortunate that we have an attitude in this country that allows for beastly behavior simply based on a fear of getting hurt or incurring legal liability. While I understand the logic behind this, it seems that we incur an even greater loss due to the gradual degradation of civilized behavior. Many people in this world are simply grown children, and, having had no real parental guidance, don't even understand that thier behavior is causing problems for others, or even worse, think that their asinine way of existing is correct and superior. If you don't enter into some kind of discourse with these individuals, how can you expect anything other than a continuation of said behavior. I understand if you out there don't want to put yourself in harms way, but you are losing by degrees if you don't. A man who won't stand for something will fall for anything.

[jdigga]

I agree that high beams are a polite way to say excuse me.  I also agree they get mislabeled as aggressive behavior.

However edbikerii, we seem to be talking about differing scenarios.  A polite "excuse me" is very different from "get the $&%* out of the $&$*@ way you %&#*$ *#%&&!!!".  The latter will certainly not garner a polite response from me, particularly when I am proceeding in my lane of traffic at a steady and reasonable speed.

This, I think, is different from a deliberate block.  A deliberate block would be speeding up as the aggressor tries to pass.  A deliberate block would be moving to the aggressor's lane as he tries to pass (on a multi-lane road).

Bill--I employ the same tactic as you when it comes to highways.  I move to the next lane when I see cars coming up on the on-ramp to give them room to merge.

[edbikerii]

jdigga:
Agreed, there are certainly some "less than polite" people on both the "giving" and "receiving" ends of this scenario.

[jdigga]

Yeah, I guess it's just unfortunate that courtesy on the road seems to be the exception, not the norm.