Tired of tailgaters?

[killdeer43]

This might come in handy. :rugby:

From our neighbors to the north,
Joe

 

[jcwu]

I had a tailgater the other morning who chose to follow really close to me, making several failed attempts to pass me in the bike lane.

When the road widened, he sped past me in the new lane, and then cut back in front of me and slowed down, even though he could have gone a lot faster in the new lane.

(This next part is entirely irresponsible of me, especially since I had a kid with me in the car, but caution be damned, I was already slightly irate that morning and his cutting me off pissed me off...)

For the next few blocks, I tailed him really close. No finger gestures, no yelling, nothing - just stone cold tailing. And I followed him real close. I think he figured me for a crazy because after a few blocks, he changed lanes and sped off. I chose not to follow him further.

There. I've now confessed my sins. I feel better.

 

[adorshki]

(This next part is entirely irresponsible of me, especially since I had a kid with me in the car, but caution be damned, I was already slightly irate that morning and his cutting me off pissed me off...)

Sumthin' 'bout this town, brotha...I can be out there on a pretty wide open freeway on a Saturday morining at 9am doin' my rocksteady 55 in the #2 lane for the ol' fuel economy, lane on either side wide open, and they'll still come chargin' up behind and tailgate like they're tryin' to shove me outta the way.
An overwhelming percentage of 'em seem to be younger (20's-30's) males in GM full-size trucks or SUV's living up to a certain "hot-headed" ethnic stereotype.
These days I actually lift off the gas when I see 'em comin'. Seriously. :biggrin-new:
Then if they stay there for more than 10 seconds I turn on my emergency blinkers. All the while with foot off the gas goin' slower an' slower... I think they calls it "passive-aggressive" :highly_amused:
Stay cool my brotha and trust me there's a glorious feeling of vindication when a cop is finally around when you need 'im and pulls one of these yahoos over.
Then you can stop and really pile it on by telling the cop what he was doing to you before the cop saw him.
:excitement:
Had a funny thing happen recently when I was on my way home after work. I wear a suit and and tie to work and my car is a black 4-door which looks like a perfect unmarked FBI vehicle. On that particular day I was trying a brand new pair of sunglasses which traditionally I detest, I just don't like the way they distort colors, but sometimes ya gotta do something about late afternoon sun directly in your eyes.
Anyway, these glasses look like perfect FBI as well, and sure enough, here comes a speeding dweeb, tailgates me for about 5 seconds, then pulls around to pass on my left and slows to look at me.
I look over with an unsmiling grim-mouthed expression, I see his arm coming up like he's about to give the ol' one-finger salute when I see his eyes widen and he just speeds up and keeps hightailin' down the road.
Gosh, I think he musta thought I was an FBI agent or sumthin'.
Gotta remember that trick.
I keep the sunglasses handy now, too.
:biggrin-new:

 

[tommym]

I just drive the speed limit as I don't want to be messing with the cops / court system / insurance companies. Money is tight enough as it is.

World record for someone tailgating me is around 12 seconds; I can live with that. Doesn't even bother me anymore.

My favorite speed trap where I live is a 2 lane 1/2 mile long winding road with a double yellow line the entire length of the road and a 25 MPH speed limit. I think the City and County should give me some of the money that I help generate for them on this stretch of road, as the tailgaters will cross the double yellow line to pass; usually right where the cop is waiting for them. That is a HUGE fine. I got tagged going 28 in this 25 MPH zone; I now drive 25 MPH.....:tongue-new:

Tommy

 

[davismanLV]

With people who are REALLy running up my @$$ and especially if they have another lane to go around, I put one foot on the brake and one on the accelerator. I slam on the brake while watching in the rear view mirror and as soon as they start their "I'm gonna CRASH" panic stop, I stomp on the gas and get out of their way. It's a little wake up thing I do. It's fun and it gives them something to think about.

Tommy, there's a speed trap like that on my way to and from work. All the larger streets around it have 45 mph limit. This little L-shaped connector road beyond the airport goes down to 25 and it's not posted very well. Plus with all the turns and the little brick wall with bushes in the Quail Air Center, it's a perfect place for motorcycle cops to hide and wait with their radar guns. I come down to 25 and people will start to ride me, and then they'll swing around and go FLYING past me all indignant. By the time I'm at the next turn they're usually pulled over.

25 mph is REALLY SLOW.

 

[adorshki]

25 mph is REALLY SLOW.

I only hate 25 when somebody's too close in front of me and I can't goose it up to 30 for about 3 seconds and then let up so it'll drop to 4th gear in the automatic (6 speed) and let me tool along at about 1000 rpm.... :smile:

 

[bluesypicky]

Clogging the passing lane is the cancer of American roadways .
Here's the heads up: The left lane (aka "passing lane") is meant for faster moving traffic and should be left available at all times except when passing. It's actually the LAW in most States, but completely non-enforced.
Also, unless you're a LEO, it's NOT your job to decide what speed others should go, therefore you shouldn't feel vindicated "blocking" the left lane because you consider you go fast enough and no one should feel the need to go faster regardless of circumstances.

In a nutshell here it goes:
If you go below the speed limit on the left lane: Get the hell out of the passing lane and back to the right lane(s)
If you go the speed limit: Get the hell out of the passing lane and back to the right lane(s)
If you beyond the speed limit: Get the hell out of the passing lane and back to the right lane(s)

Capisce? :frustrating: (In case the "tailgated" were in said left lane)

Yeah you guessed it... the left lane road block is a major pet thieve of mine.

 

[jcwu]

Capisce? :frustrating: (In case the "tailgated" were in said left lane)

That's the thing - I was in the far right lane. And the guy was trying to pass on my right, in the bike lane. It was morning commute traffic, both lanes were pretty much stop and go, so nobody was clogging nobody, you know? Although I felt like clogging the bloody sod!

 

[bluesypicky]

That's the thing - I was in the far right lane. And the guy was trying to pass on my right, in the bike lane. It was morning commute traffic, both lanes were pretty much stop and go, so nobody was clogging nobody, you know? Although I felt like clogging the bloody sod!

Then no question: He was an idiot.
Bunch of them on the road, did you notice? :laughing:.. and he deserved what you did to him, and even what you did not do.

 

[davismanLV]

Hey!!! I'm a LEO!! I don't do that $hit!! Well, not often anyway...... :chargrined:

I hate it when you run into a "blockade". Three lanes, three cars, side by side and all going WAY too slow.... I start to unravel fairly quickly. If I want to speed, that's my choice, not yours. Besides, if I get a ticket, maybe they can afford to fix these potholes!!

 

[bluesypicky]

Hey!!! I'm a LEO!!

Are you really?... I thought you were in the hospitality / restaurant business. each:

 

[tommym]

Clogging the passing lane is the cancer of American roadways ....

Sadly, with traffic congestion in many urban areas, a dedicated passing lane is a thing of the past; something for the old folks to reminisce about. Also in many urban areas, you cannot legally exceed the posted speed limit to pass another car in any case. Yeah, I got tagged on that one too....:chargrined:.....and yes I was in the passing lane.

Tommy

 

[adorshki]

You know what else I despise? Folks who come roarin' up behind and then do the "flash to pass" thing.
When they could EASILY pass on either side of me. It's legal to pass on the right in California, btw.
But if they don't know it's illegal to "flash to pass" they're probably ignorant of a lot of things.
Like how stupid and wasteful it is to slam on your brakes behind somebody you could much more easily have passed with out missing a beat.
This AIN'T the f----in' Autobahn and you're obviously not well-enough trained to be able to get licensed to drive on it, either.

 

[bluesypicky]

Sadly, with traffic congestion in many urban areas, a dedicated passing lane is a thing of the past; something for the old folks to reminisce about. Also in many urban areas, you cannot legally exceed the posted speed limit to pass another car in any case. Yeah, I got tagged on that one too....:chargrined:.....and yes I was in the passing lane.
Tommy

Oh I'm not claiming it is legal to exceed the speed limit, but merely suggesting that we're all better off when we leave it to the pros to exercise authority on the matter.

Also no argument in congested areas, when the Highway is a parking lot, then no mo' passing lane of course.
But every time I take a road trip and travel hundreds of miles on non-congested highways, it never fails: Road block on the left lane with the mentality that "if-I-don't-go-fast-enough-get-around-on-the-right" which is not only utterly disrespectful but dangerous as it creates unsafe traffic motions with vehicles weaving in and out of traffic to pass these slow pokes that have no business in the passing lane.

But I know there are cultural differences here too.
Those that have driven in Western Europe know what I'm talking about.

What I find deplorable is that the roadways are often much better and safer in the US than in Europe, but made more dangerous and frustrating because of people that don't know how to use them efficiently. And the passing lane is a good start. :chargrined:

 

[bluesypicky]

You know what else I despise? Folks who come roarin' up behind and then do the "flash to pass" thing.
When they could EASILY pass on either side of me. It's legal to pass on the right in California, btw.
But if they don't know it's illegal to "flash to pass" they're probably ignorant of a lot of things.
Like how stupid and wasteful it is to slam on your brakes behind somebody you could much more easily have passed with out missing a beat.
This AIN'T the f----in' Autobahn and you're obviously not well-enough trained to be able to get licensed to drive on it, either.

Exactly what I'm talking about....

 

[adorshki]

I hate it when you run into a "blockade". Three lanes, three cars, side by side and all going WAY too slow.... I start to unravel fairly quickly. If I want to speed, that's my choice, not yours. Besides, if I get a ticket, maybe they can afford to fix these potholes!!

Yes in that scenario there are a minimum of 2 idiots in front of you. All the more reason to back off in case one of 'em has a catastrophic lapse of competence.
Primary reason I don't tailgate: I refuse to put my gas and brake usage at the mercy of somebody else's bad driving decisions, and I'd say easily 80% of all the drivers out here habitually follow too close. They don't even realize it, and it's the primary cause of that whole "accordion effect" traffic engineers say causes traffic jams.
Especially SUV's who punch it to close up a gap, then wait til the last minute to slam on the brakes, because they were too dumb to look far enough down the road to realize they shoulda just stayed off the gas in the first place. Maybe even too dumb to make the realization at all.
I refuse to follow 'em voluntarily because my observations show that about 80% of SUV's follow too closely for me to be able to monitor the brake lights of the car in front of them, and that creates a better than 90% probability that they're going to exhibit gas and brake wasting "punch-it-choke-it-stop-punch-it" driving.
Here's another pet peeve: Cell phone users ahead of you leaving about 9 or 10 car lengths in front of them in 10 or 15mph traffic so the lanes on either side of you keep moving faster because they keep being able to cut into your lane ahead of the cell phone user.
And a recent trend sure to gain in popularity, and hazard quotient, with the approach of winter:
Electric and hybrid owners attempting to conserve battery charge by driving at night without lights.
REALLY?
You know these people are absolute idiots when you follow 'em for as long as you dare, flashing your own headlights to give 'em a clue, just in case they really did just forget...and the lights don't go on...in more ways than one....so not only could they potentially get rear-ended, but...
Y'ever almost cut off somebody runnin' dark yet?

 

[davismanLV]

Another thing I love is when I turn right on to a street knowing full well I'm approaching a nearby intersection that has a red light. And the IDIOT coming up behind me runs UP MY @$$, then swerves around me to show their displeasure and then jerks their car back into the lane I'm in (they sure showed ME!!) only to have to slam on the brakes and barely stop in time for the red light that we ALL are waiting on. What's the point of that?? :stupid:

 

[killdeer43]

Let's face it, the NASCAR gene is running rampant in our culture. :hopelessness:

Joe

 

[adorshki]

Let's face it, the NASCAR gene is running rampant in our culture. :hopelessness:
Joe

Right.
Except these guys go through rigorous training and education to obtain license to drive like this:

Funny thing, too, I can't remember ever hearing of a scandal involving one of these guys getting busted trying to drive that way on the street.
Think maybe they know something your average tailgating speeder doesn't?

It only took me 4 or 5 accidents to realize everybody around me deserves whatever they get.





:tongue-new:

 

[bluesypicky]

It only took me 4 or 5 accidents to realize everybody around me deserves whatever they get.:tongue-new:

I have reached the same conclusion, despite never having had a fender bender in 34 years of driving.
Granted I have some racing background, but on two wheels.... :rugby: still I agree it's a tremendous plus to have that before getting behind the wheel, or handlebar.