How Do You Deal With Tailgaters?

[RayIN]

One excellent reason to allow plenty of space when following someone.
About 8 years ago on a city street (US 41) in Ft. Myers FL, my friend was behind a car hauler semi-truck/trailer. He noticed the bottom car was jiggling more than the top car, he slowed down JIC something was wrong. Just about that time that bottom car came off the trailer.
Since it must've been in park, it quickly stopped, but swerved sideways.
They remained at the scene as witnesses; the truck driver was ticketed for having an unsecured load.
He said when he and DW got home they both were a nervous wreck, thinking what if_.

 

[MossRoad]

When I was in high school I had a pair of aircraft landing lights on the back dash of my Nova facing backwards. That made for some interesting interactions with tailgaters. Also made for one interesting interaction with a cop.

I also had a pair behind the grill in front of the radiator for oncoming traffic that wouldn't dim their brights.

I outgrew that kinda stuff fairly quickly, as it mostly attracted trouble, just as brake checking a tailgater can end up very bad...

 

[tomplum]

It's interesting to me that many don't have the common sense to KNOW they are tailgating. I was riding with my granddaughter driving their family car. Her driver's license was so fresh it was still warm... Anyways, I pointed out that she should follow at least the 2 second rule, which some now say should be 3. She seems to be good driver in most ways. I'm guessing that they have the adaptive cruise set that way or something because the whole crew seems to drive that way when I started to think about it. Grumpy old man signing off now...

 

[Jstpssng]

I usually keep a good distance, but my company Tundra has the adaptive CC which keeps you inside of the 2 second rule. (Now they are saying 3 seconds)
If I get behind somebody who can't make up their mind if they want to do 40 or 60 I back off, try to find a compromise speed but if they slow down again I just let the CC take over.

The women in the car eventually drove on but to this day I have no idea what her problem was

I had a similar experience which I've related before. He would pass, then slow down. At one point I got POed and pulled over. When I pulled back out he was parked a 1/4 mile down the road waiting for me. I still don't know WTF was going on but in hindsight I should have picked up the phone and called the cavalry.

 

[lman]

I drive a little slower and ignore them.
20 years ago I sometimes would through a lit cigarette out the window and watch it bounce off their windshield.

Oh great, tailgaters and litterbugs.