How Do You Deal With Tailgaters?

[John0829]

All this talk of being rear ended just brings back bad memories of when I was hit by a woman driving a semi. Hit me so hard it put the back axle right behind the drivers seat and the pens/pencils literally ripped the pocket off of my shirt. She never once checked to see if I was OK, stayed in the truck talking on the phone, I assume to her dispatcher and checking on her dog that was going bat ***** crazy in the cab. When the local police showed up she still refused to exit the truck, just kept saying she was a professional driver and had to have D.O.T. on the scene before she would get out.

A really long story goes with this tale after the first cop called for backup and vehicle enforcement finally showed up but needless to say I to this day have issues with being followed ESPECIALLY by tractor trailers.

 

[bdhsfz6]

It used to be these road exchanges just resulted in an exchange of middle finger salutes. Now days, instead of seeing someone flashing you the bird, it may be the barrel of a gun!

 

[Runner]

We turn on our 4 way flashers partly because most of the trucks don't show there brake lights when only the engine brake is on, which is a good way to gradually slow down, save your real brakes for when you need them ...

That is a great point. One of the advantages of driving a manual car is that in "stop and go" traffic I can just put it in first and let it idle along, but, like you said, I'm not using the brakes much. Sometimes if I'm last in line in that situation, but see someone coming up behind me fast, I will tap the brakes just to flash the tail lights.

 

[QRTRHRS]

State laws using 4-ways when slowing or slowing down due to a hill are all over the place state/location wise. Some states prohibit it stating that it confuses people. I suppose that would apply to those that cannot walk and chew gum at the same time.

I don't know if it's still the case but NJ used to prohibit but I still used them on the so called Jug Town mtn (I-78) and never got popped for it.

I don't get out much these days but if I am the last in line in stopped traffic, I do use the 4-ways while keeping a wary eye on the traffic coming up on me.

I do not like using 4-ways driving in snow unless slowing for something ahead. I do use them in heavy rain if I have dropped down to say 40mph in a 70mph zone.

 

[bdhsfz6]

I picked up a tip somewhere online about a way to deal with tailgaters, speeders and reckless drivers. I tried it and it actually works!

Many drivers today use the Waze app for viewing & reporting road conditions. When you see an offensive driver, use Waze to falsely report a cop ahead. About half the time the offensive driver sees the report and will back off.

 

[Shawn T. W.]

In Indiana, they shouldn't pull into the left lane to allow you to pass them on the right.

They should pull into the right lane to allow you to pass them on the left

Moss, I think either I didn't explain it very good, or you didn't understand what I was trying to convey ...

If I'm in the #3 lane, and overtaking another car in the #3 lane, but there is a additional car in the #2 lane either pacing beside me, or slowly overtaking me, but the #1 land is COMPLETELY EMPTY ... And the idiot in the #2 lane refuse to move over to the #1 lane!

I'll pass on the right if the lane is open, and I'm not allowed in the #1 lane, and the #2 lane is being an idiot going under the speed limit ...

I know that in quite a few states that I drive in that semi-trucks are not allowed in the left, or 2 left lanes ... Which I think is STUPID & UNSAFE, providing the truck can actually pass!

Then there are the idiots that INSIST on running in the #1 lane, even when there is plenty of room for them in the #2, #3, #4, #5 lanes ...

 

[Jstpssng]

And what about the people that you can watch for 10 miles following a semi and wait until you get five lengths behind them and they pull into the passing lane but maintain the same speed

I often see the exact opposite scenario. Especially in traffic I try to maintain a steady speed, which is why I'm so prone to using CC. I'll be driving along and somebody will s l o w l y creep up behind me, then hang up in my blind spot. They might be there for several miles until we start to overtake another vehicle. Then they creep up beside me, blocking me so that I have to slow until they get by the slower car in front of us. Often when in my own truck I will stomp on the gas before they have me blocked, getting in front of them and passing about a half dozen cars to put space between us.

Something not mentioned, but equally annoying is the idiot who sticks to the middle lane when there are three or more lanes

I drove a 3 lane this spring for the first time in I don't know how long and really didn't know which I was supposed to be in. The center lane was full of traffic travelling at the speed I wanted to so that's where I spent most of my time.

And my favorite story...
Back when we had a lot of Canadians traveling to the Bangor Mall to shop, I was on I95 headed home for the week. Traffic was backed up down the offramp, spilling out onto the travel lane so I pulled into the passing lane. We were doing about 60 when the driver in front of me realized that was his exit, so he stopped.
Completely.
In the passing lane.
I did some fancy maneuvering and downshifting to keep from hitting him, then checked my mirrors.
If there's been somebody bearing down on me I would have put it out into the median, and let him take the hit.

 

[civilian]

I typically drive 5-8 mph over the limit, so tailgaters aren't a big issue. I find getting behind someone pokey (usually someone driving a toyota, Suburu or old geezer in a pickup) more annoying. Winding roads with few places to safely pass only compound it. I don't tailgate, though there are times I'm tempted.

I am that old geezer in a Toyota Tundra or Seinna van. We live on a windy dirt road , with curves and hills. Frinday night in the dark we pulled onto the dirt road portion no other vehicles in site. Going my normal 25 to 30 mph up the hills on a curve, a lifted pickup, full brights on including LED light bars comes behind me and passes on the curve, fish tails in the dirt, catches it and whips back and forth a few time, never slowing down. Luckily no one coming the other direction. We were kind of hoping he would loose it into the woods on either side of the road. But didn't happen. Jon

 

[Bad Boy Biker]

I am so glad you all are not in front of me. I have places to get to and do not want to spend it crawling up the rear end of a slow driver. Can't drive that fast, pick a slower road. Get out of the way. It is my truck grill in your mirror.

 

[Blue Mule]

I pretty much ignored tailgaters for most of my driving career but over the last 5 years or so, it seems to be getting worse. In the past, I would do things like slow down until the offending vehicle passes me or tap my brakes a few times. On one occasion, I was driving my old 72 Chevy pickup when a late model BMW began riding my a$$. Just then, a deer started across the road in front of me and I hit the brakes hard. I missed the deer but the beemer didn't miss me. He plowed into my 6" channel iron rear bumper and stove in the front end of the car but left hardly a mark on my iron bumper. I guess the smile I had on my face didn't help the other drivers demeanor much as we exchanged insurance info. He sued, claiming I stopped for no reason but lost, since in my state, there in no excuse for a rear end collision. Still cost me though since I had to hire a lawyer.

The most recent incident, and the one that prompted this post, happened while I was towing my Kubota L3430 on a flatbed trailer. I was doing the speed limit on a rural 2 lane highway when a pickup began tailgating. Yeah, you guessed it, another deer crossed in front of me and I hit the brakes. The pickup plowed into the trailer doing a considerable amount of damage. Not the least of which was a bent up bucket and a bent tractor FEL arm. This time, I was out a considerable sum. Yes, insurance paid most of it but it took over a year for the payout while the insurance companies fought it out. I also lost the use of my tractor and trailer for several months.

Now, I guess I'm a bit paranoid about tailgaters. These days, my usual method is to just pull over and let the tailgater pass. It's so common around here now that pulling over is getting old, especially when towing a trailer. I'm curious what others here do.

Where I live and drive around the Ohio Valley region of the country, the #1 problem is people using the passing lane on highway wrongly. If it's a 4 lane highway, then the 2 passing lanes should not be clogged up. If they are, it's because somebody is being a disrespectful idiot (and usually breaking the law). And then the tail gating and road rage soon follows. I see it every week to and from work.

I rarely have tailgaters because I don't clog the passing lanes, or drive slowly on other 2 lane highways. In other words, I don't give people any reason to tailgate me.

But, IF they do anyhow, then I stop and attempt to have a "coversation" with them in person. Unfortunately I had to do this last Sunday. The guy was a chicken and wouldn't stop to talk to me. So I found him on Facebook using the power of the internet and asked him to meet me. He wouldn't do that either. He didn't mind tailgating me and yelling out his window driving through town, but when I called him out on it suddenly his demeanor changed. Too bad...

I have come to the unfortunate realization that sometimes, road rage is a necessary evil. You can't just let people walk all over you because they'll keep doing it to other people as well.