Dealing with tailgaters

jruch23
jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
edited December 20 in Chit-Chat
How do you guys handle it when someone is right on your back bumper? Such a pet peeve of mine. Had a guy right on my butt tonight and it's not like I was going slow either. Actually about 5 miles over the speed limit. My car is loud and has some power so when I got an opening in the other lane I down shifted and got away from him and he didn't follow. Maybe he got the clue. Good way to cause road rage bud. So aggravating
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Replies

  • projectsix
    projectsix Posts: 5,088 Member
    It's not only a pet peeve but I take it for exactly what it is which is a threat. I handle it appropriately.
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Yeah it's like they are just trying to see what I'll do. I seriously wanted to brake check them but I like my car too much. I have headers and no catalytic converters so it's extremely loud when I get on it. I think they got the idea
  • projectsix
    projectsix Posts: 5,088 Member
    edited April 2019
    jruch23 wrote: »
    Yeah it's like they are just trying to see what I'll do. I seriously wanted to brake check them but I like my car too much. I have headers and no catalytic converters so it's extremely loud when I get on it. I think they got the idea

    Well, I don't know if they're pushing you to see what you'll do but maybe sometimes. Mostly though the purpose is that they're pushing the limitation of space of contact between your vehicle and theirs to try and threaten that contact which in essence is a collision. People don't truly grasp how severe this threat really is because if you hit your brakes for whatever reason you need to, they hit you and you have to deal with a severe neck injury the rest of your life this can impact your career, social relationships and your overall quality of life. This can drastically affect all aspects of life.

    I do not take kindly to someone threatening my quality of life unnecessarily because they feel they need to get somewhere. I don't like it at all and handle it appropriately each time.

    Edit: They are in essence threatening you with a weapon just like the courts handle manslaughter by vehicle. It's a lot more serious than people recognize.
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Yeah I was in left lane and we were passing the cars in the right. I was going to let him pass me in the left but they couldn't wait so they got so close to me I couldn't see their headlights anymore in my rear view mirror....oh that got my blood boiling. What if it's just one lane then? Good advice otherwise.
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    projectsix wrote: »
    jruch23 wrote: »
    Yeah it's like they are just trying to see what I'll do. I seriously wanted to brake check them but I like my car too much. I have headers and no catalytic converters so it's extremely loud when I get on it. I think they got the idea

    Well, I don't know if they're pushing you to see what you'll do but maybe sometimes. Mostly though the purpose is that they're pushing the limitation of space of contact between your vehicle and theirs to try and threaten that contact which in essence is a collision. People don't truly grasp how severe this threat really is because if you hit your brakes for whatever reason you need to, they hit you and you have to deal with a severe neck injury the rest of your life this can impact your career, social relationships and your overall quality of life. This can drastically affect all aspects of life.

    I do not take kindly to someone threatening my quality of life unnecessarily because they feel they need to get somewhere. I don't like it at all and handle it appropriately each time.

    Edit: They are in essence threatening you with a weapon just like the courts handle manslaughter by vehicle. It's a lot more serious than people recognize.

    Yes I agree. I just wanted to drive home in peace but there's always someone who wants to ruin it for you. I don't like it at all either. And yeah if I had to slam on my brakes for whatever reason they definitely would have hit me. So it made me feel uncomfortable and wanted to widen the gap
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Lol that would just piss them off more
  • Motorsheen
    Motorsheen Posts: 20,508 Member
    jruch23 wrote: »
    Lol that would just piss them off more

    Especially if you fill the reservoir with pancake syrup instead of wiper fluid.
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Haha the syrup wouldn't go very far. I'm glad I'm not the only one who gets pissed when you have a tailgater. Thanks guys. Still interested to hear more responses
  • Vikka_V
    Vikka_V Posts: 9,563 Member
    jruch23 wrote: »
    How do you guys handle it when someone is right on your back bumper? Such a pet peeve of mine. Had a guy right on my butt tonight and it's not like I was going slow either. Actually about 5 miles over the speed limit. My car is loud and has some power so when I got an opening in the other lane I down shifted and got away from him and he didn't follow. Maybe he got the clue. Good way to cause road rage bud. So aggravating

    I rage inside whenever people drive like dicks. I know it's dumb, but I slow down and follow the "rules" to a tee.

    I consider it a personal assault on my life when people "endanger" me with their *kitten* or illegal and aggressive driving.

    My big problem lately (and I don't know, I want to report it because its dangerous) is on my way to work people cut in to a "non lane" to turn left like waay, waay before the turning lane. They are in a lot of cases driving in oncoming traffics space and in other instances in a double yellow (no cars allowed to drive part) and it scares me to pull into the lane when it's legal (all the dip-*kitten* zooming up behind me in the non lane)

    On Monday I saw a school bus do it...just zooming along into incoming traffic for like 50 m before the turn lane (this is in-town, no passing on on-coming traffic situation)

    Can I report it? It's a every day concern with one intersection in particular where the traffic gets slow.
    Anyways...I feel a bit of shame that I wish punishment to those a-holes who think 1 minute time saved = an ok choice for driving like a jack-*kitten*
  • RachelElser
    RachelElser Posts: 1,049 Member
    I go EXACTLY the speed limit. 5 over was to slow? Well now you get 0 over.
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    Yeah I would report it. A cop needs to sit there and see what's going on and put an end to it. That's an accident waiting to happen
  • jruch23
    jruch23 Posts: 1,069 Member
    RachelElser wrote: »
    I go EXACTLY the speed limit. 5 over was to slow? Well now you get 0 over.

    Yeah and when I got away from them I was going way over the speed limit! I was ready to state my case if I got pulled over by a cop
  • TheRoadDog
    TheRoadDog Posts: 11,788 Member
    When in my car, I just slow down until they go around.

    99% of the time, when riding my motorcycle, I speed up until they disappear in my rearview. 1% of the time I might be a little more aggressive. Have been known to toss a ball bearing over my shoulder.
  • newmeadow
    newmeadow Posts: 1,295 Member
    Once I'm driving, I adjust my rear view mirror so I can't see who's driving behind me.

    Not kidding.

    And it really works.
    Tailgaters don't even exist to me anymore because I can't see them and I like it that way. And it eliminated most of the stress associated with driving.

    Try it.
  • SwannySez
    SwannySez Posts: 5,860 Member
    jruch23 wrote: »
    projectsix wrote: »
    jruch23 wrote: »
    Yeah it's like they are just trying to see what I'll do. I seriously wanted to brake check them but I like my car too much. I have headers and no catalytic converters so it's extremely loud when I get on it. I think they got the idea

    Well, I don't know if they're pushing you to see what you'll do but maybe sometimes. Mostly though the purpose is that they're pushing the limitation of space of contact between your vehicle and theirs to try and threaten that contact which in essence is a collision. People don't truly grasp how severe this threat really is because if you hit your brakes for whatever reason you need to, they hit you and you have to deal with a severe neck injury the rest of your life this can impact your career, social relationships and your overall quality of life. This can drastically affect all aspects of life.

    I do not take kindly to someone threatening my quality of life unnecessarily because they feel they need to get somewhere. I don't like it at all and handle it appropriately each time.

    Edit: They are in essence threatening you with a weapon just like the courts handle manslaughter by vehicle. It's a lot more serious than people recognize.

    Yes I agree. I just wanted to drive home in peace but there's always someone who wants to ruin it for you. I don't like it at all either. And yeah if I had to slam on my brakes for whatever reason they definitely would have hit me. So it made me feel uncomfortable and wanted to widen the gap

    Always?
  • RunsWithDogsWI
    RunsWithDogsWI Posts: 31 Member
    I am the tailgater :D I mean, j/k, I'm not actually that close or tailgating. But I do tend to drive faster than the speed limit. Just let me get around you, I'm not actually trying to make your day worse--you're barely a blip on my radar. I can see the road ahead for miles because we're driving through farmland so I know you don't need to slam on your brakes. And I know where all the staties hide because I've been driving this same stretch of farmland highway for the past 10 years and have never been pulled over. (If you see me slow down, it's because I know state patrol like to sit in that bend where the trees or the berm hide them)

    Is it people potentially passing you that makes you angry? I notice people frequently speed way up and/or take offense and try to cut in front of my car when I pass them in the open left lane, even though it's a 4-lane so there's no need to even notice me for more than a few seconds.
  • RunsWithDogsWI
    RunsWithDogsWI Posts: 31 Member
    I always try to remind myself that I have no idea what's going on in that person's life who happens to be tailgating me. There might be an emergency, an appointment they need to get to, they might be having a much worse day than mine, etc.
  • Rockin_reese
    Rockin_reese Posts: 103 Member
    I don't drive, but it's annoying when people come too close behind me. What's worse is trying to get through a mob (school, checkout line, whatever) and the people in front of me appear to have less than zero respect for time. :#
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    In town, where I do 95% of my driving, brake check. One of these days I'm going to get rearended by a texting driver.
  • RunsWithDogsWI
    RunsWithDogsWI Posts: 31 Member
    ythannah wrote: »
    In town, where I do 95% of my driving, brake check. One of these days I'm going to get rearended by a texting driver.

    I mean, if you want to potentially get cited for reckless driving and/or failing to maintain distance between vehicles in the event that you brake-check and cause an accident, go for it. Tailgating and brake-checking are both potentially illegal actions.
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,371 Member
    RunsWithDogsWI wrote: »
    ythannah wrote: »
    In town, where I do 95% of my driving, brake check. One of these days I'm going to get rearended by a texting driver.

    I mean, if you want to potentially get cited for reckless driving and/or failing to maintain distance between vehicles in the event that you brake-check and cause an accident, go for it. Tailgating and brake-checking are both potentially illegal actions.

    I've never known anyone to get ticketed for brake-checking here, just the rear-ender. I'll take my chances.
  • RunsWithDogsWI
    RunsWithDogsWI Posts: 31 Member
    Ticketing brake checkers definitely happens in my state.
  • RunsWithDogsWI
    RunsWithDogsWI Posts: 31 Member
    JimDew wrote: »
    I’m an angry driver. It takes a lot of work to not brake check them and give them the finger

    But like...why? Idk, I just do not understand the outrage over people just driving faster than you (general you, not you specifically) choose to drive? Like you said, just let them by and then they're someone else's problem.
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