tailgaters

Dancianne · Sep 18, 2011

What is the best way to deal with tailgaters? I get try to obey and even exceed speed limts, but no matter what, I still seem to collect a convoy behind me.
I let no one bully my Ram, but in my classic vette I don't want damage should I have to brake unexpectedly. Of course on my Harley, I pull aside to avoid being creamed.

Ghostknife · Sep 18, 2011

Nothing, let them pass. if they wont pass then just slow down until they do.

CHVYKLR · Sep 18, 2011

10% of the time I run my washer fluid & wipers for about 10 seconds if it's a nice clean expensive car behind me. the other 90% of the time I do the same as Ghost.

Stangshcky12 · Sep 18, 2011

On the Cherokees we've had we take the rear wiper off which conveniently point the washer nozzle.
In the cummins a little bit of black smoke usually backs them up.
If I'm in anything else I just keep slowing down till I feel comfortable at a speed compared to the distance they are at

2011lilred · Sep 18, 2011

Stay out of the left lane.

CHVYKLR · Sep 18, 2011

not saying I don't agree with you but what's your advice for 2 lane roads? or when you're not the slow car and someone is still tailgating you?

highlandchef · Sep 18, 2011

The answer is simple get out of the way; don't you know idiots have the right of way?

Actually it truly amazes me when someone in a compact car tailgates me. Are they trying to intimidate me into getting out of their way? I understand you might think you can if you're following my wife's Civic (and in her case it probably works) but a pickup? Heck if a Prius runs into me I might not notice but I'm sure they will.

I knew someone years ago that rigged a special switch to turn the brake lights on without activating the brakes for tailgaters. I'm not even sure if you could do that to a modern car. A good set of backup lights on a separate switch might be a disincentive.

Guest · Sep 18, 2011

And also there are busy times on a freeway where you are in the right lane and someone decides they are just gonna hang on your rear bumper.

There's no cure-all solution. If I am in the Ram I tap the brakes...that usually slows them down and backs them up a bit. If I am in the SRT I have two choices...gradually slow down or, if there is room, haul ass outta there. I tend to do the latter rather than the former.

ORT · Sep 18, 2011

When someone rides my tailgate I just keep driving like I was driving before. I am not worried about what some clown behind me is doing. When I used to have a back bumper I would give the brakes a tap but now that there is no bumper or hitch I don't really do that anyone.

Ghostknife · Sep 18, 2011

if all else fails buy a gun! lol just kidding......maybe

BlackHemI · Sep 19, 2011

exactly! and get your CHL :smileup: but really, just mind your own, if they are in a hurry they will find a way around...it happens everywhere and i kno it can get frustrating

GeauxHunting · Sep 18, 2011

I will usually just go extremely slow, and then when they go to pass I punch it and switch into that lane like an *******.

GTyankee · Sep 18, 2011

its rough but i also slow down, it works most of the time
except when they are in rush & are going to take the next off ramp

my HD is a 3 wheeler, 5 feet wide without a rear bumper, can you say pucker power?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dancianne, how is the new ZF transmission/rear axle plant coming along down there in your town.
Are the walls up yet?
Walbridge Southeast is the design/build contractor
when it is up & running 900 people will work there

gysnst2 · Sep 18, 2011

Ok ok ok being a good driver you should no the law. Not to mention tailgating is against the law. But their are a few things to remember.
1 Driving slower than the posted speed limit or in such a manor that impedes the flow of traffic. Ticket able
2. Braking in which causes an accident. ticket able
3. Driving for more than 2 miles in the left lane without passing. Ticket able
4. Rear ending the person in front of them. Ticket able. Unless you can prove #2
It seems that in the past year general public has slowed down on the roads. Now I do not tailgate. But I have been know to follow someone kinda close if they are driving to slow or in the wrong lane. driving slower than the posted speed drives me nuts. I was always taught that if you cannot drive the posted speed. That you should pull over and let everyone go by. If everyone new what the laws was their should be no problems. If someone is tailgating you move over. Now they are gone and the both of you are happy.

CHVYKLR · Sep 18, 2011

Are those IL laws? In CO you can get a ticket just for driving in the left lane unless you are passing.

GTyankee · Sep 18, 2011

heheh
here in San Diego you have to drive according to the area your in
If you on the highway going past our Lil Saigon on ramps, you can expect the vehicles to come up the highway ramp at a rapid rate of speed, then as soon as they have merged into traffic they slow down to 40 mph, speed limit is 65
If your down in the South Bay area, get ready to do whatever it takes to avoid an accident, even if you have to drive off the road & into the grass.

Dancianne · Sep 19, 2011

Thanks guys,…all good suggestions for my different situations. In general I always try to drive at or slightly above the posted speed limit, but here is what I routinely encounter:

My classic vette attracts the most and closest tailgaters,…envy? Just a closer look? or just buttholes?

My little Ford Focus draws big suv’s like a magnet, and they often go whizzing by me at the first opportunity, sometimes with a finger given.

The Ram gets the most respect of all, and like highlandchef, I am somewhat amused by small Kias and their relatives who think they are going to push my Ram aside.

On the HD,…I can’t argue with cars and trucks, so yes I always yield to idiots.

GTyankee,…think the ZF plant is still in the site preparation phase, though I’ve not driven down that way in a while, believe I heard construction starts in January.
About driving in California,…drivers there can wear out a horn in less than 6 months of hard usage (LA). I’ve also noted that fingers are given out as routinely there as “have a nice day” here in SC. Unlike in California though, fingers may get chased down and broken off here in SC.

I appreciate all of your thoughts and suggestions.
dancianne

snrusnak · Sep 19, 2011

2. Braking in which causes an accident. ticket able

Where I'm at it doesn't matter, if you rear end somebody you are at fault no matte what. My dad got rear ended at a light, and it pushed him into the car in front of him. My dad got a ticket for rear ending the car in front of him even though he was sitting still when it happened. The officer said "you didn't provide enough room".

I always leave my hitch in this helps back people off of me if they know what kind of damage it will do. On my bike I tend to just get out of the way, as I want to keep my life lol.

Not really tailgating related, but just impatient/bad driver story: Yesterday the wife and I went to bed bath and beyond and while leaving the store my wife was just barely in front of me, maybe a step or two, and the car stopped to let us cross to the parking lot, the driver behind the stopped car apparently had his pregnant wife in the back seat about to give birth and couldn't wait one second and had to get to the hospital as fast as possible so floored it around the stopped car and missed my wife by probably less than two feet. Never even saw us.

sonocativo · Sep 29, 2011

snrusnak said:
My dad got a ticket for rear ending the car in front of him even though he was sitting still when it happened. The officer said "you didn't provide enough room".

In the drivers ed book, as well as defensive driving courses ( mandatory work related courses we had to take ) it clearly states that the rear tires of the car should sit on your hood ( visually ) and that will give you the proper distance to be from the car in front of you at any and all stops... usually 3-5 feet.

cj5orion · Sep 19, 2011

oopstorm: REALLY LIKE THAT "REAR WIPER" IDEA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya could get REALLY creative with that !!!!!!

:appl::appl::appl:

Stangshcky12 · Sep 19, 2011

cj5orion said:
oopstorm: REALLY LIKE THAT "REAR WIPER" IDEA !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ya could get REALLY creative with that !!!!!!

:appl::appl::appl:

It gets used most often with other jeep buddies with there tops off but a guy on a motorcycle did take one in the face once. The car in front of my brother was waiting to turn left and the guy on the bike had his front tire underneath the back off the cherokee and kept bouncing it off his rev limiter, should have had his face mask down. I really wish I had it on video lol
In the Cummins I feel like if I cant see your headlights behind me or the occasional time I have to flip the mirror, you are fair game for a little bit of black smoke

cj5orion · Sep 19, 2011

yea....another lil trick to do is hook up a extra washer nozzle near some part of your truck/jeep that people look at a lot.....surprise em !

snrusnak · Sep 19, 2011

This is only for the really bad ***holes on the street....handful of pennies out the window...they sure back off then

Bordin · Sep 28, 2011

That a boy ha

I was going to say tiny little marbles out the sunroof/window. They'll back off pretty damn quickly.

Up north here we have gravel shoulders not even a foot away from the edge of the road, so take a little swing into that, they screw off

snrusnak · Sep 19, 2011

Driving tests really need to be more of a test of a person's ability to drive. Just about any moron can get a driver's license the way it currently is. If you can't back up, no license (sorry wife, but you need to learn), if you can't park, no license, if you can't turn without hitting a curb, no license....amongst about a million other things.

BlackHemI · Sep 20, 2011

snrusnak said:
Driving tests really need to be more of a test of a person's ability to drive. Just about any moron can get a driver's license the way it currently is. If you can't back up, no license (sorry wife, but you need to learn), if you can't park, no license, if you can't turn without hitting a curb, no license....amongst about a million other things.

sorry wife! :smiley_thumbs_up: thats good stuff

Dancianne · Sep 20, 2011

bad drivers

I definitely agree with BlackHemi on the license test being a true test of one's ability,...trouble here in SC is that so many illegals, revocations, dui's and just plain dumb..s drive without a valid license or insurance either one until they have caused a serious accident and caught.

BlackHemI · Sep 20, 2011

man thats just sad....

GTyankee · Sep 20, 2011

Another thing that i have seen
Sometimes those on a motorcycle have ball bearings the size of BBs in their jacket pocket, they just sort of toss them into the air, you can't see them coming at you & they make a lot of noise

BlackHemI · Sep 20, 2011

lol that sounds like me! have you been hit before to kno our secret with ball bearings??

snrusnak · Sep 20, 2011

Another thing that i have seen
Sometimes those on a motorcycle have ball bearings the size of BBs in their jacket pocket, they just sort of toss them into the air, you can't see them coming at you & they make a lot of noise

Yep! Same concept as the pennies.....although sadly I think pennies are less expensive!

snrusnak · Sep 28, 2011

That a boy ha

I was going to say tiny little marbles out the sunroof/window. They'll back off pretty damn quickly.

Up north here we have gravel shoulders not even a foot away from the edge of the road, so take a little swing into that, they screw off

lol, the only problem is that I have found that many people could care less if their car gets hit with pennies/gravel and it just angers them more lol. I'm amazed at how many people out their just don't care about their vehicle/investment.

I've calmed down in the past few years (I think mainly because I often ride my motorcycle as a DD now and don't want to get pancaked lol) and what I normally do now is just get out of the friggin way...people are so crazy...I still can't figure out why people rush to work lol.

I think people don't realize how dangerous they drive until it's too late. I won't even ride as a passenger in a car without knowing whose driving and how they drive anymore.

BlackHemI · Sep 28, 2011

snrusnak said:
lol, the only problem is that I have found that many people could care less if their car gets hit with pennies/gravel and it just angers them more lol. I'm amazed at how many people out their just don't care about their vehicle/investment.

I've calmed down in the past few years (I think mainly because I often ride my motorcycle as a DD now and don't want to get pancaked lol) and what I normally do now is just get out of the friggin way...people are so crazy...I still can't figure out why people rush to work lol.

I think people don't realize how dangerous they drive until it's too late. I won't even ride as a passenger in a car without knowing whose driving and how they drive anymore.

i tried to get out the way, but this stripper totalled my first r6 :sad:so when im on my bike im usually the one cutting in and out of traffic just because ive learned if i just cruise, i get hit! but im way more aware of my surroundings

snrusnak · Sep 28, 2011

i tried to get out the way, but this stripper totalled my first r6 so when im on my bike im usually the one cutting in and out of traffic just because ive learned if i just cruise, i get hit! but im way more aware of my surroundings

Sucks. I've had several close calls(usually one every time I ride, but I guess that's the nature of living in a city) but the really close calls I've had I was able to avoid by being smart and staying out of "danger zones". The closest I've had is when I was on a 6 lane road (speed limit about 45, I was probably at 55 with everyone else), I was in the left of three lanes, and there was a left turn lane next to me with a uhaul sitting there trying to cross traffic and blocking view of the other side of the road. I got a bad feeling and slowed down to about 30mph and just as I came up on the uhaul a lady pulled out in front of me, then saw me and made it even worse by slamming on the brakes and stopped right in front of me in my lane. I was able to stop(locked up back tire then did a stoppie....first time I've ever done that lol) just before hitting her, but if I didn't slow down she would have pulled out about 10 ft in front of me and I would have been going 55mph and would have learned what it was like to fly lol. Several times things like this have happened to me, kind of weird I get a bad feeling and slow down and avoid an accident... Riding motorcycles has made me a better driver of automobiles.

BlackHemI · Sep 28, 2011

jeez bro be safe please! my boss knows some people who were hit by a tractor trailer this past weekend and the wife had to be life flighted....very true about every time you ride, you have atleast 1 close call

snrusnak · Sep 28, 2011

jeez bro be safe please! my boss knows some people who were hit by a tractor trailer this past weekend and the wife had to be life flighted....very true about every time you ride, you have atleast 1 close call

I try to be as safe as I can....honestly, I've begun to hate riding where I live here in Orlando, and have probably only been on my bike for about a total of 24 hours this whole year....I used to ride everyday to school/work, and every sunday. I've thought about selling my bike, but my wife has convinced me to keep it as I've wanted a Buell for so many years and finally got one last november. I haven't even put 1000 miles on it since I bought it(nearly a year)

. I put 7k miles on my last suzuki in the last year I had it.

It's all the idiots out there that scare me, even most riders it seems are idiots. I've never done a wheelie on the street(on purpose...bike has 75 lb ft of torque and weighs less than 400lb, sometimes it comes up on it's own...), never done any kind of stunt on the street, don't speed any more than is safe, as the same in my cars, don't weave through traffic, and don't fly around corners unless I can see through them, etc... I've even had cars purposely try to hit me(I assume some other biker doing a wheelie at 100mph pissed them off or something). The last time I rode my bike there was a monster truck of a F-X50...probably 350 or something on my left at a light, and a trailblazer on my right....light turned green and the lady literally cut left and floored it and tried to push me into the ford.....luckily the ford was a good driver and was aware of his massive truck and me next to him, and as I swerved near him he swerved with me, I probably would have wen right into his rear tire otherwise(although barely moving).

My father in law who put 60,000 miles on his sv1000 in the past ~7 years also has basically stopped riding for the same reasons. Sucks that we are being pushed off the roads in fear of losing our lives...

At some point they need to re evaluate driver's license testing...the way it currently is is pathetic....I DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO TAKE A TEST TO GET MINE....granted I'm a safe driver, but it just proves anybody can get a license.

tailgaters

Our Vendors

Top Contributors this Month

Recommended Communities