I hate Tailgaters!!!!!

[ToOn~g@l]

Okay lately my car has been a magnet for tailgaters. I probably get a total of four while I'm driving to class and back home and I am getting sick of it. I just want to slam on my brakes just so they get the point that I don't like them. Besides my car is old, it can't keep up with all those huge SUV's and Dodge pickups, you should see it try to go up a hill.
Tonight while driving home I was going the speed limit and I had this one person tailgate me 3/4ths of the way there and there was plenty of room to move in the other lanes and when he finally decided to move over he beeped at me twice and probably drove away fifteen miles above the speed limit.

Do any of you guys have this problem often? And if you do how do you handle the situation because this is really getting on my nerves.

[SSJPabs]

Okay lately my car has been a magnet for tailgaters. I probably get a total of four while I'm driving to class and back home and I am getting sick of it. I just want to slam on my brakes just so they get the point that I don't like them. Besides my car is old, it can't keep up with all those huge SUV's and Dodge pickups, you should see it try to go up a hill.
Tonight while driving home I was going the speed limit and I had this one person tailgate me 3/4ths of the way there and there was plenty of room to move in the other lanes and when he finally decided to move over he beeped at me twice and probably drove away fifteen miles above the speed limit.

Do any of you guys have this problem often? And if you do how do you handle the situation because this is really getting on my nerves.You should get a bumper sticker that says "If you are close enough to read this... STOP TAILGATING ME!" But you live in Florida right? Is it old people drivers?

[Mynd Hed]

The accepted procedure is to flash your brakelights to let them know they should back off, although of course the most assholic of the pack probably won't acknowledge this. (-:

The high blood pressure crowd will tell you to slam on your brakes to get it through their heads, but of course that is most unsafe, although most states will find the tailgater at fault in the case of a collision.

And, of course, the textbook response is to do the buddy thing and pull over and let them pass, although that's not always possible.

My solution, if you're not in a hurry and there isn't anybody behind the tailgater, is to punish them by going REEEEAAAAAL SLOOOOOOW. Heh heh heh. Revenge is so sweet.

[cross blues]

if you're driving the speed limit, don't worry about it. just ignore them if you can. either that or you can do what Mynd Hed said, and drive about 30 in a 55. they (the tailgaters) get the point, and you don't have to endanger your own life by slamming on your brakes. I don't have the problem often because I drive pretty fast, and if I do see someone closing in in my rear view, I usually speed up, you know, just to be a nice guy. imo the speed limits are set too low anyway, so no harm done.

[PRdude]

The high blood pressure crowd will tell you to slam on your brakes to get it through their heads, but of course that is most unsafe, although most states will find the tailgater at fault in the case of a collision.


That's so stupid. Can't you get your car damaged that way?

As for the topic, I've dealt with tailgaters myself. I'll never understand them.

[Czar Gato]

Never drive through Baltimore; it seems like everyone tailgates there. :shrug:

[Nightflower]

Yeah, I've found driving to be increasingly annoying that way. I can understand tail gaters if there's someone driving obscenely slowly, but it really ticks me off when people tailgate me even when I'm driving 20 KM ABOVE THE LIMIT. Jesus, learn some patience.

[Tienshin]

Usually if I am behind someone in the left lane (fast lane) on a highway and they are going the speed limit, I will get close to them as if to say "Move over granny, I'd like to get to where I am going today" and they move over. Conversely if someone is on my bumper I switch lanes and let them go by. Now if someone doesn't move I won't stay behind them and tailgate, I just switch lanes and pass them.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not an ass about it, but when I am on the highway I don't like to mosey along.

[ToOn~g@l]

You should get a bumper sticker that says "If you are close enough to read this... STOP TAILGATING ME!" But you live in Florida right? Is it old people drivers?
Actually I do have a sticker on my back window that has Pluto on it saying "Get off my tail" of course that is ignored.
And No I used to live in Florida, I live in Colorado Springs, Colorado where according to some report, is the number one congested small city in the country. And there are never any old people drivers just these big shots in big trucks or SUVs who think they own the road and know how to drive in the snow.:rolleyes:

And I like Mynd Heads ideas, I was thinking about the blinking lights thing but had no idea that that would work.

[Mynd Hed]

And I like Mynd Heads ideas, I was thinking about the blinking lights thing but had no idea that that would work.

Actually I've found, at least in my area, that flashing your brake lights works more often than you'd expect. I think a lot of tailgaters honestly don't realize that they're following too close, maybe being distracted by their own problems or by the fact that they're in a hurry, and politely pointing out to them the error of their ways brings them back to reality.

Of course, there are always the jackasses who are intentionally tailgating because they believe that anything less than thirty above the speed limit is just plain too slow, and nothing short of painful whiplash resulting from a collision caused by their own stupidity will ever teach them a permanent lesson. (-:

[Fieryone]

Yeah tailgaters can be annoying that's when I like to slow way down.:evil:

[N310DA]

I feel your pain Eisnersenemy. Here in Massachusetts, everyone drives like complete maniacs. People even tailgate me when I'm going 10-15 mph over the speed limit!

You know what the wierd part is too? Up here the SUV drivers don't seem to be the worst offenders, it's usually people driving medium-high performance foreign sedans (BMW drivers tend to be the worst). Actually, I drive an SUV (Chevy Blazer) and I never tailgate.

[guinaevere]

My solution, if you're not in a hurry and there isn't anybody behind the tailgater, is to punish them by going REEEEAAAAAL SLOOOOOOW. Heh heh heh. Revenge is so sweet.As much as I generally let folks over if I can, when I can't, I flash the brakes three times. When that doesn't work, it's then that I slow wwwwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyy dooooooooooooooowwwwwnnnnnn. http://img25.photobucket.com/albums/v76/guinaevere/smilies/smile_mischievous.gif I also tend to sway a little from one side of the road to the other. Just to bug 'em.

Funny, listening to the news reports, Thursday, when Ivan hit atlanta, flooding the roads & hiways and killing about every traffic light, most people were very polite, letting people cross, letting people merge, and so on. Yesterday, as the flooded roads started to recede, lights were back in action, and so on, all the drivers made up for lost time by being the absolute biggest you-know-whats they could be on the road. http://img25.photobucket.com/albums/v76/guinaevere/smilies/angry_red.gif

[sun]

Yeah, I've found driving to be increasingly annoying that way. I can understand tail gaters if there's someone driving obscenely slowly, but it really ticks me off when people tailgate me even when I'm driving 20 KM ABOVE THE LIMIT. Jesus, learn some patience. Some people are crazy, and to use Nightflowers KM, , there is a road here, the Illinois tolllraod for example, and people will be going 35KM over the limit, (that is 20mph for us from the U.S.A) and people will still talilgate. If it gets to you, just pull over at the first chance, let the fool pass, and get back into traffic..way behind the jerk...Safer, more sane...let it go.. Stuart

[geert]

I feel your pain Eisnersenemy. Here in Massachusetts, everyone drives like complete maniacs. People even tailgate me when I'm going 10-15 mph over the speed limit!

You know what the wierd part is too? Up here the SUV drivers don't seem to be the worst offenders, it's usually people driving medium-high performance foreign sedans (BMW drivers tend to be the worst). Actually, I drive an SUV (Chevy Blazer) and I never tailgate.
gah, i live in CT and it seems (no offense) that Ma drivers are the worst. them and new yaakers. but rt 44 is absolutely insane...

[Jade_GL]

I love tailgaters. They always make football games so much more enjoyable when you're waiting for the game to start....

Oh wait. :)

I hate tailgaters. I just recently got my liscense, but when I was out driving getting ready for it, it seemed like I always had someone on my butt. And the thing was, I was always going at the speed limit or 5-10 miles above. I mean, I would understand if I was under the limit, but I actually was maintaining my speed at the proper level, something I knew I would have to do on the test.

So yeah, I hate them. I never see the need to be in such a hurry. I mean, there are times (emergencies) but if you're always late and need to rush, just learn to leave earlier. :)

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

Tailgaters are morons, but what really bugs me are people that don't use their turn signals! That's a problem for motorists and pedestrians alike.

It's not just about road etiquette, either. I've almost been hit while walking because of people not using their turn signals. When I assume someone is going straight, why would I feel the need to stop or jump out of the way? :rolleyes: I was walking across a driveway one time and this guy turns into it full speed without using his turn signal! But of course, I was there and he had to slam on his brakes in the middle of the busy street! And of course, I'm the one who gets the dirty look. :mad:

It's funny, but I've been in big cities like Toronto and Detroit, and their driving manners seen better overall than in the tiny town of 16,000 I live in. I guess when you live in a small place, everyone assumes everyone else knows exactly where they're going. Yay.

[Singin' Stray Cat]

Tailgating is just one of many annoying things about drivers where I live. Another thing I hate is people who roar up behind you, then change lanes and swerve around you at the last minute. Unless their house is on fire, or a loved one's having a major heart attack, I see no excuse for driving this way.

Then there are the people who...gawd, this makes me mad...turn right in front of me, despite the fact that the road's clear for miles behind me, and it would only take two seconds for me to pass them by. They can't wait just a tiny bit longer. Talk about people who need to learn patience... :mad:

I'm also infuriated by people who can't seem to tell the difference between a parking lot and a road, because they drive the same speed on both. Fast or slow. I can't tell you how many times I've nearly been hit by some inconsiderate idiot driving 70 mph in a parking lot, oftentimes not even looking where he's going.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. I've seriously considered compiling all my driving annoyances into a book, there's so many.

[ToOn~g@l]

Tailgaters are morons, but what really bugs me are people that don't use their turn signals! That's a problem for motorists and pedestrians alike.

It's not just about road etiquette, either. I've almost been hit while walking because of people not using their turn signals. When I assume someone is going straight, why would I feel the need to stop or jump out of the way? :rolleyes: I was walking across a driveway one time and this guy turns into it full speed without using his turn signal! But of course, I was there and he had to slam on his brakes in the middle of the busy street! And of course, I'm the one who gets the dirty look. :mad:

It's funny, but I've been in big cities like Toronto and Detroit, and their driving manners seen better overall than in the tiny town of 16,000 I live in. I guess when you live in a small place, everyone assumes everyone else knows exactly where they're going. Yay.

Oh we have that problem all the time with no one using their turn signals. I see one person in this other lane and suddenly he or she just darts right out in front of me, almost causing me to run into them, man is that annoying. Also my mom has recieved a bad habit from these drivers and rarely ever uses her turn signal, I have to yell at her a few times to do it.

Then there are the people who...gawd, this makes me mad...turn right in front of me, despite the fact that the road's clear for miles behind me, and it would only take two seconds for me to pass them by. They can't wait just a tiny bit longer. Talk about people who need to learn patience... :mad:
I have that problem all the time too. One time I was driving home and there was no one behind me and this dude tries to pull in front of me but of course fails completely and nearly side swipes me. I look over at him angrily to show that he should have waited and he looks at me like it was all my fault and that I should have gone faster. They should ban bad drivers from the road.

[Mynd Hed]

You know, one time I was heading through a green light, and this guy heading the opposite way through the light starts to make a left turn, forcing me to slam on the brakes and swerve to avoid hitting him. Being in a hurry and already somewhat stressed that day, I honk my horn and flip him the bird.

The guys pokes his head out the window as I pass and yells as loud as he can, "SORRY, DUDE, MY FAULT!" And you know, normally when something like that happens, I'd keep on being steamed at least until I've gotten where I'm going. But the fact that the guy acknowledged his mistake somehow made me feel way better about it and a little embarrassed about having been so vocally (or would that be hand-signally?) angry about it.

This is why I think we all need to have little extremely shortrange car-to-car radios, because the main cause of road rage is that we can't communicate with each other except in very crude ways. I think if we could exchange simple courtesies like, "Excuse me," "Sorry," and "Dude, your blinker's on," it would make a big dent in road-related stress.

[Good Ol' Batmanuel!]

This is why I think we all need to have little extremely shortrange car-to-car radios, because the main cause of road rage is that we can't communicate with each other except in very crude ways.
Similar to your thoughts, I've also imagined little scrolling text marquee dealies on cars, too. But of course, both systems would be extremely abused by some. :p