How Do You Punish Tailgators?

[AVGWarhawk]

In the middle of nowhere some of them drive Toyotas, which I find to be so comical since I have almost 500 rear wheel horses that I don't know of I could stop laughing long enough to stop.

500hp at the rear wheel is nice but you will never beat the cop radio.

For tailgaters: if I'm doing the speed limit then tough beans. They can hang on my arse all day. Makes no difference to me. It is awfully hard to defend oneself after rear-ending a car.

[mookiemookie]

When someone's following too closely behind me, I've often found that my windshield is dirty. Strange coincidence, that. So I use the windshield spray while my wipers are going, and it unfortunately gets their windshield all wet. People usually get the idea that they're following too close and they back off.

Other than that, I don't speed up or slow down. Screw 'em. They can tailgate me all they want.

[Growler]

Having been struck from behind by a driver who clearly wasn't paying attention, I can tell you that following too closely due to lack of attention WILL cost you, someday.

Where I can, I move out of the way. I'd rather have the inattentive speed-demon in front of me where I can see him, than in the back seat with the kids. Better he's gone over the horizon in front; if he stays stuck behind me long enough, he's gonna do something really stupid and get himself - and others, perhaps - hurt or killed.

Greatest satisfaction in life comes from being tailgated on an empty, four lane road, because the guy doesn't want to change lanes to pass. I move out of his way, and off he goes like a bat outta hell, easily at 110mph. (This was on I-97 near Annapolis, max speed 65mph.) A few minutes and miles down the road, who do I spy on the side of the road? The tailgater in his BMW, having, I'm sure, a lovely tête-à-tête with a representative of the Maryland State Police.

I'll admit it.

I laughed like hell.

I still do.

[Oberon]

[Anthony W.]

Originally Posted by Growler

Greatest satisfaction in life comes from being tailgated on an empty, four lane road, because the guy doesn't want to change lanes to pass. I move out of his way, and off he goes like a bat outta hell, easily at 110mph. (This was on I-97 near Annapolis, max speed 65mph.) A few minutes and miles down the road, who do I spy on the side of the road? The tailgater in his BMW, having, I'm sure, a lovely tête-à-tête with a representative of the Maryland State Police.

I'll admit it.

I laughed like hell.

I still do.

Some jerk in an older Mustang was being a real dick in the little Saturday night show. He left to get some food. He tears out, tires squealing, exhaust booming, and Indy Metro on his ass.

And some jeep was doing it. She passed me in a no passing zone on a curvy road. Few miles later, there she was with her jeep on its side and a few guys trying (and failing) to get it back on its wheels, her motioning me over to see if I could help (I didn't).

Best karmatic revenge ever.

[Stealhead]

Yeah you are better off just ignoring them by pulling off your speed away at the light trick Anthony you run the risk of a cop seeing you speed and not seeing the other guy tailgate then you get yourself into trouble or you run the chance of the guy getting road rage and then chasing you can never know what kind of power a given ride might have dont assume that you can out run someone and it is a danger to speed anyway unless you have no other recourse like your life being in danger.

I had a guy once pull out in front of me on the highway once so I slowed down and kept a good distance when a chance came I went to pass but had to back off when another car was coming head on(not sure who designed the roads in FL).I guess the driver in front of me(who had just cut me off) thought that I was trying to road rage him and he pulls off the road and then gets right back on again about two cars behind me.So I don't think much of it until I come up on a red light with a parking lot on the right side of the road I look back and here comes the dude almost beside me in the lot in his van.I look up and hes pointing his finger at me so I pull up some more I look again and I can see a freaking .357 or .44 revolver in the ----ers hand aimed at my car(I had tinted windows and I think he thought someone was in the passenger seat) lucky for me even though at red light nothing was coming so I take off like a bat out of hell I went about 100 MPH and the dude was keeping up so I really nail it got up to about 140 and he could not keep up and gave up I did not have a cell phone that day and pulling my gun was not a good idea seeing as he had the jump on me in the parking lot.

All that and I did not by my own intent express road rage at him all it takes is some zapped out meth head in his ride already paranoid and then you piss them off some how.Better to not find out what kind of anger management the bad driver has and just ignore the tailgating sooner or later they will get caught or crash.

[GoldenRivet]

well as i grew up in the country i seem to recall the proper thing to do when someone behind you wanted to go faster than you - you pulled onto the shoulder when it was safe to do so and let them pass, usually with a friendly wave coming from both vehicles - yes - with all the fingers extended, not just the one.

generally, thats what i do.

Now... if a tailgater is tailgating just to be a nuisance - as in he is in a passing zone or in a multi lane highway etc. i will generally apply the brakes for a quick and only momentary deceleration.

not so forceful an application of the brakes that there is risk of an accident - but not so gentle an application of the brakes that the person doesnt take the hint.