Get off my bumper!

[Imogene]

So, was driving to pick up Primus last night, going the speed limit on that road (45) middle lane, cause I know it's the easiest lane to stay in all the way to my destination, when I suddenly creep my gaze up toward my rear view mirror and realize I can see only the upper half of a set of headlights peering at me through my back window. Horror runs willy nilly up and down my spine. I'm being tailgated at the speed limit, what if I have to brake suddenly? He'd better have a damned good reaction time, or my poor car (which Primus named Betsy after we had an incident with a flooded road and she survived...) is going to be trunk-less for a while.
I continue to drive the speed limit, because, well, that's really the best Betsy can manage, and pay careful attention to the tailgating asshole. He finally, three blocks later, drifts off into the slow lane, along with the truck behind him... and they get to the upcoming stoplight only a few car lengths ahead of me.

[BrenDAnn]

Tailgating is my absolute pet peeve! I always mutter something like "Get off my @$$!" or "This isn't f***ing NASCAR and you aren't at DAytona, so stop drafting me!" Grrrr....Stupid drivers! And, no, I will not speed up or move for them. Those "Slow Traffic keep right" lanes? I ignore them. I'm not doing these arseholes any favors!

Edited to add: I one time was traveling to work, doing the speed limit, and a semi started tailgating me. Scary enough, a vehicle large enough to effectively squash me in one move riding my bumper. Add to that getting behind a school bus, and having said school bus stop to let off some of its passengers a couple of miles down the road. All I could do was pray that the semi stopped, which, thankfully, it did, but I swear my life flashed before my eyes! This is, by far, my worst episode of a tailgater ever!

[fma_fanatic]

Ugh, I dealt with that yesterday driving back from Wisconsin. People driving up and getting as close as they can when they can SEE I'm trying to pass the car/truck they're passing too.

[blas]

Happens to me constantly.

I start to really freak when I can't even see the headlights anymore....

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I thought Red Green did a song about cars tailgating. How did it go again?

"Tailgating, tailgating, kinda like the cars are maaating...." something like that?

[Camry178]

I tap my brakes. Especially if the car is nicer than mine. That'll teach ya to be up my a$$.

[fma_fanatic]

I did that, several times. All it did was earn me a flashing of lights. There were times I was going upwards of 80mph on 55 and they were still going faster than I was.

[mikoyan29]

If I'm on the freeway, I normally do about 5 to 10 over (not enough to get cops to look up from their doughnuts...I kid.....) and if someone starts riding my ass like that, I usually slow down to the speed limit, especially if there is the nice string of cars ahead of me. I rarely go over the speed limit in the city (maybe 5 over) because the lights are generally set up such that it really doesn't matter. I love it when people tailgate me then, pass me in a way that nearly takes off my front end only to stop at the next light maybe ahead of me or with a car between us....Wow, you're little asshole maneuver saved you a whole....Nothing....Good job.

[Stormraven]

I hate tailgating with a passion. Worse, though, for me, is when they want to be two or three feet from my bumper when we're stopped, if that. It just drives me insane.

[mikoyan29]

My most hated tailgating is when there is a string of cars in front of me and the person is in a truck so they can clearly see over my Neon and they are still tailgating.....Yes asshole.....Just raise your staff up so that the freeway will part for you....No really, I placed all those cars in front of me just to slow you down....I would get over...but you know matter can't occupy the same space at the same time...Well, I realize that you are an EW and think that you are above the laws...but noone is above the laws of physics.....Yes, I get it that you are in a hurry, you don't need to flash your lights at me....Screw you pal...You're going to do the speed limit now...

[ADoyle90815]

I hate tailgating, with one of the worst times that freaked me out a bit was during dense fog at night. Eventually, the asshole went around me and got stuck at the red light, so his behavior saved him nothing.

[Zombi]

I get tailgated a lot on the road I take to and from work. It's a narrow, winding road with a LOT of blind corners, so it's really not safe to be doing more than 30-35mph even on a dry, clear day (the limit is 30mph), but I still get people who seem to think I should be doing 50 up there. I just make sure I'm doing 30, no more, no less. :angel: If they're stupid enough to overtake on a blind corner, they'd better pray to their deity of choice that the Hummer that lurks around here isn't coming the other way, because you'd better believe that thing can clean up a freakin' Skoda.

[mattm04]

If I'm on the freeway, I normally do about 5 to 10 over (not enough to get cops to look up from their doughnuts...I kid.....) and if someone starts riding my ass like that, I usually slow down to the speed limit, especially if there is the nice string of cars ahead of me. I rarely go over the speed limit in the city (maybe 5 over) because the lights are generally set up such that it really doesn't matter. I love it when people tailgate me then, pass me in a way that nearly takes off my front end only to stop at the next light maybe ahead of me or with a car between us....Wow, you're little asshole maneuver saved you a whole....Nothing....Good job.

I love when that happens. Some moron tailgates (usually illegally) passes me and I continue on. At the next light, who am I behind and sometimes ahead of depending on what lane, the moron.

[crazylegs]

A paramedic phoned into work the other day, they were on the motorway, travelling at upwards of 100mph to an accident on that road and they had some idiot right on their tail even though they had blues/sirens enough to wake the dead. As you can see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGrPuBnKEfg) it's pretty obvious it's an ambulance...

[PepperElf]

drifts off into the slow lane

This i have to disagree with you on. If you're on a regular road, even through the countryside, the left lane is NOT the passing lane / faster traffic lane.

The left lane is ONLY the passing lane on highways and where the signs say "slower traffic keep right"

Staying in the left lane because you have a left turn coming up is a perfect excuse to be in that lane without speeding.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I get tailgaters on I-95 sometimes coming back from Philadelphia on one of my wrestling trips to CHIKARA or DGUSA. Mind you, 95's speed limit going through Maryland is something like 55~65. I'm going anywhere from 10 to 20 mph faster than that, depending on how fast other traffic is going.

Well, I was going about 80 in the left lane, mostly to go around the slower drivers. I get this speed freak zipping up behind me, right on my bumper. Traffic was heavy in the next lane, not enough for me to pull into said lane to let Speed Freak go past. Speed Freak flashes his brights. I flash my brake lights at him. He flashes his brights again, clearly expecting me to pull onto the shoulder to let him go by. Not happening. I tap my brakes again, so he slows down enough to merge into the next lane, and then cuts two more lanes over to get to an open space and shoots off going 100.

My reaction to incidents like this, or any speed demon zooming up behind me, then cutting around me before speeding off into the distance is always the same:

"I hope you die in a fiery auto crash."

[Chromatix]

A paramedic phoned into work the other day, they were on the motorway, travelling at upwards of 100mph to an accident on that road and they had some idiot right on their tail even though they had blues/sirens enough to wake the dead. As you can see (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGrPuBnKEfg) it's pretty obvious it's an ambulance...
My guess is, the tailgater was using the ambulance as a way to get through traffic. Did they get his number plate? In the UK 100mph is a threshold speed for a more serious offence, and I'd say ambulance staff would make better-than-average witnesses...

[Mottom24]

My most hated tailgating is when there is a string of cars in front of me and the person is in a truck so they can clearly see over my Neon and they are still tailgating.....Yes asshole.....Just raise your staff up so that the freeway will part for you....No really, I placed all those cars in front of me just to slow you down....I would get over...but you know matter can't occupy the same space at the same time...Well, I realize that you are an EW and think that you are above the laws...but noone is above the laws of physics.....Yes, I get it that you are in a hurry, you don't need to flash your lights at me....Screw you pal...You're going to do the speed limit now...

I get that so much, and it really ticks me off. I like going fast, but if I see a line of cars, I'm not going to tailgate the dude in the back. he didn't make the traffic. but when people tailgate me I just think "ok... I can't go any faster than the guy infront of me, where do you want me, and the other 50 cars, to go!? back off!" I generally break check over and over until they back off. slowing down is a good one too lol

[RecoveringKinkoid]

If you are in the front car, you have total control over the speed/following distance ratio.

Say you are behind me, tailgating me. No problem. If you fail to adjust your following distance to your speed, I will adjust YOUR speed to your following distance for you.

In other words, I have no problem creeping along. I PROMISE you that you are in a bigger hurry than I am. There are no exceptions to this. So either pass, or get off my ass.

As for the person who said they sped up to like 80...don't do that if you have an usafe driver behind you. You'll get killed. Would you rather be in a wreck at 80, or one at 45 (or if you're not on the highway, 15)? Someone convinces me that they have better than average odds of causing a crash, I'm going to make sure it's a very, very low speed crash.

[Imogene]

This i have to disagree with you on. If you're on a regular road, even through the countryside, the left lane is NOT the passing lane / faster traffic lane.

It was "the slow lane" that night... I was driving faster than most of them.

[crazylegs]

My guess is, the tailgater was using the ambulance as a way to get through traffic. Did they get his number plate? In the UK 100mph is a threshold speed for a more serious offence, and I'd say ambulance staff would make better-than-average witnesses...

Alas not, as you can see in the video footage rear visability is virtually nil and this yahoo was so close they couldn't see the number plate.

Yer, a ton is generally an insta ban unless you've got damned good reason why not.

[MrSunshineState]

You tailgate me, you get brake checked. Period.

[EricKei]

Same here. I cannot STAND tailgators...One of the other drivers back at DaddyJim's Pizza did it to me....once. We had a pleasant chat once we were back in the store, and she was cool after that ^_^

[MrSunshineState]

Same here. I cannot STAND tailgators...One of the other drivers back at DaddyJim's Pizza did it to me....once. We had a pleasant chat once we were back in the store, and she was cool after that ^_^

LOL, I never drive when I visit New Orleans. I am a Niners fan so back in the NFC West days I would to go the Niners/Saints game every year. I would get a hotel in the CBD like a block away from the Superdome.

I hate driving in that city. :lol:

[EricKei]

Well -- ever since the big K, it's really only THAT bad during big games. Even during rush hour, it's not so bad here. Having a quarter of the population run off will do that :angel:

..And if you were a block away then you'd probably be better off walking to the dome anyway ^_^

[MrSunshineState]

Yeah I used to live in Pensacola which is only a 3 hour drive from Nawlins, and I went to the 2006 49ers game so I got to see the damage first hand. I stayed on the 4th floor of my hotel and you could see the stains on the wall where the water had come in. And I had just gone through Hurricane Ivan a year earlier where I had no power for over a month (about 45 days) so I thought I knew what to expect. The damage was MUCH more than I expected.

[PepperElf]

yeah but if there are regular turns off of either lane, then no lane can really be a "passing lane"


here in my town there was a recent bad traffic accident (head injuries) from a speeding driver rear-ending a car that had slowed to make a left hand turn

[Primer]

Makes me glad that I got my first practical driving experience in Wisconsin, driving from Wausau area to/through Madison. Made Texas a whole lot easier to deal with when I got here! Too bad it's just getting worse here, too. I now set my cruise control at the speed limit, get in the right lane, and wave, "Buh-bye" as everyone else passes me. Then I laugh at them a few miles down the road when I see them pulled over by the State Troopers.

[blas]

Wausau you say? Ye gads, highway 29 is a nightmare over there. I thought 94 going towards The Dells and Madison was a disaster, but people on that side of Wisconsin are just plain suicidal.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Wausau you say? Ye gads, highway 29 is a nightmare over there.

It is not for nothing that that highway used to be called "Bloody 29." Although nowadays it's pretty much an Interstate.

Highway 41 from Green Bay down to Oshkosh or so gets pretty hairy at times too.

[machinest]

Back when I use to drive pizza I had 1/2 a grill from a wrecing yard hung off of my tow ball, it tended to discoragge the tailgaters.

[blas]

This morning I had a tailgater who was.....well, more of a duckling than anything else.

A duckling is someone who follows you closely, but refuses to pass you. Kind of passive-aggressive, especially when out in the country, nobody obeys the double yellow line.

Once we got back into town, this drooling idiot FOLLOWED ME THROUGH THE STOP SIGN!

Yes, you read that right. I stopped, I went...and he followed me! Didn't even stop!

[mikoyan29]

This morning I had a tailgater who was.....well, more of a duckling than anything else.

A duckling is someone who follows you closely, but refuses to pass you. Kind of passive-aggressive, especially when out in the country, nobody obeys the double yellow line.

I hate those people. I really love it when you do finally have a chance to get over, they take their sweet time passing you. Meanwhile you get stuck behind a truck or something and have to wait another 10 minutes to get back in the other lane to go a normal speed.

[JLRodgers]

....My reaction to incidents like this, or any speed demon zooming up behind me, then cutting around me before speeding off into the distance is always the same:

"I hope you die in a fiery auto crash."


My parents indirectly witnessed such a thing once (saw car before the accident, and the debris after)... long story short, people driving 120+ in a sports car shouldn't play chicken with a semi trailer, and trees are surprisingly stronger than steel.

[DeltaSierra]

What bothers me even more than tailgaters are tailgaters who tailgate when you two are the ONLY ones on a freaking three-lane highway, and you're doing the speed limit (or slightly above,) and are already driving in the slow lane. I've lost count the number of times this has happened to me. Even if I slow down, they still hang on my bumper. HELLO - there's another TWO EMPTY LANES you can use!!!! I always end up quickly switching to the right lane and laying on my brakes so they shoot past me. I then get back into the slow lane and go my merry way.

[blas]

Neecy, that happens to me almost on a nightly basis. Those damn ducklings, I swear.

They have miles upon miles to pass me, and they simply refuse and would rather ride my bumper.

[Nohbody]

The last time, I had a Ford Expedition camping out on my bumper, I slowed down to the speed limit (at the time I was rarely less than 15mph over if traffic allowed), and just hung in the middle of a 3-lane interstate, acting like I didn't have a care in the world.

If they don't want to get their :censored: together, the hell with 'em.

-----

And on a related note to tailgaters in general, stories like the ones told in this thread are the reason that, when I had a Taurus station wagon, I was sorely tempted to see about fitting an SRM-10 or something in the back end that would pop up out of the roof, and blow away any jerkwad that thought it was fun to tailgate me.

Entirely unrealistic, I know, even setting aside the lack of Battletech rocket packs, and arguably juvenile, but damn did the thought give me all sorts of genuine warmfuzzies. :D

[Stormraven]

I want an old steel 'tank' car. Fit it with a more modern engine for economy, but I remember a story told by someone who drove just such a car.

An SUV cut across several lanes of traffic and clipped their front corner. Did no damage to their car - didn't even wake their child in the back seat - but shredded the side of the SUV.

That would be a great car to deal with tailgaters in, I think. :D

[mikoyan29]

And on a related note to tailgaters in general, stories like the ones told in this thread are the reason that, when I had a Taurus station wagon, I was sorely tempted to see about fitting an SRM-10 or something in the back end that would pop up out of the roof, and blow away any jerkwad that thought it was fun to tailgate me.
but imagine the heat you'd build up...Probably would have to shut down.

[Chromatix]

Hence the bumper stickers for Land Rovers and Volvos: "Your Skip Stops Here --v", pointing at the towbar.

Anecdotally, there was once a multi-vehicle shunt at a level crossing somewhere in Britain. The only car that was able to drive away from the scene was an old Volvo 240, which needed... a new towball cover.

[Nohbody]

but imagine the heat you'd build up...Probably would have to shut down.

First off, I forgot SRMs only come in 2/4/6 per pack, and can't be individually fired. Ugh, I've not BTed in like forever. :(

That said, I'm talking SRMs, not ultra AC/20s or whatnot. :p

[blas]

Hence why I miss my 87 Tempo...that thing was just a beast, and wouldn't suffer much cosmetic damage if some dumb Yuppie hit it.

[wolfie]

First off, I forgot SRMs only come in 2/4/6 per pack, and can't be individually fired. Ugh, I've not BTed in like forever. :(

That said, I'm talking SRMs, not ultra AC/20s or whatnot. :p

Actually, I'd suggest a bunch of small lasers, gang-fired. Bozo drivers are close enough that the limited range doesn't matter, you'd get decent damage for minimal heat, and unlike SRMs, LRMs, ACs (Ultra AC/20 is EXTREMELY bad in this regard), or even MGs, even with the typical bozo population on the road you'll never have to worry about empty magazines.