Some People...

[Pezzle]

So, get this!

Last night my boyfriend and I are driving to our friends' house to feed their cats. We're behind this red car that is going about 10 under the speed limit. Happens sometimes, so we figure maybe he's lost and keep about a car length and a half between us and him (we caught up to him very quickly). All the sudden he keeps rapidly slowing down and brake-tapping to about 15 or 20 mph under.

My boyfriend is fighting to try and keep distance between him and the guy and actually go 25+ in a 40. I'm really confused that he would be brake-checking us since we weren't tailgating or flashing our lights or anything. We round a corner leading up to the traffic light and he suddenly slows and takes it at about 10 mph - we had to slam on our brakes. At the light he rolls up next to us... I have a look in his window to see if he's looking at a map because I was going to ask if he needed directions. He rolls his down and just screams and yells.. and starts screaming asking us "WHY THE FUCK YOU TAILGATIN ME FOOL!? FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU WHITE PEOPLE! YOU ARE ALWAYS FUCKING WITH US!"

The screaming match ensued because my boyfriend is the anti-wit and anti-sarcasm and all anger, the guy called the cops on us, the cops told him not to tie up 911 unless he got hit essentially.

I mean really though - some people... why would you try to bait the person behind you into tailgating you just so you can yell at them? Same reason why people berate customer service people at the drop of a hat? It's such a dick move.

I wish my boyfriend would've let me do the talking instead of exacerbating everything (he's medieval and protective of me). I wanted to be like "Oh hey gentleman. It is very sad that you have to bait other drivers into antagonizing you in some fashion in order to feel any sense of satisfaction." and then just turn up the music when he gets louder.... -sigh-

[blas]

Most recently, I've had people get mad at me for daring to pass them on the freeway (well fuck, merge at faster than 40 mph then, or go faster than 55 on a clear, sunny day), and a while up the road, they come roaring back up and fly past me. And most of the time, once they are back in front of me, and back to putzing.

[LillFilly]

I am sorry Pezzle; apparently you've met the guy that chewed me out at work and he decided he still needed another pound or two of flesh

I will NEVER understand why some people drive the way they do. I too don't understand the whole passing you then slowing in front of you; I can only assume they're seriously distracted, or don't have a feel for their car.

[RealUnimportant]

I'm sorry, but a car length & a half IS tailgating. You need to be at least 2-3 car lengths back, even at that low speed; difficult & frustrating to achieve at times, but you've seen how people react...

[Pezzle]

I'm sorry, but a car length & a half IS tailgating. You need to be at least 2-3 car lengths back, even at that low speed; difficult & frustrating to achieve at times, but you've seen how people react...

It's the way of things in New Jersey. Every time we tried to get further back, he'd slow down more so we'd gain. It's like he was trying to reverse pace us, and it was the strangest thing ever.

Tailgating here is considered to be "you can't see their headlights and you're flashing them and swerving around like an idiot"

[siead_lietrathua]

maybe he was trying to get hit, since most of the time if you rear end someone you are automatically at fault and would have to pay out to the turdburgler.

[Kogarashi]

I'm sorry, but a car length & a half IS tailgating. You need to be at least 2-3 car lengths back, even at that low speed; difficult & frustrating to achieve at times, but you've seen how people react...

Also, that seems to depend on who you ask. According to my high school driver's ed teacher, 2-3 carlengths was too difficult for people to judge on the fly, so it's better to pick a landmark of some sort and count out seconds between their rear bumper and your front. At most speeds, you should have about three seconds' count before you cross whatever mark you designated, which at super-low speeds might actually get you closer than 2-3 carlengths. At speeds above 50mph, you start adding seconds for reaction time, of course.

Plus, as Pezzle said, the guy kept slowing down. My bet would be a super-lame attempt to get the OP to rear-end him.

[Pezzle]

maybe he was trying to get hit, since most of the time if you rear end someone you are automatically at fault and would have to pay out to the turdburgler.

I didn't even think about that