The definitive road rage POLL........someone's tailgating you......what do you do??

[geno]

Depends on my mood, most of the time I'll tap my brakes to get a little space between us.
Sometimes I slow down.
And sometimes I downshift, so I slow down without them being able to see my brakelights, give em a nice scare

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Ultima

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
When it comes to driving, and you start acting like an ass, you'll get 2xAss back at you. Tailgate me, and I'll throw you a couple seatbelt checks. Keep diong it and I'll slow down and change lanes whenever you do to keep you from passing me.

nik

Why don't you want them to pass you? As long as they're behind you, they'll keep tailgating you? Oh wait, let me guess: You WANT them to tailgate you?

No, you fsck. To piss them off. They piss me off enough and I'll piss them off.

nik

So in other words you're admitting you should have your license taken away, as you're a bad driver and shouldn't be on the roads, right?

 

[Insane3D]

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Ultima

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
When it comes to driving, and you start acting like an ass, you'll get 2xAss back at you. Tailgate me, and I'll throw you a couple seatbelt checks. Keep diong it and I'll slow down and change lanes whenever you do to keep you from passing me.

nik

Why don't you want them to pass you? As long as they're behind you, they'll keep tailgating you? Oh wait, let me guess: You WANT them to tailgate you?

No, you fsck. To piss them off. They piss me off enough and I'll piss them off.

nik

I will never understand the "lock up the brakes" attitude. You would rather chance causing an accident, that might involve more than just you and the tailgater, just for the sake of "2xAss back at you"? Let's say you lock em up, the person slams into you, and it causes a chain reaction of other traffic running into you. When the dust settles, will you get out of the car and say "There! I win!"?

Oh, and incedentally, up here anyway, if you lock up the brakes in the middle of traffic just because someone is tailgating you and an accident results, the cops and insurance company will find you at fault regardless of you getting hit in the rear of your car..saw it happen just last week....the brake slammer got arrested...

 

[Ultima]

Actually, I'd say 50% of you just from your responses are just as bad as the tailgaters. THe other 50% of you actually might know how to drive... wow

Anyways.. if you're on the left lane of a highway and someone flashes their brights, puts on left blinker, or tailgates, then move over. It doesn't matter how fast you're going, move over as soon as you can. If you're in any other lane except the right lane it'd be nice to move over but you shouldn't have to as they can pass you on your left. Just keep enough distance in front of you so you have enough stopping distance for both you and the tailgater (at least that's the way I've been taught), or so that he can go in front of you without cutting you off.

On two lane roads, like someone else said if you move just a little over to the right it makes it a lot easier for them to pass. Maybe once in a while you'll come across a real asshole but for the majority of people is it necessary to do brakechecks, etc?

. THen you're falling into the tailgater's road rage trap and becoming just as much of a moron as him. Look at it this way: What's the "better" way to respond to a troll/flame on a message board? Would it be to respond to him with another troll/flame and escalate the situation, or would it be to attempt to defuse the situation without resorting to flaming and trolling?

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Ultima

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
When it comes to driving, and you start acting like an ass, you'll get 2xAss back at you. Tailgate me, and I'll throw you a couple seatbelt checks. Keep diong it and I'll slow down and change lanes whenever you do to keep you from passing me.

nik

Why don't you want them to pass you? As long as they're behind you, they'll keep tailgating you? Oh wait, let me guess: You WANT them to tailgate you?

No, you fsck. To piss them off. They piss me off enough and I'll piss them off.

nik

I will never understand the "lock up the brakes" attitude. You would rather chance causing an accident, that might involve more than just you and the tailgater, just for the sake of "2xAss back at you"? Let's say you lock em up, the person slams into you, and it causes a chain reaction of other traffic running into you. When the dust settles, will you get out of the car and say "There! I win!"?

Oh, and incedentally, up here anyway, if you lock up the brakes in the middle of traffic just because someone is tailgating you and an accident results, the cops and insurance company will find you at fault regardless of you getting hit in the rear of your car..saw it happen just last week....the brake slammer got arrested...

I don't think he'd be so quick to brake check if someone was tailing him in say, a Ford Expedition :Q

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Ultima

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt

Originally posted by: Ultima

Originally posted by: ffmcobalt
When it comes to driving, and you start acting like an ass, you'll get 2xAss back at you. Tailgate me, and I'll throw you a couple seatbelt checks. Keep diong it and I'll slow down and change lanes whenever you do to keep you from passing me.

nik

Why don't you want them to pass you? As long as they're behind you, they'll keep tailgating you? Oh wait, let me guess: You WANT them to tailgate you?

No, you fsck. To piss them off. They piss me off enough and I'll piss them off.

nik

I will never understand the "lock up the brakes" attitude. You would rather chance causing an accident, that might involve more than just you and the tailgater, just for the sake of "2xAss back at you"? Let's say you lock em up, the person slams into you, and it causes a chain reaction of other traffic running into you. When the dust settles, will you get out of the car and say "There! I win!"?

Oh, and incedentally, up here anyway, if you lock up the brakes in the middle of traffic just because someone is tailgating you and an accident results, the cops and insurance company will find you at fault regardless of you getting hit in the rear of your car..saw it happen just last week....the brake slammer got arrested...

I don't think he'd be so quick to brake check if someone was tailing him in say, a Ford Expedition :Q

I wouldn't think twice about doing it - lock up them brakes!!!. Of course, if I weren't driving my $300 vehicle and driving that $6,000 Mustang that I ended up not buying, I'd just floor it and leave them in the dust

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Ultima
Actually, I'd say 50% of you just from your responses are just as bad as the tailgaters. THe other 50% of you actually might know how to drive... wow

Anyways.. if you're on the left lane of a highway and someone flashes their brights, puts on left blinker, or tailgates, then move over. It doesn't matter how fast you're going, move over as soon as you can. If you're in any other lane except the right lane it'd be nice to move over but you shouldn't have to as they can pass you on your left. Just keep enough distance in front of you so you have enough stopping distance for both you and the tailgater (at least that's the way I've been taught), or so that he can go in front of you without cutting you off.

On two lane roads, like someone else said if you move just a little over to the right it makes it a lot easier for them to pass. Maybe once in a while you'll come across a real asshole but for the majority of people is it necessary to do brakechecks, etc?

. THen you're falling into the tailgater's road rage trap and becoming just as much of a moron as him. Look at it this way: What's the "better" way to respond to a troll/flame on a message board? Would it be to respond to him with another troll/flame and escalate the situation, or would it be to attempt to defuse the situation without resorting to flaming and trolling?

You're an idiot.














(j/k'ing)

You're poste deserved some response.

 

[Lucky]

Sure it is. Even if there isn't a full size breakdown lane, it would only require moving over a little bit for someone to pass in most cases.

Are you insane? I would NEVER move over for ANYTHING in a two lane road except for maybe a cop coming up on me at high speeds. That's incredidbly stupid, and around here the shoulders aren't wide enough in most cases to allow for that. If they want to pass they can wait until a passing zone. I'm not going to put my life at risk by driving on the shoulder so that some jackass riding my bumper can illegally pass me.

 

[Tangerine]

I'm one of the passive aggressive slow down to piss them off types

 

[palad]

You have no right to cause another driver to slow down, that's what the police are for.

<soapbox>

So, we don't have a right to slow them down, but they have a right to endanger our lives by driving recklessly? Speed limits aren't always pointless beaurocratic decisions. At times, there are actually points of physics backing them up. Speed limits on banked curves have to take into account the coefficient of friction between the tires and the road, the degree of the curve, the angle of the enbankment, and many other things.

My point: Just because some idiot thinks the speed limit doesn't apply to him, doesn't give him the right to endanger others.

</soapbox>

 

[pac1085]

I never get tailgaters. Link.

 

[Insane3D]

Are you insane?

Well, now that you mention it...

I would NEVER move over for ANYTHING in a two lane road except for maybe a cop coming up on me at high speeds. That's incredidbly stupid, and around here the shoulders aren't wide enough in most cases to allow for that. If they want to pass they can wait until a passing zone. I'm not going to put my life at risk by driving on the shoulder so that some jackass riding my bumper can illegally pass me.

I do believe I said "in most cases". If the roads where you are don't allow it..fine. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be "putting their life at risk" by moving over a little on most roads. Do you have a flair for the dramatic?

 

[Gaard]

Originally posted by: cavemanmoron
I have noticed that if i slow down just a little,not quickly,and then go back up to my "normal" speed
Usually the person will not follow so close.
If they still stay right behind me "tailgating",i look for a safe place to pull over,and let them go.
Years ago i was in a old chevy van,i had someone on my butt,really bad.I hit the brakes a couple times,slowed a little and then slammed on the brakes and blocked the road at an angle
I got out and started screaming at the lady driving, she yelled at me,I am going to the Hospital,my child
got stung by bees and is allergic!!!
Boy did I feel "proud".............
Another time i let this person go by,and another half mile up the road was a Policman had them pulled over! LOL

HAHA You fell for that?

 

[Lucky]

Originally posted by: Insane3D

Are you insane?

Well, now that you mention it...

Heh, forgot who I was talking to.

I do believe I said "in most cases". If the roads where you are don't allow it..fine. I find it hard to believe that anyone would be "putting their life at risk" by moving over a little on most roads. Do you have a flair for the dramatic?

No, Im really not being dramatic. In my area (and most places I've lived) the vast majority of areas where there are high-speed 2-lane roads are backcountry roads or rural highways, and in most cases they are twisty. And like I said, they generally dont have large shoulders, or else they probably would have been expanded to make 4-lane roads.

If someone is passing me Im certainly not going to be an ass and hug the center line to make it harder for them, but if they think I'm going to move over anywhere onto the shoulder on a high-speed, twisty, unlit rural road with small shoulders just so they can pass illegally then they can kiss my ass!

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: Lucky

Sure it is. Even if there isn't a full size breakdown lane, it would only require moving over a little bit for someone to pass in most cases.

Are you insane? I would NEVER move over for ANYTHING in a two lane road except for maybe a cop coming up on me at high speeds. That's incredidbly stupid, and around here the shoulders aren't wide enough in most cases to allow for that. If they want to pass they can wait until a passing zone. I'm not going to put my life at risk by driving on the shoulder so that some jackass riding my bumper can illegally pass me.

Who said anything about going on the shoulder? Most rural highways I've seen are wide enough for 1.5x cars on each side. Moving to the right lets them go around you more easily (illegally or not)Of course then there are those backroads thare are so narrow that two wheels are on the line and the other two are on the edge of the shoulder

 

[Lucky]

Who said anything about going on the shoulder? Most rural highways I've seen are wide enough for 1.5x cars on each side. Moving to the right lets them go around you more easily (illegally or not)Of course then there are those backroads thare are so narrow that two wheels are on the line and the other two are on the edge of the shoulder

Dont know where you guys live but around here in southern ohio that's about how all 2-lane highways are! :Q You got your standard 10 (12 if you are lucky) foot lane and maybe 2-3 feet for the shoulder, if there is one.

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: Lucky

Who said anything about going on the shoulder? Most rural highways I've seen are wide enough for 1.5x cars on each side. Moving to the right lets them go around you more easily (illegally or not)Of course then there are those backroads thare are so narrow that two wheels are on the line and the other two are on the edge of the shoulder

Dont know where you guys live but around here in southern ohio that's about how all 2-lane highways are! :Q You got your standard 10 (12 if you are lucky) foot lane and maybe 2-3 feet for the shoulder, if there is one.

10/12 feet? yeah, so I was right, 1.5x car widths. A car is what 6 feet wide? If you move over enough so that your right tires are 6-12 inches from the shoulder, then the car should be 3-5 feet from the yellow line giving plenty of extra room to pass. When I mentioned the backroads, I was being literal. There's a backroad around here that my driving instructor took me on and it scared the crap out of me :Q That road doesn't even have a shoulder, the road just stops.

While biking on that road I see other cars driving and one set of tires is almost touching the yellow line while the other set of tires is almost touching the end of the road. Those lanes are 8 feet at the widest! I estimate more like 7 feet because of how the tires look compared to the road. What's funny is that the limit on that road is 45mph, even though its really twisty and narrow. That's one road where the speed limit is based on physics and not stupid beaurocratic crap!

 

[Insane3D]

I live in New Hamsphire which is pretty rural, but I understand what you are saying. If there is not enough road to move a little to allow someone to pass, then you can't, simple as that. However, if there is plenty of pavement to move over just a bit to allow someone by, it seems like a rational thing to do...just let the guy pass...a-hole or no.

 

[Mark R]

The correct thing to do, is to slow down and allow them to pass.

If I'm feeling vindictive, and driving a manual, I'll shift down one or two gears and drop the clutch.

 

[absolutiza]

my rear-view mirror is broken

 

[TheCoop]

Originally posted by: Gaard
Other - If I'm in the fast lane and I notice them catching up to me I pull over and let them by. If I don't notice them until they're already behind me I'll still pull over...providing they aren't being a jackass and riding a foot from my back bumper. When that happens it's the rolling roadblock and you can all say what you like...if someone's a dick to me, they get it right back.

If on a regular 1 lane in each direction and I get a tailgater I put the brakes on. I don't stop but I go slower and slower until they get the message and back off or pass.

Bottom line. I don't care if you drive fast but treat me with respect and not like I'm some kind of inferior driver because I drive slower than you. There's a difference between letting someone ahead of you know that you want by and being a jackass tailgater.

You summed it up for me totally. But I usually put up my middle finger so they can see it in their highbeams (this is only on a one lane both ways road. Any other times I am in far right lane to begin with. If some fool tailgates me on Highway in far right lane, I drop down to 45, they always go around. I also wave to them as they go by.

I have had one fool riding my rear end for about 5 miles on a two lane road while I was going 15MPH over the limit and still tailed me, he actually followed me to my driveway and got out. Then I climbed out of my Geo Metro, all 6 feet 4 inches, 280 lbs of me and ran towards him car, he rolled up windows real fast and sped away. I just don't get some people, I guess if I was smaller he would have wanted to fight?

 

[nyeturo989]

Just last week, my and my friend were going to go see a movie. Now, I just got my liscence and it was my first time on the highway going to this one particular theater. Anyways, I realize that my exits a couple 100 ft away, so I quickly cut in front of this guy in this pick-up real quickly, and I was really really close to him. I didn't mean to anger him or anything, but I didn't want to miss my exit. I look in my rear-view just to make sure he's not pissed... he has this weird stern look on him... anyways, I proceed to the theater. I look in my rearview again and I noticed that the SAME GUY is there, so I tell my friend. He said it's just a coincident. SO i make sure... I go around the parking lot 3-4 times, and he's still on our tail. Now he knows we know, so he goes his own way in the lot. After he left, I parked. Right before we get out of the car... the same guy parks two cars down and gets out... as soon as I see him... I high tailed it outta there, going like 40 in a parking lot. I was scared $h!tless! He looked like some kinda bald headed phsyco killer. After that, we lost him. My friend was laughing at me, and thought I was too paranoid.

 

[N8Magic]

If someone is tailgating me, I get out of the way and move over to the right. If people would actually do this rather than curse and swear at the tailgater, traffic would flow a lot more smoothly.

If you are in the left lane and someone is on your ass, I think thats a pretty good sign to move over, don't you?

 

[optimistic]

Flash your hazards to warn them that they are following too close!

 

[Ultima]

Originally posted by: nyeturo989
Just last week, my and my friend were going to go see a movie. Now, I just got my liscence and it was my first time on the highway going to this one particular theater. Anyways, I realize that my exits a couple 100 ft away, so I quickly cut in front of this guy in this pick-up real quickly, and I was really really close to him. I didn't mean to anger him or anything, but I didn't want to miss my exit. I look in my rear-view just to make sure he's not pissed... he has this weird stern look on him... anyways, I proceed to the theater. I look in my rearview again and I noticed that the SAME GUY is there, so I tell my friend. He said it's just a coincident. SO i make sure... I go around the parking lot 3-4 times, and he's still on our tail. Now he knows we know, so he goes his own way in the lot. After he left, I parked. Right before we get out of the car... the same guy parks two cars down and gets out... as soon as I see him... I high tailed it outta there, going like 40 in a parking lot. I was scared $h!tless! He looked like some kinda bald headed phsyco killer. After that, we lost him. My friend was laughing at me, and thought I was too paranoid.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt since you say you just got your license but you should know better that that

As you saw from first hand experience, you never know what kind of crazies may follow you.