How do you handle EXTREME tailgaters?

[Formula413]

I can be pretty belligerent, and if someone is being a total ass I will brake check them. I am pretty much always going at least the speed limit (except on the highway), and I don't feel any obligation to help other people break the law. If I get someone behind me on the highway with the passing lane open and they persist in following and move uncomfortably close I let off the throttle and see how long it takes for them to pass. Cell phone users are great for this crap.

What really pisses me off are people tailgating me when I'm on the motorcycle. No protection at all except my helmet. And I can't risk a proper brake check, the best I can do is flash the brake light with the front brake lever. Those people are crossing the line from being dicks to endangering someone else's life.

Originally Posted by tjts1

Simple. Speed up and stop blocking traffic. If you can't handle driving with the flow of traffic, get off the road. Take the bus. Carpool. What you describe is reckless driving. You should be ashamed of yourself.

Give me a break.

[Who]

You know what... there are people that for some reason or another will want to pass you. Maybe they are rushing a kid to emergency in a situation that would panic most normal people? Saw that happen in Montreal. I thought the people in this one car were freaks driving the way they did and then later I see them running in with a child from the back seat that looked very limp. They weren't racing me. Nobody is. Be the proactive safe driver out there. Let them go. Would you rather they pass you as quick as you can easily help, like pulling right if you can, than forcing them into a riskier passing situation. NIGGYSOB shouldn't be played in cars. Pretty well all automobile accidents are somehow preventable.

[rmay635703]

Originally Posted by thefirebuilds

driving my car home today this broad goes flying by me in a mid sized sedan pushing 80mph on a 50@50 donut. crazy stuff. I did 5-10 below the limit all the way home trying to hit stop lights and guess who was there waiting for the light to turn every time. ugh.

A few times I've been on highway trailering my race car, i generally like to do 55-65 in the slow lane, i get people driving in front of me, slamming brakes, attempting to side swipe me, riding my trailer like crazy. im in a dodge 1500 van with a steel utility trailer. Unless its a semi truck guess who "wins" the contest in an accident. Frustrating and silly, especially since im probably less able to react than a semi with big fat brakes.

I guess one advantage of driving a 24000lb Oshkosh C6 Diesel Motorcoach w/ 20' trailer on the weekends to craft fairs with a steel beam on the front and back is that if people do that you can simply hit them, should they be unavoidable. Oddly they don't behave that way around our C6. In fact if we break the law they get out of our way (this wasn't on purpose but was rather surprizing)

In general I've only had troubles with nut jobs about 3 times in my driving career (two of the times were police), my junky normal vehicles must gain sympathy.

I don't ever do brake checks but I have blown huge amounts of smoke on more than a few people that tailgate on empty 4 lane roads. I also blew smoke on a police car that was tailgating me (and following me) across town coming off a stop sign. He then turned a different direction.

[Big Dave]

When tailgated, I click my tune selector to the "high Performance" tune and nail the throttle. A nice big puff of black smoke drives them back every time.

[ConnClark]

You tube to the rescue!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anrn877IfgI

[ConnClark]

Yet another Youetube solution!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xD38XoEn5q4

[RH77]

NOT RECOMMENDED, but...

If you want to create a "disabled vehicle" smokescreen, inject a little Seafoam into the intake during the incident (by means of automatic solenoid and reservoir, etc.)

It will appear as if the engine has "thrown a rod" or is "pass-worthy". At the same time, you're cleaning the carbon from the internals. Of course, use sparingly...

[Curly1]

On a Motorcycle always go faster than the flow of traffic and watch your rearveiw mirrors. It is unsafe to have cars passing you and in control of your safety and life. When cars or trucks pass you the wind can draw you into them. It is much safer to be passing others then being a roadblock and getting passed.
You bet it would piss me off if someone was tailgatting me on my motorcycle but that just does not happen to me unless there is too much traffic ahead and no place for me to go.
You should have the same attitude in your car, your life is not worth blocking someone and pissing them off. Get out of their way and let them go.
For those of you who insist on doing "Brake Checks" (I hope you are joking) I hope thet no innocent bystasnders are hurt in the wreck YOU cause.
I am actually surpized and amazed at the rudeness of some of the responses here like it is funny to hold people up or intentionally piss off someone.
It is NOT funny and it could cost you your life if you piss off the wrong person or you cause a wreck.
You must understand most people drive a car to get where they are going. Sure they might like to save gas but that is not their main goal in life.
If you are holding up traffic you are jeprodizing your life and others around you and with you. Doing Brake checks is organ donar stuff.

[bikin' Ed]

Easy Curly If you have read the entire post you'd realize that we're talking about people who have room to pass, or other lanes to pass in but choose not to. You'd be hard pressed to find a single person on this forum that doesn't feel pressured NOT to impede someone else. We are talking about how to deal with mentally deficient people who don't understand passing on the left, slower traffic keep right.

[Curly1]

So if there is open lanes that makes it safe to do a "Brake Check?"

If someone is on my tail I move over and let them by PERIOD! No silly little games or BS. If I have to I will pull over on the shoulder but I will let them by. People who think they own the road are much of the reason for raod rage. Does not matter if I have to move over to the right lane or the left lane I am going to let them by. I will tap my brake lights to let them know I think they are too close but that is it. Other than that move over and let them go.

"Easy Curly If you have read the entire post you'd realize that we're talking about people who have room to pass, or other lanes to pass in but choose not to. You'd be hard pressed to find a single person on this forum that doesn't feel pressured NOT to impede someone else. We are talking about how to deal with mentally deficient people who don't understand passing on the left, slower traffic keep right. "