Tail gaters how to stop them

[Fingie]

i've thought about deleting my rear wiper anyway, but leave the sprayer and turn the nozzle backwards. Let it spray some red dyed-water

non-sticking, of course.

[gumby79]

Had a biker frind that Carrie ball bearings in his pocket for such occasions.
Me I dropped five mile an hour increments till I get to about 45 at which point I just pull over or drop the hammer put a mile between me and them and I usually don't see thim again.
I lived near Yosemite National Park it was a grueling drive to work 12 miles climbing 3000 feet of elevation on a road that is more crooked than a snake. Could make the rout in 11mim with no trafic (most of the time) ,but when there was ... 25mph was there gift to you. Could take 45-60min. Turn outs every 1/2 mi or so. 1 out of 100 understand why this expensive extra strip of asphalt and sign telling them to use it exists.

[JRMichler]

Originally Posted by jjackstone

In another life I might have connected a toggle switch to my reverse lights.

Back about 1971, I had a car that came without backup lights, so I added a set of J.C. Whitney backup lights. Those lights were about as bright as yard tractor headlights, and connected to a toggle switch.

I was driving at the speed limit in the right lane of a divided highway one night when somebody came up behind and tailgated closely at less than half a car length. I flipped the backup lights on and off, then checked the rear view. He was on the brakes so hard he was almost dragging his front bumper.

These days, I give them one or two flashes of the 4-way flasher. Usually that works. If it does not, I EOC until they pass.

[freebeard]

These days, I give them one or two flashes of the 4-way flasher.

That's probably the best suggetion.

[Daschicken]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

These days, I give them one or two flashes of the 4-way flasher. Usually that works.

I've tried that, but it usually just makes the tailgater back off instead of passing. I want them to PASS, not just back off! If they are still behind me then I have to drive like a mostly sane person!

One interesting phenomenon I have noticed is that when I am close to or above the speed limit (limit 65, speed 62+), people will pass pretty much right away, but when I am going 55, they just stick behind me, seemingly content with going slow. Plenty of open lanes to the left, and they don't pass. I have come to the conclusion that people just honestly have no idea what to do when someone is going slower than normal. Their brain just shuts off

[LittleBlackDuck]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I had something like this. An electric pump hooked up to a car window sprayer, with a 1 gallon bottle of veg oil. When they get too close, a press of the button sprays their front end/windshield with veggie oil. Windshield wipers make it worse, and it forces them to pull over.

Sounds like a recipe for a manslaughter charge to me.

[redpoint5]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

I had something like this. An electric pump hooked up to a car window sprayer, with a 1 gallon bottle of veg oil. When they get too close, a press of the button sprays their front end/windshield with veggie oil. Windshield wipers make it worse, and it forces them to pull over.

Now if you could just figure out how to light it on fire...

I don't care about tailgaters though. Their illogical impatience and anger eats away at them, which is punishment enough. I'll make it a point to not even acknowledge them. I secretly want them to hit me so I can collect the insurance. Vehicles are very safe these days so there is little chance of serious injury.

On my motorcycle, I have no tolerance for tailgaters. I can stop on a dime, and the consequences of being rear ended are much higher. I'll turn around and gesture for them to back off. This is rarely problem though since my bike is the fastest thing on the road. The only time people get a chance to tailgate is when stuck in a line of cars with no opportunity to pass.

[ECO-AKJ]

I have noticed that I either get the sit on my tailgators, or the ones that pace me about 6 car lengths back

[gumby79]

"Target Fixation "
They get so focused on the danger close flowing distance that they dont even realize the lain next to them has been open.

Sometimes I'll pick up a long tail 5+ cars and every pack that passes will deposit 1 2 more till the lead figures out that there is nothing holding them back. Then the tail will dissipate as each takes there turn comeing out of autopilot. Its hard telling what it takes to shake them,. I've noticed this mainly on 3+lanes Interstate

[slowmover]

There's a pattern or two to observe. Millions of low IQ "immigrants " are stressed by driving. Things are happening too fast for them, and the ability to conceptualize potential results is beyond them (they do not -- can not -- look far down the road). So, expect tailgating for their being on the phone, drinking a forty, thru construction, and (worst of all) in bad weather. They are dependent on others to get them down the road. What is twelve feet in front of them is the comfort zone.

Test it by changing lanes on a three or more laned highway. If the road is "clear" to them, they'll speed up. Mirrors are useless to them because, again, they cannot make the translation.

Hard to shake. Slowing doesn't bother them. Especially the drunks. If one is significantly slower than other traffic, then they'll sometimes leech onto that crowd. That's a best situation.

The greater the general level of "unconsciousness" (let's call it) the greater the impulse to be part of a group. Driving in a pack. Whether handicapped by God, smart phone or legal and illegal intoxicants, tailgating isn't perceived by the actor as necessarily harmful. After all, he's got your back!

I've run about 40,000-miles this year. More than double that last year. All over the US. In a difficult to control or stop vehicle. My livelihood.

Look for patterns. Some are regional endemic (they're told to do what everyone else does, as reading for comprehension ain't gonna happen). Etc.

Same mind-set believes Interstate left lane has ROW. There is none. Only right lane. I can't tell you how often the terminally stupid cut in front of my 79,000-lb rig to "get out of the way" of someone tailgating them in the left lane (a football field length is about right to change lanes to get in front of a tractor trailer). I generally use my high beams until they're well out of the way.

Those entering an Interstate tailgating -- less than 100' feet apart -- are also operating dangerously. Illegally. Again, no ROW. Right lane traffic has about a 700' space (rough). If right lane traffic has to brake or change lanes, entering traffic is at fault. But this group -- yet again -- can't determine the "how" of it.

It's not just tailgating. That's a symptom.

You know how often I see someone correctly enter an Interstate? A few times per year.

On a 70-mph road, you need to be doing above 70 coming down that ramp. And then use brakes lightly to fit into the best spot. Which is never ahead of a big truck unless you can clear the 700' mark. As he's likeliest to be at 65 or lower, this ain't much of a challenge.

And Americans used to do it. Until the 1979-80 "fuel crisis". Since then legions of women and the benighted are now on the Interstate.

High solo passenger mpg is just a stunt. Proves exactly zero (hiding behind a spreadsheet is for pussies). Do the relative high mpg with the vehicle loaded to manufacturers rated maximum weight according to a certified scale, and there might be some bragging rights. About 10,000-miles worth. One might then be a master of any and all conditions.

Don't ever claim you can drive for economy, unless you've done that. The difference on my pickup is 2,300-lbs. I've written it as "doesn't fall below X-mpg average loaded or empty, rain or shine, day or night, traffic or no traffic, and traversing a major American city". Do likewise.

An old saying is that you can't fix stupid. Make your peace with potential results. And don't sacrifice your life for theirs. Your family needs you. Protestations to the contrary, their actions are that they care neither about their own families or themselves. (It shouldn't be stressful, is the point.)

When driving makes you tired, it's primarily because you don't know how. Not physically, emotionally or spiritually. Age, experience and total miles are not good determinants of ability, unfortunately.

But subjecting vehicle and driver to the full range of conditions internal and external to the vehicle for over 10k miles, will begin to remedy that. Begin to remedy . . . .

Tailgaters are just a short chapter in the learners exercise book.

.