Tail gater counter measures

[Woppy V]

[/I like to spray my windshied and wait till they turn theres on and then I hit the brakes! quote] LOL! I do the same minus the brakes thing!



However... if someone is really asking for it... I drive as slow as the car next to me in the slow lane till I can see the horns coming out of the tailgaters head ~ Then I move quickly to the next car ahead of the one I'm riding along side of and do it again.... They normally get the point after a 3 cars or so! and when they speed past I make sure to roll my window down and blow em kiss (to the girl or guy)! evil maybe.... but always gives me a kick especially when you have a good friend sitting shotgun on a looong road trip!

 

[Thomas Rogers]

Sorry, Bill V, but we are going to disagree on this one.



Habitual tailgaters or not, two wrongs, especially when that second wrong may intentionally put others at risk, don't make a right.



People can tailgate, or cut off someone, or do any number of things that tick others off while driving. The key is to not let it frustrate you and don't return like with like, and especially not bad driving with worse.



What you and others are describing is an intentional escalation in hostilities on the road. It is what starts road rage.



There is no excuse for it. NONE!



Regarding "better them than us"...how about "better NO ONE than ANYONE"...in other words, why not figure out constructive, harmless ways to combat all such aggressive driving?



TJR

 

[Jeff C]

It would teach people not to be thoughtless. If a cup of coke is a weapon, what is a 3000lb car? People should not be thoughtless when driving. I am always aware, never talk on the cell phone, do have the music playing, but I'm always aware of who's around me.

 

[Brett Wustman]

I am 6'6 so I just stop and get out...that usually puts an end to the problem.

 

[Johnny O]

I keep this in my receiver to protect my truck just in case someone gets too close......it sits out about 6 inches from my bumper.

I was told that PA passed a new law last year making it a $350 fine if you leave your ball mount, and I suppose a tow hook, in your receiver if you're not pulling a trailer. Most people aren't going to pay attention to it anyway, unless you put the waving deer in it.

In general, I agree--but the problem is that the police never do any teaching. They're generally too busy dealing with more serious issues to deal with tailgating--and therefore no teaching occurs.

I think the highway police are usually too busy working on easy pickins speeding tickets instead of looking for other violations that require much more effort per dollar collected.

 

[Mike Wilson]

Since I've installed the graphics on the back of my Trac, I haven't had this problem.



[Broken External Image]:



Apparently, most people think I (or others with graphics like these) have a direct

link with the Police, or something!

 

[Johnny O]

Sorry, had an important phone call. Possibly the best thing would be a high-powered, ahem, auxilary backup light under the rear bumper. Possibly legal, doesnt really hurt anyone other than inviting possible road rage from armed nutballs.

When I have a tailgater, I just ignore them. If Im going too slow for somebody, then they want to go way too fast....because Im already going way too fast. :lol:

 

[Josh Langel]

Does anyone know of some sort of device I could get to deploy either tire spikes or some sort of repellent to rid myself of tailgaters.

Drive faster. Move over. Get off your cell phone. Just a few cheap ideas.

 

[FlipTrac_511]

I agree with Mud. Drive faster or move to a slower lane and let them pass. If the passing lane next to you is open but the driver refuses to use it to pass you, just stay alert and keep driving your merry way.



I, for one, strongly believe that as a courtesy, slower drivers should stay or move to slower lanes (if currently driving in the fast lane) to keep faster vehicles flowing. This doesn't neccesarrily apply to you axxman, just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Tom Schindler]

Thats right. If someone is tailgating you, move over a lane. The left lane is not for driving, it is for passing. If you are not passing anyone, you should not be in the left lane.



You do not have to be an Einstein to figure that out.



Many states have now passed laws that say if you braketest someone, you are getting the ticket.



I feel that should be punishable with 30 days in jail.





Tom

 

[Richard Kolb]

I ignore them, safest thing to do IMO. I don't get out of the way, I don't speed up, I don't slow down, I just keep doing what I'm doing. Now, if they're all about the road rage then it depends. If my baby is in the truck I do my best to safely get out of the way. If I'm by myself I stick with my usual plan.

 

[farout squarecat]

Simple: wash the windshield off - the spray will get on their windshield and they will back off.

 

[Johnny O]

The left lane is not for driving, it is for passing. If you are not passing anyone, you should not be in the left lane.

Then I think you're the only person in Ohio who knows that. Here in western PA if I look ahead and see someone going 3-over in the left lane and not moving come hell or high water, guaranteed they've got an Ohio plate. :lol:

Good grief, who teaches drivers' ed over there? :lol:



(Honestly, if you've ever driven in OH you know the state troopers are shooting enough microwaves to make your hair fall out. I think paranoia is a big influence on Ohioans' driving habits so I cut 'em a little slack and just pass on the right without getting all agitated about it.)

 

[Chris Taylor]

Easiest way is to just hit your windshield washers. Every time I have had a tailgater, they back right off after realizing that they are getting wet from my washers...



Tapping the brakes or other measures don't seem to work. I've thought about an aircraft landing light pointed to the rear, but the wiring problems precluded that!!

 

[Josh Langel]

Easiest way is to just hit your windshield washers. Every time I have had a tailgater, they back right off after realizing that they are getting wet from my washers...

Your just firing right back with the same attitude and effect.



Instigating an already pissed off driver will only lead to someone getting shot or on the side of the road rolled over in a ditch beause the guy behind you was having a reallllly bad day.

 

[Axel Deneselya]

Thanks for the great ideas.



A couple points, almost everyone assumed a multilane situation. what about on a single lane situation?



I dont consider this an act of vigilantism, I consider it self defense.



I usually drive 5-10mph over the limit if traffic is light. The passify crowd who suggest I "move over" and be a victim. what do you do when you are tailgated in the slow lane? by a person talking on the cell phone not paying attention? drive into a ditch?



I believe in being pro active. Get them before they get you. Believe me, the tailgater is not thinking about your welfare.



I am not going to go so far as to start throwing things out the window, but I really like the spray bottle idea, may have to see what I can rig up. I also will be buying a nice big tow bar.



a nice big bright reverse light would be fun to turn on right before a turn as well. but I would probably be too tempted to use it too often.



Smoke might be nice too, or some sort of stink bomb. I will have to think about it. Anyhow this thread has given me some good ideas.



cheers,

 

[Kerry Matthews]

I road rage hard on 'flatliners'. (People who are driving with NO BRAIN FUNCTION) I've done all of the above. I've thrown pennies out the sunroof, and most commonly, SEVERLY braked in front of them... this AFTER I tried to flash them to get around them (without tailgating), to no avail, only to have to pass them in the right lane as I show them the California Driver's Handbook as I go by... Then they want to tailgate me. WRONG. I hit the brakes... HARD! I've had a few of them almost lose it behind me... Do I care? Nope. I had a fool today that tried to 'teach me a lesson'... He was mad that I wanted by his slow arse. (Barely 70 in the left lane with a line of cars behind him.) I passed him on the right. He then sped up to 85 mph, passed ME on the right, and then he was going to brake check me. WRONG AGAIN. He then pulled into the center of Hwy 50 and ran the dotted line blocking both lanes because he was going to 'teach me a lesson' I just sat behind him on the horn for a mile and a half... I just showed him the Kollyfornya Driver's Handbook while he motioned to me that I was #1... Learn to drive! If you're in the left lane, and there's traffic behind you, no matter what YOUR speed is, get the hell over to the right!



As for the single lane roads... well, a few weeks back, some foolio in a 40 ft. Diesel pusher R.V. was doing barely 50 on the 2 lane sections, and 75 mph in the passing lanes. I got by him in the 2nd passing lane, honked my horn, held up the handbook, and motioned with my hands... "WTF? Speed for R.V.'s is 55!" He took exception to this. So he got on my rear and flipped me off. Wrong thing to do when you're driving a 40 ft. R.V. I locked 'em up. Went from 65 to 10 in no time! The look on his face as everything in the RV went flying was priceless! I could just hear the wife yelling... He stayed off my butt after that...



Let the flaming begin...

 

[CountyMounty]

All roads around here are just 2 lane roads so there is no option to move over a lane to let them pass. I recently had a very close call in which I had to brake some for a last minute turning driver in front of me and the person behind me was tailgating me and really had to slam on there brakes once they noticed us. Luckily I had the mind to look in my rear view as this was occuring as I knew there was traffic behind me, you know how lots of times when you stop quick you look behind you hoping that others are stopping. Anyway I was able to edge toward the side of the road and start around the turning vehicle otherwise I believe the vehicle behind me would have hit me. This was a couple weeks ago.



Since then while on patrol I have made a conscious effort to really look for tailgaters and they are everywhere. I had stopped a few in the past but it wasn't really something I paid a lot of attention to. Now that I am looking it is quite scary there is not wonder we have so many rear end collison. So just a note anyone coming to my neck of the woods this summer dont tailgate it might cost you $137. Actually I haven't written any tickets for it yet I am just giving warnings for now unless I see somethign serious, like someone drafting but hopefully it will remind some people to back off a little.

 

[Kerry Matthews]

Also, a small off road 'excursion', hanging the right side tires off the side of the road just a bit, kicking up dirt and rocks, will help to back off a tailgater...

 

[Thomas Rogers]

People can continue to think they are "teaching" people things by returning aggressive driving with the same; but the only thing you are really teaching and communicating to others is that you are as dangerous, as thoughtless, as childish and as selfish as those you think you are trying to school.



Way to go folks!



And why is it that more often then not the person with 3000 lbs of car wrapped around them are agressive, they brake check, then taunt those that get ticked off and they engage in road rage, yet that same person, outside of the vehicle in similar one-on-one personal situations would be a d!ckless wonder and not say or do anything? Why is that?



Psychiatrists have terms for this disorder.



TJR