I use this technique to discourage tailgaters

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by nlaak

And what is someone supposed to do with a car following too closely, speed up?

The guy behind you is going to be at fault if he crashes onto you. If you're not comfortable with that, pull over and let him pass.

[happyjack]

Originally Posted by FuriouslyFast

You made the situation worse & less safe by slowing down 15mph less than you're were going.

How does slowing at a reasonable pace to the posted speed limit cause the situation to become less safe?

If things are so bad, call the cops.

Calling a non-emergency number might solve the problem in 10-15 minutes... if you're lucky. Your answer does nothing to alleviate the real-time problem of an aggressive tailgater.

[happyjack]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

If you're not comfortable with that, pull over and let him pass.

On a surface street, sure. But on the expressway? The scenario described by the OP and echoed by others is that some idiots will just continue to tailgate you on the freeway regardless of your speed, even while driving in the far right lane.

[Darth One]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

What I hate is people that have a dire need to pass you, but then once they do, they go slower or the same speed. I use cruise control almost exclusively set at about ten over so my speed remains constant. Meanwhile, other drivers repeatedly speed up and slow down, so I end up passing the same vehicles multiple times on my commute. Pick a speed, people!

The differences in their speed depends on whether or not they’re using their phone at the moment

[RM7]

Originally Posted by nlaak

What is calling the cops going to do unless the person is actively following you? Cops don't grow on trees and even if they respond (doubtful most places) it will take time for one to show up.

Cops have radios.

As cars get more integrated with dash cams, especially rear ones, it will be easier to prosecute for reckless driving.

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

The guy behind you is going to be at fault if he crashes onto you.

Well, I live in a state with no fault insurance, whether he's at fault or not really doesn't help me at all. What it does do, again whether he's at fault or not, is cause me to go through a significant PITA to get my car fixed, be without it, etc.

The key to no fault in this case, is it doesn't matter if the other guy is at fault, your insurance is still probably going to go up. It will go up more for him if the police give him a ticket (involving points on his driving record) as that will cause his insurance to rise as well. Ultimately each drivers insurance (basically) handles the costs for their insured driver, rather than possibly handling both costs, if one drive is significantly at fault.

The serious downside is that Michigan has one of (possibly the highest) insurance rates in the US. According to a quick Google average rates in the US are $1200-$1300 USD while Michigan is $2200.

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

Cops have radios.

Perhaps you have cops on every corner that flock to a call in for tailgating. The likelihood of getting a cop to show up to a moving event, while it's still happening is slim to none.

In most states 1) tailgating is not going to be considered a reckless driving offense very often, unless it's followed by an actual accident; 2) cops are not going to (maybe can't?) look at a dash cam video unless they've already witnessed an event that they can already ticket someone for

In some places 3) police will not show up to accidents unless someone is actually hurt - to get a police report (for insurance) you need to go in to a police station to report

[King Rudi]

I rarely get tailgated. If I do, it's usually a cop or some stupid teenager doing what I did when I was a teenager...being stupid. I tend to ride the line between driving safely (always use turn signals, always keep 2 car lengths between myself and the car in front of me, etc.) and driving like demon with his balls on fire. I tend to show people the same respect that I would want given to me while driving: I'm just trying to get out of everyone else's way, while still trying to get where I'm going, as quickly as possible.

This does not mean that I still don't do stupid shit on occasion. Last week an empty school bus pulls into the lane that I'm already in expecting me to stop to they can enter. I was in the left lane. I didn't break my speed and simply moved into the right lane and went around the bus. This caused me to get tailgated by an officer who apparently thought I was passing a school bus in the right lane. I expected to get pulled over but I'm guessing he ran my tags & saw that I have a squeaky clean record. The police here would much rather pull someone over that has priors. Makes their job easier; killing two birds with one stone sort of thing.

[clee1982]

What if some local township cop tailgate you at max legal speed on single lane in country side (he can't pass without flashing either, it's solid)? That happened to me in upstate NY once. I was like, "Was he trying to pull me over (turned out no), or does he just think I look the type who is about to speed any time?"

That story aside, in general, I try to get out of the way ASAP, though if he then continues to follow I guess I'll have to try to gently slow down? The thing that annoys me is, when I get tailgated it is always some random truck for some reason (i.e. I can dust him in no time).

[unluky]

LOL - am I the only one that could care less if I am being tailgated? Does not bother me at all. If you get mad - that is 100% what they want. If you carry on with your life - they get mad and that is their issue. I am a "keep the left lane clear fanatic" and only use it to pass no matter the traffic. And yes - if you are loitering in the left lane and make me take my cruise off when there is no one to the right of you - I will tailgate you to a mild degree.

Why do people tailgate? It works. Idiots that are not conscious of traffic like we are have to be "woke" up sometimes to move over. How many time do you come flying up on a left lane hanger and just when you turn your cruise off and match their speed do they THEN mover over. These people create tailgaters. If I am in the correct lane and not impeding traffic - tailgate away. Does not bother me a bit.

Unfortunately it is getting worse not better. So many people have no idea it is illegal to drive in the left lane (in my state anyway) and move all the way left and stay there the entire trip. A few tickets here and there would help, but you rarely see it.

Just remind yourself how pissed off they are tailgating you and enjoy their faces becoming red. Again - only if you are in the correct lane and following the rule of traffic.

[Darth One]

Originally Posted by unluky

LOL - am I the only one that could care less if I am being tailgated?

Those of us who’ve been rear-ended by tailgaters in the past tend to be very uncomfortable being tailgated.

[overcoil]

Originally Posted by Darth One

Those of us who’ve been rear-ended by tailgaters in the past tend to be very uncomfortable being tailgated.

Very true. That’s what happened to me, a car I loved was totaled by a wrangler.

[eluded]

Originally Posted by ScottSinger

I pretend I'm warning up racing slicks. A few sharp swerves side to side and the tailgaters think I'm on drugs.

This! Use the entire lane nascar style.

[RM7]

Originally Posted by Darth One

Those of us who’ve been rear-ended by tailgaters in the past tend to be very uncomfortable being tailgated.

Yep, and even if insurance is no-fault, I can sure as hell sue in civil court and win due to the negligence of the driver that rear-ended me. Tailgating in one of the most dumba$$ things to do in a car. Driving out of control is stupid. Like the jerkoffs that speed through neighborhoods.

It doesn't bother me though, as in I'm not going to speed up for you or do anything else. For some reason I rarely get tailgaited in a 2SS 1LE, and I don't drive fast when people are watching/in urban areas.

[jkoral]

My favorite movie scene about tailgating:

[flgfish]

I ignore them. Either they're clueless, so anything you do will be lost on them. Or they're back there freaking out, in which case, doing what you're doing is the best course of action. Either way, just ignore them.

And get to the right. Don't cruise in the left lanes.

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by unluky

LOL - am I the only one that could care less if I am being tailgated? Does not bother me at all. If you get mad - that is 100% what they want.

Getting mad and being safe about someone tailgating you are two very different things. I don't need some idiot running in to me because he thinks I should somehow go faster than the car in front of me.

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes

Yep, and even if insurance is no-fault, I can sure as hell sue in civil court and win due to the negligence of the driver that rear-ended me. Tailgating in one of the most dumba$$ things to do in a car. Driving out of control is stupid. Like the jerkoffs that speed through neighborhoods.

It doesn't bother me though, as in I'm not going to speed up for you or do anything else. For some reason I rarely get tailgaited in a 2SS 1LE, and I don't drive fast when people are watching/in urban areas.

Great, so I accept some guy tailgating, get hit and now not only do I live without my (really nice) car and get stuck driving a crap-ass rental (or loaner from the dealer) but now I have to spend time/effort suing to recover the money I shouldn't have lost in the first place. Thanks, but this is why I make sure there's sufficient distance in front of me for the guy behind me to safely stop. If he's far enough back, I only leave enough room for me to stop and if he's tailgating I drop slowly back enough to make I'm safe. The closer he gets the farther back I am.

[King Rudi]

Has anyone ever tried talking to the tailgaters to see if maybe they are just having a bad day? Perhaps a hug and for them to know someone cares about them might help.

[clee1982]

For residential I purposely drive slower (by like 5 mph), though mostly due to an experience where a really young kid jump out some drive way (didn't hit him but enough of a thing for me to just purposely drive slower, and especially given I have a kid now as well so I'm more aware how kids behave sometimes...)

[nlaak]

Originally Posted by clee1982

For residential I purposely drive slower (by like 5 mph), though mostly due to an experience where a really young kid jump out some drive way (didn't hit him but enough of a thing for me to just purposely drive slower, and especially given I have a kid now as well so I'm more aware how kids behave sometimes...)

I drove safely for the conditions. Slower where cars are parked on the street, slower when the roads are slippery (lots of snow and ice here). There are people here that drive crazy speeds and my street is a school bus route and those drivers think it's a Nascar race here. I'd happily run a radar gun/speed camera on my lawn to get people to stop doing 40+ down the residential streets here.