I was driving the other day going pretty quickly in the left lanes of the highway while the guy in front of me was tailgating people who were going quite slow for the leftmost lane. As it turned out, as he tailgated them, they eventually changed lanes and we were able to pass pretty quickly. I have to say, it turned out pretty good for me, of course I kept my distance from him just in case anything happened, but I also realize that I've never been tailgated before.

Granted I drive pretty quickly, I dont all the time, I think the biggest thing is that when I see a car coming up behind me, I just move over to the right. I always watch the cars around me and if I see a guy trying to get around me, but the space between my car and the car next to me doesn't permit him to change over, I just speed up a bit so he can fit, or if needed, slow down so they can get in front of me.

Now i'm not saying every case of tailgating is done for good reason (ie one lane, no choice) and tailgating is just plain stupid, but if you get tailgated often, you might need to reconsider your lane options on highways. I believe in Illinois it's illegal to pass on the right and I have been in many blocks of slow moving "wolf packs" that are caused by a slow driver in the left lane.

Has anybody else never been tailgated? all the lanes in my area are pretty much two lanes so that helps as well.

 

Totally agree! Not that I drive with reckless abandon, but I sure wish more people out here would read (and heed) the "Slower Traffic, Keep Right" signs.

 

[quote=mataku;1678174]
Granted I drive pretty quickly, I dont all the time, I think the biggest thing is that when I see a car coming up behind me, I just move over to the right. I always watch the cars around me and if I see a guy trying to get around me, but the space between my car and the car next to me doesn't permit him to change over, I just speed up a bit so he can fit, or if needed, slow down so they can get in front of me.
quote]

Like you, I rarely get tailgated. I agree it is partly a matter of how aware you are of your surroundings. If someone's barreling down on you, you should get over if possible. It does still happen occasionally--if there's no where to go and a truly impatient person behind you.

The thing I try to remind myself when I am that impatient person: if I rear-end someone, it's my fault, no matter how slowly they were going in the fast lane. This helps me relax...a little.

 

I don't get tailgated often, but I still do occassionally. Usually it's when I get into a left lane to pass someone, and someone comes tearing up on my tail - my passing speed is obviously not fast enough for them.

But generally, I'm pretty good at getting out of the way when I observe someone coming up on me, going faster than I am.

Of course, there are always those people who will tailgate you even when you're in the slow lane!

 

You must be young if you've never been tailgated

 

quite young, 22.

 

Is that what they call it over there in Tuscaloosa?

 

What do you do when the person in front of you in the left lane is going very slow for the left lane? Sometimes I just wait behind them hoping that they'd move, but it usuallly doesn't happen, I would slow down to leave a gap, then speed up to show that I"m trying to go fast, but they still just sit there. Usually I end up just going around them, would it be rude to give them a little honk during the day?

 

I will flash my headlights at someone who is hogging the passing lane. It works probably 90% of the time. Those it doesn't work on are oblivious anyway...

 

It's soooo frustrating, isn't it? I get the sensation some people NEVER look in the rear view mirrow. Like it's there for decoration.

I have no solution for you. Going around them is what we all likely end up doing.

There was another thread recently about getting ticketed for honking. If you honk without a clear danger/hazaard, you could get ticketed for it. (Though we could all argue people who creep down the fast lane are hazardous.)

 

I remember getting taligated in a middle lane near midnight with no traffic and 4 other lanes to choose from. Those jackasses **** me off.

 

I've got one word for tailgaters: caltrops

They work every time!

 

Please explain...what does caltrops mean?

 

Gotta love Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caltrops

 

Indeed. Thanks for looking it up.

 

I've been avoiding this thread all day. And I think I still will.

 

Have you made a little device to drop them, or do you just chuck them out of the window?

 

Probably ejected by one of the toggle switches if he ordered the British Secret Service agent option.

 

What bugs me are the people who tailgate you in construction zones where there is only one lane to choose from and you're either behind someone else or otherwise mandated to go the construction zone speed limit (hello speed cameras!).

 

I had Ian make me a special circuit to activate the caltrop hopper's release mechanism. I just flick the DSC button up three times to deploy the caltrops.

 

Caltrops!! Didn't Speed Racer have those in the Mach 5?

I guess we'll see when the movie is released in May'08...

 

jeez I knew there was some option I forgot

 

i've been tailgated countless of times.. i wasn't going slow at all.
people these days are impatient. if im in a hurry i may go a little fast but i wont tail gate..
only cause one time i tail gated he braked hard cause a car was sitting int he middle of the street and i hit him...so i dont tail gate anymore since then.

but if someone tailgates you..go slower. and dont look in the mirrors. that's wat i do. i dont try to be a beotch but people these days have no patience watsoever..i bet you most arent even in a hurry...

 

Me either. Few folks even try to keep up!
I too have been the victim of the left lane "rolling roadblock". My observation is that while some folks are just oblivious, other do it on purpose. You can see them watching in their rear view mirror, and see how they adjust their speed according to whether they have the road blocked or not.
I only need 3 car lengths in the adjacent lane to get around them, and boy do they get pissed!

 

yeah, that's a great solution to the problem. real smart

and what about the people that are not tailgating and are in the same lane behind you two asshats playing roadrage games? we have to suffer? be the bigger person and change lanes please