Tailgating AHHHHH!

[chevymotocross]

I would think with the way fuel prices are today, people would start easing up a bit.... not so! Driving along in the 87 swb, some idiot behind me in a big Ford Superduty comes out of no where, fast, and is immediately almost touching my bumper. I'm on tight country roads, speed limit of 25 and I'm doin about 32. Come to the first stop sign, turn, sure enough the moron turns same direction. Still on my bumper. Come to next stop sign, a bit harder on the brakes. Sure enough, turns same direction. Now I'm getting annoyed. Arrive at a more populated road. He starts bringing his truck to the opposite side of the road, trying to pass me on the left, but on coming cars are traveling so he had a few failed attempts. He finally juices it, I don't back off, just driving my steady speed, he almost hits an oncoming car and then since he is doing about 80, blows through the next red light, only for me, to be right behind him at the next light. What did he actually gain? Why     I notice more and more people tailgating and I'm not even driving slow!

[CHawk]

Know the feeling.  For the past few months I've been keeping it STRICTLY within 5 of the posted after getting two lame tickets for less then 10 over.  Really makes me wonder where the cops are when I see stuff like what you described happen!

On a funny but scary incident a few years back, I was driving my rusted out Toyota pickup with a busted speedo.  I had a county sherrif riding my tailgate close enough that I couldn't even see his headlights (wanted to give HIM a ticket for tailgating!).  I estimate that I was puttering along at 50-55 in a posted 60.  Then, from the oncoming lane, some guy swung out to pass a pair of semi trucks.  Seeing me closer than he'd like and unable to see the sherrif behind me, this joker decides to swing over to the shoulder to my right rather than poking back into his lane.  I immediately let off the gas to move to the shoulder until that idiot took it.  So I just kept going with a semi passing on my left and an idiot on the right shoulder, both going the same direction, opposite me!  The sherrif hit his brakes so hard, he fishtailed, and then spun a 180 to take up pursuit.

See?  Sometimes those idiots get their due!

[choptop]

I was driving south of San Antonio witha 16,000 lb trailer, and a 13,000 pound 96 Chevy service truck. After a period of time, I got to noticing a flash of light everyso often from behind me. I would watch,and see nothing, and as soon as I quit watching. Well, I moved over to the shoulder quickly to have a look see, and saw a little green car just enough to have it also go to the shoulder and disappear.Some idiot in a Geo metro had watched to much Nascar was drafting me??? Being aggrivated, I did a slight brake test, and see this cloud of smoke behind me,(I didn't stand on the brakes, just a firm brake) and this little car jumps out from behind me, flys by me, flipping the bird, as I was laughing so hard I had tears in my eyes. He jumps in front of me, and starts motioning me to the side. So, I did. We pull over, and this guy jumps out. He is about 5ft 6, and if you fill his boots with water, might way 110 pounds. He is heading my way, telling me to get out of the truck, so I did. I am 6ft2, and around 280 pounds. I get out, he stops, waves his finger at me saying that wasn't very nice, and gets back in his car, and speeds away. I sat there for about 10 minutes wiping the tears from my eyes because I was laughing so hard, and couldn't drive. I found him later at a gas station( no I wasn't looking for him) and just had to go visit. I don't like anyone to be bent out of shape at me. Real nice guy. I told him my veiw on being tailgated, and he told me he didn't realize how close he was until my brake check, and appologized. Come to find out, he was texting instead of driving. Good points= no one got hurt, and made a friend.

[dumbucket1]

Im a truck driver, happens to me all night long every single day. People just have to get around me, but tailgate me until they get a chance. 9 times out of 10 as soon as they get by me they just take the next exit or slow down so I have to re pass them. 

[Blazin]

Had a guy on a Harley just today that was so close behind me in my Lumina van I could only see him not his bike, except when he would duck out to see if he could pass, then I would see it in my side view mirror. Posted speed limit was 30, and I was doing 35 plus. I gave him the brake light flash twice. Cop went by the other way and did nothing. So at my turn I waited extra long before turning on my signal, and then as soon as I did I jambed on the brakes. He locked up the tires I heard the squealing, and could see him wobbling around. I turned, he gave me the bird.

[Lt.Del]

Don't blame the cops.
It is hard to get a conviction on a guy you tell the judge was, "driving aggressivley".  Judge says, "What's aggressively?"  I say, "one foot from the bumper of the car in  front".  Judge says, "Did you measure it?"  "How did you measure it?" 


The only time it is a sure bet conviction is if it results in a wreck....Following too closely. All else, you're wasting your time and the court's time.

In the meantime, everyone's insurance goes up because of rump cleaners (aka: but wipes) like that.

The moral of the story, do what my buddy up in California does (and it worked).  Always drive your chevy with a trailer hitch.

My friend always has one on his Cherokee.  Some one was following him and when my friend stopped at a light...BANG!.  By the time Greg got out of his jeep, our illegal no-license driver from south of the Rio Grande took off. Yes, hit and run.  But, he didn't get too far because his radiator was punctured where the trailer hitch left its mark. Greg followed that dude while talking w/ the police for about a dozen blocks in L.A. before the car concked out.

The alien was deported and has since probably made it back to our country to do it again.   

[VileZambonie]

everyone is in a hurry to get nowhere fast.

[Blazin]

I know what you mean about the police not being able to make something stick. But I would think he would have at least pulled the guy over am educated him on how stupid it is. Might not sink in but at least it would make the guys day a little crappier! On the other hand I know someone who got a ticket for tailgating. The woman in front of her decided last minute to turn into Dunkin Donuts. She had to do the panic slow down deal. The cop was pulling out of Dunkins, pulled her over and wrote her a summons! he told her if she had not been following so close she would not have had to panic stop.

[DnStClr]

There's bad drivers everywhere, both men and women. Young lady here just got killed when she crossed the center line and hit an oncoming truck. She was tailgating . Bad tempers on the road are getting worse. Sometimes I think it goes along with our economy- loss of jobs, heavy debt, problems at home- then out on the highway they go...

[lowbucktruck]

everyone is in a hurry to get nowhere fast.

Boy isn't that the truth! 
Makes you wonder, where's the fire?!?!

[eventhorizon66]

Believe me nothing irritates me more.  If I'm on the freeway and its blatant I'll just coast until they decide to go around.  And I never change lanes for them until they back off.  If you do, there's a chance they could try to change lanes, while accelerating, at the same time as you, causing an accident.  So I always let them make the first move, but I never increase my speed or change lanes for a tailgater, period.  Try to keep your cool.  Even though they're being the inconsiderate idiot, you should still to do everything possible to prevent an accident.  Include letting off or even braking, if you can see that it's gonna be a close call.

But, I agree, that gas prices just haven't gotten high enough when people are still driving so aggressively.  It makes me laugh.  Americans are constantly whining when it comes to fuel prices, even though we've got some of the best prices in the world, while at the same time driving giant gas guzzling behemoths like Indy car racers and with complete disregard for human life.

[Bitzer!]

Its jus the same over here. I do 1000 miles a week and see it all the time. People tryin to weave and undertake so I slightly accelerate to close the gap in front. If they are right up my "ass" and I'm moving with the traffic speed i do lift off the gas until they realise I can't go any quicker. Speed limit here is 70mph on a motorway/freeway but you have to do 80mph to keep up with everyone. You normally get a ticket for anything over 95mph and a ban for 30mph over any speed limit.

Remember ~ only a fool breaks the two second rule!!

[cracker0169]

Nothing annoys me worse than a tailgater!!!

My sister-in-law's brother and dad were coming back to KY from fishing somewhere down south.  While in AL, her brother got a ticket for speeding and the cop said that since he couldnt give her dad a ticket for speeding too, he would give him one for tailgating... what the heck?!

Something else that annoys me on the interstate is when you go to pass another vehicle ahead of you and you get over a good safe distance and some idiot wants to try and pass you on the right hand side! If I'm passing a tractor-trailer, sometimes I'll back my speed off a tad to show my aggravation with them...

[1976Scottsdale]

Don't blame the cops.
It is hard to get a conviction on a guy you tell the judge was, "driving aggressivley".  Judge says, "What's aggressively?"  I say, "one foot from the bumper of the car in  front".  Judge says, "Did you measure it?"  "How did you measure it?" 


The only time it is a sure bet conviction is if it results in a wreck....Following too closely. All else, you're wasting your time and the court's time.

In the meantime, everyone's insurance goes up because of rump cleaners (aka: but wipes) like that.

The moral of the story, do what my buddy up in California does (and it worked).  Always drive your chevy with a trailer hitch.

My friend always has one on his Cherokee.  Some one was following him and when my friend stopped at a light...BANG!.  By the time Greg got out of his jeep, our illegal no-license driver from south of the Rio Grande took off. Yes, hit and run.  But, he didn't get too far because his radiator was punctured where the trailer hitch left its mark. Greg followed that dude while talking w/ the police for about a dozen blocks in L.A. before the car concked out.

The alien was deported and has since probably made it back to our country to do it again.   

I made my own bumpers.  10" construction I-beam in front with a big "PING" sprayed across it and a stack of 3 pieces of 1/2" wall 5" diameter pipe for the rear.  No one dared to tailgate.

[Unofficial]

I made my own bumpers.  10" construction I-beam in front with a big "PING" sprayed across it and a stack of 3 pieces of 1/2" wall 5" diameter pipe for the rear.  No one dared to tailgate.

  Do you have pictures? That sounds BA.