Are any of you one of those guys that tailgates virtually every other vehicle?

[shp4man]

I'm sure you've seen them on the road. The type of driver that habitually and regardless of speed, maintains a distance of about half a car length behind anybody that dares be in front of them and makes insane lane changes that depend on someone else braking to avoid a collision.
Who, if anyone, taught these people to drive? It seems to me there are more of these morons now than in the past. It's a good thing there isn't a .45 in my glovebox.


Admit it. are you one of these guys? 

[Colonel Cadillac]

These people do not exist in Louisiana.

If someone is driving slowly in the fast lane and doesn't get out of the way, I'll creep up and make it obvious I want to pass him.

[AutobahnSHO]

I'm not but noticing them more and more. I purposefully will let the "packs" pass me or I tunnel through them, that's where the accidents happen. 

[AutobahnSHO]

PS- I want a paintball gun. I've proposed different colors for different infractions, your car gets covered with too many you get a ticket...

[Colonel Cadillac]

Packs are the worst. I admit, I get a bit antsy if I get stuck in them and work at getting through them.

[giant_mtb]

I brake-checked a dude tailgating me this morning.  I was doing 32 in a 25 in the right lane and the left lane was wide open...fucker wouldn't go around me.  He slowed down with me; then I moved to the left lane and he went speeding on past me.  

I hate tailgating.  My brother's pretty bad about it...drives me nuts.

Sometimes, if someone pulls out in front of me when clearly they shouldn't have (i.e., I have to apply moderate braking because of their dumb ass) I'll ride their butt for a few seconds to see if they get the picture, but if they don't speed up, I'll either back off again or just zip around them...depending on my mood, I suppose.

[FoMoJo]

Not me.  I hate tailgaters.  I just gradually slow down if someone gets too close.  Funny thing is, most of them seem to be women these days.

[hotrodalex]

I never tailgate. Can't stand being too close to cars, especially if they're brake happy.

[TurboDan]

Not me.  I hate tailgaters.  I just gradually slow down if someone gets too close.  Funny thing is, most of them seem to be women these days.

Agree 100%. On slowing down gradually, and the female tailgating trend.

[GoCougs]

50% of the time I will indeed tailgate those driving under the speed limit; not super aggressive but close enough to be definitely classified as tailgating. I also do the hug-the-fog-line move to telegraph my displeasure.

[dazzleman]

50% of the time I will indeed tailgate those driving under the speed limit; not super aggressive but close enough to be definitely classified as tailgating. I also do the hug-the-fog-line move to telegraph my displeasure.

You especially need to tailgate when you're in a carpool lane and you're the only dude in the car....

[dazzleman]

I only tailgate for a specific reason -- a car in the passing lane that should be over in the travel lane.  I don't get really close to the car in front of me.

[Rupert]

I only tailgate for a specific reason -- a car in the passing lane that should be over in the travel lane.  I don't get really close to the car in front of me.

Yep, but I have been known to get right up on their ass. I've also pulled out right, gunned it, and then cut them off in the left lane before speeding away. They usually stay in the left lane, even with a totally clear right lane.

Fortunately, people have reasonable good lane discipline around here, though they drive like fucking grammas through town.

[S204STi]

I only tailgate for a specific reason -- a car in the passing lane that should be over in the travel lane.  I don't get really close to the car in front of me.

This is usually when I do it, too.

[S204STi]

Agree 100%. On slowing down gradually, and the female tailgating trend.

If I'm already in a line of cars and there's no way for me to speed up, yeah, I'll sometimes slow waaay down just to convey my displeasure, then speed back up.  But otherwise I speed up or move over, whichever makes the most sense at the moment.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I don't tailgate, because it is dangerous and causes road rage; I pass on the shoulder.

[S204STi]

Much betterer.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Much betterer.

I am far from caring, anymore. I will always prove that I can be the bigger asshole. 

[Cookie Monster]

I'll only tailgate if they're in the left lane and won't move. Shows my displeasure, and also makes it easy to squeeze into the right lane to pass if I get a chance.

[Rupert]

I don't think tailgating is a good way to communicate displeasure, as it just makes people angry (see MiataJohn's post about chucking washers at people tailgating him). I hope to scare people and/or make myself feel better.

[Byteme]

I only tailgate for a specific reason -- a car in the passing lane that should be over in the travel lane.  I don't get really close to the car in front of me.

I've found they are more likely to move over if I don't tailgate and just quickly flash my lights instead.  Tailgating just pisses them off and they mus think "screw you, now way am I moving out of this lane". 

And in answer to the question, No, I don't tailgate.

[Byteme]

I don't think tailgating is a good way to communicate displeasure, as it just makes people angry (see MiataJohn's post about chucking washers at people tailgating him). I hope to scare people and/or make myself feel better.

Understand though that is a pretty drastic measure that I've done about twice.


First step is to slow down a bit and hope they go around.  If they then decide they need to ride my bumper (as in I can no longer see their headlights) they get a break check.  That doesn't work?  On comes the windscreen washers.  If none of the above works and depending on the circumstances and if I'm in the Miata one can simply rest their right hand on the passenger seat and flick up a bit of junk without being seen to do it. 

[hounddog]

Agree 100%. On slowing down gradually, and the female tailgating trend.

I usually wait until I am next to another vehicle to slow, or, until I get close enough to another vehicle that the woman behind me thinks she can squirt around only to find out once over there that she cannot fit through. 

Then I stick right there keeping them from passing until another car comes up behind (presuming there was one right behind the original tailgater) me and then box her out so she has to fall behind that one.

Not exactly legal, but it can be fun.  I never push it too far, however.  I have no desire to defend against a road rage incident.

[TurboDan]

I have no desire to defend against a road rage incident.

That, or dealing with insurance companies if someone does something incredibly dumb that results in an accident.

[shp4man]

It would be truly uplifting to see a cop actually ticket one of these jackasses. Following too close? Maybe reckless driving? Ya, that'd be good.

[FoMoJo]

I only tailgate for a specific reason -- a car in the passing lane that should be over in the travel lane.  I don't get really close to the car in front of me.

In that situation, I flash my highbeams and pound the horn.  It, usually, startles them.

[hounddog]

It would be truly uplifting to see a cop actually ticket one of these jackasses. Following too close? Maybe reckless driving? Ya, that'd be good.

The trouble is catching them in the act when in a fully marked patrol car.

Even standard police cars without lightbars are still easy to spot, and most agencies just do not have the money to spend on non-patrol rated cars for this type of enforcement. 

Yes, it needs to be enforced, but where does the money for it come from? 

[hounddog]

In that situation, I flash my highbeams and pound the horn.  It, usually, startles them.

In Michigan it is legal to just move over into the 'slow lane' and pass them. 

I find the biggest groups of them here are;
1) women
2) foreign women
3) Illinios idiots
4) all of the above when talking on the phone

For what it is worth, Randy told me his traffic cars have issued a couple dozen tickets this year for texting while driving and commercial drivers talking on the phone. 

[FoMoJo]

In Michigan it is legal to just move over into the 'slow lane' and pass them. 

May so, but I, sometimes, like to teach-them-a-lesson .

[shp4man]

On the subject of traffic law enforcement, I've always wondered why there weren't more unmarked, non-Crown Victoria police vehicles. If I was a cop, I could ticket people all day if my truck had lights behind the grill.