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

[hounddog]

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.

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[Byteme]

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.

They do that in Houston.  I believe how it works is they have a cop in an unmarked car, not even a usual cop car brand, driving along and when he sees someone driving like an ass he radios a cop in a marked crusier up ahead who pulls the guy over.

[hotrodalex]

They do that in Houston.  I believe how it works is they have a cop in an unmarked car, not even a usual cop car brand, driving along and when he sees someone driving like an ass he radios a cop in a marked crusier up ahead who pulls the guy over.

That would be fine, specifically because of the bolded part. I'm not a fan of unmarked cars pulling people over.

[hounddog]

That would be fine, specifically because of the bolded part. I'm not a fan of unmarked cars pulling people over.

How about semi-marked?

Our state police have cars/suvs with nothing on the driver door but their full on emblem on the passenger door.

We also have a trend here of municipalities putting a shoulder patch sized emblem on the doors not too far underneath the mirrors and calling it a semi-marked car.  One of these tried to pull my wife over on US-131 not long ago at about 1am as she was coming home from the airport, she slowed to about 55 and called 911.  

Once they found the car trying to stop her and verified it she pulled over.  The officer was actually not mad and told her he did not blame her, and appreciated her dropping below the posted limit of 70 to a reasonable speed.  He still gave her a ticket, however.  

[RomanChariot]

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.  

Does the term commercial drivers apply to police officers? I have been noticing more and more police officers around here talking on the cell phone while they are driving. I had one go past me this morning with his cell phone up to his ear while driving. If it is necessary for work shouldn't he at least be using some sort of bluetooth setup?

[Raza]

Nope.  I maintain a safe follow distance at all times.  When I need to pass someone, I pass.  If you're camping in the left and I can't pass on the right, you'll get my high beams though.

[TurboDan]

Does the term commercial drivers apply to police officers? I have been noticing more and more police officers around here talking on the cell phone while they are driving. I had one go past me this morning with his cell phone up to his ear while driving. If it is necessary for work shouldn't he at least be using some sort of bluetooth setup?

In New Jersey, they are specifically exempt while on duty.

[hounddog]

Does the term commercial drivers apply to police officers? I have been noticing more and more police officers around here talking on the cell phone while they are driving. I had one go past me this morning with his cell phone up to his ear while driving. If it is necessary for work shouldn't he at least be using some sort of bluetooth setup?

No, the law which prohibits commercial drivers (read: semi-trucks) is a federal law and only deals with those operating under commercial licenses.  Since police officers are not required to have CDLs they are not covered under the law.

And, yes, I see way way too many police officers with their damned phone glued to their ear.  In fact, that would be something which I was forcefully address were I a police administrator.  Same with officers wearing sunglasses during contacts with citizens.

[Rupert]

Nope.  I maintain a safe follow distance at all times.  When I need to pass someone, I pass.  If you're camping in the left and I can't pass on the right, you'll get my high beams though.

This does not jive with your recent claims of a super-aggressive driving style.

[hotrodalex]

How about semi-marked?

Our state police have cars/suvs with nothing on the driver door but their full on emblem on the passenger door.

We also have a trend here of municipalities putting a shoulder patch sized emblem on the doors not too far underneath the mirrors and calling it a semi-marked car.  One of these tried to pull my wife over on US-131 not long ago at about 1am as she was coming home from the airport, she slowed to about 55 and called 911. 

Once they found the car trying to stop her and verified it she pulled over.  The officer was actually not mad and told her he did not blame her, and appreciated her dropping below the posted limit of 70 to a reasonable speed.  He still gave her a ticket, however. 

I just don't like them in situations like you mentioned. If a "normal" car tried to pull me over, I'd be very cautious about it and probably call 911 to ask them to verify it, just like your wife did. Not that I'd be the best target for an impostor, but a guy with a gun would still be able to overpower me. A marked car is just nice because you pretty much know for sure that it's legit.

[GoCougs]

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.

MiataJohn however has never chucked anything at anyone.

But I do agree it works maybe 30% of the time.

[Rupert]

I find people pull into the right lane after you've come up on them, tailgating or not, maybe 70% of the time on open rural freeways, but almost never no matter what on urban freeways. Then again, in Seattle or Portland, I'm happy anytime I'm going faster than 30 mph.

[MX793]

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.

In NY, an unmarked car cannot pull you over for a routine traffic infraction.  At least the State Police can't, not sure if the legislation to bar local departments from using unmarkeds for traffic enforcement has been passed.

[TurboDan]

In NY, an unmarked car cannot pull you over for a routine traffic infraction.  At least the State Police can't, not sure if the legislation to bar local departments from using unmarkeds for traffic enforcement has been passed.

Yeah, NY seems to have had an inordinate amount of shenanigans WRT impersonators pulling people over. I've never heard a great deal of concern in NJ over it, though.

[GoCougs]

I find people pull into the right lane after you've come up on them, tailgating or not, maybe 70% of the time on open rural freeways, but almost never no matter what on urban freeways. Then again, in Seattle or Portland, I'm happy anytime I'm going faster than 30 mph.

I agree on both counts; but primarily because traffic is dense/chaotic - staying out of the left lane isn't practical a good portion of the time.

[Rupert]

True, but even when there isn't much traffic on urban freeways, people are so used to not pulling right, they still don't.

[hotrodalex]

I just pass on the right. Never really had a problem with it, though supposedly it's "dangerous".

[Rupert]

Yeah, assuming you can find enough room.

[dazzleman]

Yeah, assuming you can find enough room.

Around here, traffic is heavy enough that there's rarely enough room.  Either that, or it would require a dangerous amount of jockeying to pull it off.  If you get a left lane camper here, you're pretty much screwed.

[SVT_Power]

Haven't seen too many around here, saw one on the highway yesterday. He was gaining on me pretty fast, and I had to slow down because of traffic, he nearly rear ended me (I was going 60-65 mph). I saw him smash his brakes and swerve to miss me. Then he proceeded to ride other cars' bumpers before getting off the highway not too long after.

[Raza]

This does not jive with your recent claims of a super-aggressive driving style.

I do drive very aggressively, but safety is still very important.  I consider tailgating to be aggressive without discipline, and therefore reckless.  If the person ahead of me is not going to move over with a high beam flash, intimidation via tailgating isn't going to work either.  I'd rather spot an opening and take the right hand pass if the other drivers on the road won't follow the rules of driving.  I just want them out of my way, I don't need them to get out of my way when I can put them in my rearview myself.  When you think about it, tailgating is kind of passive.  Like I said, when I need to pass, I'll pass, but I'm not going to sit in the left lane behind a camper and wait for them to come to their senses.  I'm on the attack; it would be like waiting for the goalkeeper to get out of the net before taking a shot instead of finding an opening and stuffing it in yourself.

[Autobahn]

I hate those guys in the Sprinter-Vans tailgaiting at 100 mph when there is clearly a long line of cars in front of me on the left lane. I usually pull over and let them pass as I have no desire to be crushed by a poorly-maintained van when I need to brake hard.

As for myself, I don't move too close, but in Germany it is allowed to flash the highbeams once to indicate that you want to pass, so I usually do this. If the car camping the left lane doesn't move then, I try again and then let some other more aggressive driver handle the job. It got way better now with the BMW's Xenon high-beam. They usually wake up sleeping left-lane campers in the night

[Eye of the Tiger]

I hate those guys in the Sprinter-Vans tailgaiting at 100 mph when there is clearly a long line of cars in front of me on the left lane. I usually pull over and let them pass as I have no desire to be crushed by a poorly-maintained van when I need to brake hard.

As for myself, I don't move too close, but in Germany it is allowed to flash the highbeams once to indicate that you want to pass, so I usually do this. If the car camping the left lane doesn't move then, I try again and then let some other more aggressive driver handle the job. It got way better now with the BMW's Xenon high-beam. They usually wake up sleeping left-lane campers in the night

You should really watch out for those Ford vans, too
Flashing is allowed here, it's just that people either never check their mirrors, so never move overr; or get pissed off and take it personally that your are insulting their penis size, and don't move over.

[280Z Turbo]

You should really watch out for those Ford vans, too
Flashing is allowed here, it's just that people either never check their mirrors, so never move overr; or get pissed off and take it personally that your are insulting their penis size, and don't move over.

I'M ENFORCING THE SPEED LIMIT GODDAMNIT

[AutobahnSHO]

I'M ENFORCING THE SPEED LIMIT GODDAMNIT

sadly many of them feel this way.

[Northlands]

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.

Yeah I do the very same thing. In a rush? Oooohh.. so sorry. I seem to have misplaced my gas pedal.

Edit: To be clear, I don't do this in a passing lane.

[Northlands]

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'm too impatient for that. I love horns. It takes them a few seconds but most people will move. I guess most initially don't expect to be honked at. 

[93JC]

I try to leave reasonable stopping distances in front of myself but in traffic they get filled up so I wouldn't say I 'tailgate', but I should leave a bigger gap.

I have no problem passing people on the right on multi-lane highways/freeways. If people are cruising in the left lane they're usually too oblivious to how annoying they are to realize they should get over.


I'm not sure if I'm a particularly aggressive driver or not. I find myself changing lanes pretty often and passing lots of people—I pass others more than others pass me—but there are some out there who are orders of magnitude more aggressive than I am.

[Tave]

I'm mildly guilty of tailgating. I always leave enough room to stop but I'm heavy on the brakes in general so my perception of what's too close probably doesn't jive with everyone else's. I'm sure it often looks like I'm too close to the driver in front of me.

I've discovered a new dangerous animal on the roads since I moved to NC: the short stopper. I swear some of these creatures leave 2-3 car lengths between them and the next car at stop lights/signs. Now that I know to watch out for them, it's not a huge deal, but they can really mess you up if they're driving slowly on brake and decide to park it before they should. It also screws over following traffic because it takes longer to get through the light and they can block turning lanes.

And they clog up the line at drive-throughs.

[TBR]

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.

I had some idiot come up behind me in the left lane while I was passing someone flashing his lights like a mad man and going about 90. I was going 81-82, and the person in the right lane was going 77-78, but I just slowed down and moved over to get out of his way because lord knows what he would have done if I hadn't.

Obviously that isn't what you were talking about, but I thought it was worth noting.

I pretty much never tailgate. I find that in the south you don't really need too because any most roads with heavy traffic (so that you can't just pass on the right, although obviously that isn't as desirable as left) have more than two lanes so you can figure something else out.