I drive slow and how dare you pass me on the road!

[Tuxian]

I completely understand all of the people who slow down while being tailgated. I want to do it half the time myself. There's just one problem. You are creating a road hazard. If you don't like being tailgated, the responsible thing to do is pull over where it is safe and let the person around you. By slowing down you are not only being sucky to the guy tailgating you, but to every other car stuck behind them. Your suck > tailgater's suck. It's about as acceptable as a cashier or CSR ripping into a SC in front of other customers (or, if a cop is present, a manager).

Legally, I don't think this is the case. Tailgating it a ticking offense (Following too closely, I do believe). And a cop isn't going to get on someone doing the limit (if he's doing his job properly) over someone who's being reckless behind the wheel. If the car in front has to brake suddenly, the tailgater will be at fault for the accident.

[Peppergirl]

Sorry, but I'm with Finance on this one.

Think about it. If you're being tailgated and slow way down, does this not create an additional road hazard if other cars have to go around you as you prove your point to the tailgater?

Bear in mind I'm not talking about a couple of miles under the posted speed, I'm talking about if you slow to an absolute crawl.

Don't get me wrong, tailgaters suck and they should all burn in hell, but if you slow to a speed that's unsafe, all you're doing is screwing the other drivers around you who have to brake suddenly or switch lanes quickly to get around.

Now if you're on a one lane or a country road where other traffic is not affected, messing with tailgaters makes me chuckle!

[protege]

Actually, in many areas (at least here in PA) there are no minimum speed limits. In other words, no cop is going to pull you over for doing 25mph or less. If you rear-end a slower car, it doesn't matter how fast they were going..the accident is still your fault. If the other driver is in that much of a hurry, too damn bad--they should have left earlier.

[Peppergirl]

Actually, in many areas (at least here in PA) there are no minimum speed limits. In other words, no cop is going to pull you over for doing 25mph or less. If you rear-end a slower car, it doesn't matter how fast they were going..the accident is still your fault. If the other driver is in that much of a hurry, too damn bad--they should have left earlier.

I understand what you're saying, and I'm all for inconveniencing tailgaters, but how is that fair to the people BEHIND the tailgater?

If I'm on a one lane road behind a tailgater and the person in front of the tailgater slows down to 15 MPH, I'm being inconvenienced too - through no fault of my own, merely because the slow car wants to 'get back' at the tailgater.

Does this make sense? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but it annoys me when someone is trying to prove a point to a bad driver and ends up inconveniencing an innocent bystander in the process.

[sarahj]

I understand what you're saying, and I'm all for inconveniencing tailgaters, but how is that fair to the people BEHIND the tailgater?

Yeah, I'd be annoyed if traffic slowed down to a crawl for no apparent reason. I'd only ever tap the break and do 10 under (consider that the limit is 80 km/h average on my commute, and I wouldn't slow down on the freeway). I also understand that people must "keep up with traffic" ie not leave big distances between themselves and the next car so that cars keep merging in there, thus slowing them down.

I'm talking about tapping the break if someone is so close to me that I can't see their headlights in my rear vision mirror; when they are purposely trying to intimidate me to make me speed. What I SHOULD do is slam on the break and get them to pay up for the damage but while it would teach them a lesson, it would not do my back any favours and would hold up traffic.

[Polenicus]

This is my favourite story of driving asshattery.

Now, this took place many many years ago, when the fine man known to you today as Polenicus was just a young lad, going to college in Kelowna. Now, I had a night course at the North Kelowna campus, which I got out of at about 8pm. Since this was winter, it was... well, DARK.

I was pulling out of the parking lot onto the road. Of course, I didn't actually see CARS, I saw HEADLIGHTS, because it was DARK. This is important.

I saw a gap in the oncoming headlights, and pulled out. I'm by nature a cautious driver, and I judged there was plenty of space. And there would have been... if headlights were an accurate indications of cars. But in this case, there weren't. As I pulled out, a beat up pickup truck with a big camper on the back swerved around me to avoid me, as I had just cut him off.

Her immediately pulled across both lanes of traffic to block me off and jumped out of his truck. Even with just the light of the (Somewhat faulty) streetlamps, I could see her was red and livid with rage.

"What the F!@% is wrong with you! Where did you learn to drive?! WHY THE F$@#! DON'T YOU WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING?!"

I was not the assertive person I am today, and this guy was about twice my size. I just kinda gaped, not sure what to say or do.

Thankfully, the driver behind me did it for me. "WHY DON'T YOU TRY TURNING ON YOUR F#@$!# LIGHTS A$$HOL3?!"

The guy in front of me paused, turned around and looked at his truck. And for the first time, realized that he had been driving at night, on a dark street, on a moonless, cloudy night WITHOUT A SINGLE LIGHT ON HIS TRUCK. No headlights, no running lights, nothing. His truck was practically invisible, and the reason I cut him off was I literally did not see him.

He kind of blanched, and without another word jumped back into his truck, turned on his lights, and roared off. I took a deep breath, and continued on my way.

[Alexandra]

Heheh.

There's this one joker with Oregon plates around here (I'm in Ohio), and one time I was travelling south on Route 3. I was in the left lane because not too far ahead was County Road 95, and I had to make a left turn on it. I was going speed limit, hardly anyone behind me.

Mr. Oregon starts tailgating, I ignore him. Finally he passes me on the right, and waits until he's up ahead a little, then flips me off out his window. Whatever. I would have been in the right lane if I were not going to turn left on 95.

Months later Mr. Oregon is behind me again, in town. I recognize the car and plates and he apparently recognized my bumper stickers and starts tailgating me. I just went slightly below speed limit, just for him!

I think he needs to get a life.

Oh yeah--and I'm a Michigan native living in Ohio. Michigan, the main thing is speeding. Here in Ohio, the main thing is people not knowing what in the Sam Hill they're doing!

[Peppergirl]

Heheh.

Here in Ohio, the main thing is people not knowing what in the Sam Hill they're doing!

We do tend to breed some really bad drivers, I agree. The only place worse was when I lived in Florida for 2 years, particularly in the winter time. I swear it's where bad drivers go to die.

[Alexandra]

I hear Florida's bad because of all the retirees.

Two years ago I was in an accident...some stupid woman (a few years older than I, and I'm 35 now) made an improper left turn, cut me off so short that my braking only accomplished damage control. My right front hit her right rear. She told the cop what she'd done and I heard him tell her--"You can't do that!"

Better believe I went after the insurance company and got my van fixed!

[myswtghst]

I understand what you're saying, and I'm all for inconveniencing tailgaters, but how is that fair to the people BEHIND the tailgater?

This is why I tend to base my actions on the number of other cars on the road, and the road conditions.

If there's no one else around to be inconvenienced, you bet I'm going to keep slowing down until jackwad there backs off. I tend to react similarly if the weather is bad - I'm not going to have you hit me at high speeds just because you're impatient, and I'm not feeling like creating a massive pile up when we're all going to fast to stop in time.

If there are others behind the tailgater, and the road is clear (not slippery, etc), I won't slow down anymore than to go the speed limit, which if anyone has an issue with, they can kiss my behind. I'm generally a 5mph or so over the speed limit kinda gal, but I've got no problem with putting the car in cruise control at the speed limit exactly.

I try not to block anyone's way on purpose, and I don't want to get in the way on the off chance someone actually is in an emergency situation. But I also don't think it's necessary to drive like a raging loon, especially because you might just end up putting more people in the hospital/wrecking your car because of your hurry.

[Peppergirl]

That's an awesome attitude, myswtghst and I feel the same way. If there's no one else inconvenienced by screwing with a tailgater, I totally do the same thing!