[NA] highway tailgaters

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
Joined
Feb 23, 2005
Messages
20,772
Location
west Texas
Display Name
Display name:
Dave Taylor
A solution!

2-lane highway, straight & flat for 10+ miles, 70mph limit, daytime, I’m doing 72mph on cruise control, only grassy pastures in all directions, zero traffic.
Except, for the driver immediately behind me. I mean immediately behind, like 30 feet, can’t see their license plate they are so close, if you tapped the brakes, they would probably spin out.
C’mon, man! No cars in sight for miles ahead! Back off, or pass me already!
I used to just gently slow a little so they would wake up and figure it out. They didn’t always.

I have found that if I put my right tires onto the right hand white stripe, or slightly beyond, the tire picks up a little road sand, maybe tiny pebbles, and lifts it enough to give them a weak sandblasting!
They immediately back off!
Or, being to the right clues them in to finally pass me!

I discovered this solution when people pass me and pull in ahead of me but a little too close, and I was getting blasted by centerline sand. The roadway is pretty clean in the lane and all the sand and little pebbles gets pushed to the centerline and edges!
 
Lock 'em up & they'll back off quickly! *** kidding of course ***

Many new cars are programmed to follow the car in front of them and the following distance can be set by the driver. A bit of a see-saw motion on the speed usually gets them irritated enough to back off or go around. If not then it's time to deploy the tactical trunk monkey ...

1689621336201.png
 
Downshift, that will get their attention in a hurry!
 
danhagan said:
Copenhagen pinch, open window, expectorate or empty "chooty cup" ...
Click to expand...

That actually works well when I'm on the bike. I just "hock a loogie" high into the air and watch the fun ... :biggrin:
 
Palmpilot said:
Tailgaters make me so nervous that I find that I am unable to maintain a constant speed.
Click to expand...

Funny! Almost every vehicle I own has a tendency to slow down when tailgated. The glove box sometimes opens up too ... ;)
 
I have noticed a fair amount of what I refer to (when feeling charitable) as "rubber-band drivers". They don't drive their own cars. They take up a station relative to another car, then are usually preoccupied with their phone or whatever stupid thing they're doing rather than driving. Sometimes it's right behind me (see reference to radar cruise control above), but often it's RIGHT off my rear fender in the lane next to me on the Interstate. I slow down, they slow down. I speed up, they speed up. It's usually not a problem, except I try to stay in the right lane except when passing (like you're supposed to). D-bag driver hanging off my left rear quarter means that when we come up on slower traffic in the right lane, I've got to either kick off my cruise while D-bag passes, get in behind them, then fume a bit while they now hang off the rear quarter of a semi... or speed up abruptly to get in front of them.

I don't really care if people are going slower than me, or faster than me, but for the love of all that's paved... drive your own d****d car.
 
Daleandee said:
That actually works well when I'm on the bike. I just "hock a loogie" high into the air and watch the fun ... :biggrin:
Click to expand...


Don’t do this with a full face helmet with the visor up. Just because you can see over the chin bar doesn’t mean you can spit over the chin bar, even if you forget it’s there. Of course, I’ve never done this…that I admit.
 
aterry1067 said:
Don’t do this with a full face helmet with the visor up. Just because you can see over the chin bar doesn’t mean you can spit over the chin bar, even if you forget it’s there. Of course, I’ve never done this…that I admit.
Click to expand...
My HJC full face has a chin bar that will release and rotate upwards well out of the way. Yep, you gotta check yourself before you let it fly ... :eek:
 
Daleandee said:
That actually works well when I'm on the bike. I just "hock a loogie" high into the air and watch the fun ... :biggrin:
Click to expand...

I usually went for that or a big a$$ fender washer in the pocket of my jacket that would casually go over my shoulder. Of course this was only reserved for the worst offenders.
 
Stewartb said:
Unless it has flashing lights and a siren to make me look, what’s behind me doesn’t matter.
Click to expand...

It does to me.. I collected a few dollars from folks that have let their following distance erode to zero and damage me & my vehicle. I'm gonna make me a couple of bumper stickers that read:

"If you want to get close ... we gotta take it slow!"

better yet a reminder ...

"It goes slower!"

I saw one that I should put on my old VW Beetle that says ...

"Pass now, avoid the rush!"
 
DaleB said:
I have noticed a fair amount of what I refer to (when feeling charitable) as "rubber-band drivers". They don't drive their own cars. They take up a station relative to another car, then are usually preoccupied with their phone or whatever stupid thing they're doing rather than driving. Sometimes it's right behind me (see reference to radar cruise control above), but often it's RIGHT off my rear fender in the lane next to me on the Interstate. I slow down, they slow down. I speed up, they speed up. It's usually not a problem, except I try to stay in the right lane except when passing (like you're supposed to). D-bag driver hanging off my left rear quarter means that when we come up on slower traffic in the right lane, I've got to either kick off my cruise while D-bag passes, get in behind them, then fume a bit while they now hang off the rear quarter of a semi... or speed up abruptly to get in front of them.

I don't really care if people are going slower than me, or faster than me, but for the love of all that's paved... drive your own d****d car.
Click to expand...

yeah, I think that is probably a high percentage of them.

To do a little paradigm shift, I'll throw this out there....
You are going 72 in a 70 zone
maybe that other driver wants to go 75 in a 70 zone.... I mean because maybe the natural frequency of his suspension is 72 and one of his tires is slightly out of balance and he's getting a heck of a shimmy... whatever.... he wants to go 75.
but to pass you going 75 when you are going 72 takes a long piece of road...so most folks speed up to pass.... maybe 80...maybe 90... just to get around you in a reasonable space.... but then that puts them into a danger zone (both safety and ticket)

The thing is...I think a whole lotta folks want to go 5 over or 10 over...but you going 2 over puts it into a bit more of a difficult passing option.

Instead of being mean about it, maybe slowing to 65 or 68 a bit will encourage passing and get them off your back

HOWEVER.... if that guy is a rubber band driver, he'll get in front of you...and now with nobody to latch onto will drive 70 or 71..... ugh!
 
In addition to the tailgaters, my other pet peeve is vehicles that pull alongside to pass on the interstate but stay alongside and then slow to the speed of the traffic in front of me. I am stuck and am boxed in. This was much more of an issue when driving my 45' bus with a 40' race hauler in tow. I figured if I drove like a crappy driver and wandered a little into the left lane they would quickly get out of the way. Worked every time.
 
Last edited:
Brad W said:
yeah, I think that is probably a high percentage of them.

To do a little paradigm shift, I'll throw this out there....
You are going 72 in a 70 zone
maybe that other driver wants to go 75 in a 70 zone.... I mean because maybe the natural frequency of his suspension is 72 and one of his tires is slightly out of balance and he's getting a heck of a shimmy... whatever.... he wants to go 75.
but to pass you going 75 when you are going 72 takes a long piece of road...so most folks speed up to pass.... maybe 80...maybe 90... just to get around you in a reasonable space.... but then that puts them into a danger zone (both safety and ticket)

The thing is...I think a whole lotta folks want to go 5 over or 10 over...but you going 2 over puts it into a bit more of a difficult passing option.

Instead of being mean about it, maybe slowing to 65 or 68 a bit will encourage passing and get them off your back

HOWEVER.... if that guy is a rubber band driver, he'll get in front of you...and now with nobody to latch onto will drive 70 or 71..... ugh!
Click to expand...
I was talking specifically about drivers on multi-lane highways, where they don't need to hurry to get around. On a 2-lane road, I set my cruise -- usually +5. If you're going faster, then pass. I'll even move to the right a little to give a hint if I see you've got room to get around. Otherwise, if you want to stay 20 feet off my rear bumper, well, enjoy the view.

The only ones that really annoy me are the ones who come up behind me at +10, pass me, then slow down. If you passed me and now I have to pass you, it's going to be done with extreme prejudice so I can put half a mile or so between us. The V12 Benz was really wonderful for that, but its replacement is no slouch either.
 
I just slow to 55 and turn on the left turn signal...and never turn.!!

robin ardoin said:
I figured if I drove like a crappy drive and wandered a little into the left lane they would quickly get out of the way. Worked every time.
Click to expand...

Back in the olden days with gas engines and manual transmissions, turning the key off then back on usually got other folks attention. Plus having the exhaust pointing out the sides was a bonus, especially at night.!!
 
DaleB said:
I have noticed a fair amount of what I refer to (when feeling charitable) as "rubber-band drivers". They don't drive their own cars. They take up a station relative to another car, then are usually preoccupied with their phone or whatever stupid thing they're doing rather than driving.
Click to expand...
I have (until the end of next week) a fairly long commute given what I am getting paid (working at a private university). So, I do my best to eke out all I can get from a gallon of gas. So, right lane, speed limit (55) the full length of M39 through Detroit. I get my share of tailgaters. Sometimes they will stay there for a mile or two before they finally figure out that I ain't going nowhere, then they go zooming by. Whatever.
But one...
This lady is sitting no more than 3 to 5 feet off my bumper. She is holding her phone and the top of the steering wheel with one hand and typing with the other. OK, I am on notice that I need to not do anything sudden. She sits there for at least a few miles, phone in front of her the whole way. I'm thinking (as usual) "How hard can it be do change lanes and pass? Do you really think that you are going to get me to speed up? Seriously?" My exit is coming up. Flick on the turn signal well in advance. Give lots of warning. Get to the ramp and ease over onto the exit lane, real light on the brakes - the lady follows. Now I'm thinking "OK, she didn't pass because her exit was coming up..." Then, just as the exit lane is about to split from the freeway, she jerks the wheel to get back onto the freeway.
Apparently, she it wasn't her exit, she just didn't realize that she was following me off the freeway in spite of the blinker, lane change, and slowing down... So, yea.
 
Zeldman said:
Back in the olden days with gas engines and manual transmissions, turning the key off then back on usually got other folks attention. Plus having the exhaust pointing out the sides was a bonus, especially at night.!!
Click to expand...
That's still works with the old VW ... but mufflers can be costly!
 
Kitch said:
I usually went for that or a big a$$ fender washer in the pocket of my jacket that would casually go over my shoulder. Of course this was only reserved for the worst offenders.
Click to expand...
Would that make it a big ass offender washer?
 
Just rig up an oil reservoir with a little drain tube and let a stream of it onto the hot exhaust.
 
EdFred said:
Just rig up an oil reservoir with a little drain tube and let a stream of it onto the hot exhaust.
Click to expand...

A bit of Dexron ATF works wonders ... or so I've been told! :dunno:
 
Daleandee said:
A bit of Dexron ATF works wonders ... or so I've been told! :dunno:
Click to expand...

MauleSkinner said:
Learned that from Richard Petty, didja?
Click to expand...
I learned it from a transmission cooler line that came unloose and sprayed ATF (Mercon not Dextron) onto the catalyst / exhaust pipe.
Glanced at the rearview and saw nothing. Nothing except grey. Hard core IMC behind me.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Except, for the driver immediately behind me. I mean immediately behind, like 30 feet, can’t see their license plate they are so close, if you tapped the brakes, they would probably spin out.
Click to expand...

Was probably my wife. Sorry about that.
 
how about the geniuses that zoom up behind you, slow down, follow for a little bit, and then zoom around.

Don't they pay attention and plan ahead? Nobody in the left lane, approaching a slower car, what to do? what to do? I know, slow down behind the slower car and then pass.

brilliant.
 
Bob Noel said:
how about the geniuses that zoom up behind you, slow down, follow for a little bit, and then zoom around.

Don't they pay attention and plan ahead? Nobody in the left lane, approaching a slower car, what to do? what to do? I know, slow down behind the slower car and then pass.

brilliant.
Click to expand...

Prolly didn't see you there ... too busy texting!
 
Bob Noel said:
how about the geniuses that zoom up behind you, slow down, follow for a little bit, and then zoom around.

Don't they pay attention and plan ahead? Nobody in the left lane, approaching a slower car, what to do? what to do? I know, slow down behind the slower car and then pass.

brilliant.
Click to expand...
Better than the ones who pass and then slow down.
 
The cruise control in my car can be set in 1mph increments.

So here I am, cruising down an almost empty interstate. Except for the car that zoomed up behind me. Very close behind me. So I began to take 1 mph off the cruise control every 20 seconds or so. I could see the driver and her pax engaged in a heated discussion and I wanted to see how slow I could drag her down to.

Click by click, I got her down to 38 mph! Suddenly she looked around, and zoomed by.

38 is my record. Anybody have better luck?

-Skip
 
Skip Miller said:
The cruise control in my car can be set in 1mph increments.

So here I am, cruising down an almost empty interstate. Except for the car that zoomed up behind me. Very close behind me. So I began to take 1 mph off the cruise control every 20 seconds or so. I could see the driver and her pax engaged in a heated discussion and I wanted to see how slow I could drag her down to.

Click by click, I got her down to 38 mph! Suddenly she looked around, and zoomed by.

38 is my record. Anybody have better luck?

-Skip
Click to expand...

I am willing to bet that record will stand for a long time.!!
 
Skip Miller said:
The cruise control in my car can be set in 1mph increments.

So here I am, cruising down an almost empty interstate. Except for the car that zoomed up behind me. Very close behind me. So I began to take 1 mph off the cruise control every 20 seconds or so. I could see the driver and her pax engaged in a heated discussion and I wanted to see how slow I could drag her down to.

Click by click, I got her down to 38 mph! Suddenly she looked around, and zoomed by.

38 is my record. Anybody have better luck?

-Skip
Click to expand...

Good job! I can easily get them about 10 under the limit, somedays I might get one close to 15 under but then they come around with a bit of a 'tude ... :happydance:
 
Stewartb said:
You guys spend way too much time being unhappy, and sharing it with everyone else. Life’s too short.
Click to expand...
It actually brings great joy, to imagine dropping oil/hot tar/pebbles of concrete bits onto my rear tire so as to be flung onto the hood / windshield of the brain dead driver behind!

Yes, very happy, healthy emotions summoned!
 
If somebody's too close behind me I tap the brakes just enough so the brake lights come on. If that doesn't work, I slow down and speed up again, repeat until they get the message.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top