How Do You Deal With Tailgaters?

[Bad Boy Biker]

Right lane driving.
Left lane passing.
GET OUT OF MY WAY.

 

[LouNY]

For some entitled people we need a thumbs down icon rather then a like.

 

[CliffordK]

Taping the brakes without reason can get you "cuffed up" in many states. It depends on how the state defines reckless driving. Having a dash cam can help if, in deed, a deer or animal crossed your path. But it better show an unavoidable encounter. Be warned that not all rear-end collisions create an automatic fault.

I could imagine "brake checking" a person behind oneself would be frowned upon. The dashcam may help some, especially if taken to court.

Keep in mind that deer are very unpredictable, so if one sees one beside the road, it is good to at least slow down (but not necessarily do an emergency stop). I have heard it recommended to just run over small animals, especially if one can't safely stop. But a deer would do a lot of damage at 55+ MPH, and one shouldn't be expected to do that.

 

[Topzide]

I was told by a state trooper to not avoid hitting an animal. More damage or loss of life could occur. An over steering can cause loss of control for most people. Sports cars would be able to handle to maneuver far better as long as driver is paying attention.

I've hit small to medium sized animals over the years. Little to no damage to vehicles. Haven't had a deer strike me yet! Had a few try to race me! Crazy things! Don't honk your horn at them, they'll return to where they were last safe. That could cause them to return in front of you or others that crossed and waiting to return across in front of you.

 

[paulsharvey]

Doesn't matter why the person in front stops, thats the whole point of Proper follow distance. It could be something you dont see, object in road, ect. If they lock them up, and you run into them, thats your fault.

Guy in front might be stopping for debris, animal, or other hazard.



Funny story; Many years ago, working on resurfacing a rural 55 mph roadway, 2 lanes, 11' wide, no paved shoulder, going to 12 ft lanes with 2 ft shoulder. Daily flagging operation, with proper signage and all. One local "kid" on a crouch rocket would sit at the flagger station, reving the rice rocket anytime he got stopped, every day. One day, paving, hes behind a load of asphalt, doing his typical BS, they released traffic, hes behind the dump truck. Truck does up to to the front of the paving train, kid on his butt, and dump truck pulls into the lane closure to back up.

Kid follows him into lane closure and hits the gas as the truck stops... He slids, flips, and goes butt down, across about 100 ft of asphalt in street pants . We all laugh at him and call him a idiot. He gets up kinda slowly, and starts cussing and threatening about calling cops. Sure, go ahead; proper follow distance moron. You have road rash, a trashed up bike, and now your skinny butt wants to talk trash and threaten 13 grown men in the woods.... When I yelled "lets make him squeel like a pig", he decided retreat was the better part of valor

 

[bcp]

It's that sudden stop that gets you every time!

...and the rapid unscheduled disassembly of your vehicle.

Bruce

 

[Jstpssng]

Or, you could just put your signal on and merge into the right lane to let the faster car go by.

When I'm doing 10-15 mph faster than they are there is going to be some sudden decelerating going on.

 

[dstig1]

When I'm doing 10-15 mph faster than they are there is going to be some sudden decelerating going on.

In those cases, I often speed up to pass quicker and get over. If I am running the cruise control, it just reverts to my set speed when i let off the gas. I try to keep things flowing the best I can within reason

 

[ultrarunner]

Hmm, never seen anywhere that had two different speed limits, but also I have never been out there

California, Oregon and Washington have separate truck and auto limits.

Trucks do not include pickup trucks unless towing an auto towing is subject to truck limit.

So 55 truck and as high as 70 auto in parts of California and northern neighbors 60 truck and 65 auto is what I have encountered.

 

[MossRoad]

So, I think one problem your missing Moss; there isnt 2 speeds on a roadway. It's not like in a 65 mph, 4 lane, that there is a 65mph lane and a 75 mph lane. There are people doing 55-60, and the right lane is going to need to pass; then move back over eventually when clear. If while they are passing, and you are riding their butt, you're absolutely in the wrong. If they are actively over taking slower traffic, but at a slower speed than some other like, thats tough. It might annoy folks, but that semi governored at 68 has the right (unless no trucks left lane is posted on regulatory signs) to pass that 62.5 mph truck in the right. It might take a mile or so, but hes not in the wrong, he will get around eventually, and if hes clear, and no longer actively over taking other traffic, he will move back to the right. Let's say you are stuck behind him for 39.6 seconds, to over take, pass, get clear and move over. You have lost what, 1, maybe 2 seconds getting to your destination.

I'm not missing anything. People in the US generally won't cooperate on the road. I'm ahead of you, so tough luck.

Plenty of times we're driving along, come up on a line of slower traffic, switch to the left lane to move past them, when someone else comes up behind us wanting to go even faster than us. So I look for the first safe place to merge right, let them pass, then move out again into the left lane and continue on. It isn't that hard, but many folks won't do it.