Tailgaters

Another trick is, during the day, to turn on your lights so that the rear red lights come on. The tailgater will think that you applied the brakes and will slam his brakes. I saw this done once, but have not done it myself.

Also, if you're driving a Prius, step on the gas and stop going 45 in a 65 zone in order to match the car's estimated mpgs.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jamarimutt @ Mar 16 2007, 07:28 PM) [snapback]407033[/snapback]</div>

I find people just like to tail gate. They even do it when it is late at night and I am the only car on the road. They have two other lanes all to themselves and they get right on your nice person. I once had a guy get right up behind me so I took my foot off the gas pedal and just gradually slowed down until he raced around me. We were going around 25 in a 55 when he passed me. The thing was it was evening and very very light traffic. He could have easily gone around me before even having to slow down.

 

being a new prius driver, i'm not sure if its a mental thing or the way the car changes the way one drives but tailgaiters are all up on me it seems. I only really drive on the weekends so i'll have to ask my fiancee (who drives slightly more) if she notices a difference as well. Its also chicago so......

 

Tailgaters are pretty maddening... particularly when you're trying to maintain a safe distance - the 'bubble of safety' around your car. About the only method I've employed is to gradually slow until they pass. I avoid brake lights or sudden slowdowns. There are far too many armed idiots on the highways these days and some seem to transition into road rage with little provocation. For the same reason, I avoid eye contact and never, but never, consider nasty gestures or verbalizing my feelings.

My motivation: To drive and arrive safely.

 

Switch to B mode so you slow down quickly but without giving him any warning.

 

I haven't had any problems.

But I would take my foot off the gas and allow the car to gently slow down. At some point the tailgater is going to be annoyed at having to go that slow and pass you.

If for any reason he decides to speed up and punish me by hitting me....I get a brand new bumper. Good, since mine has a dent.

 

On my motorcycle, I throw pennies at them

Or punch them with carbon-fiber knuckled gloves. I have no idea how I could slug a car from the driver's seat however.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(IAO @ Mar 16 2007, 05:35 PM) [snapback]407041[/snapback]</div>

Happens all the time to me. Of course it's the hybrid drivers fault.

Aggressive drivers are simply mental.

 

The worst is the people that tailgate you up to a red light. The light is going to be red if I speed or if I don't, so get off my nice person! I'm saving myself [and you!] gas by coasting!!!

 

I'm so temped at HybridFest in the crowd to impersonate these tailgaters.

If only the ones doing it knew how idiotic they were....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(R1200GS @ Mar 16 2007, 07:41 PM) [snapback]407046[/snapback]</div>

Several posts on this board have indicated that many Prius drivers feel that there are lots of anti-Prius motorists on the road. I personally don't feel that way in good ol' Virginny, but perhaps you're experiencing some of those same things.

 

I don't see much of a threat in tail gaters. It's their blood pressure that is up, not mine.

 

Did Toyota engineers design the hatch with the bar between the two windows at just the right level to block the headlights of the tailgaters? I use that feature often to shield my eyes. Gradually slowing is amusing, but not always practical. How about aiming one of the windshield wiper spray nozzles so it shoots over your car with full spray and the other cleans the window.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Gadgetdad @ Mar 16 2007, 11:19 PM) [snapback]407315[/snapback]</div>

It works pretty well to use the rear window washer on tailgaters...you don't get water spots all over the roof of your own car that way.

 

I don't know if that was intentional, but it certainly works! Yay Toyota!

 

I have always had people tailgate me so having them do it in to me in a prius is no big deal. I had a Mini Cooper S with all the high-speed extras and I could be going 80mph+ and still get tailgated.

 

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, the local highway columnist "Mr. Roadshow" (Gary Richards) advises AGAINST using the windshield washers to make tailgaters back off. I think he thinks it's rude and might promote road rage.

I like the idea of turning on the lights, except I now drive with my lights on all the time anyway...

I have noticed tailgaters, but no more in the Prius than when I was in the Jeep. I think most tailgaters do it whatever the car in front of them.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Mar 16 2007, 10:14 PM) [snapback]407175[/snapback]</div>

I did this on the highway one time and got rear-ended by a drunk driver; just a bit exciting at 70 mph. There were open lanes on both sides of me when this car comes flying up right behind us, then slows down, and then does it all over again. After a couple of these cycles I figured the driver was an aggressive jerk, so I started slowing down to get him off my rear end - pow, right into our rear bumper. That must of given him a start, because he was all over the road after that. He dropped back a ways, then shot forward, driving along the grass on the edge of the road at 60 mph, just missing the road signs. The police took him off the road with a rolling stop about 20 minutes later: Three police cars dropped into place on all sides but the berm, and slowly moved him off the road to a stop.

Tom