What to do about tail gaters?

I have used this tactic on occasion with good results. You do have to be
going fast enough for the slipstream to carry the spray over your car
though. You have to spray for an extended period to really affect the
following vehicle. The other driver usually "doesn't get it" right away,
but a second heavier application usually does the trick.

I've been thinking about re-aiming one, or both, of the hatch washer
nozzles straight back. (I've read that it's easy to do with a straight pin.)
I'd expect the same effect with less fluid used.

It's too bad that the hatch washer doesn't have a separate reservoir. I'd
like to spray water heavily dyed red with food coloring to make it clear
that the hosing down is an intentional act, not a coincidence.

Even better yet would be a stream of foaming window cleaner...
"The better to see you with my dear."

 

An NRA sticker on the back seems to have a positive affect...for me anyways.

 

Yup. I've done this many times and it works, BUT.............be careful whose car you squirt. I've had a few crazy people road rage after me to get revenge by trying to side swipe me or get in front and slam on their brakes :rant:

Usually if you just throw up your hands as if to say you were just cleaning the window, they'll move on. Or avoiding eye contact helps too. Or, hold up you cell to make them think you'll call "911".

 

Get out of the way or speed up. If you want to control the flow of traffic, join a police force.

 

Oh most excellent advise . Yes, let's not inconvenience others just because some of us would rather drive within the speed limits. You'll be ponying up the expenses for anyone that follows your guidance and gets ticketed then, right?

 

When I'm being tailgated by some a**h*** in the fast lane, I'll move over and let them pass. (my speed in the fast lane-73 to 77mph)

However, if I'm in the number 2 or 3 lanes (doing 68-73mph), and the idiot has plenty of room to pass, I'll wait about 90 seconds and if they don't quit tailgating me, then a squirt of about a few ounces to pint of fluid does the trick.

 

I would NOT recomend this! last summer I was driving on the 290 just outside of Buffalo NY and had a truck tailgate me I taped the brake to light up the tail lights - he jammed his, the driver behind him had to jam hers.

a few hundred yards further all three of us exited the offramp, the truck comes flying up on my drivers side and side swipes my car taking out the door, mirror and front fender.

when the usless "i'm to busy to do paper work" Town of Tonawanda cop (btw, I used to be an officer and these fools have no idea or just don't care to inventigate anything that won't get thier name in the papaer) shows up the guy in the truck tells him I cut him off on the 290 and then tried to run him off the exit ramp. the girl who had to jam her brakes them tell the cop that she had to jam her brakes because of the truck (defacto backing up his story) didn't matter that the damage to my car showed that the impact happened from back to front...... the only way that would have been posible if I was at fault would have been my driving in reverse on the exit ramp.... since that wasn't likely without being noticed I figured I'd be good telling the truth.

Bottom line, no tickets, no report other than a pre-printed MVA exchange of information sheet, a $500 deductible and a non OEM drivers mirror that vibrates so bad its only good for backing up.

so what do I do now?

the driver behind you is allways at fault in a rear end MVA, I either slow down without my brake and move to the right so they can pass.... OR .... if they dont and just keep ridding my rear end, well there is allways that "B" gear on the shifter

 

Not to start an argument or tell anyone to brake the law here.

Speaking as a former officer, the statistics show that there are more MVA's caused by slow drivers than by the occational "speed demon" it is allways safest for you and other drivers to stay with the flow of trafic or move to the right so that faster trafic pass without having to force a pass in an unsafe manner.

forcing a pass Vs allowing them to pass even at a speend higher than posted causes an unsafe condition for ALL drivers in the area.

if you truly want to control trafic don't join a police force drive a pace car on a track where they won't try force a pass that could kill them, you and anyone else near by.

 

How to deal with tailgaiting? Drop a gear and disappear. Pull in the clutch lever, click down once or twice with your right foot, and blip the throttle before easing off to match revs. Split lanes if necessary to increase distance.

Oh, you meant IN A CAR!

 

Friend of mine used to have a trap door in the floor board of his old pick-up. He used to drop old spark plugs, pennies, marbles, etc through the trap door to shake off tailgaters (not recommended).

He had the "thug look" so he could get away with it.

 

Same idea but more subtle (and innocent-looking)

Have a brake-light button that will make it seem you are braking when you are not.

Someone that did this posted a tailgater slammed their brakes.

If it's me, I'd use with discretion and be prepared to take evasive action if the tailgater has serious issues.

 

Lots of Prius hate here in redneck land. Mostly pick ups. Republican party has done a good job demonizing anything green and the Prius is at the top of the list. Because saving gas is bad when your owned by BIG OIL.
The Prius is gay and socialist and an environmental nightmare according to them. Anyone who disagrees hasn't gone on any Prius YouTubes.

What's made it so much worse for the Prius is the new Prius owner crawling away from lights and driving well below the speed limit trying to gain an extra.05 mpg's at the expense of traffic. You can always spot a new Prius owner.
And in rush hour it really sucks to be stuck behind one.

But very bad idea to tap the brakes but if you must don't tap the brakes just turn on the hazards one flash. They'll think you hit the brakes but you didn't incur any slow down. Then let the road rage ensue.

 

Seems Rush has been credited for the firebomb Prius drivers are all "godless, gay, socialists"...he struck out with me and my car that can be confused for a Prius (2000 Honda Insight.)

I can drive in a way to save fuel AND stay out of the gearhead's way and YET they often drive enraged anyway.

This is one of the behaviors I experience that make me pessimistic about my country's future.

 

Hit brakes.

Generally though if I feel somebody is trying to pressure me faster than I want to go I put cruise on to ensure no subconscious desire to please increases my speed.

 

Which leads to an interesting solution to the problem - make a fast turn without prior notice. Of course, there has to be a place to make that fast turn and it's most effective when your car handles better than the one the tailgater is driving.

 

If I don't see headlights, they don't exist in my reality.

 

If I flew up behind you in the fast lane and you were going slow i would just say, "oh he's a steelers fan he's slow anyway", take pity on you and then pass on the right.

 

Had another SUV in a hurry following behind a dozen yards. The left lane was open so I changed left. The SUV sped up to pass on the right and about 30 yards in front, turned to the right. The lane was free so I changed back, relieved they had made their appointment 'just in time.' . . . Ok, so I didn't really care as I'd seen that same pattern replicated so many times before.

Bob Wilson