Tailgating. Or, Following too darn close in your car.

[Jamie123]

As a fast driver, I expect someone to get out of the passing lane if I am coming behind them faster than they are driving.

Yeah, and as someone who wants the moon on a stick, I expect to be given the moon on a stick.

In fact, if you are one who goes the speed limit, then you shouldn't be in the passing lane unless you are actually passing someone.

And if you are someone who drives on the public road, then you shouldn't be breaking the speed limit. Deal with the beam in your own eye before worrying about the motes in other peoples'. Yes...yes...I know....you can argue that some accidents are caused by bad driving at low speeds, but there's no doubting that speed increases danger. It makes it harder to react when unexpected situations arise, and the consequences of a crash at high speeds are far worse.

And another thing: doesn't your 12th article of faith say "We believe in ........obeying honoring, and sustaining the law"? Or can you get out of that just by saying "I'm a fast driver!" and go around schooling the people who do obey the speed limit on what they should and shouldn't do?

(Sorry to sound so sanctimonious, but this subject really does bug me. I have a brother who's a cop, and he sometimes has to deal with the consequences of dangerous driving, by people who think the rules of the road don't apply to them. It's a lesson for me too - I'm not always the most defensive of drivers either - especially when i have a flashing BMW on my tail!)

Edited April 2, 2012 by Jamie123

[Gwen]

Around here the only law about needing to pull over and let someone pass is if you are going significantly under the speed limit and creating a back up in traffic.... mostly applied to tractors. I do get annoyed when tractors going 15 mph don't pull over and let me by.

I've never heard of tailgating as a way of "informing" someone to move and quite frankly find it very rude. It can take a lot of time to pull off the road and back on, I have somewhere I'm going too. If I'm going the speed limit or more then I don't care if there are 100 cars behind me, I'm not pulling over so you can pass. If there is more than one lane and I can move over then I will but if I can't reasonably move you get to slow down (I typically won't go more than 5 over the speed limit - I don't like driving under). And yes to my knowledge we have laws against tailgating.

This idea might explain something that happened to my sister though. lol She was on a back road and a cop was tailgating her. She was going the speed limit and the roads were empty other than them so he could have passed safely if he desired and his lights were not on indicating he needed to get by. After a mile or so he turned on his lights. She pulled over and he pulled up behind her. He says "Didn't you see me tailgating you?" "Yes" "Don't you think you should have pulled over and let me by" "No, it was clear to pass and you did not have your lights on indicating the need to pull over for an emergency vehicle. As soon as you turned on your lights I moved out of the way." "What if I was trying to get to an emergency?" "I assumed if that were the situation you would turn on your lights and I would move over and give right of way, which is what I did. Are you issuing me a citation for something?" "No" "So if there is an emergency why are you standing here clarifying the road laws that I was following?" The cop then gave her a look that could kill and got in his car and drove off rather quickly. lol

I have had cops obviously annoyed that I was going the speed limit turn on their lights, and as soon as I pulled over they turn their lights back off and zoom past me.

What annoys me is when ppl use their emergency blinkers and are not stopped on the side of the road. Emergency blinkers are to notify of a stopped vehicle. If you have them on and are moving it can be very deceptive to other drivers. For some reason around here (I don't remember ppl in FL doing this) when the rain is blinding instead of just pulling over and waiting a bit they turn on their emergency blinkers and then continue to drive in the lane at like 5 mph. I've also seen ppl driving at night with no headlights so they use the emergency blinkers to be seen. Ummm if you don't have headlights don't drive your car at night... maybe?

[Blackmarch]

I want to get a big bumper stickker or magnet thing that says "My license plate is not braille!!"

[Saldrin]

Once I started swerving side to side they backed off quick.

[Jamie123]

Once I started swerving side to side they backed off quick.

Another technique is to touch your brakes ever so slightly, so that the brake lights come on. It's a very bad idea though: there was a case a while back where a tailgater (and that was what he was, whatever his grieving sister claimed) died a slow painful death from burns after losing control of his car when someone did that. He was an idiot of course, but I wouldn't have wished death upon him.

[MarginOfError]

What annoys me is when ppl use their emergency blinkers and are not stopped on the side of the road. Emergency blinkers are to notify of a stopped vehicle. If you have them on and are moving it can be very deceptive to other drivers. For some reason around here (I don't remember ppl in FL doing this) when the rain is blinding instead of just pulling over and waiting a bit they turn on their emergency blinkers and then continue to drive in the lane at like 5 mph. I've also seen ppl driving at night with no headlights so they use the emergency blinkers to be seen. Ummm if you don't have headlights don't drive your car at night... maybe?

Sometimes turning on the emergency blinkers while moving can be quite effective. I was in the left lane of a four lane (each way) highway when I noticed some steam from the hood and the temperature gauge showing very high. I turned on my emergency blinkers and began to slow down, knowing I needed to get off the interstate in a hurry. Almost immediately, the cars behind me and in the next lane slowed down, and as I made my way across lanes, I was unobstructed as other motorists understood I was having vehicular troubles. All traffic resumed as soon as I made it to the breakdown lane to cruise along at 10 mph.

But in principle you're right; emergency blinkers should say "something is wrong; I'm in the way and I know it." They are not a way of communicating that you want to drive unconscionably slow.

[Backroads]

Whether or not I agree with you depends wholly upon what speed they are travelling. If they were going at the speed limit, and their behaviour prevented you from hitting a hidden speed trap at 80mph, then I think you'd be grateful to them!

One of my huge pet peeves is people who drive six inches from your rear bumper and flash their lights at you for preventing them from arriving at their destination 5 minutes early by daring to obey the law of the land. Speed limits are there for a reason, and if you think they are too low then your argument is with the Department of Transport - not with the driver in front.

Having said that, I agree the best way to deal with a tailgater is to make it easy for them to overtake you by moving over (if you can). If you are driving at the speed limit, and they overtake you, then it is they who are breaking the law, and I seriously hope they get stopped and ticketed. The "you must let them overtake" rule is about getting rid of a dangerous menace to you and your passengers - not about giving way to someone in the right.

Completely agree.

One of my secret dreams is to be some giant concrete block of a truck and throw on my breaks for tailgaters. Then again, people would probably get hurt, and I'd feel bad about that.

I also do believe that's a worse driving habit than tailgating, intentionally angering other drivers. Yes, just humbling oneself and moving over is certainly the wisest thing to do.

But it still bugs me when I simply can't speed up OR move over to the other lane and they still insist on getting close.

Then there's the drivers who pass you to get to the red light. Exactly what are they racing towards?

[slamjet]

Apparently, none of you have driven in Los Angeles. It's not tailgating, it's maximum use of available space with minimal resources. It's quite normal to be very close to the other vehicles tail end going 70+ mph. I've spoken with people that drive to L.A., then turn the keys over to their family because they can't handle the closeness we have to drive with teach other.

[Jamie123]

What annoys me is when ppl use their emergency blinkers and are not stopped on the side of the road. Emergency blinkers are to notify of a stopped vehicle. If you have them on and are moving it can be very deceptive to other drivers. For some reason around here (I don't remember ppl in FL doing this) when the rain is blinding instead of just pulling over and waiting a bit they turn on their emergency blinkers and then continue to drive in the lane at like 5 mph. I've also seen ppl driving at night with no headlights so they use the emergency blinkers to be seen. Ummm if you don't have headlights don't drive your car at night... maybe?

In Britain we call them "hazard lights". Officially their purpose is "to warn other road users of danger". In practice they are used for other purposes: in and around London they are used to say "thank you" to someone for holding back to let you in, or (by the same token) to say "sorry" to someone you've just cut up. I'm not aware of any law that says they can only be used when the vehicle is stationary.

Edited April 2, 2012 by Jamie123

[MorningStar]

I have a special way of letting people know when they're following too close to me. I let my foot off of the gas until I slow down to about 10 under the speed limit and then I gently apply the brakes until I have almost completely stopped. Then I gun it. If the person still doesn't get it, I do it again until they do.

If a person honks at me to turn right at a red and it's not safe to go yet, I go about 5mph when it turns green to punish them. I figure it's better than getting out and yelling at them.

[jerome1232]

I have a special way of letting people know when they're following too close to me. I let my foot off of the gas until I slow down to about 10 under the speed limit and then I gently apply the brakes until I have almost completely stopped. Then I gun it. If the person still doesn't get it, I would consider it more dangerous than tailgating.

As I am on the phone letting the police know I think there is an impaired driver on the road...

Luckily I'm generally on a bike, there's no way your keeping me from simply going around you. You or the person you are forcing to slow down, could easily get rear ended like this.

Because I'm generally on a bike, driving that can get people killed makes a bit red in the face.

[Just_A_Guy]

In Britain we call them "hazard lights". Officially their purpose is "to warn other road users of danger". In practice they are used for other purposes: in and around London they are used to say "thank you" to someone for holding back to let you in, or (by the same token) to say "sorry" to someone you've just cut up. I'm not aware of any law that says they can only be used when the vehicle is stationary.

I can't remember whether I learned this when I got my California or Utah license, but at one point some manual I read was saying that you can also use your hazards to acknowledge a police officer who's trying to pull you over where, for some reason, it is not yet safe to stop.

[pam]

I can't remember whether I learned this when I got my California or Utah license, but at one point some manual I read was saying that you can also use your hazards to acknowledge a police officer who's trying to pull you over where, for some reason, it is not yet safe to stop.

I remember that in California. It became even more widely advertised during the Craig Peyer murder case in the 80's.

[MorningStar]

As I am on the phone letting the police know I think there is an impaired driver on the road...

Luckily I'm generally on a bike, there's no way your keeping me from simply going around you. You or the person you are forcing to slow down, could easily get rear ended like this.

Because I'm generally on a bike, driving that can get people killed makes a bit red in the face.

No, I don't slam on the brakes. My mom does that. I'm way more passive aggressive about it. "You think you were in a hurry before, but you have chosen to endanger my life by driving two feet behind me, so now you're going to be even later if you don't back off." I have my kids in the care 90% of the time, so it makes me extra angry. If I have to stop suddenly, people who tailgate are going to hit me. I would rather slow down gradually and send a message that they are endangering me than get rear ended.

[skippy740]

I am one who has a lead foot (no comment, dravin!).

I seem to remember a certain conference talk on this kind of discussion...

For those that may have missed it:

General Conference Summaries | Sunday Afternoon Session | LDS.org

[Guest]

I'm not the greatest driver. Driving in the Philippines is completely different from driving in the US. Check this out:

This is an uncharacteristically peaceful driving day in Cebu

So, I've had my share of traffic tickets and so I had to go to driving class so I don't get my license suspended and there is one thing that I learned in that class that changed my driving. I haven't had a ticket in quite a while...

The driving instructor said - you're a bad driver if you drive like you are everybody else's mother. When you feel like you have to reprimand the other driver, you're driving like you're his mother. When you learn to drive like just another driver and not everyone's mother, then you'll find that your driving style changes to be a defensive driver and you'll be much safer on the road.

Yep. 6 hours of classes and that's the only thing I learned out of it.

[Iggy]

Yep. 6 hours of classes and that's the only thing I learned out of it.

I learned:

1. You had dang well be driving the posted speed limit BEFORE you pass the speed limit sign.

2. Don't let a tailgater push you to drive faster than the posted speed limit. Slow down, move over to the right IF it is a four or more lane roadway. When the tailgater passes, slow down a bit more to insure he safely passes you, AND THEN stay OFF his tail!

The instructor stressed that you should NOT pull off the road and stop to let a tailgater go by. There had been instances where the tailgater stopped also and caused harm to the driver and car- along with robbing them. If the tailgater continues to tail gate even after you slow down, and does not pass you when it is safe to do so, stay driving at the speed limit or no more than 10 mph under the posted speed limit. IF you know that there is a police/sheriff/ state patrol office nearby, take the exit and go there.

Unfortunately, you can not read someones licence plate when they tailgate. BUT you can give a description of the car. I did this once, and the idiot tailgater actually followed me to the Police station. I had my camera in my hands when I got out of my car and I took pictures of his vehicle, plates and him. Then I went into the station. He actually followed me into the station, yelling at me that I was a danger to other drivers.

After all the yelling, and explanations he was ticketed. I didn't stick around to find out what all they hit him with, I was just happy to get back on the road driving to my destination.

[Backroads]

The instructor stressed that you should NOT pull off the road and stop to let a tailgater go by. There had been instances where the tailgater stopped also and caused harm to the driver and car- along with robbing them. If the tailgater continues to tail gate even after you slow down, and does not pass you when it is safe to do so, stay driving at the speed limit or no more than 10 mph under the posted speed limit. IF you know that there is a police/sheriff/ state patrol office nearby, take the exit and go there.

Interesting to know. I do this often on windy mountain/canyon roads just because I don't feel safer going above the speed limit and often obey the recommended speeds. There isn't a place to just shift lanes. Pulling over to a shoulder is pretty much my only option. Now I'm a little worried.

Unfortunately, you can not read someones licence plate when they tailgate. BUT you can give a description of the car. I did this once, and the idiot tailgater actually followed me to the Police station. I had my camera in my hands when I got out of my car and I took pictures of his vehicle, plates and him. Then I went into the station. He actually followed me into the station, yelling at me that I was a danger to other drivers.

After all the yelling, and explanations he was ticketed. I didn't stick around to find out what all they hit him with, I was just happy to get back on the road driving to my destination.

That's an awesome story.