What's the point of tailgating?

[The motor guy]

People also need to quit getting so close to other vehicles when switching lanes also. There is absolutely no point in coming up two feet behind a vehicle and then switching lanes. I've seen it where the car is basically in the same lane.

 

[otis24]

I've seen it done at least a dozen times when someone passes you in a no passing zone, on a two lane road, and then stops abruptly twenty yards up the road to turn into their driveway. What morons!

 

[MinamiKotaro]

I don't do more than 55 most of the time and keep in the slow lane. Makes for a very undramatic drive and I get better mileage.

Anyway, this usually happens a few times a week: I'll be puttering along and a car will come up behind me doing 70 or more. He'll slow down, ride my [censored] for a while, then finally decide to pass and go on his merry way.

This happens no matter how light the traffic conditions or how clear the visibility. The other driver always has plenty of time to see me up ahead, realize I'm going much slower than him, and get over to pass without any need to slow down or get anywhere near my back bumper. It's like they have some need to tailgate, just for a little bit.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Many drivers ignore the sign "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT".

Regardless how fast (or slow) you are driving, if right lane is empty (or there is plenty of room for you to drive the speed you like on right lane) why hog the left lane, especially going at exactly the speed of other vehicle on the right lane so nobody can pass.

Nobody owns any road, highway or surface streets, you drive at the speed you like for whatever reason you choose, let other drivers drive at speed they like. Remember this sign on Interstate Highway (and on some state highway too): "SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT"

Don't force your idea of safe driving to others. When I'm on local highways, I usually drive at around speed limit, which is 65 MPH, on second lane from the right most lane. I stay away from the right most lane because it is the lane that other drivers use to exit or enter highway. If the lane I was on was slower then I move to the next left until I can safely move back and maintain my normal speed.

I will move to the left most lane if and when I drive faster than others on every other lane. If I decide to slow down then I immediately move to the farthest right lane that move at the speed that I like at that time.

 

[ltslimjim]

^Yeah, I do not ride in the left lane, just only to pass. The end. It's pretty simple.

Notice how it's when others try to go out of their way to 'manage' someone else that the problems start?

Responding to someone doing this by brake checking (not extreme mind you), is reasonable. However, careful when doing this because braking too hard can cause an accident all the same.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Anyone who deliberately tries to cause an accident deserves whatever they get. Everyone needs to work on their own driving and quit trying to change someone elses!

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Anyone who deliberately tries to cause an accident deserves whatever they get. Everyone needs to work on their own driving and quit trying to change someone elses!


That's pretty tough to do when someone is following so close you can't even see the front end of their vehicle...

 

[jeepman3071]

Tailgating is one reason I leave my trailer hitch in all the time. My buddy was driving his Silverado on a road with a speed limit of 50 mph. He had some lady in a Chevy Cavalier riding his bumper so close he couldn't see her hood. About 5 minutes later a person backs out of their driveway into the road without looking. He hits the brakes and the car behind him slammed into him. His truck was fine, but his trailer hitch destroyed her radiator and hood. She was 100% at fault.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Anyone who deliberately tries to cause an accident deserves whatever they get. Everyone needs to work on their own driving and quit trying to change someone elses!


That's pretty tough to do when someone is following so close you can't even see the front end of their vehicle...


Absolutely agreed so far as it is hard to deal with, but TRYING to cause an accident is reprehensible. Enough will happen without any help! In my state there are penalties for brake checking, etc., if it results in an accident. Not to mention liability.

And you will never change someone else anyway. So just work on calming yourself down and watching your own driving. That's the only effect you can have on this.

 

[grampi]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Anyone who deliberately tries to cause an accident deserves whatever they get. Everyone needs to work on their own driving and quit trying to change someone elses!


That's pretty tough to do when someone is following so close you can't even see the front end of their vehicle...


Absolutely agreed so far as it is hard to deal with, but TRYING to cause an accident is reprehensible. Enough will happen without any help! In my state there are penalties for brake checking, etc., if it results in an accident. Not to mention liability.

And you will never change someone else anyway. So just work on calming yourself down and watching your own driving. That's the only effect you can have on this.


How is anyone going to prove brake checking? And I don't think anyone does it to cause an accident, it's done to get the tailgater to back off...and as was said earlier, if someone does hit their brakes and the person following hits that vehicle, it's the follower's fault for following too closely...

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Originally Posted By: grampi
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Anyone who deliberately tries to cause an accident deserves whatever they get. Everyone needs to work on their own driving and quit trying to change someone elses!


That's pretty tough to do when someone is following so close you can't even see the front end of their vehicle...


Absolutely agreed so far as it is hard to deal with, but TRYING to cause an accident is reprehensible. Enough will happen without any help! In my state there are penalties for brake checking, etc., if it results in an accident. Not to mention liability.

And you will never change someone else anyway. So just work on calming yourself down and watching your own driving. That's the only effect you can have on this.


Let me be clear on my previous post, in response to another poster I suggested that 'minor' brake checking; basically a little more than just lighting up your brake lights but not much more, perhaps could be done.

However, I would not do this in heavy traffic nor by myself. Brake tapping, slowing vs hard brake checking are different.