I have to admit - I'm with jinx sometimes.

I hate tailgators especially since I was rearended. They make me nervous and also since I'm normally driving 5-10 over they piss me off. I like to slow way down and either force them to go around me or get the hint to back off. What I don't understand are the idiots driving next to each other in both lanes of traffic, going 5 under. Those people really really piss me off, sometimes I'll ride the pipe of the one in the left lane (the fast/passing lane) since they aren't supposed to be driving there anyway. Atleast the person in the right lane is driving where they're supposed to be. I'm a chronic speeder though, I hate having a car infront of me and sometimes I unconsciously tail them, but I normally realize and back off. I've gotten pulled over 3 times for going about 10 over, and once for going 19 over. I got a ticket the last time I was goin 10 over.

I'm trying to explain this to my wife: if and when I tailgate, it's a controlled, deliberate execution of "road justice" via object lesson. When she tailgates, it's for no reason whatsoever but "zoning out" - the complete opposite state I am in (hyper-vigilant) when I do it.

An example of when I might tailgate is this: there's nowhere to go, neither lane has an opening, but the guy behind me is right up my ass. He manages to squeeze in front of me, almost causing several distinct wrecks in the process, only to have nowhere else to go. Now, the roles are reversed. This is me: Hurry up! Hurry up! Out of my way! Go! Go! Go! SEE, ASSHOLE, THIS IS WHAT YOU WERE DOING TO ME. YOU LIKE THAT? YOU LIKE THAT? THIS IS HOW YOU DRIVE, FUCKTARD. PRETTY FUCKIN' POINTLESS, HUH? SHITHEAD.

Roadrage Def. . . See Above

cuz she won't get pregnant?


:D

sheesh.. I wasn't talking about THAT

I don't tailgate anything. I drive a lowslung fiberglass sportscar. I want to have room to SEE what is in the road and avoid it. I also want to have a cushion of space if the vehicle ahead of me does something stupid.

It isn't worth damaging my classic car over to tailgate. I want to arrive at my destination in one piece.

All it takes is one of those cars ahead of a tailgater to slam the brakes and BAM!, the tailgater has hit them and are at fault because they did not have enough time to react and avoid the collision.

If people tailgate me I'll tap my brakes at them. If they don't back off I goose it to put some room between us that I feel comfortable with. If they crawl up my pipes again I will tap my brakes to slow them down and goose again for space. If they still don't get the hint, sometimes I'll wave them back with a hand gesture (all fingers visible) and if that doesn't work, I slow way the fuck down. Then I'm driving and stopping for two. I am aware of my intelligence and driving abilities, but since the tailgater is doing what s/he is doing, I assume they are morons and need me to govern their driving. If only for my own safety while I am ahead of them.

Exactly! When I taught my kids to drive I explained that space = time and you need time to react to what others do. You may be a great driver, but you can't count on everyone else to be doing the right thing

My one and only car accident - I ran into the back of the car in front of me. She was driving a nice BMW and pulled to a stop pretty smartly for a zebra crossing on a rainy road. I was a reasonable distance behind her (reasonable in my mind) but my crappy Peugeot's brakes were just not up to it. I cruised in slow motion into her bumper (pedestrian barriers on one side and traffic queue on the other meant I had nowhere to go).

Since then I give the car in front plenty of space - even if it means letting another 1-2 cars out and find somewhere to pull over if I have someone behind me determined to ride my arse.

a good rule of thumb: 3 seconds -- give the vehicle in front of you a 3 second cushion, using passing landmarks to time the distance.

You can't trust them an inch you know

LOL.

Nice tagline, SG!

First of all, I have an insurance license and worked in the industry for almost seven years... if you rear-end someone (and you were not pushed a full car length from a full-stop with witnesses) it is ALWAYS your fault.
You must be able to see the road beneath the tires of the vehicle on front of you to be a car length when you stop behind them. If you cannot and you get rear-ended and pushed into them, it is your fault that you hit them. 50% negligence = your fault, you pay.

You will get where you are going, you cannot push the car in front of you with your will, you will not get there faster, it is not justice in any way. You are just showing them that they got to you and they are most likely laughing at you or think you are stupid.

I am with an earlier poster, I just keep slowing down until they back-off or pass me. I have time. My wife does the same. We have gone down to 15mph below the limit and just held it there until our turn.

Of course if you are in the fast lane on the highway and someone comes up behind you, you are not the cops and it is not your job to make them slow down... get out of the way.

Exactly.....your perception of what's too close to your rear bumper may have no relation to reality. I work with a woman that complains incessantly about people tailgating her on the way home from work, but I drive the same route for the first couple miles and I don't see her being tailgated at all....perception.
;)

Oh yeah, and some people have no clue where their rear bumper actually is.