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[Y33TREKker]

Have I ever mentioned not especially caring for tailgaters either?

To the guy who tailgated me for 20 miles this morning
Date?: 2009-11-10, 9:42AM EST

I get it. You wanted to go faster, and given that you drive a Mitsubishi Lancer maybe you are under the impression that you are fast and/or furious. I'm the guy who was in front of you for 20 miles from Alpine Junction to Ithaca, driving at various speeds with the constant being that you were so close to my rear end it felt like I was trapped in a changing room with Richard Simmons.

We met at 61 mph, a nice speed for Route 13 -- fast enough to not take forever and slow enough to go unremarked by the many police who patrol that road. You were unsatisfied and expressed it by staying a cool 5 feet off my bumper. I slowed down gradually to 55 mph. This was one of several opportunities to pass me, but you just slowed down too and stayed back there like you wanted to turn on a Sting album and spoon me. So I sped up again hoping that you'd get the message and let me keep the distance I had won between us...but no, you are a jealous sharer of the road, Mitsubishi Lancer. You caught up. For 10 more miles we were like cellmates and you tried to make me your bitch, but all you succeeded in doing was going 13 miles an hour slower than when you started tailgating me. How did that work out for you?

Coming down the hill into Ithaca I sped up again, figuring you'd been punished enough. So when you tried to give me the Sneaky Pete again, I admit I lost my cool and touched the brake for the first time. I hope you spilled your coffee on what I imagine were your Faded Glory pleated khaki pants. Then, in the two-lane road in town you didn't go around. You proceeded to follow me all the way to my parking place before giving me a look and going on your way to, I assume, the DMV where you work.

I offer you these common sense tips:

1. Tailgating is a dick move, and it's even more of a dick move if the guy in front of you is already well above the speed limit on a well-patrolled road.
2. If you are tailgating someone and they slow down, that's your cue to pass and if you can't pass, well then screw you because you are being a dick anyway.
3. It actually makes sense to leave some distance for you too. Have you seen all the deer carcasses on the road? That's because cars hit them. If a deer jumps in front of me and I have to slam on the brakes, I don't want you crashing into me. Based on your body, your reaction time is only fast in World of Warcraft.

[RICHARD PAYNE]

Have I ever mentioned not especially caring for tailgaters either?

Suggestion: Pull off the road real quickly and let the Dick go by before things get out of hand. You will not correct his behavior.

[Y33TREKker]

On two lanes, I generally wait for no oncoming traffic, pull over into the passing lane, hit the brakes, and let the @&& go on by. Rather than getting the message though, they usually look over at me with that look on their faces that tells me they think I'M the one who doesn't know how to drive.

And I agree, I have no illusions that some of them will ever get the message, but I live in perpetual hope.

[RickOKC]

That was hilarious!

I've had good luck by turning on the hazard lights and maintaining speed. A lot of times it will wake up the tailgater and they'll back off. Or maybe they're worried those weird flashy lights mean something is about to fall off my car and might hit theirs.

GMAC Insurance Study: Nearly 1 in 5 American Drivers Unfit for the Road
* 1 in 5 drivers on the road today cannot meet the basic requirements to get a driver's license
* 85% could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light
* only 25% were aware of safe following distances.

[Gussie2000]

I had been tailgated so many times,couldn't understand why is it that drivers has to follow so closely.

Since i bought my VX my rear bumper have being stroke 3 or 4 four times.

1rst time by a dad with his two kids giving him hell in the rear seat so much he couldn't focus on driving so @ this traffic light i stop.....he didn't....well,my bumper stopped him,thank god he were going like 5 mph so no damages. He said "Sorry,my kids" i told him :Your kids aren't driving,is you !

2nd time under heavy rain @ this traffic light in red,i was the 3rd car on lane,all i saw from my rear-view mirror was this VW jetta's head lights closening fast enough..........that he couldn't stop due his speed and the wet road,my move was to release the brake pedal and allow my VX to move few feets foward so the impact of the jetta's momentum wouldn't cause a big damage because i knew he wouldn't be able to stop before hitting me.
All the VW driver told me : "Sorry dude,didn't get to stop on time " I told him : don't be sorry.......be smart and drive with your 5 common senses....slow the f... down

3rd time was last week,this lady on her brand-new hyundai sonata,traffic flow came to a full stall,seemed she wasn't looking foward ( as you should ) and BOOM,my left side bumper was stroke by her.. But what got me angry was her actitude ( as every NYC driver does ) trying to blame me for her lack of attention,Then she tried take control of the situation by saying she's a police officer, i knew as a matter of fact that she wasn't a P/O so i ask her to show me her badge & ID, she look at me like but i did show her mine as a NYC auxiliary P/O.I quite sure her thoughts were " F...i messed up" I told her : Mom do you knew i have the power and autority to arrest you trying to portrait yourself as being a P/O ? She shut her mouth,went to her car and came back with $ 300.00 cash. I told her : " You just pay your bail,get the F... outter here and never,ever say you are a P/O because you may not be that lucky again. "

She tried to subdue me by saying she were a P/O so i wouldn't do what i supposed to do call : the cops,call your insurance company and report the collision

I never liked the idea of tailgating any vehicule,is just TOO WAY stupid and if you rear-end a car the fault is all on you,no room for debate,period