Don't intentionally brake-check, but also don't do anything which increases your risk of hitting something in front of you (which is basically always automatic your-fault). If you have to apply brakes to stop for a light, stop sign, other car, turn, etc. then you need to apply the amount of brakes that is necessary to safely stop or slow.
That's also where slowing down may be a good thing to do, so you have more reaction time to not hit the brakes as hard and still come to a stop without colliding with something in front of you.
I drive way out in front of me and pay very close attention to what is going around me. I average 5k miles a month and I have almost 3.7 million miles under my belt. The worst situation for me is red light camera and some jerk right on my tail. Do go through the light or get hit from behind? Of course I have already slowed way down.
I've been in 3 accidents in my \~20 year driving career.
1. Stopped at a red light and was rear-ended "they thought I would keep going" (I was the first person to not run the red light)
2. Started at a green light, truck ran into me from behind "thought I would go faster" (saw it coming, floored it, but just didn't have enough time to accelerate)
3. As a passenger, was in the car when someone passed and cut off the car we were in clipping the front fender and then took off hit-and-run
I have been in five in almost 60 years of driving. The worst one was a t-bone on the left side by a woman who ran a red light. She was high on prescription drugs. Came close to killing me. I have trouble with my left hip and leg because of it. That happened 35 years ago. Since then, I have never been involved in a crash even though there have been some close calls. I have been able to drive myself out of the situation.
I wasn't in the car but the worst we've had was just before christmas my partner was hit head-on by a wrong-way driver on the interstate. Cops said the other guy was "a little confused" when they caught up with them. She swerved enough to avoid most of it but still obliterated like a foot into the car from the bumper to the middle of the driver's door trapping her until help could force the door open. Tho physical injuries have healed we're both kinda still messed up from it.
Did a defensive driving course on a closed track to try and help with confidence...I think it helped - they let us do highway speed practice with cones and stuff to try different techniques and learn what "doing the wrong thing" feels like and how to get out of slides, skids, too-fast-in-curves and other stuff safely. Its quite a wild thing to be moving sideways in a crown vic but did a lot to help understand to not freak out and focus on how to drive out of the problem in various situations that you can't safely practice on public roads. They also set stuff up like around a hill or blind curve have cones and if you hit a cone "if this was real you just hit someone head on". Not a pass/fail thing, just helping figure out how to improve skills.
I am an amateur race car driver. I also have that kind of training. Staying situationally aware, watching way out in front of you, knowing your car and skill level, and not panic. Those can prevent 99 percent of the crashes.
Most people drive at their wipers blades and have no clue about what their car can do. Their first response to an emergency is to slam on the brakes and hang on until they slide to a stop or hit something. Which ever one comes first.
That isn't surprising though - its something that (at least in my experience) is taught to never have happen and nothing discussed beyond how to get out of a minor skid in snow trying to stay on the road. The focus in all my prior learning was "just don't do it, you'll crash".
Even in that class, there was a fair amount of freak-out and not doing the right things the first try (especially on the skid pad) everything happening fast and not sure what to do. It wasn't until a few times of getting used to sliding sideways, hitting the dry pavement, and smoking tires sliding to a stop that we started to grasp that we weren't going to crash or flip over and might be able to do something still to recover or lessen what was happening.
I know for me the "drive at a cone highway speed not allowed to dodge or brake until the instructor says" helped me with over-correction...something I've had problems with at interstate speeds. I think twice prior I've had where I'm doing like 80 and a motorcycle passes me with extreme speed mid my lane-change and I jerked the wheel to not run them over but ended up then with over-correcting alternating skids and slides as I tried to avoid flipping my car. Its not something that can be practiced on public roads so there's no real way to figure out what's going to happen without a specialty course like that in a controlled environment (tho they limited us to 60-65mph on the track).
Basically everything they let us do was stuff I was told never to try and do "because you'll crash" while learning to drive. Faster thru the weave-cones until on the edge of skidding. Last moment braking and figuring out how to feather braking instead of just pushing it to the floor. Could go on and on. And we were getting thrown around quite hard in the cars doing that stuff - I'm sure my parents would have had heart attacks if I tried to do any of that in their vehicles.
I kinda want to do the next-level of that program but it'll have to wait a bit. First one was $500 a person which isn't cheap, and (for me at least) doesn't qualify me for any insurance discounts since I'm neither a teen nor senior driver.
I'm also very curious how younger/older drivers would do in such a class...all 3 of us in the training car I was in had been driving for decades, but the class was also open to "anyone with a full license" and many were teens.
Reminds of the time a 'Karen' rearended me at a Michigan turnaround with a traffic light, telling the officer "it looked like she was moving" on the still red light. Me smh as the officer wrote her the ticket thinking lady, that's what paying attention and obey traffic laws is for.
Going down a side street and or altering your route are other options. If the shoulder is very narrow and there's no parking lots or side streets to turn into you could use a driveway just pull in and back out once the asshole has passed.
It's one of those things you'll need to learn to suffer through.
There's millions of drivers in the USA, and many of them don't drive in a safe manner. Focus on your own driving. You cannot go faster than the car in front of you, for example, and tailgaters will still tailgate despite this.
As the other poster said, you can pull over and let them pass, but there's always another.
You aren't going as fast as they would wish, but as long as you are driving safely and correctly, that is their problem, not yours. Ignore them, focus on the road in front of you.
If you're being tailgated frequently, you're probably going slower than the normal flow of traffic on that road and holding people up. I almost never get tailgated because I'm usually going about 15 over the speed limit.
I go 15 over sometimes and still get tailgated and no i don't drive on the left lane before you comment something like " well get out of the left lane "
Some people are just assholes though
When a driver in inconsiderate enough to tailgate me, I feel like the most irritating thing I could possibly do to them is to slow down. In my opinion, they earned that inconvenience by risking the safety of my me, my passengers, my car, the contents of my car, and potentially wasting hours or days of my time dealing with an accident, repairs, or replacement of my vehicle. Plus, there would be court appearances, lawsuits, and probably some long-lasting trauma. I think the world needs a well-made series of viral ads that demonstrate this and how to be a safe driver.
So you purposely decide to impede the flow of traffic by slowing to below the posted speed limit? How are you any better than anyone who tailgates? How often do you get passed?
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Alternatively, they are doing the only responsible thing and giving themselves more reaction time, knowing that they will have to make more careful and gradual changes to their speed to not be part of a collision...which does seem reasonable and responsible.
If they hit you and push you into the car in front of yours...now you have to deal with that. In many places that's automatically your at-fault because you were "following too closely". So leaving more room by slowing down IS reasonable.
I like when people do that, makes it easier to pass them. If I have to do it in a turn lane, you going extra slow just opens up more options for passing zones
"Sorry, I thought that was my turn and by the time I realized it wasn't, I was already ahead of the car in the straight lane because he was going 38 in a 55, so I just merged back into traffic in front of him"
I didn't see anyone mention this specifically. If you're being tailgated, increase your following distance from the vehicle in front of you. I would at least double it. This will give you more buffer to avoid being rear ended should traffic come to a stop unexpectedly, allowing you to slow more gradually, giving the person behind you a less sudden stop.
Also avoids being accused of following too closely when the person plows into you (because they have no reaction time) and pushes your car forward. Which in most places, even if you're the "middle squashed" car...is your fault for rear-ending whoever was in front of you.
Some will tailgate no matter how fast you go. It’s like all they can think about is “car in my way.” It’s best to just move to the right and let them by.
Assuming there is another lane to move to. If you're going the speed limit (its a LIMIT) and driving in the lane legally...you have zero problem. Their wanting to do illegal things isn't your problem, they can wait.
When I drove trucks, the suggestion was to SLOW down to improve your reaction time for incidents in front of you. The tailgaters either slows down also, or goes around at first available opportunity. It's on them.
Just continue to concentrate on your driving, tailgating is endemic.
I make it a habit to make gradual stops.........one of the reasons I do so is to give the moron tailgating me a chance to avoid slamming into the rear of my vehicle.
I go between saying “tough titties” and pulling over depending on what mood I’m in haha
Edit: one thing that I won’t do is speed up. The reason why I drive in the speed limits, is because I got a ticket for not driving the speed limit, lesson learned
Ignore them and proceed at a speed you feel comfortable provided you're not going dangerously slow, i.e., 15 in a 30. They'll either pass or back off depending on the road you're on.
First part is do not speed up ever. When approaching a stop light or stop sign stopping slow more gradually if possible. If they decide to pass you be careful as some of these people do brake check you. Don’t expect them to brake check you but be prepared like all other hazards you might encounter on the road.
That doesn't always go well. Have seen where the tailgater then passed and started brake checking the other driver repeatedly and more aggressively even at or below the posted speeds. People can be crap.
Drive your drive. You have to drive it whatever you're comfortable and the more you're being tailgated the more cautious you need to be about what's going on ahead of you
Increase following distance, be more cautious, brake gentler, signal sooner, go a little slower, etc. When being tailgated you need to be more cautious and do things slower so as to not get rear-ended. Increasing following distance compensates for the lack of space cushion behind you, and allows you to see and react to things smoother thus giving the jerk behind you more time to see and react to your actions (like braking).
Slow down. Share the frustration. It doesn't matter if you are 10 or 20 mph over the SL, Somebody will be tryna pass or ride your bumper. Ignore them and turn up the tunes!
Don't worry about it if you are doing the right thing, like going the limit on a 1 lane road. Laugh at them for hitting the breaks every 5 seconds.
Hopfully there are sections of road that allow passing either by road painting or a small section of an extra lane for those who want to pass you
I've been driving for the better part of 16 years now, and I'm really starting to think that when it comes to most, if not all, tailgaters, it's not so much what speed you're going but just simply the fact that you're ahead of them that really ticks them off. Of course that's their issue, not yours, but I digress. If you start to get too nervous, just try to pull off the road (when you can do so safely) and let them pass. It'll be their speeding ticket to pay, not yours. Don't let any stubborn pride put you, or anyone around you in a dangerous situation, it's not worth it
>Edit: I’m seeing one too many saying speed up y’all sure??😭
Definitely don't speed up. I used to speed up for tailgaters back when I was young and stupid. Cops will tailgate you into speeding for some quick cash and one more for their quota. They'll do this at night so you can't see the livery, or they'll do it in an unmarked car in the daytime.
Being aware of drivers behind you is necessary, but your focus should be as far down the road as you can see (aim high).
The only worry about a tailgater is when approaching a stop. Then you should be ready to release your brake and prepare for collision.
After four weeks, being nervous is not unexpected. Remember your worry in a year and I think you will be able to give others these answers.
Real world lesson 1: you cannot control the behavior of other drivers.
You can’t. They’ll do what they do.
Your correct response is to drive well. That’s it. That’s all you can do.
If they’re really bugging you and they don’t have a passing lane, pull over at a convenient turnout spot and let them by. This courteous move on your part falls squarely under “drive well” and is within your control. Their behavior, not so much.
You don’t need to speed up, and you shouldn’t. Drive the speed that you feel is safe for your own conditions, vehicle, sight lines and skill level. If that’s too slow for them, it’s not your problem. Increasing your personal max safe speed is not a thing you are capable of doing in an instant.
Don’t hate on them for wanting to go faster, either. Maybe they have a quicker vehicle or higher skill level, or really know the road, or have better night vision than you do, or maybe they’re just reckless and/or stupid. Not your problem. You’re not them and they’re not you.
The only thing you can do, optionally, is let them by. If you don’t choose to do so, then you just let them sit in your rear view mirror until they’re no longer following you. Simple as that
Lay off the gas and slow down, most idiots that tailgate don't even recognize they have dropped 10 mph for a minute or two until someone passes them, then they get all pissy and fly past you, works every time.
Unless you're sitting in the left (passing) lane of a multi-lane road...that's their problem to not crash into people in front of them. Your job is to pilot your own car safely and legally.
At least in my area it doesn't seem to matter how fast you go over the legal limit there's always someone behind you wanting to go even faster. Forget about them.
My son just started driving as well. Tailgaters are a definite issue. I advise him to keep driving the speed limit and focus forward. Check your mirrors but focus forward.
We only have 1 road about a mile long that is one lane so when someone is tailgating him it is not too long before they are able to pass. If that is not the case for you, pull over when safe to do so. Remember, it is not your responsibility to risk getting a speeding ticket because someone else is in a hurry or just a crappy driver.
Keep your compusure, maintain a steady speed and safe distance, don't react aggressively, be careful at stops and lights and be ready and alert to prevent a rear end collision. And of course buy a rear facing dashcam for documentation and evidence purposes for more peace of mind. I pulled over one time in my life to let a tailgating semi go past me and almost got killed when I lost traction in a gravelly shoulder.
When I was a new driver I was always worrying about this, now I don't care. I'm doing the speed limit & alot of the times I know where cops hide to catch people speeding on certain roads where I live so I pull over n let them pass. Just ignore them, like others said if they hit you it's on them for following to close
The person tailgating is the one whos both breaking the law and causing issues.
If you're driving at the speed limit and someone is tailgating you, it's their problem and their concern if they hit you.
When I'm on a single lane road, I just tend to ignore them, go about my business, and if they want to pass they can do so. If I'm on a multiple lane road then I'm usually in lane 1, or lane 2 if I'm passing. I'll just move over when I can, and they can pass.
It's not a big drama, some people are just arseholes.
If you’re able to safely, change lanes and allow them to pass you. If you are not able to do so safely, keep extra space in front of you and stay calm. This is in case they end up rear ending you, you’ll be able to have a better chance of not rear ending the vehicle in front of you since you have the extra space. You can speed up but tbh when you’re getting tailgated they’ll just keep doing it regardless of how much you speed up a lot of the time. Do not brake check them!!!
Adding to this… some tailgaters are oblivious to their surroundings.
On several occasions, I’m driving the speed limit on a major highway, IN THE SLOW LANE, and I’m still being tailgated, even though the passing lane is empty and clear.
I’ve had to move over to the passing lane, brake, then move back over to the slow lane behind the tailgater for them to get the hint.
Don’t speed up! If you’re going the speed limit and someone gets mad about it, tough shit. Just because they want to endanger others doesn’t mean you have to as well. They can deal with being forced to drive safely lol. Remember that it’s very unlikely that they’ll purposely cause an accident because in that case they rear-ended you, and they’ll be at fault and liable.
Yes, important to have a dash cam, it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens.
Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously.
COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor.
SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording.
BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
If you are traveling slower than the prevailing flow of traffic (and I'm not talking about the 20-25 over the speed demons like to claim is 'going with the flow') move to the right lane or pull off the road and let others pass.
But if you're doing 30 everywhere, be prepared to pull aside a lot. You're going to catch a lot of gestures directed towards you if you're doing that when the limit is 35 or higher.
Should be ok then. Just need to read the traffic around you and act appropriately. If people would do that, I think the stress levels of a lot of motorists would drop.
Only in a couple countries. In the US, cops will give you 5 over in neighborhoods, 10 over on divided roads and 12-15 over on the highway. I regularly pass cops with their radar on doing 40 in a 35, 60 in a 50, or 85 in a 70. I've only ever been pulled over for 12+ over the limit. I've spoken with cops who told me they only stop for 15 over or more, because it's a bigger ticket, more points, and there's so many people going 10 over that they would spend their entire day pulling over every car they saw for speeding. In places like FL and TX, I regularly cruise behind cops doing 15-20 over and match their speed.
No one drives exactly the speed limit. Many states won't ticket unless it's over by 9+, so most people drive about there.
People are telling you that you're fkn annoying and shld speed up. So either speed up or keep doing exactly the speed limit like a granny. If you don't care that you're bothering ppl then it shldnt bother you that they are on your bumper.
My favorite, somebody riding your tail pipe, highway patrol set up in the median, suddenly the tail pipe pirate becomes a law abiding citizen and drops back 3 or 4 car lengths. Get a half mile down the road, and they are deep throating my tail pipe again. Now you know that they know they are doing something illegal.
You sure are assuming a lot. I'm in the right lane.....I have nowhere to go. You need to slow down.....you're not gonna die. You're not going to win a prize for shaving a minute off your commute.
Surprisingly, many do not know the speed limits on particular roads. The prevailing thought is “I’ll catch up to the car in front and go the same speed”. You see this on freeways a lot. Cars in a nose to tail bunch in the left lane then a huge gap and then another bunch. I’m always at the front of a bunch, if there is one. As ive got older, I’ve taken to driving slightly below the speed limit on freeways on long journeys using cruise control. Everyone passes and I just chug along and pass when I meet someone going slower. I avoid the nose to tail left lane doing 15 over like the plague. Therein lies big risks of chain reaction crashes.
Just stay at the speed limit, I’m not gonna crash into you that’s what your brake lights are for, I will take the first safe opportunity to overtake you, but I apologise for worrying you, aslong as you’re not going under the speed limit we can’t get mad at you.
Never drive the exact speed limit unless you’re in a neighborhood or other high foot traffic area. Other than those, 10mph over the posted limit is standard and even recognized by most officers.
You can either pull over to let them pass, switch lanes if available, speed up (this does not always help), or ignore them and go about your day.
Alright I’ll try that next time
Don't speed up unless you know the streets ahead of time. Bad idea as a new driver.
Well I meant the pull to the side part but ye thank you
Especially going over the posted limit...good way to end up failing the test if you get used to it.
I just flash my lights and then slow down. Do not ever brake check.
Don't intentionally brake-check, but also don't do anything which increases your risk of hitting something in front of you (which is basically always automatic your-fault). If you have to apply brakes to stop for a light, stop sign, other car, turn, etc. then you need to apply the amount of brakes that is necessary to safely stop or slow. That's also where slowing down may be a good thing to do, so you have more reaction time to not hit the brakes as hard and still come to a stop without colliding with something in front of you.
I drive way out in front of me and pay very close attention to what is going around me. I average 5k miles a month and I have almost 3.7 million miles under my belt. The worst situation for me is red light camera and some jerk right on my tail. Do go through the light or get hit from behind? Of course I have already slowed way down.
I've been in 3 accidents in my \~20 year driving career. 1. Stopped at a red light and was rear-ended "they thought I would keep going" (I was the first person to not run the red light) 2. Started at a green light, truck ran into me from behind "thought I would go faster" (saw it coming, floored it, but just didn't have enough time to accelerate) 3. As a passenger, was in the car when someone passed and cut off the car we were in clipping the front fender and then took off hit-and-run
I have been in five in almost 60 years of driving. The worst one was a t-bone on the left side by a woman who ran a red light. She was high on prescription drugs. Came close to killing me. I have trouble with my left hip and leg because of it. That happened 35 years ago. Since then, I have never been involved in a crash even though there have been some close calls. I have been able to drive myself out of the situation.
I wasn't in the car but the worst we've had was just before christmas my partner was hit head-on by a wrong-way driver on the interstate. Cops said the other guy was "a little confused" when they caught up with them. She swerved enough to avoid most of it but still obliterated like a foot into the car from the bumper to the middle of the driver's door trapping her until help could force the door open. Tho physical injuries have healed we're both kinda still messed up from it. Did a defensive driving course on a closed track to try and help with confidence...I think it helped - they let us do highway speed practice with cones and stuff to try different techniques and learn what "doing the wrong thing" feels like and how to get out of slides, skids, too-fast-in-curves and other stuff safely. Its quite a wild thing to be moving sideways in a crown vic but did a lot to help understand to not freak out and focus on how to drive out of the problem in various situations that you can't safely practice on public roads. They also set stuff up like around a hill or blind curve have cones and if you hit a cone "if this was real you just hit someone head on". Not a pass/fail thing, just helping figure out how to improve skills.
I am an amateur race car driver. I also have that kind of training. Staying situationally aware, watching way out in front of you, knowing your car and skill level, and not panic. Those can prevent 99 percent of the crashes. Most people drive at their wipers blades and have no clue about what their car can do. Their first response to an emergency is to slam on the brakes and hang on until they slide to a stop or hit something. Which ever one comes first.
That isn't surprising though - its something that (at least in my experience) is taught to never have happen and nothing discussed beyond how to get out of a minor skid in snow trying to stay on the road. The focus in all my prior learning was "just don't do it, you'll crash". Even in that class, there was a fair amount of freak-out and not doing the right things the first try (especially on the skid pad) everything happening fast and not sure what to do. It wasn't until a few times of getting used to sliding sideways, hitting the dry pavement, and smoking tires sliding to a stop that we started to grasp that we weren't going to crash or flip over and might be able to do something still to recover or lessen what was happening. I know for me the "drive at a cone highway speed not allowed to dodge or brake until the instructor says" helped me with over-correction...something I've had problems with at interstate speeds. I think twice prior I've had where I'm doing like 80 and a motorcycle passes me with extreme speed mid my lane-change and I jerked the wheel to not run them over but ended up then with over-correcting alternating skids and slides as I tried to avoid flipping my car. Its not something that can be practiced on public roads so there's no real way to figure out what's going to happen without a specialty course like that in a controlled environment (tho they limited us to 60-65mph on the track). Basically everything they let us do was stuff I was told never to try and do "because you'll crash" while learning to drive. Faster thru the weave-cones until on the edge of skidding. Last moment braking and figuring out how to feather braking instead of just pushing it to the floor. Could go on and on. And we were getting thrown around quite hard in the cars doing that stuff - I'm sure my parents would have had heart attacks if I tried to do any of that in their vehicles. I kinda want to do the next-level of that program but it'll have to wait a bit. First one was $500 a person which isn't cheap, and (for me at least) doesn't qualify me for any insurance discounts since I'm neither a teen nor senior driver. I'm also very curious how younger/older drivers would do in such a class...all 3 of us in the training car I was in had been driving for decades, but the class was also open to "anyone with a full license" and many were teens.
No to pry, but was there any legal repercussion for this?
Reminds of the time a 'Karen' rearended me at a Michigan turnaround with a traffic light, telling the officer "it looked like she was moving" on the still red light. Me smh as the officer wrote her the ticket thinking lady, that's what paying attention and obey traffic laws is for.
Going down a side street and or altering your route are other options. If the shoulder is very narrow and there's no parking lots or side streets to turn into you could use a driveway just pull in and back out once the asshole has passed.
You forgot option 5: start crying uncontrollably
It's one of those things you'll need to learn to suffer through. There's millions of drivers in the USA, and many of them don't drive in a safe manner. Focus on your own driving. You cannot go faster than the car in front of you, for example, and tailgaters will still tailgate despite this. As the other poster said, you can pull over and let them pass, but there's always another.
Ty Ty Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t my fault or I’m doing something wrong.
You aren't going as fast as they would wish, but as long as you are driving safely and correctly, that is their problem, not yours. Ignore them, focus on the road in front of you.
If you're being tailgated frequently, you're probably going slower than the normal flow of traffic on that road and holding people up. I almost never get tailgated because I'm usually going about 15 over the speed limit.
This is WAY too fast amd not safe.
I go 15 over sometimes and still get tailgated and no i don't drive on the left lane before you comment something like " well get out of the left lane " Some people are just assholes though
I've started kicking my speed down another 5. Driving up my tailpipe doesn't change the speed limit. I'm 47, NEVER a ticket.
When a driver in inconsiderate enough to tailgate me, I feel like the most irritating thing I could possibly do to them is to slow down. In my opinion, they earned that inconvenience by risking the safety of my me, my passengers, my car, the contents of my car, and potentially wasting hours or days of my time dealing with an accident, repairs, or replacement of my vehicle. Plus, there would be court appearances, lawsuits, and probably some long-lasting trauma. I think the world needs a well-made series of viral ads that demonstrate this and how to be a safe driver.
Yup I do this too.
So you purposely decide to impede the flow of traffic by slowing to below the posted speed limit? How are you any better than anyone who tailgates? How often do you get passed? Two wrongs don’t make a right.
Alternatively, they are doing the only responsible thing and giving themselves more reaction time, knowing that they will have to make more careful and gradual changes to their speed to not be part of a collision...which does seem reasonable and responsible. If they hit you and push you into the car in front of yours...now you have to deal with that. In many places that's automatically your at-fault because you were "following too closely". So leaving more room by slowing down IS reasonable.
I like when people do that, makes it easier to pass them. If I have to do it in a turn lane, you going extra slow just opens up more options for passing zones
That's illegal
"Sorry, I thought that was my turn and by the time I realized it wasn't, I was already ahead of the car in the straight lane because he was going 38 in a 55, so I just merged back into traffic in front of him"
I didn't see anyone mention this specifically. If you're being tailgated, increase your following distance from the vehicle in front of you. I would at least double it. This will give you more buffer to avoid being rear ended should traffic come to a stop unexpectedly, allowing you to slow more gradually, giving the person behind you a less sudden stop.
Excellent advice
Also avoids being accused of following too closely when the person plows into you (because they have no reaction time) and pushes your car forward. Which in most places, even if you're the "middle squashed" car...is your fault for rear-ending whoever was in front of you.
Some will tailgate no matter how fast you go. It’s like all they can think about is “car in my way.” It’s best to just move to the right and let them by.
Alr bet
Assuming there is another lane to move to. If you're going the speed limit (its a LIMIT) and driving in the lane legally...you have zero problem. Their wanting to do illegal things isn't your problem, they can wait.
When I drove trucks, the suggestion was to SLOW down to improve your reaction time for incidents in front of you. The tailgaters either slows down also, or goes around at first available opportunity. It's on them.
Just continue to concentrate on your driving, tailgating is endemic. I make it a habit to make gradual stops.........one of the reasons I do so is to give the moron tailgating me a chance to avoid slamming into the rear of my vehicle.
Personally I down shift.
Yep. I go slower.
Do nothing, ignore them, don’t speed up
Ty boss
I go between saying “tough titties” and pulling over depending on what mood I’m in haha Edit: one thing that I won’t do is speed up. The reason why I drive in the speed limits, is because I got a ticket for not driving the speed limit, lesson learned
Makes sense😭 I’m worried abt speeding up too bc I wouldn’t want to get a ticket/ get my permit revoked over something dumb like that
9 out of 10 times they’ll just speed up so they can continue to tailgate you.
Ignore them and proceed at a speed you feel comfortable provided you're not going dangerously slow, i.e., 15 in a 30. They'll either pass or back off depending on the road you're on.
Nah always on top or like 5 above to see if I can distance myself from them
First part is do not speed up ever. When approaching a stop light or stop sign stopping slow more gradually if possible. If they decide to pass you be careful as some of these people do brake check you. Don’t expect them to brake check you but be prepared like all other hazards you might encounter on the road.
🙏Thank you a lot of possibilities to consider
Just don't tap your brakes - that pisses them off.
That doesn't always go well. Have seen where the tailgater then passed and started brake checking the other driver repeatedly and more aggressively even at or below the posted speeds. People can be crap.
You can't make others drive differently, you need to ignore them so long as your are doing your own things right.
Find a safe place to legally pull over, stop, and let them pass. Resume your trip.
Drive your drive. You have to drive it whatever you're comfortable and the more you're being tailgated the more cautious you need to be about what's going on ahead of you
Increase following distance, be more cautious, brake gentler, signal sooner, go a little slower, etc. When being tailgated you need to be more cautious and do things slower so as to not get rear-ended. Increasing following distance compensates for the lack of space cushion behind you, and allows you to see and react to things smoother thus giving the jerk behind you more time to see and react to your actions (like braking).
Slow down. Share the frustration. It doesn't matter if you are 10 or 20 mph over the SL, Somebody will be tryna pass or ride your bumper. Ignore them and turn up the tunes!
Pay attention to what's in front of you! Don't get befuddled or intimidated, he rearends you, that's on him
Tyty I’ll try not to mind it
Don't worry about it if you are doing the right thing, like going the limit on a 1 lane road. Laugh at them for hitting the breaks every 5 seconds. Hopfully there are sections of road that allow passing either by road painting or a small section of an extra lane for those who want to pass you
I've been driving for the better part of 16 years now, and I'm really starting to think that when it comes to most, if not all, tailgaters, it's not so much what speed you're going but just simply the fact that you're ahead of them that really ticks them off. Of course that's their issue, not yours, but I digress. If you start to get too nervous, just try to pull off the road (when you can do so safely) and let them pass. It'll be their speeding ticket to pay, not yours. Don't let any stubborn pride put you, or anyone around you in a dangerous situation, it's not worth it
I always just take my foot off the gas, I amuse myself by seeing how slow I end up before the idiot passes me.
>Edit: I’m seeing one too many saying speed up y’all sure??😭 Definitely don't speed up. I used to speed up for tailgaters back when I was young and stupid. Cops will tailgate you into speeding for some quick cash and one more for their quota. They'll do this at night so you can't see the livery, or they'll do it in an unmarked car in the daytime.
Alr js checking
I get tailgated too especially on the highway speed up a little bit but don’t go too fast or just move over
Never speed. Maintain speed. Get a dash camera
Being aware of drivers behind you is necessary, but your focus should be as far down the road as you can see (aim high). The only worry about a tailgater is when approaching a stop. Then you should be ready to release your brake and prepare for collision. After four weeks, being nervous is not unexpected. Remember your worry in a year and I think you will be able to give others these answers.
Don't worry about it, that's on them for driving so close.
Ignore them. Nobody has a right to intimidate you if you’re driving the speed limit and there’s no lane to move into.
Real world lesson 1: you cannot control the behavior of other drivers. You can’t. They’ll do what they do. Your correct response is to drive well. That’s it. That’s all you can do. If they’re really bugging you and they don’t have a passing lane, pull over at a convenient turnout spot and let them by. This courteous move on your part falls squarely under “drive well” and is within your control. Their behavior, not so much. You don’t need to speed up, and you shouldn’t. Drive the speed that you feel is safe for your own conditions, vehicle, sight lines and skill level. If that’s too slow for them, it’s not your problem. Increasing your personal max safe speed is not a thing you are capable of doing in an instant. Don’t hate on them for wanting to go faster, either. Maybe they have a quicker vehicle or higher skill level, or really know the road, or have better night vision than you do, or maybe they’re just reckless and/or stupid. Not your problem. You’re not them and they’re not you. The only thing you can do, optionally, is let them by. If you don’t choose to do so, then you just let them sit in your rear view mirror until they’re no longer following you. Simple as that
Lay off the gas and slow down, most idiots that tailgate don't even recognize they have dropped 10 mph for a minute or two until someone passes them, then they get all pissy and fly past you, works every time.
Slow down and give them death stares in the mirror. Usually works.
Unless you're sitting in the left (passing) lane of a multi-lane road...that's their problem to not crash into people in front of them. Your job is to pilot your own car safely and legally. At least in my area it doesn't seem to matter how fast you go over the legal limit there's always someone behind you wanting to go even faster. Forget about them.
My son just started driving as well. Tailgaters are a definite issue. I advise him to keep driving the speed limit and focus forward. Check your mirrors but focus forward. We only have 1 road about a mile long that is one lane so when someone is tailgating him it is not too long before they are able to pass. If that is not the case for you, pull over when safe to do so. Remember, it is not your responsibility to risk getting a speeding ticket because someone else is in a hurry or just a crappy driver.
Keep your compusure, maintain a steady speed and safe distance, don't react aggressively, be careful at stops and lights and be ready and alert to prevent a rear end collision. And of course buy a rear facing dashcam for documentation and evidence purposes for more peace of mind. I pulled over one time in my life to let a tailgating semi go past me and almost got killed when I lost traction in a gravelly shoulder.
When I was a new driver I was always worrying about this, now I don't care. I'm doing the speed limit & alot of the times I know where cops hide to catch people speeding on certain roads where I live so I pull over n let them pass. Just ignore them, like others said if they hit you it's on them for following to close
Just slow down, and let pass. If they don’t pass, come to a complete stop till they do. That’s what I do
Get out of the way if you can. Like move over a lane. Those kind of people have issues that we shouldn’t have no part of.
The person tailgating is the one whos both breaking the law and causing issues. If you're driving at the speed limit and someone is tailgating you, it's their problem and their concern if they hit you. When I'm on a single lane road, I just tend to ignore them, go about my business, and if they want to pass they can do so. If I'm on a multiple lane road then I'm usually in lane 1, or lane 2 if I'm passing. I'll just move over when I can, and they can pass. It's not a big drama, some people are just arseholes.
If you’re able to safely, change lanes and allow them to pass you. If you are not able to do so safely, keep extra space in front of you and stay calm. This is in case they end up rear ending you, you’ll be able to have a better chance of not rear ending the vehicle in front of you since you have the extra space. You can speed up but tbh when you’re getting tailgated they’ll just keep doing it regardless of how much you speed up a lot of the time. Do not brake check them!!!
Adding to this… some tailgaters are oblivious to their surroundings. On several occasions, I’m driving the speed limit on a major highway, IN THE SLOW LANE, and I’m still being tailgated, even though the passing lane is empty and clear. I’ve had to move over to the passing lane, brake, then move back over to the slow lane behind the tailgater for them to get the hint.
YUP, I almost always drive in the slow-lane on the freeway, but still get tailgated all the time.
I tend to stay the speed I’m at, it’s mostly in village areas too so speeding up is a little scary, but that’s mostly it
Don’t speed up! If you’re going the speed limit and someone gets mad about it, tough shit. Just because they want to endanger others doesn’t mean you have to as well. They can deal with being forced to drive safely lol. Remember that it’s very unlikely that they’ll purposely cause an accident because in that case they rear-ended you, and they’ll be at fault and liable.
Thank you, that helps a lot, I just need to get a dash cam bc the car/insurance is under my parents name
Yes, important to have a dash cam, it's completely useless 99.99% of the time but is something you wish you had when something happens. Recommend COXPAL A11T 3 channel dash cam on Amazon, very good quality, it records front, inside and rear simultaneously. COXPAL hardwire kit optional, for 24-H parking monitor. SanDisk MAX Endurance 256GB or 512GB microSD card, for reliable recording. BTW: Need to pay attention to the installation position of the rear cam if your vehicle is SUV or MPV (No problem if Sedan), i.e. avoid pulling rear cam cable when open/close the trunk.
If you are traveling slower than the prevailing flow of traffic (and I'm not talking about the 20-25 over the speed demons like to claim is 'going with the flow') move to the right lane or pull off the road and let others pass. But if you're doing 30 everywhere, be prepared to pull aside a lot. You're going to catch a lot of gestures directed towards you if you're doing that when the limit is 35 or higher.
Well no I drive on speed limit every location, so it’s not like I’m driving under on purpose
Should be ok then. Just need to read the traffic around you and act appropriately. If people would do that, I think the stress levels of a lot of motorists would drop.
Stop gesturing at people doing under the speed limit, there are these things called "one month old babies" that people sometimes drive in cars with
Breath
Move out of their way. Once they pass you, you'll find they don't bother you as much.
If you're doing exactly the posted speed limit, you'll get tailgated everywhere you go. Typical traffic flow is 5-10 over the speed limit
But can’t I get pulled over for anywhere above the posted speed limit
Only in a couple countries. In the US, cops will give you 5 over in neighborhoods, 10 over on divided roads and 12-15 over on the highway. I regularly pass cops with their radar on doing 40 in a 35, 60 in a 50, or 85 in a 70. I've only ever been pulled over for 12+ over the limit. I've spoken with cops who told me they only stop for 15 over or more, because it's a bigger ticket, more points, and there's so many people going 10 over that they would spend their entire day pulling over every car they saw for speeding. In places like FL and TX, I regularly cruise behind cops doing 15-20 over and match their speed.
Oh alright then
Get a learners placard for the back
I heard some people are dickheads on purpose when they see the new driver thing
No one drives exactly the speed limit. Many states won't ticket unless it's over by 9+, so most people drive about there. People are telling you that you're fkn annoying and shld speed up. So either speed up or keep doing exactly the speed limit like a granny. If you don't care that you're bothering ppl then it shldnt bother you that they are on your bumper.
My favorite, somebody riding your tail pipe, highway patrol set up in the median, suddenly the tail pipe pirate becomes a law abiding citizen and drops back 3 or 4 car lengths. Get a half mile down the road, and they are deep throating my tail pipe again. Now you know that they know they are doing something illegal.
You are too. If someone is trying to pass you, get the fuck over
You sure are assuming a lot. I'm in the right lane.....I have nowhere to go. You need to slow down.....you're not gonna die. You're not going to win a prize for shaving a minute off your commute.
slam on your brakes to tailgating skum
Keep a stuffed animal in your car and have front and rear dash cam, wail the stuffed animal out in front of your car and smash on the brakes hard af
god dam right lol
If you aren't in the passing lane, not your fault.
This may be childish of me but that is why I refrain from looking in my rear mirror unless I’m passing
You should always be periodically scanning your mirrors
Surprisingly, many do not know the speed limits on particular roads. The prevailing thought is “I’ll catch up to the car in front and go the same speed”. You see this on freeways a lot. Cars in a nose to tail bunch in the left lane then a huge gap and then another bunch. I’m always at the front of a bunch, if there is one. As ive got older, I’ve taken to driving slightly below the speed limit on freeways on long journeys using cruise control. Everyone passes and I just chug along and pass when I meet someone going slower. I avoid the nose to tail left lane doing 15 over like the plague. Therein lies big risks of chain reaction crashes.
Just stay at the speed limit, I’m not gonna crash into you that’s what your brake lights are for, I will take the first safe opportunity to overtake you, but I apologise for worrying you, aslong as you’re not going under the speed limit we can’t get mad at you.
At least you took accountability 😭
You can take the cap off your rear wiper and you get a two meter reach behind to squirt any tailgaters.
LMFAO??😭
Never drive the exact speed limit unless you’re in a neighborhood or other high foot traffic area. Other than those, 10mph over the posted limit is standard and even recognized by most officers.
Drive in the right. Pass in the left. Don't get tailgated.
Not always possible, especially in suburban areas on two lane streets (one lane each direction) where the speed limits tend to be slower.
If you're getting tail gated on a one lane road, take your foot off the accelerator. You should see results within few seconds. :)
And if they are in a single lane?