"The Dummy Gummy" (dummygummy)
03/27/2014 at 16:01 • Filed to: Defensive Driving
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"The Dummy Gummy" (dummygummy)
03/27/2014 at 16:01 • Filed to: Defensive Driving | 7
| 13 |
We recently saw the Floridia road rage accident of a pick up driver !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The quickest way to take a tail-gater out of the equation is to move over a lane or pull over to let them pass if it is safe to do so. Slowing down purposefully will only agitate them more. Sure it makes you feel better that you've made them as upset as you are, but it will not help the situation. Keeping calm and staying in control of your emotions will help you stay in control of your car and the situation. Brake checking is never the answer. It could not only hurt them, but hurt you, as well as others. It is extremely dangerous and in some states considered an aggression. It is not your job to enforce the rules of the road. If you truly feel they are driving reckless and someone should show some authority towards them, safely pull over and call the police. Do not instigate or provoke by mouthing off or gesturing. Do not speed up. More than likely they will still continue tailgating.
Most, if not all, defensive driving classes will teach you to simply pull over and distance yourself from the aggressor by slowing down. It really is the safest way. Here is a site that can give you some useful tips on how to handle the situation:
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
California state law even suggest that the best action is to mover over and distance yourself:
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Page 6 Section 07.A.06 (5) "Keep aware of drivers tailgating you and avoid them by:
(a) moving to another lane, (b) slowing down to encourage them
to pass, (c) pulling over to let them pass."
Please don't tailgate. Please don't retaliate. Losing a few seconds to move out of the way is always a better alternative than the potential of losing your life or someone else losing theirs due to unsafe driving.
Racescort666
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 16:07 |
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THIS! 100x this. There is no reason to do anything otherwise.
HammerheadFistpunch
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 16:08 |
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Its also against the law in many states to allow a tailgater in the fast lane if there is room to move over.
In Utah the law is specifically written to say that if you are in the left lane and there is a car closer than 2 car lengths and you can move over but don't...you are prima fascia breaking the law. doesn't say anything about...unless you are going fast enough...or ...unless the guy behind you totally deserves it. If you are not the fastest car in the left lane and can pull over, you are obligated...by law...to do it. Of course no one knows this, but I digest.
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The Dummy Gummy
> HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2014 at 16:12 |
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I agree. No need to travel in the left lane if you can move over, unless your exit is approaching under a mile.
Reigntastic
> HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2014 at 16:13 |
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Of course no one knows this, but I digest.
Your ability to consume nutrients has nothing to do with your legal knowledge ;)
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HammerheadFistpunch
> Reigntastic
03/27/2014 at 16:14 |
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Im a food and nutrition lawyer, I also do dissimulation on request.
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Reigntastic
> HammerheadFistpunch
03/27/2014 at 16:16 |
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I'm also the son of a wealthy oil baron.
Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 16:20 |
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WOT is the answer. In busy traffic all of the above is true, but if someone is tailgating my completely unnecessarily I sometimes like to show them just how slow their brotruck is. It's also far safer than brake checking. But seriously I could see and hear your 34 foot tall truck with 57 inch tires coming from a mile away, I will definitely move over when it's safe to do so...
McMike
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 16:36 |
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I assume that everyone following too closely just has a bad judge of time and distance. I do what I can to help by slowing down to a pace that safe for the gap they chose to leave.
I'm doing it for the both of us.
Textured Soy Protein
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 16:44 |
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I hate tailgating people because I know it's bad. I try to avoid it if at all possible, and generally I get out of the way if I see someone coming up on me fast. Might as well let them through.
There are two specific situations where I either tailgate or will react to a tailgater:
1. The car in front of me on a highway on-ramp is piddling along at a dangerously low speed for merging into highway traffic. I will "encourage" these on-ramp blockers to speed up. Because to me, following too close but raising both the slowpoke's and my speed before having to merge into highway traffic, is safer than being stuck doing 20 or more mph below oncoming traffic and all of those cars having to swerve around me.
2. If I'm driving along in the right lane minding my business and someone decides to tailgate me in the right lane rather than pass me on the left. Usually this happens close to exits, where someone has been going fast, merges over to exit, and instead of accepting that this is the slow lane, tailgates. If I know an exit's nearby, I'll just keep on at my same speed, or maybe speed up a little.
2a: This has only happened to me twice ever: I was in the right lane, no other cars in sight in front or behind, no exit in sight either, and I've had someone come up behind me in the right lane and aggressively tailgate me. Since the road was deserted and I was in a much faster car than the asshole behind me, I slowed down to about 25, downshifted, and flew off. Just to send a message.
liquid_popcorn
> McMike
03/27/2014 at 17:27 |
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This is hilarious.
Bad Idea Hat
> The Dummy Gummy
03/27/2014 at 19:08 |
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I agree in theory with what you said. The problem is that, in my commute, there's a section of highway where people will tailgate, no matter what you do regarding changing lanes to remove yourself from the situation. I prefer the McMike response at that point, to force them to go around.
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The Dummy Gummy
> Bad Idea Hat
03/27/2014 at 19:11 |
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That was a pretty good one haha. It is a fine line. I just rather no one get in an accident further worsening the situation. Including the tailgater.
Old-Busted-Hotness
> The Dummy Gummy
03/28/2014 at 05:56 |
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Mount a 100W halogen lamp on the parcel shelf. You'd be surprised how well that works.