Aggressive drivers

Ken C.

... another driver tailgates your truck and drifts out of their lane, so you will see their car bearing down on when you look in the driver's side rearview mirror? Two times, in the past two weeks, drivers have aggressively tailgated my work truck, on the same stretch of road (it is one lane, in each direction). This type of behavior really irritates me, I respond by slowing down (not braking, but taking my foot off the accelerator) to about 25 mph (speed limit on this road is 35). In both cases, the drivers passed me in a no-passing zone. In one case, the driver passed me, then attempted to pass a dump truck ahead of me, and nearly hit a car head-on. Both drivers also happened to be young women (in my experience, I've found more women then men drive like this). Have incidents like these happened to you, and how do you handle it?

chuck shaw

I usually

pull on my lights, and hit the gas, on a quick look, it seems like I have hit the brakes, so that is what they do. It may not do any thing to them, but it gives me a laugh. I figure I may as well laugh, because I am not going to change the people who feel it is worth their life (and the lives of others) to arrive some place 10-15 seconds faster.

Chuck

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Rudy

My freind, Carbon Monoxide

One cold, calm day last winter I was driving through town and had some kid about a foot off my rear bumper for several blocks. I even tapped my brakes a couple of times, no response.

I've tested the exhaust from my truck, it runs in the 3,000 to 5,000 ppm CO range so when we hit a stoplight I put her in neutral and ran it up to about 4K rpms, completely enveloping his car in a cloud of CO laden exhaust.

Hammered him good and he didn't even have a clue (diabolical laugh)!!!

lchmb

depending where

Having spent 8 year's in law enforcement and hearing all the talk of road rage, I would recommend that you notify either your local or state pd. This might seem foolish (wont do any good, they never do anything) but an officer may in the future come across this car and remember it. Another thought is if anything happen's then you have done your best! JMHO

Rudy

Try my freind, Carbon Monoxide

One cold, calm day last winter I was driving through town and had some kid about a foot off my rear bumper for several blocks. I even tapped my brakes a couple of times, no response.

I've tested the exhaust from my truck, it runs in the 3,000 to 5,000 ppm CO range so when we hit a stoplight I put her in neutral and ran it up to about 4K rpms, completely enveloping his car in a cloud of CO laden exhaust.

Hammered him good and he didn't even have a clue (diabolical laugh)!!!

Bob_35

Tail-gaters

Also attempt to get them to pass (hopefully in a reasonably safe manner) with the fervent hope they keep on speeding to the next good soul with radar or laser. My advise to these folks,"Go like HELL, You'll get there"!!!!!!!!!

[Deleted User]

tail gating

I hate it, they cant see around you so they drive like complete ases and who knows what will happen if you need to stop fast. Ive seen for the most part they have been young girls and that makes me think why? I guess thats a new thread all together or maby not but I know what your saying. Drive safe and be carefull!

Ken D.

Unfortunately

we can't do what we want in response to these heinie h---s because of the rolling billboards we all drive. You know if you make any move or gesture they will be on the phone to your office, police, newspapers, etc. with a story that will vary incredibly from the truth. Best thing is to bite the bullet and do nothing but try to remember them.

Jed_2

I have seen, and done it

once or twice. Just find a good spot to pull over, and slow to <5mph. Let'em by. Yes, It's fuel for rage, but not worth it. How about them little honey's in the Auto Parts store S-100's.

Jed

hr

And I thought Missouri was the official \"tailgater state\" !

I was going to try and have that printed on the Missouri license plates! Ever ride as a passenger in a car with a driver that tailgates? No that really makes me crazy.

It not a speed issue here. I could drive 80 mph in a 35 zone and someone would be right on my bumper! Generally they are on a cell phone or otherwise preoccupied

The other one that get me is when someone pull out in front of you and you have to hit the brakes. Usually when I look in my rearview there is not another car in sight behind me. For some reason folks just need to be in front of a truck. At all costs

Sounds like it's a nationwide issue. Maybe some James Bond tricks like oil slicks, nail spikes, wheel covers that grind tires as they pass, etc Maybe some large (foam rubber) pipe fittings spilling out the back of the truck.

hot rod

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J.C.A._3

Ask Mr. Milne ....

About calls to the office.

He was the one answering the phone, if I recall correctly. Chris

eleft_4

Not the first \"poor call\"

OK, This happened to a young fellow with his children in the car.
He was hit in the rear by a tailgater when he stopped for the stopping traffic ahead of him. He called the police on his cell phone and they responded interviewing the driver that hit his car, first. The policeman issued the young fellow a summons for backing up into the car that hit him, never asked his side of the incodent. Trying to explain, the policeman told him to tell it to the judge. Paid for his own damage and his insurance paid for the car that was actually at fault. Also received an increase in his rates.

al

Ken C.

I knew a guy

who used to drive a motorcycle. He had a little surprise for tailgating motorists - ball bearings. They can do a number on a tailgater's windshield. But, that was about 15 years ago, and I wouldn't recommend that in today's world of road rage. You can't give an aggressive driver a hand gesture or honk your horn, there's a good chance they're toting a weapon.

gerry gill

hey, you must know my brother!

he does that..i gather marbles work too.

Unknown

I must have 5 close calls

a day with the wacky drivers on Long Island . I never tailgate , don't even come close to another bumper at a stop light . But every day theres someone within 5 feet of my bumper on the highways ( easy to see with the reverse mirror on back ) . How soon till vehicles come equipped with cameras on every side ? Catch these road raging idiots on tape .

Ken_8

Ron, ole buddy...

The biggest single source of road rage in NJ is NY drivers!

These morons will go 55-60 in the fast/passing lane - passing absolutely no one, and the posted limit is 65 !!

**** are these kinds of drivers doing in the left lane going 5 to 10 UNDER the speed limit. 10 - 20 cars behind him. He hasn't looked in his rear vue mirror in 20-minutes, the guy right on his butt has been patient for two or three minutes, starts getting rage (rightfully so), then taps the high beams to get Mr. 55-in-a-65MPH's attention, and this MORON has the rear view mirror aimed at freakin' mars.

And you NY maniacs think road rage is the result of what? Some mental disorder? A Temper tantram? It's from fruitcakes who hang out in the fast lane doing Jack Squat.

Honest to god Ron, I don't know how you can put up with that nonsense. And it's not some "once in a blue moon" event. It is some sort of in-bred desire to create road rage as if it were an entirely new "art form."

How, pray tell, do you put up with that crap?

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John R. Hall

Left turn speeders

What gets me are the many people who line up for the left turn light and then as the light turns red, at least one or two will run it because they can't wait the extra 60 seconds for the next light change. My "message" is to roll up as close to the intersection, lay on the horn and make them use a sudden movement to avoid hitting me. I doubt that it would change their behavior but it might make them think the next time.

Guy_5

tailgaters

Years ago I was driving an oil truck with a small Detroit diesel engine. Smoke factory under a load. A kid on a motorcycle was less than 10 feet from my rear bumper for well over a mile, so I shifted into the highest gear and matted it. I couldn't see him , but I think that he was still back there, probably looking like Al Jolson in a helmet. Now that I am older, I realize that it may not have been the safest way to deal with it, but it sure felt good at the time.

Guy

Dave H_2

Not James Bond Style

But redirect one of your windshiel washer jets to the top of your windshield. This way when you are under way, the fluid basically goes right over and all over their windshield.

Leave it on a while, they will get the hint.

Dave H.

Unknown

It aint easy

negotiating the roads with these loons . The times when I have to stop short with someone on my bumper , I brace for impact and hope if they hit me from behind the boiler in back lands on their roof . If I was looking for a quick lawsuit , I could slam on the brakes when the tailgater wasn't paying attention . Guaranteed to have the opportunity for an accident a few times a day . I would never try it though .

All the major highways on Long Island has a cap of 55 mph and the city is 50 . Other than older folks , I never see anyone driving even close to the limit . 10 to 20 mph over the limit is the norm . But your observation is dead on - downstate NY drivers never yield to faster traffic .

Ken C.

And another thing ...

I've noticed more and more over the last few years is people trying to beat the red light. It's become routine that when a light goes from yellow to red, you can count on two or three (heck, I've seen four) motorists plow through the intersection AFTER the light is red. It's beome my habit to wait a few seconds after my light turns green, and look both ways, and finally, proceed. And, Rhode Island drivers also apparently don't know what a yield sign means. They think it means that YOU (driver with right of way) should yeild to THEM (after all, don't wan't to distract them from their cell phone conversation). And, isn't it correct that the person making a left turn at a four way intersection is supposed to yield to the person making the right turn? That's another "forgotten" rule here. And, one more pet peeve, people who throw lit cigarette butts out their vehicles. I'd like to see some cop give a $500 littering fine for this. Probably'll never happen, though. I better stop here, I'm getting keyboard rage!