Insane Tailgater - what would you have done?
 

Driving to work yesterday morning at 6:00 AM on a 2 lane highway where the speed is 55, there is a pickup doing 50 on a dry, non-slippery road. Since I gave up tailgating about 10 years ago, I use the 5 second rule and give him plenty of room. I see my opportunity and a broken line on my side and easily pass him leaving about 10 car lengths before pulling back ahead of him. While slowing, I look in the rear view seeing him rapidly gaining on me with another car right in front of me in a no passing area. Meanwhile he is relentlessly burying his headlights in my tail.

I see another passing area which is too short for him to follow and quickly lose him behind the car I overtake. Now back to double yellows for the next 5 miles I relax. Looking in the rear view, I see him passing over the double yellow into an oncoming curve. And then he is again in my tail pipe and I am blocked by another car. I reach for my mobile phone knowing this guy is certifiable and the phone is dead. Hmmm. If I brake-check him he will be into me in a heartbeat, there is so much traffic there is no way to get more than a few car lengths away. Knowing how many people carry guns there is no way I would want to do anything that might piss this low life off further. About another 5 miles is a police station so I just plan on driving there. But all the cruisers are locked away in a parking garage and so you never see cops around, but it's better than nothing. Heading that way, with him still on my tail, I make a quick right and he follows. Getting close to the station he figures out what's up and turns down a side street and disappears.

So the question is, and keeping it legal, since jail time for homicide is not my thing, what would you have done differently?

That's about all you could've done. Like Frank Zappa said, there is more stupid in the universe than hydrogen.

Edit: Does WA have a "stand your ground" law?

Rick, I would have shown him this - - ->

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1456466657.jpg

:D

Butt seriously, I think you did all you could in the situation - well done.

Just guessing here, but If I am correct about your somewhat remote location in WA, (Having driven past the apple quarantine signs numerous times on rather desolate roads). :)

Absolutely nothing different, too many wackos out there... The drive to the cop shop was a very intelligent move. Good choice.

I've had a similar incident, but the tool in his F-150 sped passed me and swurved last second, nearly clipping the front wheel of my Cab. Then he did the typical brake check. I followed him to a name brand parking lot where he jumped out. I was good and mad, so I obliged. He was not making sense and was very rattled, not normal behavior. I realized the siuation could go either way, so I took his plate number and headed up to the LPD. Long story short, he was in the wrong and the friendlies knew it right away. I was given props for a "sweet ride" and talked a while with an Officer regarding the 911...lol.

The stupid ass told the Officer I passed him at 80mph! It was more like 54+ in a 45 to get by, as he was toying with me in a four lane section.

The Officer then asked how he managed to cut me off in his F-150?.....if my "obviously" faster car would have been long gone already....he actually admitted to cutting me off, after I passed him in a four lane section of road.

Officer warned if I had just brushed it off and went home, they would have me to blame as I left the scene, so to speak.

I ignore most things now. If there's no contact, there's no problem. Live to cruise another day. ;-)

You did nothing to provoke him, and chose wisely to get rid of him. But he's still on your tail.

These guys come along. Best to forget them.

Trucks always seem to be the worst. The only issues I have ever had with tailgating and crazy stuff is with someone in a pickup. I ignore them as best I can or turn off on other roads. Of course, I always carry in case I encounter a nut job.

If you don't carry, go to Harber Freight and buy one of those huge Rambo knives they sell. They are dirt cheap Chinese crap but they look lethal. If someone approaches your window, just pull it out.
Otherwise, I think you did the right thing.

Not a whole lot you can do, but two things that come to mind:
1. Turn onto a cross street - slowing very carefully of course since you have a dip***** on your bumper. Make it a busy one and not a back road if possible.
2. Slow down by coasting (not braking) to 20 mph under the speed limit. The idiot may get frustrated and pass you. Or at least if the idiot hits you, it will be a lower speed accident.

I generally don't have a problem with tailgaters, when I see a car coming up fast, I move over, if there is traffic, I speed up & move over, but if someone decides to play games...

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You handled it correctly. Way too many nut jobs out there. I have had similar situations arise so now I carry at all times. Hope I never ever have to use a weapon but I do not want to be a victim. When seconds count the police are only minutes away.

Nice piece there racer. I've got one for home defense loaded with 410's.
Did you see the news about the Georgia businessman who made it company police to carry at work and then he bought every employee a judge. Just reported mass shooting at Kansas business. Wouldn't have happened at that Georgia outfit. Molon Labe.

Dash-cam. Cell Phone video. Had a friend who would flip pennies out the sunroof at the a-holes behind him.......

You did the right thing.
No need to make a crazy person crazier!

He must have been one of those self appointed law enforcement types....
I was hit from behind in my volkswagen when someone took offence to being passed by one. Crazy stuff...

I understand now why people want dash cams to catch the crazy antics of heavily "medicated" or "medication needed", types of drivers so they have a leg to stand on with the cops.

When I get tailgaters, (which seems like nearly every day), I generally move my outside rearview mirror out, and down so their peircing headlights aren't reflected back in my eyes. I maintain speed, but occasionally start slowing down to make it easier for them to take their high stakes games past me and bother someone else.

You did the right thing by heading to the police station, you never know what kind of agenda these nutjobs have.

I would have pulled onto the shoulder and waited for him to pass then just kept my distance behind him.

I have no time for retards like that.

Why not just move over when faster traffic approaches :confused:

On a 2 lane road at 6:00 in the morning like the OP stated, i'm not pulling over, or speeding up for ANYONE except a cop, ambulence, or fire truck. I get the same thing on my way to work on 2 lane roads....most of the time, there are plenty of cars ahead of me, so why bother trying to go faster.

There is no moving over on a 2 lane road, that doesn't present an even more dangerous situation.

All kinds of crazy out there. A few years ago I had a fellow in an old mini pick up with a wooden box replacing the original bed catch up to me and plant his front bumper about a car length behind me at ~55mph. I touched the four way hazard lights for a single flash. I figured that was safer than touching the brakes. As we entered a 30 mph zone he overtook me on a blind crest then hit his brakes hard enough to lock the rear wheels (I remember seeing the tread pattern on his tires). I got his plate number and went to the RCMP office, but there was no one around.

More recently, I was out for a cruise and overtook an older Dodge minivan leaving an intersection. He must have objected to being overtaken by a Miata and did his best to keep up with me going up the mountain. As we approached the crest, I caught up to a slower vehicle and put that between us on a brief passing stretch.
As I pulled in to my lane again, I realized he was coming by the slower vehicle too, on a double solid line approaching a blind crest. There was a VW Golf coming the other way and the driver of the overtaken vehicle braked to give him room. Needless to say the VW driver was standing on the brakes and leaning on the horn. No one touched.
At that point, I pulled over and let the minivan driver go by. I don't like being first responder at collisions.

Stay safe out there
Les

You did the only reasonable thing I think. If I have a chance I get over and slow down. I drive to and from the Everett Boeing plant every day for the day shift at work. I refer to it as "The Boeing 500.". Usually at least a couple fender benders a week. I don't play their game, and I have never seen anything like it. Gotta keep your head on a swivel for sure. I just don't play, let them race each other around. It's not worth it to be first!

I've wondered how it would be to rig up a tube teed into the exhaust pipe from a reservoir of brake fluid that you could actuate via a switch. The idea would be to let out a mist that would collect on the front of the car behind. I don't know if it would swirl back onto the back of the car letting it out or not. Kind of a devious thought but interesting to contemplate.

Here in the northern Va - metro area you do sometimes run into @sshats that are just driving at the posted speed limit............................but in any lane that is not the sloooow lane. I'm fine with anyone that wants to do that, but don't hold up the rest of America on their way to work.

THEN get pissed, because someone passed you nad now you have to tailgate. It's like - OK I'm not going over the speed limit, but neither is anyone else - if you do I'll take some aggressive action.....

I like to clean my windshield REALLY well. People in nicer cars will typically back off.

I generally slow down and get over to let them by, so I can get their plate number with more facility. If that does not work, I do about what you did. Maybe you ought to consider a car charger for the cell phone.

You handled it well. Not worth risking being a statistic.

We have a family friend who's a bit volatile. He got into a road rage thing with another car - not really sure who started it. At some point they're both stopped with a cop. Other guy keeps his cool, our friend not. Cop tells everyone to go home. Friend accidentally nicks the bumper of the other car as he's pulling away. Cop busts friend for vehicular assault - probation- on the recored - the whole 9. That day went seriously sideways for our friend...

you got off easy.
In the Okanagan. B C, the big trucks try to ram you into the ditch, as you pass them.
it has happened to us 3 times in 10 months.

1. on my motorcycle. creep in a Jeep with the N (for new driver) on the back. girlfriend in the jeep with him. probably got within 6 inches of my right knee, before i accelerated out of there.
2. we were in my wife's Prius. the ape had his kids in the big F350, towing a large boat. after the initial ram attempt, he chased us for 5 km's, boat winging wildly. tried to ram us again when we tried to pull off the hwy.
3.just two weeks ago. Guy in a black Hummer. company truck. "Body and Soul". He was doing 20 in a 50, i signalled and passed courteously. right to the floor, he tried to ram me into the ditch. i looked him up on Facebook. A family type-guy had berated him for trying to ram him, while on the commute to work.

those are the ram-for-passing incidents. we have encountered many other road rage/stupid acts.

that's it. we put our dream home up for sale, we are getting the hell out of this area, back to the West Coast.

slow down and wave him by?

people can be nuts. there is probably some thread on some truck forum with a title.."idiot in car passes me in no passing zone and drives below speed limit in front of me".

i'd LOVE to hear how he saw it :)

I now know where the guys works. It's a local landscape maintenance company. Have thought about talking to his boss about not letting that @$$ hat drive company vehicles, but that would probably get him fired so he would have plenty of time to stake out my commute route to exact revenge. So I decided to let it go. I do like the idea of a jet that sprays old brake fluid or oil on a windshield.

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Unlike any of the rest of you, I have the distinct pleasure of knowing Rick and have driven with him more times than I can recall. With that as a preface, let me tell you this:

Rick drives like an absolute ass hat. Passing on the shoulder, cutting people off, flipping people off, all the while throwing beer bottles and empty fifths out the window. He does, after all, live out in our Cascade foothills, half an hour east of Seattle. Meth cooking capital of the Pacific Northwest. His doublewide has always smelled like acetone and ammonia when I've been there. His pit bulls have chewed the rubber off my rims on several occasions. This poor old law abiding grandpa was almost certainly just trying to get out of Rick's way. The blue lights were far enough behind by then to where he probably didn't see them.

Just kidding... Hey Rick, are going to make our drive on Sunday?

i met Jeff as one of my first and best meth customers 10 years ago when I only had a single-wide. He had most of his teeth, hair and brain cells back then but I helped relieve him of that burden. He is the only guy who intimidated my pits (Daisy and Sweety-Pie) by peeing wherever they peed, no matter how often they peed,but the real breakthrough was when I got him to stop squatting and just lifting his leg.

I don't remember what Jeff was driving then except it was extremely loud, generated clouds of exhaust, was dirt colored with some streaks of blue probably from some poor bastard he sideswiped at the Walmart parking lot. Come to think of it, it was one of those foreign jobs called Craftsman with a 42 inch deck. God was he proud of those 42 inches but no one had the heart to tell him the drive belts broke years ago.

As a member of my frequent-faller club, Jeff had his own mattress right next to Daisy and Sweety-Pie on the back porch, so the neighbors wouldn't think anything unnatural was going on. He never created any problems except when he refused to stop making lawn mower sounds after he shut the dam thing off. We'd give him a couple of extra hits and that would shut him up, but I think that was just a clever ploy to score some free junk.

Now that I have a double-wide, thanks mostly to Jeff and his hot rod lawn mower club, he feels I act too good for him cause I have really made it. Trying to help the poor down his luck guy, I suggested he try getting a job at the local airplane shop fixing broken drive belts. Maybe if he can get one or two of them fixed right he can fix his mower deck and stop irritating the dogs with those gawd awful sounds.

Hope to see you Sunday on what ever you brung.

I learned this in my mid 20's, I admit I was one of these buttholes.
One day I left my parents lake house for home and my mom left at the same time, to overnight at our house for an appointment next day. A 100 mile trip, 50 miles single lane and the rest multi-lane in heavy but moving traffic.
I was a butt head agressive driver passing several cars at a time, tailgating, burning gas, smoking brakes, endangering our lives, other people's lives and simply down right dangerous.
Mom was a granny driver, speed limit, never pass type that pissed me off.

I beat her to my house...ha-ha I beat the old lady...sucker!

I carried our suitcase to the front door (not even in the house) walked back to get the cooler, turn aruond and in pulls mom.
I beat her by about 3 minutes. :confused:

I still drive fast, but I don't all the stupid poop like tailgating, brake checking, etc. and if a goof is tailgating me I let him pass ASAP.

Man, if I ever get out to WA, I sure do want to hang out with them two for a bit....

Daisy and SweetiePie that is, not Mutt & Jeff :D

Funny stuff...not the tailgater though...you handled it well Rick!

I do the same thing. Clean cars hate getting wet and dirty cars hate smearing their windshields. I love seeing cars back off and start their own wipers up. They usually don't know you did it on purpose :)

I'm fixin' to bring my pickup truck...

Not nearly so good a tactic around here. Chances are it's already raining...

I've experienced this bizarre phenomenon. Guy is driving 20 in a 50, so you pass him, and THEN he gets pissed and starts chasing you.

If circumstances won't let me pull over and let him by, I'll adjust all of my mirrors to shine his headlights back at his face.

I drive the Angeles Crest and Angeles Forrest highways several times a week these days, going back and forth from L.A. to Acton. It's two lane with double yellow lines most of the way but there are some passing lanes in spots where suddenly there is an extra lane on the right for slower traffic, (to let the faster people go by). There are also "turn-outs".

If you're on a sports car/MC forum like this, I probably don't have to tell you that these are popular roads for sport bikes and cars. I drive pretty briskly but I'm usually in an old Mercedes or a PU truck, so there is plenty of faster traffic on the road. It's also very remote, no cell phone service in places and no one to hear or see someone getting shot or run over. There was just a murder 2 days ago in the forest and bodies get dumped up there all the time. :)

The point being, it's not a good place to get in a road rage fight with someone, (as if there is a good place). I just let people go by and back off if I'm zooming up on a slowpoke, it could be some older person or other nervous driver who is freaked-out by the curvy road. I find that if I follow certain rules of etiquette, no one ever gets pissed-off whether I'm driving slower or faster than them. Let 'em go by or pass them in a non-aggressive way when it's safe.

Working well so far. :cool: