How to handle tailgaters on the highway

Usually I just let them by. But on my way to work there is one place where I just can't resist having some fun. And about half the time someone is tailgating me as we go down the off ramp. I just slow down a little more than normal and as we get into the clover leaf turn I gently apply power. The tailgater generally speeds up too. Problem is thay are paying more attention to staying close to "that Porsche" that they forget about the turn. Usually they eventually realize they are in over their heads and slow down drastically and are gone. One actually didn't realize he has in over his head until I saw his tail lights in the rear view mirror.

Except for this one spot I let them by.

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Gunter
'82 SC Targa

Kinda like the dude I saw a few weeks ago who was talking on his cell phone and taking notes in his binder. He was gesticulating madly to no one, as well. I think it was a business meeting, and it was going badly. He was wearing a suit.

While driving.

I hope he lost his account, but I also hope he didn't kill anyone.

Or we can talk about the woman rapping animatedly into her cell phone while driving her Expedition who unexpectedly swerved into my lane yesterday. She tried to recover and make it look like she meant to do it, but the look on her face as my car became visible to her (I was right next to her when she did it) was one of unmistakeable horror. "Oops!"

Tailgaters, SUV drivers, cell phone talkers, drinkers, and angry people have no business behind the wheel of a car.

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Mark Szabo
1986 911 Targa 3.2
1987 Escort 5-speed 1.9
The Porsche Owners Gallery

This is very simple. If you are being tailgated and you are not in the right most lane move the hell over! No need to be *******s and slam on the brakes or give the person a washer bath. The exception to this is stop and go rush-hour traffic of course.

I agree with N11Porsche, usually if you are in tight traffic the brake tap two times (not slowing down) works as a signal to the tailgating driver that you want more room. If that does not work change lanes if at all possible or when stopping be careful and do it steady as to not make the vehicle behind you do anything sudden.

I flash people in the left lane on a regular basis and if traffic is tight the right lane does seem better than the left for open highway. People seem to have a merging phobia and stay out of the right lane.

Damn left lane bandits!!!

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Adrian Pillow
1979 911 SC
1966 VW Microbus
PCA - Peachstate Region

I'll never forget the time I was in the far right hand lane in rush hour traffic. It was a three lane highway and the road was jammed with cars doing about 50 mph. This guy comes up behind me and was just sitting on my tail. He had to be 2 or 3 feet from my bumper doing 50 mph. I took my foot off the gas and waived for him to pass me. The next thing I know I'm getting the finger. Now I know where road rage comes from. I'm in the slow lane minding my own business and some nut puts me and my car in danger and I get the finger for slowing down to make it easier for him to pass. I just went nuts and pulled over to see what he would do. My wife then turns to me and says, "what if he has a gun." He drove past me and again showed me his finger. My wife's comment really woke me up. Now I just turn my rear view mirror so I can't see them and keep on driving. Out of sight, out of mind.

It's simple. Either you're too far to the left going slow or the person behind you is a jerk. In case of the latter you simply drop a gear, stretch you right leg and show the fool what a Porsche can do. In case of the first....err...? No, noone in a Porsche will be in the left lane going exactly 2 miles less the limit, right....?

I hate people who think the left lane is for going less the speed limit. MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT!!! I see it so often here. 3 lanes on the motorway. ...-And where are all the cars?? In the middle lane or the left lane! Why??? Danish legislation says: KEEP RIGHT. Same rule in Germany yet still they have the socalled "Linksfahrer".

Could someone please tell me why it's better to keep left?

This tends to be the typical situation for me.

The right lane has a lot of slow traffic, running about 60mph. The left lane is going faster, around 70-75. I stay in the left lane cause I'm passing, but I get held up by somebody doing less than me. Now someone comes up on my bumper wanting to pass me. What should I do? If there's no one in front of me, clearly I'll pull over and let them pass, but if I'm stuck behind slower traffic the guy behind me is going to be stuck too.

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Bill Krause
'79 911SC Euro

I agree fully with Pillow, above. I am somewhat anal about the left hand lane. If I am in the left lane with no one in front of me and see a car coming up, I pull over to the right lane well before he reaches me. However, I expect the same courtesy from others. Unfortunately, that rarely happens. In the WashDC area, we have SO many bad drivers who just don't know better or are just stubborn, I give them a chance to move to the right, and if they don't I just pass on the right.
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It amazes me on those mornings I drive in to Wash on the Dulles Toll Road. About 80 percent of the cars enter the highway and move immediatly to the left two lanes. I just stay in the far right lane and end up motoring at about 70 mph while the left lanes are doing 45 to 50, bumper to bumper. Stupid, stupid stupid!
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During the 1980s, when I use to carpool, one of the drivers was from a third-world country. He would camp out in the left hand lane of the Interstate. I would cringe, riding in the back seat, as car after car flashed lights, passed us on the right, giving us dirty looks. It NEVER registered on this character. I finally spoke up and mentioned something to him. He thought I was from Mars. "That's not the way we do it back home" GRRRRRRRR.
Chuck
83SC

When I was youger, had a more durable body, less fear, and less brains, I owned a FWD car. Well, then I would just drop to 3rd, floor it, and hank the P-brake momentarily. You would be suprised what evasive manuvers people make when they hear a "chirp" and see a puff of tire smoke.

Now, I just let them pass. Seriously, I try to be as courteous as I can and always pull out of the left lane. You never know when someone is having a real emergency. Wouldn't we all feel like real jackasses if they were on their way to the hospital.

As for the general idiots that populate our highways. What goes around comes around. Ever seen someone do that to an undercover cop?? What a hilarious sight!!!

I'm surprised there are so many of you 911 drivers that have been in the situation of a car that wanted to go faster than you!
I think 911 drivers generally pay more attention to the road and what's going on around them because the feel of the car makes you focus. (you know what I mean)

The other day I saw a lady trying to navigate a left turn at an intersection with a cell phone in one hand and a popsicle in the other. She barely managed but somehow she did.

Driving on the highway in Italy and probably many other European motorways, even at 90 MPH I really had to keep a watchful eye on the rearview mirrow because every minute or so, an Audi TT or a 911 suddenly appeared right on my ass with flashing lights. They won't/can't pass on the right because it's a huge fine. This really forces you to pay attention when you are in the fast lane. Of course you pull over to the right as quickly as possible, preferably BEFORE they have to slow down. The result is a very efficient highway where you can go over a 100 MPH safely. Interesting though, when it started raining, almost everyone pulled over to the side of the road.

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Zach
77 911S 3.2

Flashing lights are very effective, especially the new zenon variety and I'm very gratefull for them as it is a good signal to get my slow 100 mph cruising into another lane or speed up to around 150-160mph asap to avoid being rear ended by a brigade of Toyota Land Cruisers doing 120mph drafting each other at about 10-15 feet apart or the multitude of MB or BMWs who cruise at 155mph. I don't want to get rear ended at that speed and even a shift to the middle of 3 lanes may get me in passed on both sides! Even at those speeds in the right of 3 lanes I have been passed by 2 of those drafting SUVs who chose to use the shoulder because their buddies were in the other lanes!

Dan

Dan;
I'm not sure where "AL-AIN, UAE" is, but, "a brigade of Toyota Land Cruisers doing 120mph drafting each other at about 10-15 feet apart "...."drafting SUVs who chose to use the shoulder ". Was that in a dream you had?

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Clint
73T mfi coupe

United Arab Emirates. . .120-150Kph maybe? OK, reality check. If you see someone who is faster than you approaching from the rear, why give credence to the porcupine joke? This doesn't mean you're less of a man, less of a human, it just means you're not the one getting yelled at, given the single digit salute, or having a firearm waved at you. Don't take this as a personal affront, but it's just not worth it. I have a friend who recently moved to the DC area from Florida. He's driving and a car starts to tailgate him. He tapped his brakes. I immediately slapped him and asked, "Are you armed? I'm not, and I don't want to play your silly games." He pulled to the right, let the guy pass. Just let it go. . .

Jeez, DonN, you have an interesting DE instructor's style!
Chuck

I think we all think alike when it comes to someone wanting to pass. Nobody is going to deliberately piss the guy off behind us just to do it. If traffic permits, regardless of who's behind us, or how fast he's going, the majority of us will pull to the right and let him go by.

Its those times when traffic is heavy, nobody could change lanes if they wanted to and here comes that ******* who thinks everyone should move over for him.

Or the person rocking along at 70 or 80 in a 55 mph zone in the right lanes where most of the traffic there is slower and shifting lanes. Don't even try to make a lane change because he will run you down. These are the people I can't handle. These are the people who I pay particular attention to when they are behind me, and these are the people I won't go out of my way to yeald to.

Steve

Sadly, I must admit to DOING the tailgating when I was younger-something about the combination of hormones, lack of experience, and loud V8s made me think I was the king of the road. Now, with a wife and 2 kids to think about, I no longer feel the need to prove myself to complete and total strangers on the road-and I find the middle lane the most practical for strategic vehicle placement in traffic. Surprisingly, not too many people tailgate me when I'm driving my Jeep Cherokee-perhaps the fact that it's completely black, with a few VHF antennas on the roof and red and blue strobes peeking through the rear window has something to do with it... You think? Pure coincedence the Texas Department of Public Safety has Cherokees just like it.

[This message has been edited by ClayMcguill (edited 01-25-2001).]

No dream guys! While most cruise those big V-8 cruisers at about 140-160 kph, but many hold the pedal to the metal at 180 + kph. Drafting can get them up to the 120 mph zone. But when the shababs with their supercaharged versions get together for a race from Al-Ain to Dubai, WATCH OUT!!!!!! You would be surprised at the number that are double enhanced, but that just won't hold in the long races. I know that they are pushing lots of air, but 450-600 ponies does that easily. Therse hot rodders are serious enough that Brembo is going after their business in the Emirates.

Clay -

Can we see a picture of that big, bad Cherokee? I used to think about getting a black Crown Vic and putting all the cop-stuff on it. I used to be a police officer -driving cars like this won't even get you pulled over, much less ticketed. But - you'd better have some blue strobes to give them the "friendly-flash" when they pass you.

Problem is, I met a guy one day who did this with a white Crown Vic. It had really bad paint problems. Had something to do with all the egg stains.



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Aubrey Parker
'79 SC (silver/cork)

I agree that if you are in the left lane and someone is coming up on you, that you should move over and let them pass. However, if you are in any lane but the far left and someone is tailgaiting you, that's different. My solution is to use a little left-foot braking technique (just enough to engage the brake light) while simutaneously flooring the accelerator. Bye-bye A-hole!

-EJ