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[David Allred]

That backs up my "hill delay" and the importance of maintaining a proper following distance both for safety and for smooth traffic flow. I play the same game - even as traffic starts to accordion, getting off the gas (with a manual) I can slow gently and without brakes - and folks behind, for the most part, also do not need to brake hard.

That seems dangerous in heavy traffic, as the driver behind gets no brake light warning. 

[David Allred]

Debbie, DO NOT blame his a-hole behavior on your brake-tapping.

I hate tail-gaters.  They're "ignert".   I am more than courteous to a driver that I know wants to go faster, but maintains a safe gap.  I'll let the pass as soon as a spot opens up.  I'll sometimes speed up to reach that spot sooner. 

[frank kayser]

That seems dangerous in heavy traffic, as the driver behind gets no brake light warning.

Yes and No, Dave. Probably more yes than no. At times, I am concerned about the driver behind. So it becomes a "it depends" situation.  If the back driver is REALLY close, I keep my foot on the gas and tap the brakes long before I have to slow.  Mostly, unlike Debbie's experience, folks back off.  If not, I'm not slowing, so no harm, no foul.  If they're that close and I need to slow, the lights come on.


Also, if I am actually slowing, and there is some distance, I'm looking behind to see if there is a reaction - if not, the lights come on, and the eye-race between the car in front and the rearview commences.


Mental games? To an extent. I call it staying involved.  Easier to just use the brakes?  Possibly.  Probably.  It serves me well. ...until it doesn't.

[John Fruits]

One solution for tail-gaters, at least at night, those wonderfull mirror like chrome or stainless steel back bumpers.

[Stephen Kirby]

Propensity to tailgate seems directly proportional to the mass of the vehicle (and often inversely proportional to the mass of the driver).  I see more and more 1 ton pickups on the road than ever before.  Not working trucks, but pristinely clean, lifted, aftermarket wheels, exhaust tips the size of 5 gallon paint cans.  You know the type.  And they are the most aggressive in traffic.  Cutting into any space available, driving down the shoulder on an on ramp to get ahead of two more cars in 5MPH traffic, and tailgating as if they wanted to just run over whoever was in their way to get one more car further ahead.  Such nonsense often causing one lane or the other to come to a complete stop while the other is going 20-40MPH so it often doesn't register that traffic in front of them has gone against their urgent desires and come to a stop.
I spend much of my hour+ each way commute trying to stay away from these clods.  There's no way that they can stop those compensating monstrosities anywhere near the distance my 2700lb BRZ with racing brakes and sticky tires will stop.

[Jeff Lelko]

I see more and more 1 ton pickups on the road than ever before.  Not working trucks, but pristinely clean, lifted, aftermarket wheels, exhaust tips the size of 5 gallon paint cans.  You know the type.  And they are the most aggressive in traffic. 

Yep, same here.  If only more people knew what a 1.3G placard meant, maybe they'd give me a little more room...

[Dave Garoutte]

But they don't need to stop as fast, since they will run you over anyway.
The really stupid thing about it, is that they can see way further ahead, since they're 10 feet in the air.

[Art Welter]

Yep, same here.  If only more people knew what a 1.3G placard meant, maybe they'd give me a little more room...

The problem is an "Explosives" sign will still mean nothing to those clowns that don't bother to read their situation.

[Art Welter]

Not working trucks, but pristinely clean, lifted, aftermarket wheels, exhaust tips the size of 5 gallon paint cans. 

Stephen,

This Minnesota woman probably thought the exhaust pipe was the size of a 5 gallon paint can, but found it just under her hat size...

I bet her ears were ringing after it was sawed off!

Art

[Jeff Lelko]

The problem is an "Explosives" sign will still mean nothing to those clowns that don't bother to read their situation.

Yes, sadly that is true as well...

This Minnesota woman probably thought the exhaust pipe was the size of a 5 gallon paint can, but found it just under her hat size...

I bet her ears were ringing after it was sawed off!

This looks like a Darwin Award in the making!

[ProSoundWeb Community]