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Stop worrying about the tailgater. Your stress is more a problem than them. Just worry about driving. If you want to change lanes, signal early then make your move. Simply be deliberate with your actions.
well thanks i'm taking the advice and relaxing more...i still seem to get tailgated and i keep it 5 mph over the speed limit...not 10 or more like those who seem to tailgate...however, if a cop pulls up i don't think i can say i was just going with the flowing or i was being tailgated so i was running faster? so i would just stick to 5 mph over the speed limit set for the driving and let the tailgaters leave me alone or tailgate until they are tired...it would be their fault if something happens although i want to stay safe!!!
Let me ask, are you in the right-most lane? Yes, technically you are allowed in the left lane, but if you are holding up the flow of traffic you could in theory be ticketed for that!
Stop worrying about the tailgater. Your stress is more a problem than them. Just worry about driving. If you want to change lanes, signal early then make your move. Simply be deliberate with your actions.
The tailgater is there because they feel you're driving to slow. Heavy traffic is one thing, but if people are backing up behind you, move over. If you're traveling the same speed or slower than the traffic to you're right... Move over.
If you can't drive the speed limits that were set for 60's era cars... Move all the way over.
this isn't necessarily true. i find people tailgate when there is nowhere to go. sometimes traffic just is as traffic is. and i've changed lanes and found that the tailgater is in fact in no hurry. there are just a lot of people who don't understand what the safe distance between cars looks like. it's often literally careless driving--no hurry, no aggression. just stupid people.
the funniest is the texting tailgater. someone gets right on my bumper as i'm going say 70 in a 60 or 65, and then they fall way behind and then they look up and speed right back up to my bumper and then slow right back down to text...(or whatever)
Let me ask, are you in the right-most lane? Yes, technically you are allowed in the left lane, but if you are holding up the flow of traffic you could in theory be ticketed for that!
Signal. Move right and let others pass.
Otherwise, there are just some jerks out there!
yes..i'm almost always in the right lane with the exception of when i'm nearing the exit to the highway 95 where it seems lots of traffic gets on or off the road and it seems safer to be away from the right lane for just that little stretch...
also i'm mostly driving on country roads now where there is only one lane...and tailgating is also on regular roads...52 and elsewhere...
i guess defensive driving is the best approach and avoiding texting or calling or fixing gps or any other distractions
Been here 6 years now and the amount of people going under the speed limit in the left lane never ceases to amaze me.
Like I've said before, after coming from a large city where driving was like an Olympic sport, lead, follow or get the hell outta the way so the rest of us can get where we're going!
what if there is a lot of traffic...when the speed limit might be 70 but there is so much traffic that one can only go at 65 even in the left lane...whats the point of tailgating the car ahead? its not like they can make someone go faster...
today with the rains...i got tailgated on a country road...heavy rain and the car was skidding...with the huge amounts of water..i mean heavy rain...my car almost skidded off and hit a pole as i was being chased by a tailgater..and it was hard to just pull over...finally the tailgater overtakes in the mighty rain speeding off...when there are vehicle in the Opposite direction also dealing with this...i'm talking about situations like these...where there is reason to be slow and even so...just finding a way to overtake is fine...tailgating could be dangerous....and stressful to the person whose car is being tailgated...
You sound like you're scared to drive?
It's the person behind you who has the responsibility to maintain a safe distance. I'm be more concerned with what's going on in front of you than behind.
I agree -it sounds like you are either scared on the road or just lack confidence on the road. With you going off into the ditch the other day, I am concerned for your and others' safety. If it is bad weather, you may just want to wait until it passes...most of the time it doesn't last that long around here. Either that or see if your husband can come get you. Another idea would be to take a driver's class. Maybe they can help you develop the confidence you seem to need on the road and you will have better experiences driving.
Yep...tail-gators, speeders, driver who slice & dice through heavy traffic are bad anywhere, but it does seem terrible here.
On the other hand...the 'timid' drivers are just as dangerous.
Today's example: On my way to get onto the interstate there is a traffic-light intersection to get on the ramp. This intersection onto the ramp is two-lane. As I approach, the light is red and there are four cars all in the left lane. I am headed to the intersection in the right lane. As I get to about the fourth car back in the lane to my left, the light turn green...meaning I don't have to stop & my speed is already up. The leading car in the left lane speeds away quickly to about 5-6 car lengths in front of me, but I'm able to easily pass the other cars so that I can lazily merge into the left lane of the acceleration ramp (as my right lane ends in a hundred yards or so). This should be an easy process...no one is crowding, no one is speeding, no one is tailgating...the car in front of me in the left lane is still about 4 lengths ahead (and since we're only going about 40mph that is plenty of space).
Right when I start to pull into the left lane...the lead car hits the brakes and comes to a complete STOP!!! This is right where the right lane ends so there is no way around her.
Who stops in the middle of an acceleration lane headed onto the interstate?
I agree -it sounds like you are either scared on the road or just lack confidence on the road. With you going off into the ditch the other day, I am concerned for your and others' safety. If it is bad weather, you may just want to wait until it passes...most of the time it doesn't last that long around here. Either that or see if your husband can come get you. Another idea would be to take a driver's class. Maybe they can help you develop the confidence you seem to need on the road and you will have better experiences driving.
wow, so what i posted elsewhere is being used here to say patronizing things and justify tailgating...thanks for you seemingly well meaning advice but pointing somehow at me does not justify tailgating.
and i guess i didn't ask for advice to be tagged by my husband wherever i go. quite insulting.
are you saying nobody ever gets into a ditch in strong rains? and how can u know how long the storm lasted? and if other vehicles also did not pull over because it was too much rain? yes people do drive in rains like its regular day and accidents also happen.
anyways its ok to post your opinion about tailgating and not cool to make personal attacks and patronize. you sure might be somebody who never got ticketed or had troubles. well then good for you...but lets please avoid personal statements.
Had a tractor hauling pine chips about 1/2 car length off my bumper today...laying on his horn...on 526. I was in the left lane and passing a line of vehicles in the right lane (not to mention we were coming through the 26/Rivers exchanges and traffic was merging on the far right).
Moron
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