yet another tailgating thread

Going along with the above post's theme, get a window sticker that says "Just a little closer please... then I'll slam the brake!"


Seriously, I'm wondering if you're just driving at speed that is too close but just below the truck's speed limiter. Thus the truck driver is facing a real dilemma: if they pull to the left and pass you, it will take a long time (they'll be going maybe 1-2mph faster than you) and infuriates a lot of drivers behind him/her. And they don't want to drive slower than their already slow speed limiter too. Remember they are paid by the mile, hours of driving are limited, and time's tough for them to make ends meet as it is. Maybe you could make it easier for them and speed a little? If you speed up a little and the truck's right back at your bumper, then it's time to follow the plan laid out on the previous post!

 

Yea you could do the brake thing, which I have done in my car and was not very professional, but it sure seemed like the thing to do at the time.
You can let them hit you but its not a sure thing that you will just go to the hospital, you could go to the morge but at least your family might get a nice settlement. You could get charged with a crime if there are witnesses that state you intentionally caused an accident, weather he was tailgating or not, I guess that all depends on the state, cops, and courts. If you go to the hospital with back and neck problems that could hamper your employment and future employment at places. Of course if you get a big enough settlement you can spend more time fishing instead of working. You could also call 911 and ask for the state police or whoever has jurisdiction and let them know what the deal is, try to get company name and truck number, or name and trailer number or license number. There is also the option, if they are a company driver, of calling their companies safety dept and reporting them, let them know where and what time and truck # if you can. Alot of companies only allow a certain amount of call-ins before they are terminated or put on probation

 

Or truckers could do the right thing and be professionals. Slow down. that 1-2 miles of speed is not going to affect your overall success, but it may impact lives.

The OP probably drives him/herself crazy worrying about other trucks and what other people are doing. Driver, drive your vehicle the right way, the responsible way, and the legal way and let others drive theirs.

And I think your best response to the tailgaiting problem is to slow down until the vehicle passes, and then get their company phone number.

 

I know in Ohio, they have posted signs about cars cutting off trucks and causing accidents and the State Troopers will pull you over if they see you cut off a commercial vehicle.

 

LOL but the thing about Ohio is once they pull over that car they will call ahead and pull over the truck for tailgating...

 

Often I see the trucks who are doing the tailgating are ones from companies nobody's ever heard of or from owner operators. It makes me want to shake my fist at them for giving the REAL drivers a bad name.

 

If I'm in a fast lane and a truck gets on a bumper I first analyze to see if hes trying to close the gap in to prevent a car from moving in front of him. If not and there is no car in front of me I'll move over a let him go. If its really bad tailgating that I feel is wrong, I'd wait until we get up a hill and take my foot of the accelerator. This causes a gradual decrease in speed without the danger of a brake check, by this point cars are passing him on the right and he has no where to go. The driver of the truck gets so pissed off it looks as though he wants to push my car as all I can see in my mirror is just GRILLE. I'll let my speed drop to 30mph and remember we're on a hill. Then I'll floor and take off...and I usually don't see that truck again.

 

Honestly- this blame goes all around- 4 wheelers cutting off trucks and trying to "draft" and yeah- people still do that behind rigs! and trucks that tailgate, and those that yank a hard left into a lane opening 82' long for their 80' truck and cut off cars. I drive 65-68MPH in my 4 wheeler, trucks are posted at 60, and I don't have issues with trucks.

As for the "passing slow 1-2MPH" argument- heck- that happens anyway! That's why people get impatient and cut off trucks- they can't seem to handle the 1 minute delay to get to McDonalds at the next exit. Exit run-ups and cut off's by 4 wheelers are the worst!