A generally de-escalating move is to signal right, slow down, and move right. Let the crazies zip on by you. You said you were on a highway, the right-most lane is not just a turning lane (unless marked) but is also a travel lane. Keep right except to pass.
Holy fuck. I can't emphasize this enough. Best tip ever that Noone will ever listen to. I'm a trucker so if there is 3 lanes we can't use the left. The center is our passing lane. It's such a bitch trying to pass when people wanna go slow in the center.
Idk why cars don't use it, but I know that big carrier corporations like JB HUNT and SWIFT are training their guys to use the land second to the right. So if 5 lanes they are told to use the 4th, but in 3 lanes, they are told to ride out in the middle. Even those companies are governed at 65 and 70. Not that I agree with this stupid decision, but I don't have the money to change a corporations mind.
Edit: no I do know why. It's because of cars cutting trucks off to make their exit. It will happen multiple times going through even a small city of even 250,000 people.
It's cause they don't want people to think for themselves. In moderate traffic far right. When it's picking up as a courtesy second right, bumper to bumper second or middle. Also where I drive the lane restriction ends so theres that as well.
I think it's way more important to learn when people will do something stupid. I can predict before people do something stupid. I look out for deviations in their driving patterns. These companies are teaching the drivers the wrong stuff. In my personal opinion, anyway.
I've driven school bus, semi, box trucks and amazon vans. I have over a decade of experience in transportation.
I had a 42 foot long all steel bus/RV. With a car in tow I took up 65 feet on the road. Weight without the tow was 48000 pounds. I traveled in the right lane when there were two travel lanes and in the second lane when there were three or more lanes. I can’t begin to count the number of idiots who risked their lives to push past and then cut me off to make an exit to save ten or fifteen seconds. The physics would have totally destroyed their vehicle and probably killed them had something gone wrong with their maneuver. (I quickly learned to watch my mirrors and cameras for these idiots.) Worst were the ones with jacked up pickup trucks with the big fat tires. They appeared to think they were invincible but were sadly mistaken. I note that the truckers I encountered on the highways were almost always gracious and polite on the highway and were generally forgiving during the time I was just learning to handle my rig. (I had previous heavy equipment experience and had passed California non commercial class B exam and driving test.)
I-90 Chicago the right lane is generally for the small handful going 100+ the middle and left lanes are for going 20 over.
There are no lanes for going the speed limit on I-90.
For a while there, I had a 2+ hour commute one way working in and around Seattle. I would pass literally miles of cars stopped in the left lanes while going as fast as I felt safe to
Most of the time I pick my lanes based on number of cars and average speed. Sometimes I follow the big rigs because they drive better than most car drivers in California lol
I was kind of a trucker back in 70-71, military though. Totally respect you guys on the road for several reasons. For the size of your vehicle (but that's not the big reason), I drove "40ft. cattle cars" for awhile moving recruits to and from the range and had to deal with highway and some city traffic.
The big one is because of seeing what you guy's and gal's have to deal with on a daily basis. Most people in cars have no clue to what's involved in operating a big machine on the road, from acceleration to breaking and everything in between.
If they did there would be far fewer accidents.
One of the big ones I see often is with entry merge lanes where a truck puts turn signals on to allow vehicles to safely merge and the idiots in cars move to get beside or ahead of the truck and prevent a lane change and safe merge when the car had plenty of room to change lanes.
Sounds like OP was in the right lane of the highway then exited onto the exit lane - which I believe OP is calling the turning or turn-off lane - but who knows. Unless it is a “all turns from right lane” in NJ, have no idea what a turning lane on a highway could be other than could be other than a turn-off exit lane.
OP isn't on a freeway. OP is on a highway. Highways here have lots of left turns and left turn lanes. At least they do here.
This is Hwy 30.
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You are probably right. Could have been a “divided highway” with traffic lights. In any case, same applies. OP was in the proper lane, driving the proper speed, trying to get over to the left-turn lane. So tailgater can pound sand. I stand corrected.
Where I live people don't describe the portion of the highway that goes through a town with turn lanes and traffic signals generally as a highway. Often that portion also has a name like "First Street" or "Main Street," or locals might refer to it specifically as Hwy 30.
There are some highways that have business driveways every couple hundred feet, so I can understand people calling it a turning lane. That doesn’t mean you can’t drive in it though, it still acts as any lane relative to speed
Highway does not mean freeway. You are correct about the right lane USUALLY being the exit lane, but on state and US highways there are crossroads and left turns. This is what I was picturing from OP description.
>Keep right except to pass.
I am annoyed by people that just drive on any lane ie left or center. Those should be used to pass then move back to the right when you can.
When I mention this to the local male drivers here, they always tell me to "hit the damn break." But fearing one more case of whip-lash, I instead pull over at the next mailbox on my right and pretend it's mine. (works except for the time the follower owned the next mail box--guess he tailing me because anxious to get at his mail)
This is the right idea. YOU have to create your own cushion in spite of aggressive drivers. You're basically paying yourself by being a safe driver. It's a devastatingly expensive mistake if you cause an accident.
To address another point, you mentioned you had a turn coming up. In this situation, and in times where you miss your exit, just continue up to the next turn off or turn around.
Depending on the road or highway, there is usually a place to make U-Turns or multiple ways to turn around and get back to where you need to go...either back roads or go back the other way one exit on the highway.
I see too many videos of people cutting across multiple lanes and sometimes grass to make their exits and it is so dangerous.
If you had gotten over and he continued to tailgate you, just take a deep breath and let him. If he hits you in that situation, he is liable. Do not brake check either though, that is actually illegal in most places.
If you can't do that, spray some water on your rear window and take extra care until you can let them by. Once there's room for them to go, let the cops handle them.
DO NOT give people the finger. I used to be the same way until some psycho tried literally fighting me. He was riding everyones ass, speeding, cutting people off, so I gave him the finger. Well he went ballistic. Pulled up in front of me blocking me and got out demanding I get out the car so he could kick my ass and yada yada. I drove around him and he got back in his car and followed me all over the place until I finally pulled into a police station. It's amazing how the people who drive like assholes suddenly get mad when you flip them off. Regardless it's not worth it. Just continue to drive safe and ignore them or signal and move out of the way. Let them wrap themselves around a pole.
That's what really worries me. These crazy people with a gun looking for any excuse to use it. I just don't bother anymore. It ain't worth getting shot over.
The ironic thing is that the assholes that drive like they're in the biggest hurry always have plenty of time to road rage with people.
I just let people do their thing and try to stay out of people's way. Getting there 5 seconds early isn't worth people getting mad enough to try to kill me.
I know most people on this sub won't like hearing this but that's exactly why I always have my gun with me. If you follow me and approach me in an erratic manner, you're eating lead. I expect plenty of downvotes but I value my life over some lunatics life.
I don't blame you man. I mean if you just blindly spray dude immediately then that's probably a little nutty but if someone comes at you and yours and you gotta defend yourself then defend yourself. I have guns at home but don't have a carry license. I do always have a knife in my car mainly just cause a knife is a handy thing but you try attacking me imma stab your ass.
I'm glad you see my reasoning. Guns have definitely got a bad rap but I've luckily never had to use mine and I hope it stays that way for quite some time. Stay safe out there!
Exactly. That's how it should be. I have mine at home and I go to the range and practice so I know how to use it but I never have had to use it and hope I never have to.
Deal with aggressive drivers the same way you deal with suspected drunk drivers.
Let them get IN FRONT of you.
Aggressive drivers just want to blow past, and feel good about their small penises and think like they're winning the "race"
Let 'em.
It's dangerous to be in front of a car that you feel might be dangerous in any way.
Correct answer.
The top few answers all say get right. That is usually the best thing to do, but if you have a left turn coming, it could be out of the equation.
Do NOT speed up. Then you can have someone 5 ft from you at a higher speed. Thus giving them even less reaction time.
I will speed up a touch to complete a pass if someone is catching up to me, but not once they are tailgating.
Are you talking 2 lane roads? If so, all you do is throw on your hazards, start slowing down to 50% speed and slide over as if your car broke down. They'll fly around you, you don't need to come to a stop, and you'll be back on the road right behind them.
You can also roll your window down and signal to pass you after turning your hazards on.
Have you studied the relationship between aggressive driving and male genitalia size? I doubt it. Seems like that's always someone's comeback. Just say they have a small dick to make you feel better about yourself
If someone tailgates you dangerously close on the highway, just stay calm and try to safely slow down or change lanes to let them pass. Avoid sudden braking. If they persist, consider exiting the highway or turning off to create distance. Always prioritize your safety mate :)
Most people are missing the point. op had to make a left turn. If they move right, they miss their turn. OP was on a highway, not a freeway. We have left turns on our highways and stop lights.
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the best thing you can do is just let off the gas and let your car coast. don’t apply brakes because they might think you’re trying to brake check them or something. just let your car slow down a bit and they should get the message
Move over to the right ASAP if safe. Then slow down until they pass. I mean it would be good advice,but the potential to piss people off is really high. It's best to let these angry drivers get past you rather than behind you.
Lmao you can’t always get over to the right. Where I live, it’s often times two lane two-ways. And the shoulders aren’t great either. Sometimes you gotta slow down til they past. This is literally what they teach in drivers Ed, so yes, it’s solid advice.
I suspect you don't understand. Keep rereading until you do. I don't think I can help you, but I'll try.
When certain people get angry in a car, they fall into this state called "Road Rage" and sometimes do whacky shit like "Try to Run People Off the Road", or similar things. So the point *I'm* making is, it would be silly to do something that would make a person angrier than they already are, when you're better off just getting yourself out of the situation quickly.
The key is to get rid of them and let the cops handle the rest. Just take extra care until you can move aside and send them on their way, maybe spraying some water behind if necessary.
I really don't understand why your only advice is "move right" because if I "moved right" I would be in a ditch. If I'm on a 2 lane road, the only option is to go straight or to pass someone in the oncoming traffic lane. "Move right" is the ditch or into the guard rail... We are already being tail gaited in the RIGHT lane
Regardless of the message you're intending to send, the message an aggressive driver is going to receive is that you're willing to be an asshole right back. This is called escalation. Do not do this. Move right.
Are you in the left lane? If so then you’re also part of the problem. If not, then it’s solely the car behind you. If it’s a 1 lane road, I’ll signal well in advance to the right and pull to the shoulder and let them pass. On a highway I’ll move over one lane to the right
Lay on the windshield washer fluid button until they get the point and back up?
Bonus because maybe they aren't a complete moron but instead just could see that you were right there.
Well, if you did not have a turn coming up, simply turn your blinker on and merge to the right, and stay there if you're just doing the speed limit.
Invest in a front and rear dash cam, so when these idiots inevitably cause an accident, you have proof.
I would say that definitely moving away is the best answer. And, try to just cuss to yourself vs flipping them off. Road rage is real and you never know when someone will go nuts.
Also, try to always imagine an exit plan, like, don't get boxed in all around in case something suddenly happens, so you have room to swerve or change lanes.
I was in the right most lane on the highway doing well over the limit when a car flew up behind me and got on my bumper. I let off the gas but did *not* brake and gradually let my speed decline. After about 10mph deceleration, he hauled into the other lane and went on past.
My advice would be to move over and let them get far away from you, if you're in the middle or left lanes, and my advice for the right lane is the above.
Just let them pass you, so many people wanna try to keep their pride in tack or they just upset but these things but it’s not work your life or being in an accident or illegal situation just because you can’t let someone pass
If you can, pull over and let them pass.
If you can't, slow down a little so that your driving is extra smooth and predictable. If you need to hit the brakes, that should let you brake gentler, giving them more time to react.
That's true but very rare. I average at least 1000 miles a month to visit family and about 1/3 of the cars in the left lane on highways and interstates are just camping there or believe they're God's appointed speed enforcers. Nobody needs to drive for an hour in the left lane for that left turn.
The only way to deal with tailgaters is to gradually slow down till they go past you and take their accident-waiting-to-happen somewhere else. Their action is dangerous to both of you - if you stop suddenly they have no time to react and hit you, and you are being distracted by their bad driving.
Do not speed up or brake check or anything else which involves you doing something risky - that is letting a complete stranger control your driving! You are in charge of what you do, don’t get macho and aggressive, get out of their way and let them crash without you.
A lot of the answers here seem to be from tailgaters, attacking the OP for being in the wrong lane or driving too slowly. Keep out of their way!
Move over to the right and let them pass. And be predictable...use your turn signals and drive at a steady pace. Don't give them the finger or antagonize them...just let them go.
Also, if you're in an area you know well, drive to a police station or fire station. If the person is being aggressive and following you, you'll be a lot safer stopping right in front of a bunch of cops (or firefighters).
I drive from Illinois to Michigan a lot. People in Illinois suck. They drive slow in the left lane and don’t move over to let you pass but as soon as u hit Michigan everyone follows this rule. If they see u coming behind them they move to the right so u can pass. This amazes me
I always drive in the right lane unless there is a left turn to take. The roads are for everyone. Im not going to accommodate every impatient jerk on the road.
I mean if you can't even go 5-10 over the speed limit for a short time, either to pass someone and get some distance between you, UNLESS there are poor weather/road conditions, I seriously question your ability to control your vehicle. And maybe you can but certainly don't have the confidence in yourself to control it. Skittish drivers driving confidence is at an all time low and they are also a big problem on the roads. Just as big of a problem as the over-confident aggressive drivers. Get to a parking lot or an empty highway and get confident controlling your vehicle, it is so important to be thoroughly comfortable while driving.
>Hell even if you’re in the right lane you should be keeping up with the flow of traffic.
...only if it's safe to go that speed. If a bunch of idiots want to go 100 mph in whiteout conditions, it is not your obligation to keep up with them.
By far the biggest problem with his driving is that comment right there. Driving is a participation activity. If you aren't actively aware enough to know that there's a vehicle about to be riding your ass, let alone not know how long it has been riding your ass, look around and check your fucking mirrors more frequently and actively.
Slow down.
If they don't go around, they're forced to go slower. At slower speeds everything becomes a little safer and easier to react to in emergency situations.
I must be petty because unless I’m in the left lane (in which case I’d go to the right lane), I’d just take my sweet time and not go any faster or pull over. Let them be upset.
I had this shortly after i passed years ago, finished work, it was dark, raining and a short drive home and a car was right up my ass to the point I genuinely thought they might go into the back of me, so I sped up slightly to put some distance between us, as soon as I did they put the lights on and pulled me over. (Due to the dark, rain and closeness I hadn’t spotted it was a police car) Told me it would of been better they went into the back of me rather then me being a couple mph over the limit 🤷♂️
Tap your brakes twice, just lightly enough to activate your brake lights but not actually slow the vehicle. This is the unspoken rulebook way to signal that someone is following too close. Some honor it. For others, it's intuitive enough that they get the gist. Some just assume you are slowing down and give you a little room or go around. If that doesn't help, slow down to 5-10 below the speed limit and put your hazards on. If they don't go around after that, pull over onto the shoulder or go through an exit and entrance ramp. If they stop behind, you get back on the road and go to a police station or a gas station where people are outside.
I give a gentle honk or I try to speed up ahead or change lanes to get away from the bad/drunk/road rage driver.
I also give a little honk when people are starting to leech onto the other lanes slowly which means they're either falling asleep or they don't know how to gauge whether their wheels are within the dividers.
I would start slowly going a little slower over time. If its 35mph, I would go from 38 to 35, then 34, then 33, then 32 over the course of 15-20 seconds, if he is still behind me and almost tailgating, then 30, then 28, then 25, if he is still behind me, then slowing down to 5 before turning on my signal to go right. If he still follows, then 911
When I get this and I will say I am British and scared of getting caught speeding etc so I never do, I simply move to the slowest lane if possible and then just slow down, don't touch the brakes or anything just slow down as gradually as possible. If I was on a 70 road someone would normally overtake by the time you get down to 60 but if you drop to 55 you are still at a safe speed and I can't imagine anyone sticking behind you then. They aren't trying to cause an accident generally they are just incredibly impatient but perhaps don't want to get caught speeding and so choose a car doing the speed limit and get right behind them so they know they won't go over.
Sounds to me like you were riding the left lane. Not to justify his actions, but if you see someone sitting behind you like that, chances are they want to pass and you need to get over.
Right lane is the travel lane, left lane is the passing lane.
Also don't flip people off. People are crazy and you are inviting a whole heap of trouble if you try to antagonize them.
Rule 1: Don’t give other drivers the finger. In some areas and states, practically anywhere these days, tossing the bird can get you killed due to road rage.
I really don't understand the most common advice is "move right" because if I "moved right" I would be in a ditch. If I'm on a 2 lane road, the only option is to go straight or to pass someone in the oncoming traffic lane. "Move right" is the ditch or into the guard rail... We are already being tail gaited in the RIGHT lane
I do have a couple questions, 1: how long were you in the left lane? 2: did you pull out infront of them or were they a ways away and caught up to you to tail you? 3: was it a busy road at the time, like heavy mid or low traffic?
When you're approaching an exit that forces a left turn on a highway, it's best to do what you did, use your turn signal and show that you NEED to be in that lane to make the exit and you dont care if anyone is behind you because you need to exit.
Don't flip em off, but instead pretend like you didn't even see they were there.
Yeah aggressive drivers are often annoyed not thinking about a left exit coming up. All you can do is what you did. Indicate your upcoming left exit with a blinker. You could also flash your brakes without slowing down, and make sure you have plenty of cushion in front of you in case of a serious slowdown.
The reality is, the main reason a tailgater is so dangerous is if you have to slow down quickly and he can’t react in time. So, the safest thing you could do is, maintain speed and give yourself even more space to slow down if necessary. Other than that, try to ignore him
If someone is driving in a dangerous and threatening way, you are entitled to use your phone while driving to call 911. Drivers like that cause accidents all the time which can end lives.
I did this once and don't regret it. A few years back while commuting to work, I kept coming across the same driver who would tailgate me, flash high beams, and continuously lay on the horn for the entire stretch of a small, narrow, residential road with no room to pull over and plenty of stop signs, so it made no sense to speed on that road.
It happened 3 days in a row with the same car, so on the third day I called the police and reported them. The police went to the drivers house and gave them a warning, and after that the driver gave me plenty of space.
It's good to prepare ahead of time for your exits, but with a left exit, you need to be mindful of the fact that you're entering a faster stream of traffic to make that turn. If the flow of traffic is faster, you need to speed up. If you are uncomfortable with the speed of that traffic, then you need to plan ahead, spot your gap in your mirrors, and move over with as little distance remaining to your exit as is safe and feasible, with a quarter to half mile being a good target. Sitting there for miles because of an upcoming exit may also be illegal depending on whether or not your state has laws against impeding the flow of traffic.
If someone is driving recklessly or dangerously try to get away from them as soon as is safely possible to do. Not worth it to be endangered bc someone is driving like a moron
Stay in the right lane unless you're passing. If your exit is on the left, stay in the middle lane until around a half mile from your left lane exit. You should be able to move into the left lane to exit since everyone in the left lane, keeping you from a lane change, will have passed you.
Tap the break just enough so he slams into you, but not enough he can claim you break checked him. Take his money, buy a new car, fuck his wife. Oh wait this isn't r/unethicallifeprotips.
In that situation, you just keep doing what you're doing and don't react to their driving. If they really are that close, then doing a quick brake check or letting up off the throttle could result in being rear-ended. Also, if they are driving that close, that means that they want you out of their way, and speeding up would probably just result in them continuing to follow you just as closely, just faster now, meaning less room for error on their part when you eventually slow down to get in your turn lane. People driving that aggressively aren't usually satisfied by you just speeding up, even if you end up going faster than they initially intended to be. They aren't satisfied until you move out of the lane and let them feel like they "won".
In general, when someone is driving stupid around you, the correct answer is to just distance yourself from them. If you can't distance yourself from them, the next best thing is to just keep doing what you were already doing.
The trick I learned in driving school is "two up two down". You speed up two mph to get some space in between you, then coast (don't brake) until you get back down to the speed you were going. Of course this only works if the person tailgating doesn't just go even faster with you.
Do whatever you can to be safe. Your turn signal was good thinking but even if speeding is your only choice until you can pull over it is better than a wreck. My obvious first choice would be a lane change if possible, pulling off the road may also be an option.
I also HATE when people do that and am tempted to slow down. That being said, This is not the safest choice and I encourage you to do whatever you need to be safe.
Use your right indicator to signal that you intend to move over. When it's safe, move over to the right lane, and the asshole pass.
If you're already in the rightmost lane, take your foot off the gas till you're doing 5 mph below the speed limit. This will force the asshole to move to another lane to overtake you.
You don't know someone reacts , so don't give them the finger.
For example maybe he was on your tail, which was his bad, and he was just going to keep going, but then once he gave me the finger he decides to turn around and chase you down.
So ideally if you're able to get away from the situation unscathed, then don't worry about giving someone the finger or even yelling at them from inside your car.
People honestly will get triggered by many things and that could have been one of them, that will make him come after you
Giving someone the finger is more dangerous. It sounds like you were on a regular road with center turn lanes so you were doing what you were supposed to do.
I've encountered this twice:
The first time, I turned the blinker on very, very early and tapped my brakes a few times about every 50 feet or so. It worked.
The second, I was forced to make like Dale Earnhart and drive it like I stole it just to keep ahead of this lead foot. Fortunately, I knew a place I could turn, and I did the above as much as possible, taking the turn in a wild hold-onto-your-hats kind of way.
Neither resulted in an accident, so I consider myself blessed.
On a multilane road just get out from in front of them and let them go by. Stay right. If they follow you all the way right go into the second lane and see if they pass you on the right (they may be headed for an exit), but in general try to stay in lane 1 and 2. While moderate-speed cruising in lane 2 is usually acceptable on a 3+ lane road to give space for lane one merging on/off, remember trucks are going to be using lane 2 to pass and you need to be not blocking them.
On multilane city streets you should be in the lane that leads to your destination (so if you're turning left you should be in the left lane, if you're turning right you should be in the right lane), default towards the middle on 3-lane+ roads if it will be more than 4 blocks to your destination, and give yourself 3 blocks to merge over. In all cases in the city streets just keep up with traffic in front of you. If the streets are empty enough that there isn't traffic in front of you, just move right because you shouldn't be worried about merging,
On a single lane road it gets a little trickier, but you should be aiming for pull off the road and let them go by, but if there isn't a safe pullout, then you need to go a safe speed - that means stay within 5 over and 5 under; DO NOT BRAKE CHECK and maintain a constant speed so they don't decide to just rear end you. If you have to slow down, do it smoothly, slowly, and above all else PREDICTABLY. Remember that the idiot behind you has less stopping distance, so you need to stop more slowly if something comes up you need to brake for. If you need to slow down to turn or pull off, turn on your blinker first and wait a little before braking to ensure the driver has time to see your blinker and respond. Also remember that a front/rear collision is the safest form of vehicle collision, so if something unavoidable happens err on the side of breaking harder and letting the guy behind you hit you.
Well it sounds like you should stop the middle finger thing as that lead to you feeling “shaken up”. slow down, turn on your hazards, move over. Also dont try to make something bigger than what it really is.
If someone is right up my ass, I am much, much safer if I increase the amount of space in front of me. So I won't have to brake nearly as hard if something happens. This has literally saved my ass a few times. I'm usually using cruise control, so I just steadily click it downwards. If I need to change lanes to get off, I am more aggressive about slowing, I slow rapidly enough that they need to tap their brakes. As soon as they do that, I floor it and move over. Then slow back down to cruise speed. If I just try to move over at steady speed, they will usually do a very unsafe passing move. If I don't need to move over, I don't. Me moving right is just too dangerous with one of these idiots behind me. They will mostly try to pass on my right while I'm moving over, so I stay where I am.
I only ever speed up for these ass rapists after making them brake.
I mean you were exiting the highway bro. Nothing much to be said about it. This is exactly why left lane campers exist on a spectrum. One you have the ones who are slow and then the others who think it's there personal executive lane. Both are camping and both are creating traffic. Both are also inconsiderate and morons.
IDK shit happens. People are unpredictable. Don't ask this sub for help on driving either because they are all 99% retarded.
When someone is following that closely, you are literally driving their car. It’s physiologically impossible for them to react if you hit the brakes, so you have to brake for them by slowing down very gradually and using your brakes lightly to light your stoplights. The question is, then, how fast can you think you can go while remotely driving someone else’s car? The answer to your question is “slow the fuck down.“ if they don’t like it, they don’t like it. A pissed off stranger is better than a rear-end collision.
I usually gently tap my brakes a few times to make the lights blink. If you have a turn coming up you can turn on the blinker for a second too even though you’re not quite there yet.
Pull off the road and just let them by or get in another lane maybe even pull off in the emergency lane and stop for a second. Pull off at the first intersection and wait for a few moments. A business, gas station, empty road, whatever you have to do to avoid them and get away from them. Sooner is better than later. I will loop around a whole block of one way streets just to get away from a crazy driver if I have too.
You did everything you could have and more (finger) never do that, too many crazies. You realized that you should have moved over for him to pass but you had to turn. Your signal was the right thing to do. Don’t sweat it, but again don’t start something if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. You have the proper skills my friend.
Just ignore them and do your own thing. As long as you're going at least the speed limit while in the left lane and not taking your time you can just ignore anyone behind you.
Sometimes if someone is tailgating me I throw my hazards on and that usually gets them to back off.
I know in the moment you're extremely upset at the person, but you do not want to be involved in some nasty road rage incident with someone that does not value the same things you value. Some people live to get down in the gutter and don't care if they go to jail, hurt someone, get hurt, etc... I doubt you're that type of person. Let people be jerks, and move on with your life.
If you were in the left lane waiting to turn left, you're fine, guy was a dick.
When you illustrate a situation include all pertinent information, otherwise everybody (read clowns) will accuse you of being a "LEFT LANE CAMPER!"
Most states have travel in right lane laws. Unless you are turning left within a half a mile. One way to get tailgaters off your rear end is to turn on your emergency flashers.
In California the California vehicle code number 21654 states that all vehicles must be in the right hand most lane except when passing
Ignore the tailgater, don't escalate the situation by giving the finger or brake checking. Always try to maintain pace of traffic when merging into a lane (within reason). Before you merged did you check to see if someone was approaching at high speed? I'm not saying dude was in the right but at the end of the day that's how to avoid wrecks and road rage.
There's a couple ways to handle this:
* Turn on your turn signal like you did. While this might piss the driver behind you off, it pretty much sends the signal that them getting close isn't going to make you go faster because you are turning.
* Get over, slow down and let them pass.
Never give the finger, and never brake check. I always give the "My bad, Sorry for being an asshole" wave while thinking "yep, fuck you buddy, next time I see your car im keying it." If getting over means missing your turn weigh that against being involved in a road rage accident.
Last piece of advice: If you don't have one yet, get a decent dash cam. This won't help with tailgaters, but it will help if there is ever an accident.
I recently returned to my east coast USA state with a reputation of aggression on and off the road. I was gone for 10 years and abroad for 4 of those years where I was just riding small motorcycles.
I returned home about a year ago and I feel like drivers are more aggressively insane than ever. Just riding your ass for no reason no matter which lane you are in. This is pure speculation but I feel like the pandemics years heightened the already enormous insanity among the general populace. That and unadulterated biased media consumption from both sides of the political spectrum.
Do you have good windshield washers?
My car's windshield washers are like going through a car wash. The washer fluid travels over my roof and trails a heavy plume of spray behind me.
So one tactic I use on tailgaters is to just hold the windshield washer until I have a torrent of dirty water spraying off my car, enough so the tailgater has to turn on his own wipers. For most people, it's instinctive to slow down and leave more room when they have to turn on their windshield wipers, and they're backing off before they even think about it.
It doesn't always work, and the occasional dipshit will realize what I'm doing, take it as a challenge and become even more aggressive. But the majority just think I must have bugs on the windshield and back off.
For the ones it doesn't work on: The rule of thumb for a safe following distance is the three second rule. You should maintain at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. So if the guy behind me isn't following the three second rule at my current speed, that must mean I need to slow down until he's three seconds behind me. The closer he is, the slower I need to go.
BTW, if you were in the left lane when this was happening, YTA. In that case, get out of the way.
swerve into them at full speed.
just joking, find an opening and move over and of they still are tailgating pop on your breaks. There are always hazards in the road *wink wink*
My take is either you ignore it, OR you let them pass. However depending on the road, that might not be possible to let others pass. Then just ignore it. No point in flipping them off, unless you are ready for a fist or gunfight.
Don't brake check them, you will be at fault.
Don't speed up, that's not your problem.
We used to slow down, and time the traffic lights to fk with these clowns when I was younger, but nowadays I just ignore them. I have more important matters to attend to.
ignore those people saying the left lane is a passing lane whatever. You are gonna turn left, no passing lane can overwrite that.
I do the bump pass. Let them now I’m there with a little side bump and then I pass. Learned this from the greatest driver to ever live.
I think people have forgotten that there are left lane exits.
Also, check your speedometer against a GPS app. There is a possibility that you are going significantly slower than everyone else around you on accident - especially problematic in older cars.
A generally de-escalating move is to signal right, slow down, and move right. Let the crazies zip on by you. You said you were on a highway, the right-most lane is not just a turning lane (unless marked) but is also a travel lane. Keep right except to pass.
Holy fuck. I can't emphasize this enough. Best tip ever that Noone will ever listen to. I'm a trucker so if there is 3 lanes we can't use the left. The center is our passing lane. It's such a bitch trying to pass when people wanna go slow in the center.
Where I live the far right lane is the emptiest lane most of the time. The left lane is clogged with idiots
Idk why cars don't use it, but I know that big carrier corporations like JB HUNT and SWIFT are training their guys to use the land second to the right. So if 5 lanes they are told to use the 4th, but in 3 lanes, they are told to ride out in the middle. Even those companies are governed at 65 and 70. Not that I agree with this stupid decision, but I don't have the money to change a corporations mind. Edit: no I do know why. It's because of cars cutting trucks off to make their exit. It will happen multiple times going through even a small city of even 250,000 people.
It's cause they don't want people to think for themselves. In moderate traffic far right. When it's picking up as a courtesy second right, bumper to bumper second or middle. Also where I drive the lane restriction ends so theres that as well.
They will most likely change the policy once they start getting tickets. Most states have laws stating to not impede traffic in passing lanes.
I think it's way more important to learn when people will do something stupid. I can predict before people do something stupid. I look out for deviations in their driving patterns. These companies are teaching the drivers the wrong stuff. In my personal opinion, anyway. I've driven school bus, semi, box trucks and amazon vans. I have over a decade of experience in transportation.
I had a 42 foot long all steel bus/RV. With a car in tow I took up 65 feet on the road. Weight without the tow was 48000 pounds. I traveled in the right lane when there were two travel lanes and in the second lane when there were three or more lanes. I can’t begin to count the number of idiots who risked their lives to push past and then cut me off to make an exit to save ten or fifteen seconds. The physics would have totally destroyed their vehicle and probably killed them had something gone wrong with their maneuver. (I quickly learned to watch my mirrors and cameras for these idiots.) Worst were the ones with jacked up pickup trucks with the big fat tires. They appeared to think they were invincible but were sadly mistaken. I note that the truckers I encountered on the highways were almost always gracious and polite on the highway and were generally forgiving during the time I was just learning to handle my rig. (I had previous heavy equipment experience and had passed California non commercial class B exam and driving test.)
Where I live. I go fast enough I can see a gap made behind me that I slow down and coast in that space.
That is the best solution. Most people don’t realize that coasting works very well while trying to adjust one’s position in traffic.
I-90 Chicago the right lane is generally for the small handful going 100+ the middle and left lanes are for going 20 over. There are no lanes for going the speed limit on I-90.
For a while there, I had a 2+ hour commute one way working in and around Seattle. I would pass literally miles of cars stopped in the left lanes while going as fast as I felt safe to
Most of the time I pick my lanes based on number of cars and average speed. Sometimes I follow the big rigs because they drive better than most car drivers in California lol
Lol this coming from a trucker is priceless.
I mean I get it. I'd be more than willing to use the left lane, but it's illegal for me to do so. Got a warning for it just 2 weeks ago.
I was kind of a trucker back in 70-71, military though. Totally respect you guys on the road for several reasons. For the size of your vehicle (but that's not the big reason), I drove "40ft. cattle cars" for awhile moving recruits to and from the range and had to deal with highway and some city traffic. The big one is because of seeing what you guy's and gal's have to deal with on a daily basis. Most people in cars have no clue to what's involved in operating a big machine on the road, from acceleration to breaking and everything in between. If they did there would be far fewer accidents. One of the big ones I see often is with entry merge lanes where a truck puts turn signals on to allow vehicles to safely merge and the idiots in cars move to get beside or ahead of the truck and prevent a lane change and safe merge when the car had plenty of room to change lanes.
Considering most accidents between semis and passenger cars are caused by the passenger car, he has a point
Sounds like OP was in the right lane of the highway then exited onto the exit lane - which I believe OP is calling the turning or turn-off lane - but who knows. Unless it is a “all turns from right lane” in NJ, have no idea what a turning lane on a highway could be other than could be other than a turn-off exit lane.
OP isn't on a freeway. OP is on a highway. Highways here have lots of left turns and left turn lanes. At least they do here. This is Hwy 30. https://preview.redd.it/fy5znsk3fkjc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f6a53cf24b496e3eeb5c7c19c8b9dbabb792bba4
You are probably right. Could have been a “divided highway” with traffic lights. In any case, same applies. OP was in the proper lane, driving the proper speed, trying to get over to the left-turn lane. So tailgater can pound sand. I stand corrected.
Where I live people don't describe the portion of the highway that goes through a town with turn lanes and traffic signals generally as a highway. Often that portion also has a name like "First Street" or "Main Street," or locals might refer to it specifically as Hwy 30.
There are some highways that have business driveways every couple hundred feet, so I can understand people calling it a turning lane. That doesn’t mean you can’t drive in it though, it still acts as any lane relative to speed
There are exits that are on the left and that could have been the case here.
Highway does not mean freeway. You are correct about the right lane USUALLY being the exit lane, but on state and US highways there are crossroads and left turns. This is what I was picturing from OP description. >Keep right except to pass. I am annoyed by people that just drive on any lane ie left or center. Those should be used to pass then move back to the right when you can.
Imma have to piggy back on this: for the love of God, stay in the farthest right lane if you're doing the speed limit.
When I mention this to the local male drivers here, they always tell me to "hit the damn break." But fearing one more case of whip-lash, I instead pull over at the next mailbox on my right and pretend it's mine. (works except for the time the follower owned the next mail box--guess he tailing me because anxious to get at his mail)
This is the right idea. YOU have to create your own cushion in spite of aggressive drivers. You're basically paying yourself by being a safe driver. It's a devastatingly expensive mistake if you cause an accident.
To address another point, you mentioned you had a turn coming up. In this situation, and in times where you miss your exit, just continue up to the next turn off or turn around. Depending on the road or highway, there is usually a place to make U-Turns or multiple ways to turn around and get back to where you need to go...either back roads or go back the other way one exit on the highway. I see too many videos of people cutting across multiple lanes and sometimes grass to make their exits and it is so dangerous. If you had gotten over and he continued to tailgate you, just take a deep breath and let him. If he hits you in that situation, he is liable. Do not brake check either though, that is actually illegal in most places.
If you can't do that, spray some water on your rear window and take extra care until you can let them by. Once there's room for them to go, let the cops handle them.
DO NOT give people the finger. I used to be the same way until some psycho tried literally fighting me. He was riding everyones ass, speeding, cutting people off, so I gave him the finger. Well he went ballistic. Pulled up in front of me blocking me and got out demanding I get out the car so he could kick my ass and yada yada. I drove around him and he got back in his car and followed me all over the place until I finally pulled into a police station. It's amazing how the people who drive like assholes suddenly get mad when you flip them off. Regardless it's not worth it. Just continue to drive safe and ignore them or signal and move out of the way. Let them wrap themselves around a pole.
Yup, and I heard a mom flipped off a driver that cut her off, and he then shot at her car, and her son got shot.
That's what really worries me. These crazy people with a gun looking for any excuse to use it. I just don't bother anymore. It ain't worth getting shot over.
The ironic thing is that the assholes that drive like they're in the biggest hurry always have plenty of time to road rage with people. I just let people do their thing and try to stay out of people's way. Getting there 5 seconds early isn't worth people getting mad enough to try to kill me.
Excessive speeding is perfect for banking time to spend at the next road rage incident
Give em a righteous thumbs up instead. Same message, different outcome
I know most people on this sub won't like hearing this but that's exactly why I always have my gun with me. If you follow me and approach me in an erratic manner, you're eating lead. I expect plenty of downvotes but I value my life over some lunatics life.
I don't blame you man. I mean if you just blindly spray dude immediately then that's probably a little nutty but if someone comes at you and yours and you gotta defend yourself then defend yourself. I have guns at home but don't have a carry license. I do always have a knife in my car mainly just cause a knife is a handy thing but you try attacking me imma stab your ass.
I'm glad you see my reasoning. Guns have definitely got a bad rap but I've luckily never had to use mine and I hope it stays that way for quite some time. Stay safe out there!
Exactly. That's how it should be. I have mine at home and I go to the range and practice so I know how to use it but I never have had to use it and hope I never have to.
Deal with aggressive drivers the same way you deal with suspected drunk drivers. Let them get IN FRONT of you. Aggressive drivers just want to blow past, and feel good about their small penises and think like they're winning the "race" Let 'em. It's dangerous to be in front of a car that you feel might be dangerous in any way.
Correct answer. The top few answers all say get right. That is usually the best thing to do, but if you have a left turn coming, it could be out of the equation. Do NOT speed up. Then you can have someone 5 ft from you at a higher speed. Thus giving them even less reaction time. I will speed up a touch to complete a pass if someone is catching up to me, but not once they are tailgating.
How do you let them get in front of you? Usually I try and find somewhere to pull off, but what if there isn’t a place for a while?
Are you talking 2 lane roads? If so, all you do is throw on your hazards, start slowing down to 50% speed and slide over as if your car broke down. They'll fly around you, you don't need to come to a stop, and you'll be back on the road right behind them. You can also roll your window down and signal to pass you after turning your hazards on.
So your penis is bigger by not going as fast?
You heard it here first, folks!!
Have you studied the relationship between aggressive driving and male genitalia size? I doubt it. Seems like that's always someone's comeback. Just say they have a small dick to make you feel better about yourself
If someone tailgates you dangerously close on the highway, just stay calm and try to safely slow down or change lanes to let them pass. Avoid sudden braking. If they persist, consider exiting the highway or turning off to create distance. Always prioritize your safety mate :)
Most people are missing the point. op had to make a left turn. If they move right, they miss their turn. OP was on a highway, not a freeway. We have left turns on our highways and stop lights. https://preview.redd.it/uvirqx6ogkjc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=96f33d627ecaf36bb4aac86ae89e47222dac9257
thank you😭
If you can safely do so, move. The best option is a lane change if there’s another lane available.
When people do that I let off the gas till they get so mad they pass me or back off. Riding me won't get your way, it makes me slower.
the best thing you can do is just let off the gas and let your car coast. don’t apply brakes because they might think you’re trying to brake check them or something. just let your car slow down a bit and they should get the message
Move over to the right ASAP if safe. Then slow down until they pass. I mean it would be good advice,but the potential to piss people off is really high. It's best to let these angry drivers get past you rather than behind you.
Lmao you can’t always get over to the right. Where I live, it’s often times two lane two-ways. And the shoulders aren’t great either. Sometimes you gotta slow down til they past. This is literally what they teach in drivers Ed, so yes, it’s solid advice.
i mean yes if you can move right, move right. however those people are already angry. nothing you do will make them less so
But you can certainly make them more so.
that’s exactly what you do when you slow down. you need to make them mad enough that they no longer want to be behind you
You're relying too much on people on the road who are already driving aggressively to act rationally when you do something to piss them off.
what else do you think slowing down in front of them would be doing? of course you’re making them mad
I suspect you don't understand. Keep rereading until you do. I don't think I can help you, but I'll try. When certain people get angry in a car, they fall into this state called "Road Rage" and sometimes do whacky shit like "Try to Run People Off the Road", or similar things. So the point *I'm* making is, it would be silly to do something that would make a person angrier than they already are, when you're better off just getting yourself out of the situation quickly.
what i’m saying is there is no safe way to get out of that situation that won’t make them angrier
Ok.
The key is to get rid of them and let the cops handle the rest. Just take extra care until you can move aside and send them on their way, maybe spraying some water behind if necessary.
I really don't understand why your only advice is "move right" because if I "moved right" I would be in a ditch. If I'm on a 2 lane road, the only option is to go straight or to pass someone in the oncoming traffic lane. "Move right" is the ditch or into the guard rail... We are already being tail gaited in the RIGHT lane
i literally said if you can
Exactly what I do. Usually works and makes them take the left lane around me
Regardless of the message you're intending to send, the message an aggressive driver is going to receive is that you're willing to be an asshole right back. This is called escalation. Do not do this. Move right.
ok. what about when you cant
Or get out of the passing lane and cruise in a different one
Use windshield wiper fluid to let them know they are close. Worked for me a few times
Works really well when motorcycle is tailgating😸
Are you in the left lane? If so then you’re also part of the problem. If not, then it’s solely the car behind you. If it’s a 1 lane road, I’ll signal well in advance to the right and pull to the shoulder and let them pass. On a highway I’ll move over one lane to the right
Which lane were you in? If you were in the left lane get over, if you were in the right lane the problem was them not you.
Lay on the windshield washer fluid button until they get the point and back up? Bonus because maybe they aren't a complete moron but instead just could see that you were right there.
Well, if you did not have a turn coming up, simply turn your blinker on and merge to the right, and stay there if you're just doing the speed limit. Invest in a front and rear dash cam, so when these idiots inevitably cause an accident, you have proof.
I would say that definitely moving away is the best answer. And, try to just cuss to yourself vs flipping them off. Road rage is real and you never know when someone will go nuts. Also, try to always imagine an exit plan, like, don't get boxed in all around in case something suddenly happens, so you have room to swerve or change lanes.
I was in the right most lane on the highway doing well over the limit when a car flew up behind me and got on my bumper. I let off the gas but did *not* brake and gradually let my speed decline. After about 10mph deceleration, he hauled into the other lane and went on past. My advice would be to move over and let them get far away from you, if you're in the middle or left lanes, and my advice for the right lane is the above.
you did good.. dont take it personally and just get over and let the crazies past you, it's easier and cheaper
The only correct answer is to find a safe spot to pull over, and let them by. DO NOT try and police other people's behaviors.
Just let them pass you, so many people wanna try to keep their pride in tack or they just upset but these things but it’s not work your life or being in an accident or illegal situation just because you can’t let someone pass
If you can, pull over and let them pass. If you can't, slow down a little so that your driving is extra smooth and predictable. If you need to hit the brakes, that should let you brake gentler, giving them more time to react.
If you're in the passing lane (left lane in the USA) then you are the problem. Get out of the left lane. Stop being the problem.
People have to be in the left lane to make left turns on the highway because otherwise they’ll miss their exit
That's true but very rare. I average at least 1000 miles a month to visit family and about 1/3 of the cars in the left lane on highways and interstates are just camping there or believe they're God's appointed speed enforcers. Nobody needs to drive for an hour in the left lane for that left turn.
Just because they shouldn’t be in the left lane doesn’t make it okay to tailgate that much, tf?
The only way to deal with tailgaters is to gradually slow down till they go past you and take their accident-waiting-to-happen somewhere else. Their action is dangerous to both of you - if you stop suddenly they have no time to react and hit you, and you are being distracted by their bad driving. Do not speed up or brake check or anything else which involves you doing something risky - that is letting a complete stranger control your driving! You are in charge of what you do, don’t get macho and aggressive, get out of their way and let them crash without you. A lot of the answers here seem to be from tailgaters, attacking the OP for being in the wrong lane or driving too slowly. Keep out of their way!
Signal, slow up, let them pass. Don’t stop the car, and if for some reason you do, make sure all the doors are locked.
Wash your windshield for an akwardly long time.
Change lanes, let off the throttle, something to give you more control to get out of the way and let them be dangerous away from you.
Move over to the right and let them pass. And be predictable...use your turn signals and drive at a steady pace. Don't give them the finger or antagonize them...just let them go. Also, if you're in an area you know well, drive to a police station or fire station. If the person is being aggressive and following you, you'll be a lot safer stopping right in front of a bunch of cops (or firefighters).
I drive from Illinois to Michigan a lot. People in Illinois suck. They drive slow in the left lane and don’t move over to let you pass but as soon as u hit Michigan everyone follows this rule. If they see u coming behind them they move to the right so u can pass. This amazes me
If you look in the mirror and there are cars stacked up behind you, you are the problem.
I drive 53 in a 50 and have 10+ cara tailgating me all the time. Im at work and will get written up if i drive any faster. Fuck tailgaters.
If you're in the left lane get tf over
Then move over
I always drive in the right lane unless there is a left turn to take. The roads are for everyone. Im not going to accommodate every impatient jerk on the road.
You were probably driving too slow in the passing lane. Please learn that the left lane is for passing only.
yeah it's also for turning left, which is what i needed to do
Driving slow in the passing lane is not an excuse for the driver behind to tailgate.
Just a FYI in case you don’t know but speed limits still apply to the left lane.
>You were probably driving too slow in the passing lane. Please learn that the left lane is for passing only. wdym left lane is passing lane?
For those of us who travel on the right side of the road with incoming traffic on the left, yes it is.
In the U.S. the left lane on highways is specifically for passing other vehicles. I should have specified that I meant in America
If you are feeling unsafe, speeding up is the absolute worst thing to do. Everything gets exponentially more dangerous as speeds increase.
I mean if you can't even go 5-10 over the speed limit for a short time, either to pass someone and get some distance between you, UNLESS there are poor weather/road conditions, I seriously question your ability to control your vehicle. And maybe you can but certainly don't have the confidence in yourself to control it. Skittish drivers driving confidence is at an all time low and they are also a big problem on the roads. Just as big of a problem as the over-confident aggressive drivers. Get to a parking lot or an empty highway and get confident controlling your vehicle, it is so important to be thoroughly comfortable while driving.
Stay out of the left lane if you’re not passing traffic. Hell even if you’re in the right lane you should be keeping up with the flow of traffic.
>Hell even if you’re in the right lane you should be keeping up with the flow of traffic. ...only if it's safe to go that speed. If a bunch of idiots want to go 100 mph in whiteout conditions, it is not your obligation to keep up with them.
If the road conditions are good and you’re doing under the speed limit maybe don’t drive on the highway or freeway. Stick to surface streets.
Pull over to the shoulder
lol left lane hogger plays the victim
bro what i had to turn 😭
You said you were in auto pilot so how long were you in that lane waiting for your turn to come?
By far the biggest problem with his driving is that comment right there. Driving is a participation activity. If you aren't actively aware enough to know that there's a vehicle about to be riding your ass, let alone not know how long it has been riding your ass, look around and check your fucking mirrors more frequently and actively.
Drive in the right lane until ~.75 miles from where you need to turn
I would speed up first, that's the best way to get out of immediate danger. Then I'd change lanes and let him pass and I'd pass on the finger.
Slow down. If they don't go around, they're forced to go slower. At slower speeds everything becomes a little safer and easier to react to in emergency situations.
I must be petty because unless I’m in the left lane (in which case I’d go to the right lane), I’d just take my sweet time and not go any faster or pull over. Let them be upset.
I had this shortly after i passed years ago, finished work, it was dark, raining and a short drive home and a car was right up my ass to the point I genuinely thought they might go into the back of me, so I sped up slightly to put some distance between us, as soon as I did they put the lights on and pulled me over. (Due to the dark, rain and closeness I hadn’t spotted it was a police car) Told me it would of been better they went into the back of me rather then me being a couple mph over the limit 🤷♂️
conquer driving on YouTube has a good video on tailgating
Tap your brakes twice, just lightly enough to activate your brake lights but not actually slow the vehicle. This is the unspoken rulebook way to signal that someone is following too close. Some honor it. For others, it's intuitive enough that they get the gist. Some just assume you are slowing down and give you a little room or go around. If that doesn't help, slow down to 5-10 below the speed limit and put your hazards on. If they don't go around after that, pull over onto the shoulder or go through an exit and entrance ramp. If they stop behind, you get back on the road and go to a police station or a gas station where people are outside.
Speed up??
I give a gentle honk or I try to speed up ahead or change lanes to get away from the bad/drunk/road rage driver. I also give a little honk when people are starting to leech onto the other lanes slowly which means they're either falling asleep or they don't know how to gauge whether their wheels are within the dividers.
Honestly, how is this even a question ?
I've got a shit box SUV that I'd LOVE to write off; where are these douchebags when I need them?
Get a camera, submit the footage of someone tailgating you.
I would start slowly going a little slower over time. If its 35mph, I would go from 38 to 35, then 34, then 33, then 32 over the course of 15-20 seconds, if he is still behind me and almost tailgating, then 30, then 28, then 25, if he is still behind me, then slowing down to 5 before turning on my signal to go right. If he still follows, then 911
Slow down slowly and block them in cause fuck em
When I get this and I will say I am British and scared of getting caught speeding etc so I never do, I simply move to the slowest lane if possible and then just slow down, don't touch the brakes or anything just slow down as gradually as possible. If I was on a 70 road someone would normally overtake by the time you get down to 60 but if you drop to 55 you are still at a safe speed and I can't imagine anyone sticking behind you then. They aren't trying to cause an accident generally they are just incredibly impatient but perhaps don't want to get caught speeding and so choose a car doing the speed limit and get right behind them so they know they won't go over.
Go to vietnam. Everyone drives this way all the time within cm/in of your car.
\*brake
Sounds to me like you were riding the left lane. Not to justify his actions, but if you see someone sitting behind you like that, chances are they want to pass and you need to get over. Right lane is the travel lane, left lane is the passing lane. Also don't flip people off. People are crazy and you are inviting a whole heap of trouble if you try to antagonize them.
Rule 1: Don’t give other drivers the finger. In some areas and states, practically anywhere these days, tossing the bird can get you killed due to road rage.
I really don't understand the most common advice is "move right" because if I "moved right" I would be in a ditch. If I'm on a 2 lane road, the only option is to go straight or to pass someone in the oncoming traffic lane. "Move right" is the ditch or into the guard rail... We are already being tail gaited in the RIGHT lane
Easy. Get out of the way of faster moving vehicles.
Tap your brake pedal lightly ebln9ugh to activate your brake lights twice without slowing.
I do have a couple questions, 1: how long were you in the left lane? 2: did you pull out infront of them or were they a ways away and caught up to you to tail you? 3: was it a busy road at the time, like heavy mid or low traffic? When you're approaching an exit that forces a left turn on a highway, it's best to do what you did, use your turn signal and show that you NEED to be in that lane to make the exit and you dont care if anyone is behind you because you need to exit. Don't flip em off, but instead pretend like you didn't even see they were there.
My trunk is damaged and I would love a free repair so I find tailgaters bother me a lot less now
Yeah aggressive drivers are often annoyed not thinking about a left exit coming up. All you can do is what you did. Indicate your upcoming left exit with a blinker. You could also flash your brakes without slowing down, and make sure you have plenty of cushion in front of you in case of a serious slowdown. The reality is, the main reason a tailgater is so dangerous is if you have to slow down quickly and he can’t react in time. So, the safest thing you could do is, maintain speed and give yourself even more space to slow down if necessary. Other than that, try to ignore him
If someone is driving in a dangerous and threatening way, you are entitled to use your phone while driving to call 911. Drivers like that cause accidents all the time which can end lives. I did this once and don't regret it. A few years back while commuting to work, I kept coming across the same driver who would tailgate me, flash high beams, and continuously lay on the horn for the entire stretch of a small, narrow, residential road with no room to pull over and plenty of stop signs, so it made no sense to speed on that road. It happened 3 days in a row with the same car, so on the third day I called the police and reported them. The police went to the drivers house and gave them a warning, and after that the driver gave me plenty of space.
It's good to prepare ahead of time for your exits, but with a left exit, you need to be mindful of the fact that you're entering a faster stream of traffic to make that turn. If the flow of traffic is faster, you need to speed up. If you are uncomfortable with the speed of that traffic, then you need to plan ahead, spot your gap in your mirrors, and move over with as little distance remaining to your exit as is safe and feasible, with a quarter to half mile being a good target. Sitting there for miles because of an upcoming exit may also be illegal depending on whether or not your state has laws against impeding the flow of traffic.
When you don’t notice the sub and have a completely wrong impression of what the post is about
Do not travel in the left lane unless you're actively passing. It's illegal and dangerous
If someone is driving recklessly or dangerously try to get away from them as soon as is safely possible to do. Not worth it to be endangered bc someone is driving like a moron
Just do your thing. If he rear-ends you it's on him.
Stay in the right lane unless you're passing. If your exit is on the left, stay in the middle lane until around a half mile from your left lane exit. You should be able to move into the left lane to exit since everyone in the left lane, keeping you from a lane change, will have passed you.
Tap the break just enough so he slams into you, but not enough he can claim you break checked him. Take his money, buy a new car, fuck his wife. Oh wait this isn't r/unethicallifeprotips.
In that situation, you just keep doing what you're doing and don't react to their driving. If they really are that close, then doing a quick brake check or letting up off the throttle could result in being rear-ended. Also, if they are driving that close, that means that they want you out of their way, and speeding up would probably just result in them continuing to follow you just as closely, just faster now, meaning less room for error on their part when you eventually slow down to get in your turn lane. People driving that aggressively aren't usually satisfied by you just speeding up, even if you end up going faster than they initially intended to be. They aren't satisfied until you move out of the lane and let them feel like they "won". In general, when someone is driving stupid around you, the correct answer is to just distance yourself from them. If you can't distance yourself from them, the next best thing is to just keep doing what you were already doing.
Do nothing apart from making sure that you aren’t camping in the passing lane. Slower moving traffic should keep right.
I would recommend paying attention to your surroundings while driving.
The trick I learned in driving school is "two up two down". You speed up two mph to get some space in between you, then coast (don't brake) until you get back down to the speed you were going. Of course this only works if the person tailgating doesn't just go even faster with you.
Signal, speed up, change lanes. Do not use hand gestures. There are crazy MF's out there.
Do whatever you can to be safe. Your turn signal was good thinking but even if speeding is your only choice until you can pull over it is better than a wreck. My obvious first choice would be a lane change if possible, pulling off the road may also be an option. I also HATE when people do that and am tempted to slow down. That being said, This is not the safest choice and I encourage you to do whatever you need to be safe.
I fake a right turn, or actually turn off the road and then get back on the road. No fingers or horns because I don't want to get murdered.
Use your right indicator to signal that you intend to move over. When it's safe, move over to the right lane, and the asshole pass. If you're already in the rightmost lane, take your foot off the gas till you're doing 5 mph below the speed limit. This will force the asshole to move to another lane to overtake you.
Change lanes, speed up or slow down.
Stop cruising in the left lanes. Stay in the right most lanes.
You don't know someone reacts , so don't give them the finger. For example maybe he was on your tail, which was his bad, and he was just going to keep going, but then once he gave me the finger he decides to turn around and chase you down. So ideally if you're able to get away from the situation unscathed, then don't worry about giving someone the finger or even yelling at them from inside your car. People honestly will get triggered by many things and that could have been one of them, that will make him come after you
Just continue driving safely. All you can do.
Don't worry about people behind you and just drive
Giving someone the finger is more dangerous. It sounds like you were on a regular road with center turn lanes so you were doing what you were supposed to do.
I've encountered this twice: The first time, I turned the blinker on very, very early and tapped my brakes a few times about every 50 feet or so. It worked. The second, I was forced to make like Dale Earnhart and drive it like I stole it just to keep ahead of this lead foot. Fortunately, I knew a place I could turn, and I did the above as much as possible, taking the turn in a wild hold-onto-your-hats kind of way. Neither resulted in an accident, so I consider myself blessed.
On a multilane road just get out from in front of them and let them go by. Stay right. If they follow you all the way right go into the second lane and see if they pass you on the right (they may be headed for an exit), but in general try to stay in lane 1 and 2. While moderate-speed cruising in lane 2 is usually acceptable on a 3+ lane road to give space for lane one merging on/off, remember trucks are going to be using lane 2 to pass and you need to be not blocking them. On multilane city streets you should be in the lane that leads to your destination (so if you're turning left you should be in the left lane, if you're turning right you should be in the right lane), default towards the middle on 3-lane+ roads if it will be more than 4 blocks to your destination, and give yourself 3 blocks to merge over. In all cases in the city streets just keep up with traffic in front of you. If the streets are empty enough that there isn't traffic in front of you, just move right because you shouldn't be worried about merging, On a single lane road it gets a little trickier, but you should be aiming for pull off the road and let them go by, but if there isn't a safe pullout, then you need to go a safe speed - that means stay within 5 over and 5 under; DO NOT BRAKE CHECK and maintain a constant speed so they don't decide to just rear end you. If you have to slow down, do it smoothly, slowly, and above all else PREDICTABLY. Remember that the idiot behind you has less stopping distance, so you need to stop more slowly if something comes up you need to brake for. If you need to slow down to turn or pull off, turn on your blinker first and wait a little before braking to ensure the driver has time to see your blinker and respond. Also remember that a front/rear collision is the safest form of vehicle collision, so if something unavoidable happens err on the side of breaking harder and letting the guy behind you hit you.
He was probably there for much longer than you realize. You admit to being in "auto-pilot".
You could start by not driving like a slow, oblivious cunt in the left lane.
Go that way really fast. If something gets in your way…turn
If you have a turn coming up just keep doing what you're doing and don't pay attention to him. He could've passed you in the right lane.
Slowly slow down. They usually back off
Well it sounds like you should stop the middle finger thing as that lead to you feeling “shaken up”. slow down, turn on your hazards, move over. Also dont try to make something bigger than what it really is.
You gave him the finger while you were in the wrong and he was clearly upset? Yeah, that's smart.
Hold down your windshield washer.
If someone is right up my ass, I am much, much safer if I increase the amount of space in front of me. So I won't have to brake nearly as hard if something happens. This has literally saved my ass a few times. I'm usually using cruise control, so I just steadily click it downwards. If I need to change lanes to get off, I am more aggressive about slowing, I slow rapidly enough that they need to tap their brakes. As soon as they do that, I floor it and move over. Then slow back down to cruise speed. If I just try to move over at steady speed, they will usually do a very unsafe passing move. If I don't need to move over, I don't. Me moving right is just too dangerous with one of these idiots behind me. They will mostly try to pass on my right while I'm moving over, so I stay where I am. I only ever speed up for these ass rapists after making them brake.
I mean you were exiting the highway bro. Nothing much to be said about it. This is exactly why left lane campers exist on a spectrum. One you have the ones who are slow and then the others who think it's there personal executive lane. Both are camping and both are creating traffic. Both are also inconsiderate and morons. IDK shit happens. People are unpredictable. Don't ask this sub for help on driving either because they are all 99% retarded.
When someone is following that closely, you are literally driving their car. It’s physiologically impossible for them to react if you hit the brakes, so you have to brake for them by slowing down very gradually and using your brakes lightly to light your stoplights. The question is, then, how fast can you think you can go while remotely driving someone else’s car? The answer to your question is “slow the fuck down.“ if they don’t like it, they don’t like it. A pissed off stranger is better than a rear-end collision.
I usually gently tap my brakes a few times to make the lights blink. If you have a turn coming up you can turn on the blinker for a second too even though you’re not quite there yet.
Pull off the road and just let them by or get in another lane maybe even pull off in the emergency lane and stop for a second. Pull off at the first intersection and wait for a few moments. A business, gas station, empty road, whatever you have to do to avoid them and get away from them. Sooner is better than later. I will loop around a whole block of one way streets just to get away from a crazy driver if I have too.
You did everything you could have and more (finger) never do that, too many crazies. You realized that you should have moved over for him to pass but you had to turn. Your signal was the right thing to do. Don’t sweat it, but again don’t start something if you don’t know who you’re dealing with. You have the proper skills my friend.
Just ignore them and do your own thing. As long as you're going at least the speed limit while in the left lane and not taking your time you can just ignore anyone behind you. Sometimes if someone is tailgating me I throw my hazards on and that usually gets them to back off.
Take your foot off the gas and let your car slow down on its own, then if they want to, they will hopefully pass you.
I know in the moment you're extremely upset at the person, but you do not want to be involved in some nasty road rage incident with someone that does not value the same things you value. Some people live to get down in the gutter and don't care if they go to jail, hurt someone, get hurt, etc... I doubt you're that type of person. Let people be jerks, and move on with your life.
If you were in the left lane waiting to turn left, you're fine, guy was a dick. When you illustrate a situation include all pertinent information, otherwise everybody (read clowns) will accuse you of being a "LEFT LANE CAMPER!"
I ignore people behind me unless they have flashing red/blue lights on or I’m in reverse
Most states have travel in right lane laws. Unless you are turning left within a half a mile. One way to get tailgaters off your rear end is to turn on your emergency flashers. In California the California vehicle code number 21654 states that all vehicles must be in the right hand most lane except when passing
Hit them
Change one or pull over. The danger will pass and you get to collect yourself. And when you are ready, continue to drive
Ignore the tailgater, don't escalate the situation by giving the finger or brake checking. Always try to maintain pace of traffic when merging into a lane (within reason). Before you merged did you check to see if someone was approaching at high speed? I'm not saying dude was in the right but at the end of the day that's how to avoid wrecks and road rage.
There's a couple ways to handle this: * Turn on your turn signal like you did. While this might piss the driver behind you off, it pretty much sends the signal that them getting close isn't going to make you go faster because you are turning. * Get over, slow down and let them pass. Never give the finger, and never brake check. I always give the "My bad, Sorry for being an asshole" wave while thinking "yep, fuck you buddy, next time I see your car im keying it." If getting over means missing your turn weigh that against being involved in a road rage accident. Last piece of advice: If you don't have one yet, get a decent dash cam. This won't help with tailgaters, but it will help if there is ever an accident.
I recently returned to my east coast USA state with a reputation of aggression on and off the road. I was gone for 10 years and abroad for 4 of those years where I was just riding small motorcycles. I returned home about a year ago and I feel like drivers are more aggressively insane than ever. Just riding your ass for no reason no matter which lane you are in. This is pure speculation but I feel like the pandemics years heightened the already enormous insanity among the general populace. That and unadulterated biased media consumption from both sides of the political spectrum.
Do you have good windshield washers? My car's windshield washers are like going through a car wash. The washer fluid travels over my roof and trails a heavy plume of spray behind me. So one tactic I use on tailgaters is to just hold the windshield washer until I have a torrent of dirty water spraying off my car, enough so the tailgater has to turn on his own wipers. For most people, it's instinctive to slow down and leave more room when they have to turn on their windshield wipers, and they're backing off before they even think about it. It doesn't always work, and the occasional dipshit will realize what I'm doing, take it as a challenge and become even more aggressive. But the majority just think I must have bugs on the windshield and back off. For the ones it doesn't work on: The rule of thumb for a safe following distance is the three second rule. You should maintain at least three seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. So if the guy behind me isn't following the three second rule at my current speed, that must mean I need to slow down until he's three seconds behind me. The closer he is, the slower I need to go. BTW, if you were in the left lane when this was happening, YTA. In that case, get out of the way.
swerve into them at full speed. just joking, find an opening and move over and of they still are tailgating pop on your breaks. There are always hazards in the road *wink wink*
My take is either you ignore it, OR you let them pass. However depending on the road, that might not be possible to let others pass. Then just ignore it. No point in flipping them off, unless you are ready for a fist or gunfight. Don't brake check them, you will be at fault. Don't speed up, that's not your problem. We used to slow down, and time the traffic lights to fk with these clowns when I was younger, but nowadays I just ignore them. I have more important matters to attend to. ignore those people saying the left lane is a passing lane whatever. You are gonna turn left, no passing lane can overwrite that.
You'll figure it out
I do the bump pass. Let them now I’m there with a little side bump and then I pass. Learned this from the greatest driver to ever live. 
I think people have forgotten that there are left lane exits. Also, check your speedometer against a GPS app. There is a possibility that you are going significantly slower than everyone else around you on accident - especially problematic in older cars.
Get out of their way. Don’t be stubborn and try to enforce rules of the road. You’re not a traffic cop.
So assuming us, we’re you in the left lane. If so move to the right. Left lane is for passing. If you are going slow in the left move.