| Author | Message | ||
     Bugman |
Do you: A. Accelerate to a faster speed until you are speeding hoping you can lose the jerk? B. Slow down to a ridiculously slow speed so as to aggravate the jerk into passing you illegally or possibly running you over? C. Pull over to the side of the road and allow the jerk to pass you peacefully and uneventfully so that you can them follow to their destination so that you can confront him/her and explain the error of his way? I post this because I was rear ended on my last bike two years ago and I didn't like it one bit. I was OK but the bike (Speed Triple) was wrecked. | ||
| Djkaplan |
This is really what I really do... I flip whoever it is off. You can't even use proper grammar to describe it, but it works for me. | ||
| Oldog |
D: move just faster than the traffic so that they are not tailgating, or get them in front of you so you can watch them. E: Carry a holstered and visible handgun bigger is better, be aware that ppl will go by you screaming things at you F: none of the above ... | ||
| Lovematt |
I am able to turn 90 degrees in my seat pretty well...so what I do is turn around and stare at them for about 1 second...they usually back off at that point. I don't speed up or brake...just make some room in front of me and go for the quick look. | ||
| Wardog3187 |
Slow down and give them some "fire". http://youtube.com/watch?v=fq1EjBT9kwM | ||
| Diablobrian |
Let them pass. You don't want them behind you. It's too dangerous. | ||
| 2000m2 |
Wardog3187, I'd love to see that flamethrower at a stop light! Ridiculous | ||
| Iamike |
A lot of times when I've tried the normal things, slowing down, tapping the brake, etc. and none of them work. I then turn around and look them in the eye. It's amazing how effective that is. They either back off or pass. | ||
| New12r |
Staring works best I have found. | ||
| Buellmonkey |
I wouldn't recommend ANY vulgar hand gestures. I think California popularized if not invented "road rage" and you could possibly get shot. This may be an exaggerated point for most riders. If the driver is really hauling a**, I let them pass. If I'm able to maneuver around the idiot, I can lose him in the din of traffic. Personally, I like the mounted weapon ideas. There have been some drivers that deserve NO consideration. | ||
| Buelltroll |
Show them that I can take corners ALOT faster than they can. | ||
| Jlnance |
I hear quarters work well.  Truthfully though, I would never recommend that. You really don't an angry tailgaiter behind you. | ||
| Seth |
From what I was taught during the commercial drivers license course: In the event of a tailgater, increase your stopping distance between yourself and the vehicle directly infront of you. (ie. slow down, it'll drive the prick nuts and they will go around) | ||
| Ptown |
well I would say rather make way for him to pass you and then back off to make room between you and him. Anger these guys and the biker most of the time comes second, 2 wheels is much more trickier to control than 4wheels.Some car drivers got it in for bikers for some or other reason and most of the times they don't travel alone and also have taken extra courage by means of booze. These guys will think nothing of it to pass you and then slam on brakes with the old story something ran into the road to the officer while you lie bleeding on the side of the road. Rather safe than sorry. | ||
| Luvinit |
Staring them in the face works ... But if they're really aggressive, I just make way and let them pass.... I even drive more calmly afterwards, as if an idiot like that makes me realize that driving is not (always) playing. | ||
| Arbalest |
Drop a handfull of marbles or ball bearings. Old nuts and bolts would work too. | ||
| Court |
>>>>Drop a handfull of marbles or ball bearings. Old nuts and bolts would work too. If you do that, please understand, beforehand, the consequences. | ||
| Lovematt |
As Court says...Intentionally dropping things like that could be considered the same thing as a weapon...seriously. If the government is considering things like two people dressed "similar" who happen to be riding motorcycles a gang...dropping things like that would be considered much worse. I really feel the staring thing works well...most people don't expect a motorcyclist to turn around and look back at them. (Message edited by lovematt on May 08, 2006) | ||
| Newfie_buell |
I would recommend either accelerating a bit to keep within the speed limit, if the car don't back off, signal, pull over and let the car go. Not worth getting into an altercation over and getting hurt. | ||
| Firebolteric_ma |
 i LOVE the turn around 90 deg. and give them a quick stare option. must really open there eyes.  | ||
| Mikej |
I had a braindeadpunkyahoo tailgate me at 80mph once, nothing I did got his attention. I pulled into a gas station, so did he. I went inside to pay for my gas, so did he. He didn't like me tailgating him in the line at the counter one single bit, about 2" air gap. I said nothing. He left quickly. Probably to tailgate again since he was a braindeadpunkyahoowithoutaclue. Last week I had a careless Caddy driver who looked like your local neighborhood hood tailgate me on my bike. Brake lights did nothing, eye contact did nothing. I finally found a gap in the right lane, moved over, and generously waved for him to pass, whereby he did to tailgate the car in front. Looked like he didn't care one single bit if he killed you or if you killed him. Looked like if you put a loaded gun in his face he'd just spit on you. Sometimes it's not worth the effort, so just move out of the way to live and ride another day. | ||
| Chasespeed |
If the stare doesnt work.... IF possible, get some room between you, and pull a stoppie...that will ALWAYS get their attention... something about the veiw of the underside of your bike... Of course, none of us woudl consider such a thing.... Oh yeah, get caught tossing/dropping something in the general direction of a car, and it IS something they will lock you up for... Chase | ||
| Spike |
I use the same method whether I'm in the car or on the bike- just gradually bleed off speed until they get it. I'm normally cruising at ~5mph over, so I'll start by slowing down to just a tick below the speed limit. If that doesn't do it, I'll slow to 5-10mph under and cruise there for a while. Usually by that point they've either realized that you won't be "pushed" into driving faster and back off, or they'll get mad and pass illegally. If they're really bad about it I'll eventually make a complete stop and turn around to look at them. Tough guys will get out of the car, but most people get it by that point and just decide to give up. Most of the time the tailgaters just want to go faster than you are going. Speeding up rewards their tailgating, so they continue to do it and you end up traveling at a much higher speed than you intended. Tapping the brakes or stopping suddenly just antagonizes them, and turns it into more of an ego battle. Just reducing your cruising speed is exactly the opposite of what they want, but it's not a challenge on them personally. They then will have to decide for themselves if they want to continue traveling at a slower rate or if they want to risk the illegal pass. Most will just back off, at which point you should resume your normal cruising speed. One last critical point about tailgating- if you are in the left lane of a multi-lane highway or interstate and have a tailgater, MOVE RIGHT!!! | ||
| Djkaplan |
If I'm to the point where I'm flipping someone off because I'm being tailgated, it's because I can't get out of the way or there is no other lane to pull into. 9 times out of 10 I'm being tailgated in a situation like that, the tailgater doesn't even realize what they're doing. Getting flipped off reminds them to get their head out of their ass, and that seems to work 10 out of 10 times. I do this mainly in my truck and car though... I don't think I've ever been in a situation on the bike where I been tailgated... mainly because I won't let myself be put into that position. | ||
| Djkaplan |
I am absolutely against playing games on the road. The last thing I'd do is slow down or brake check someone for tailgating me... it's easier for me to just move out of the way. But if I can't move out of the way, they're getting the finger... or my mother's deviled eggs again. I once flung an entire plate of deviled eggs out of my truck to get a tailgater off my ass... it was too dark to flip him (her?) off and I can't stand deviled eggs anyway. | ||
| Bodyshot1 |
...though I don't like it..it's best to let them around you..not worth having someone up your azz... my .02 | ||
| Court |
Common sense . . . should be. | ||
| Mike_bolts |
This is where loud pipes really help. Ever since I installed the Special OPS pipe, cars don't want anything to do with me... Seriously, I've found that waving them by helps. I'm also a proponent of (proper) hand signals in traffic to catch people's attention. | ||
| Raraf |
I knew a guy who carried a small pipe wrench. "Cagers who cannot see through their windshields can't turn into ragers", his motto. Me on the other hand...I try and live in the slow lane. Joe Walsh would be ashamed of me. | ||
| Newfie_buell |
Court, I'm sure you know that sometimes: "Common Sense is not all that Common" |
