DO we have to stop? Learn not to tailgate!

[rustybeercan]

Supposedly a true story, not mine!

A long time ago, I was a student tractor- trailer driver. My instructor
and I were in the city, me driving a single axle tractor pulling a 40
foot van. The instructor asks me "How many cars are following you?" and
I replied "One". He says "How do you know? I don't see any". I answered
"Because I can see the shadow of a car behind the trailer". That means
the following car is _right_ on my rear bumper.

He compliments me on my driving skill as we approach a underpass which
is on a curve. In the shadow of the underpass, in the middle of the
lane, is a V8 engine block. About 400 pounds of iron, festooned with
various brackets, just sitting there. Now I have two problems: spike the
brakes, get hit in the rear and automatically lose my learner's permit,
or try to avoid hitting the engine block. Hitting the block is
completely out of the question, as the head instructor is a former
Marine Drill Instructor and on our first day told us not to even THINK
about dinging one of his trucks, using language and gestures as only a
former Marine Drill Instructor can.

I tap the brakes lightly, to let the tailgating idiot know I'm slowing
down, and center the tractor over the block, telling my instructor "I'm
gonna straddle it!"He opens his door and starts trying to look under
the truck. He starts yelling "It missed the axle, turn a little left,
no, right, left, yeah, Ok, hold it right there!" I'm wincing, waiting
for a bracket to reach out and tear out an air line, or rip a tire, or
bang into a brake servo.

I'm yelling "Did we hit it?, Did we hit it?" when the instructor swings
back up in the seat, smiles, and says "No, but the guy behind us sure
did!"

I look in the mirror, and sure enough, the guy behind now has a new
Cadillac with a vee- shaped front bumper and a major coolant leak. And
a new perspective on tailgating.

I ask "Do we have to stop?" "Nope- didn't come off our truck, did it?"
So off we went- laughing.

Beercan

 

[42chevy]

He deserved it in my opinion. I hate tailgaters no matter what I am driving.

 

[Tripper]

I hate to be tailgated!!!

1st let me say... I HATE to be tailgated & will hardly tolerate it. Drivers here in Houston drive like maniacs & traffic stops in front of you on the freeway constantly. I can not tell you how many times I've looked in my rear view mirror only to see a woman right on my bumper talking on her cell phone. I keep putting on my brakes until that person backs off!!!

BoB

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

if im in the dd, i say slam on the brakes and let em hit me.

 

[HOT40ROD]

Great story. I would to know want he was thinking after he hit it.

 

[Sam_Fear]

That's too bad about the engine block. I hope it wasn't a hemi - that would be a real shame.

I've had that scene play out a couple times now while in my pick-up. I've also been known to down shift and take a hard turn onto a side street without touching the brakes.

 

[Ratcrazy]

As you guys have said, I too hate to be tailgated. I drive a safe distance behind the car in front of me all the time.

One thing I like to do is to turn on my parking lights as a warning to the car tailgating me. Many times this works pretty well because all the person sees is lights coming on even though my speed hasnt decreased at all but they arent sure of it yet. I have seen many a bumber take a nose drive when doing this. If they continue to tailgate then I brake check them just to see if my brakes still work. If that doesnt work I slow down to about 5-10mph under the speed limit just to drive them a little nuts for a while.[ddd When they try to pass I'm not sure what happens because all of a sudden I am running the speed limit again and they are riding beside me giving the ol' one finger salute....[cl

I just laugh and wave at them and go on my way...They are the one going home now with a bad attitude..

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Rat, ur evil...we are gonna get along great...lol

 

[donsrods]

I worked for a body shop one time that had the city contract, so we repaired cop cars a lot. Part of my job was to take them home when fixed. One day I was taking a fully marked cruiser back and here is this young girl talking on her cell phone riding inches off of my rear bumper. She didn't care it was a cop car at all. I wished at that time I had been a cop because I would have gotten her for everything that I could. [ddev

I hate tailgaters and usually slow down more just to p*** them off more.

Don

 

[anvil]

love that story yea drive safe LOL

 

[CR55]

I do the same thing Ratcrazy does![cl A friend did the slam on the brakes routine with his Roadrunner and the woman tailgating him ran into the rear of his car doing considerable damage!,,, Hate to sound sexist, but it seems to usually be women doing the tailgating![S....(hope there aren't any women on here!)[ddd....CR

 

[gassersgarage]

One day, I was driving down the freeway in Hollywood, Ca. Traffic was heavy and everyone was tailgatting. I thought, someone is gonna crash, so I slow downed to give me room to stop. Suddenly, I hear the squeal of tires then a crash. About 6 cars ahead, I see the back end of a car in the air. I hit the brakes and hear the guy behind me lock them up. Another crash as he gets hit from behind, but I ease off the brakes so he doesn't hit me. I had allowed plenty of room to stop just in case........

Another time, I'm on my way home, getting off the freeway. This ramp backs up and stops suddenly, so I allow plenty of room to stop or take evasive action. Again I think, someone is going to crash. Sure enough, traffic stops and the guy in front of me hits the guy in front of him. I swerve into the emergency lane without braking and the guy behind me hits the guy that was in front of me. I passed the crash and pulled back into traffic..........

 

[moparcowboy]

Great story, I loved it. [dr [cl

 

[VonRatty]

LMAO

LOL that was an awsome story laughed fro like 10 min. on that one [cl[cl[cl[cl

 

[TiredIronGRB]

Tailgating is bad but drivers that ride the passing lane are the worse.

"Keep right except to pass"
"Slower traffic keep right"

 

[HOT40ROD]

Tailgating is bad but drivers that ride the passing lane are the worse.

"Keep right except to pass"
"Slower traffic keep right"

How about rush hour with both lanes full of traffic and someone decides to stop to let the traffic from the on ramp in. Happens all the time in my area. 65 To 0 in seconds.