Stopping Tailgaters
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2010 E63 AMG
It's called the speed LIMIT for a reason. Anyone exceeding it is violating the law. However, I do frequently drive slightly over the limit on the highway since I do not want to get run over.
BTW, it has not been a passing lane in 30 years. Way too much traffic for everybody to stay in the right lanes, even on roads with 6 or 8 lanes.
When someone comes up behind me and wants to do 10-30 MPH over the limit, I do pull over when it is safe to do so. But, I am not going to waste my gas and risk a ticket by speeding up so he can drive dangerously.
Happy Motoring!
BTW, it has not been a passing lane in 30 years. Way too much traffic for everybody to stay in the right lanes, even on roads with 6 or 8 lanes.
When someone comes up behind me and wants to do 10-30 MPH over the limit, I do pull over when it is safe to do so. But, I am not going to waste my gas and risk a ticket by speeding up so he can drive dangerously.
Happy Motoring!The speed limit is set so that a 90 year old women driving a 1984 Honda with 14 inch tires and drum brakes can drive relatively safe. If cell phones were banned in cars and they all had 15.5 inch brakes with 6 pot calipers and electronic aids up the whazoo the speed limit would be a lot higher.
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From: MA
2020 S450 4MATIC '12 E350 4MATIC '05 E320 CDI '02 CLK 430 Cabriolet '97 E430
I've been tailgated in the center and right lanes. I put my hazards on and they usually back off. If someone tailgates me in the left lane I pull over at the next opportunity. Why should I impede them? I'm going my way, let them go theirs, right?
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
not really
The speed limit is set so that a 90 year old women driving a 1984 Honda with 14 inch tires and drum brakes can drive relatively safe. If cell phones were banned in cars and they all had 15.5 inch brakes with 6 pot calipers and electronic aids up the whazoo the speed limit would be a lot higher.
Regardless, speed limits are set for average driver (that's you and me both), road conditions, amount of traffic, average vehicles, etc.
Tailgating/following too closely is both unsafe and illegal.
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2010 E63 AMG
I'm not the average driver. My car exceeds the capabilities of 90% of the cars on the road. I don't talk on the phone, I don't text and I don't have lengthy conversations with my passengers. I don't tailgate a person unless they have had the opportunity to pull over and didn't. The difference between you and me is if I want to go over the speed limit I pay the price through speeding tickets or accidents. If you back up traffic causing people to dart in and out of lanes at 70 MPH trying to get past you and they have an accident because of you, you drive on your merry way oblivious to the havoc you caused.
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
????????????????
I'm not the average driver. My car exceeds the capabilities of 90% of the cars on the road. I don't talk on the phone, I don't text and I don't have lengthy conversations with my passengers. I don't tailgate a person unless they have had the opportunity to pull over and didn't. The difference between you and me is if I want to go over the speed limit I pay the price through speeding tickets or accidents. If you back up traffic causing people to dart in and out of lanes at 70 MPH trying to get past you and they have an accident because of you, you drive on your merry way oblivious to the havoc you caused.
You should NEVER tailgate as it is dangerous and illegal. Flash your lights and back off.
Speeding is not something you "pay the price for;" it is a dangerous and illegal activity. No one has EVER had an accident because of my driving - I would have seen it in my rearview mirrors.
As for people darting "in and out or lanes at 70 MPH," never seen it happen behind me-and I would have noticed it as I frequently check my rearview mirrors.
As I said before, I generally drive 5-9 MPH over posted limits on highways when it is safe to do so. Never exceed speed limits when 45 or below as these are in congested or residential areas.
BTW, I am a certified defensive driving instructor.
Last edited by El Cid; Oct 16, 2014 at 01:45 PM.
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2010 E63 AMG
Nope I'm done. We all have are own opinion on what is worse. In a perfect world everyone would keep right if they were slower traffic (if you have more than one car behind you, you're slower traffic) then a lot less people would tail gate.
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2015 GL450
One trick I learned is that if there is a rumble strip, drive over it and flash your lights. This wakes most people up and they'll get out of the way.
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2010 E63 AMG
Ok, I think I should clarify my position on this matter. Tailgating is dangerous and illegal and for the most part I don't condone it. I'm just saying that the left lane sitter is perhaps more of a danger than the speeder doing 10-15 MPH over the speed limit and should be ticketed for that behavior. Second my view point comes from the relatively sparsely populated Midwest. I'm sure that they do not fit in well with the moving parking lots you find in the larger metropolitan area's of our country. Now I'm done, sorry about the rant.
Last edited by LJMartin; Oct 17, 2014 at 10:59 AM.
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I was wondering what others do about tailgaters. I was driving home last night and had an annoying person tailgating me. They sometimes backed off but often was way too close in my opinion. I was on a single lane road and had no shoulder to pull off on to let them pass. There was a couple of times when they got dangerously close when I had to slow down for traffic in front of me. They had a couple of short opportunities to pass but never did.
This went on for about 10 miles and at one point I taped my breaks three times in order to flash my brake lights but not in a way where I was brake checking them. It didn't seem to work. Later when I got home I realized that I have a rear fog light that I could have used to do the same thing. I think that may have been safer and send the message better since it would have looked odd to see that light flashing rather than my normal brake lights. Anyone else use the rear fog light for this purpose and have positive results? Any other ideas?
By the way, I normally drive between 5-8 over the speed limit. When there is traffic in front of me I match their speed but stay back a safe distance. In my youth I drove more aggressively but these days I'm much more cautious and drive very defensively. There is no reason for someone to tailgate me unless they are just being an idiot.
This went on for about 10 miles and at one point I taped my breaks three times in order to flash my brake lights but not in a way where I was brake checking them. It didn't seem to work. Later when I got home I realized that I have a rear fog light that I could have used to do the same thing. I think that may have been safer and send the message better since it would have looked odd to see that light flashing rather than my normal brake lights. Anyone else use the rear fog light for this purpose and have positive results? Any other ideas?
By the way, I normally drive between 5-8 over the speed limit. When there is traffic in front of me I match their speed but stay back a safe distance. In my youth I drove more aggressively but these days I'm much more cautious and drive very defensively. There is no reason for someone to tailgate me unless they are just being an idiot.
I think too many people believe the road belongs to them when in fact, we all share the road equally. Even when you are isolated in your vehicle you should treat others with respect and understanding. That includes the idiot in front of you who is driving 10 under while putting on makeup and smoking a cigarette.
By the way, if you choose to drive reckless and have an accident due to someone blocking your way it's not anyone's fault but your own. You cannot control the actions of others but you can control how you react to them. Doing an unsafe act because someone else is doing something stupid is beyond stupid...it's just crazy!
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E55 AMG | Buell Lightning XB12
All of the theory and conjecture is moot. The rules of the road are quite simple. The folks who refuse to give way, generally cause more danger by forcing other drivers to pass on the right, etc.
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
If you are doing the speed limit and vehicles in other lanes are not, you have every right to be in the left lane. If you are doing 5 MPH over speed limit, you have every right to be in the left lane.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
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From: Monterey, CA
2006 Mercedes ML 350
If you are doing the speed limit and vehicles in other lanes are not, you have every right to be in the left lane. If you are doing 5 MPH over speed limit, you have every right to be in the left lane.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
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SLC43,E500
450 SEL 6.9L supercharged driving lesson
One option for dealing with tailgaters is to take a driving lesson from Mr. Eddy / Dick Laurent in David Lynch's Lost Highway.
Notice he's driving a wicked 450 SEL 6.9L with aftermarket supercharger!
Notice he's driving a wicked 450 SEL 6.9L with aftermarket supercharger!
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Great movie clip in post above!! 
I think that was Robert Loggia driving. I like him as an actor but never saw that movie. It's on my list now. 
It would be great if people drove here using the same rules as e.g. Germany. When I go there for business, I appreciate the higher speeds one can go, but regardless, the rules are simple and most people obey them (unlike in the US). Many highways ('autobahn') are often 4 lane, two each way (sometimes 6). If you want to travel 'at speed' in a no-limit section you stay to the left. If you want to travel slower, you stay to the right. You can only pass on the left (not the right as is allowed in some states such as Mass, which I think is unsafe). If you tailgate, you can be ticketed. If you flash your lights at a driver going too slow in front of you, you can be ticketed. If you impede traffic in the left lane without moving over, you can be ticketed. I believe these rules are correct (but someone can correct me if I am wrong) and they are strictly enforced. Once you understand the rules, you realize it just makes sense and then driving is so much easier and enjoyable for everyone.
Update: Having said that, I now realize that my comments are not relevant to the OP's comments since he was on a single lane road, and in that case maybe only a well-placed bolt of lightning might help
I think that was Robert Loggia driving. I like him as an actor but never saw that movie. It's on my list now. It would be great if people drove here using the same rules as e.g. Germany. When I go there for business, I appreciate the higher speeds one can go, but regardless, the rules are simple and most people obey them (unlike in the US). Many highways ('autobahn') are often 4 lane, two each way (sometimes 6). If you want to travel 'at speed' in a no-limit section you stay to the left. If you want to travel slower, you stay to the right. You can only pass on the left (not the right as is allowed in some states such as Mass, which I think is unsafe). If you tailgate, you can be ticketed. If you flash your lights at a driver going too slow in front of you, you can be ticketed. If you impede traffic in the left lane without moving over, you can be ticketed. I believe these rules are correct (but someone can correct me if I am wrong) and they are strictly enforced. Once you understand the rules, you realize it just makes sense and then driving is so much easier and enjoyable for everyone.
Update: Having said that, I now realize that my comments are not relevant to the OP's comments since he was on a single lane road, and in that case maybe only a well-placed bolt of lightning might help
Last edited by noka; Nov 9, 2014 at 10:05 AM.
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SLC43,E500
At the very least, this scene is a must see, especially for an MB or AMG enthusiast!
Even in this one clip, there are so many memorable lines like the comment about "one thousand four hundred horsepower" or when he mentioned that the engine is "beautiful, smooth as s#!% from a duck's a$$" after the kid fine-tunes it. Definitely priceless.
Last edited by v12driven; Nov 8, 2014 at 05:02 PM.
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E55 AMG | Buell Lightning XB12
If you are doing the speed limit and vehicles in other lanes are not, you have every right to be in the left lane. If you are doing 5 MPH over speed limit, you have every right to be in the left lane.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
There is no "right" to violate the law and drive over the posted limit and to require others to move for you or for them to break the law so you can.
Last edited by Rob CL; Nov 8, 2014 at 06:24 PM.
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SLC43,E500
It certainly seems counterintuitive, but it looks like many states have 'keep right' laws:
http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
In Virginia for instance, most interstates have "Slower Traffic Keep Right" signs along with a seemingly contradictory form of lawlessness apparently written into the law & enforcement policy as listed on the above website & in the state code: "46.2-842.1 requires vehicles in the left lane to yield to faster traffic; State Police say this applies even when faster traffic is speeding."
http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right.html
In Virginia for instance, most interstates have "Slower Traffic Keep Right" signs along with a seemingly contradictory form of lawlessness apparently written into the law & enforcement policy as listed on the above website & in the state code: "46.2-842.1 requires vehicles in the left lane to yield to faster traffic; State Police say this applies even when faster traffic is speeding."
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From: Southeastern USA
2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
WRONG!
I have never heard of anyone getting a ticket for driving the speed limit in the left lane, not even in Virginia and I lived there at one time and travelled there often using I-95 and I-85.
