I hate tailgaters

[Lihu]

2 minutes ago, TN94z said:

So what is the law for braking for no reason in this situation? Is there a negligence law or something that would cause the lead driver to be somewhat responsible? For some reason, I was thinking that you can't just slam your brakes on for no apparent reason....maybe I am dreaming that one up.

You tell us, the video looks like it was on the 41 South in your state?

[jsgolfer]

Just now, Lihu said:

Sure, you or I would have turned on the blinker first.

Remember that one can legally drive a car with something like an 85 IQ.

As would the majority, the tailgater was wrong, but so was the lead driver, who if they would've just moved over, nothing happens.  Luckily no one go seriously hurt.  Could you imagine if the SUV had careened off into the incoming traffic. 

@Lihu Where do you come up with these things?

[TN94z]

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

 

@iacas posted a link on this issue up on post #59.

Wow...I completely missed that link. That's actually the same article I was just reading too...

[Lihu]

Just now, jsgolfer said:

@Lihu Where do you come up with these things?

https://www.quora.com/Approximately-what-IQ-do-you-need-to-pass-a-written-drivers-test-in-the-U-S-granted-they-vary-by-state

I might be wrong. . .it's possible that it's 80-ish?

Quote

Approximately 83.5% of Americans have an IQ higher than 85, but in 2009, 87% of the driving-aged population (16 and over) had a driver's license, per Office of Highway Policy Information - Policy. I didn't check the FHWA methodology, but if we assume it didn't count multiple licenses assigned to the same individual (e.g. a CDL plus a regular license), the lowest average passing IQ would have to be lower. So, like, 80ish?

They just have to pass the written tests. . .

[ScouseJohnny]

1 minute ago, Lihu said:

Sure, you or I would have turned on the blinker first.

Remember that one can legally drive a car with something like an 85 IQ.

Not sure that was his intent. I think the lead car was just not very smart to begin with. He was driving 50 in a 70 zone in the fast lane.

I know...honestly, who'd have thought getting from A to B would be so damned hard? Idiots crawling along in the fast lane annoy me too, but the tendency of some drivers to attempt to pressure said idiots into getting over (by tailgating) is never laudable either. When I encounter Mr. "50mph in the fast lane," my response is to safely undertake if it's clearly obvious that he has no intention of getting over, but that always leaves me anxious, too - I have zero confidence that a driver that poor is going to properly check his mirror before moving over.

Recently, I drove from Virginia to Charleston, SC, most of it down I-95. There are sections of that road in rural NC and SC that are really empty. And yet...the number of times I encountered some guy just hanging out in the left lane, on cruise control at 65mph, utterly oblivious that I was behind him. Made me nervous - I had to undertake, but I was just waiting for the lurch into the right hand lane...(small moment of prejudice: I'd say 75% of the time it was a Dodge Caravan or similar, kids watching DVDs in the back, Mom & Pop upfront, apparently unaware that they were on an American interstate with traffic coming up behind them). The right hand lane was empty....why not just cruise along in that lane at 65mph? Why do you have to be in the ******* left hand lane?

I never thought I'd say this - I honestly prefer the I-66 around DC at rush hour to what should be a lovely drive through NC on the quiet stretches of the I-95. The drivers on I-66 have their wits about them...

[TN94z]

9 minutes ago, Lihu said:

You tell us, the video looks like it was on the 41 South in your state?

That's an Interstate sign for I41 which is not in TN. And the road sign that is later on in the video does not list a road in TN, at least from my quick google search there wasn't one in TN. Looks to be in WI.

But that's beside the point of the topic and my question was answered.

Edited March 27, 2017 by TN94z

[jsgolfer]

4 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

I know...honestly, who'd have thought getting from A to B would be so damned hard? Idiots crawling along in the fast lane annoy me too, but the tendency of some drivers to attempt to pressure said idiots into getting over (by tailgating) is never laudable either. When I encounter Mr. "50mph in the fast lane," my response is to safely undertake if it's clearly obvious that he has no intention of getting over, but that always leaves me anxious, too - I have zero confidence that a driver that poor is going to properly check his mirror before moving over.

Recently, I drove from Virginia to Charleston, SC, most of it down I-95. There are sections of that road in rural NC and SC that are really empty. And yet...the number of times I encountered some guy just hanging out in the left lane, on cruise control at 65mph, utterly oblivious that I was behind him. Made me nervous - I had to undertake, but I was just waiting for the lurch into the right hand lane...(small moment of prejudice: I'd say 75% of the time it was a Dodge Caravan or similar, kids watching DVDs in the back, Mom & Pop upfront, apparently unaware that they were on an American interstate with traffic coming up behind them). The right hand lane was empty....why not just cruise along in that lane at 65mph? Why do you have to be in the ******* left hand lane?

I never thought I'd say this - I honestly prefer the I-66 around DC at rush hour to what should be a lovely drive through NC on the quiet stretches of the I-95. The drivers on I-66 have their wits about them...

Especially when the Speed limit these days is 70 mph on most interstates these days.

After living in Northern VA/DC for the last 10 years, I'm with @iacas and @jamo, I'm amazed that there isn't more carnage on the roads, which means most people do pretty well with a 2 ton hunk of metal under their butts.  

 

Edited March 27, 2017 by jsgolfer

[Lihu]

Just now, TN94z said:

That's an Interstate sign for I41 which is not in TN. And the road sign that is later on in the video does not list a road in TN, at least from my quick google search there wasn't one in TN. Looks to be in WI

Ah, thanks. I looked up I41 and it showed a map that I misread as in TN. Sorry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_41

 

3 minutes ago, ScouseJohnny said:

I know...honestly, who'd have thought getting from A to B would be so damned hard? Idiots crawling along in the fast lane annoy me too, but the tendency of some drivers to attempt to pressure said idiots into getting over (by tailgating) is never laudable either. When I encounter Mr. "50mph in the fast lane," my response is to safely undertake if it's clearly obvious that he has no intention of getting over, but that always leaves me anxious, too - I have zero confidence that a driver that poor is going to properly check his mirror before moving over.

Recently, I drove from Virginia to Charleston, SC, most of it down I-95. There are sections of that road in rural NC and SC that are really empty. And yet...the number of times I encountered some guy just hanging out in the left lane, on cruise control at 65mph, utterly oblivious that I was behind him. Made me nervous - I had to undertake, but I was just waiting for the lurch into the right hand lane...(small moment of prejudice: I'd say 75% of the time it was a Dodge Caravan or similar, kids watching DVDs in the back, Mom & Pop upfront, apparently unaware that they were on an American interstate with traffic coming up behind them). The right hand lane was empty....why not just cruise along in that lane at 65mph? Why do you have to be in the ******* left hand lane?

I never thought I'd say this - I honestly prefer the I-66 around DC at rush hour to what should be a lovely drive through NC on the quiet stretches of the I-95. The drivers on I-66 have their wits about them...

Agree, drivers should just be more mindful of others.

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, Lihu said:

Ah, thanks. I looked up I41 and it showed a map that I misread as in TN. Sorry

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_41

US 41 runs from Copper Harbor, MI to Miami, FL.  A portion of it in WI is now at interstate standards, perhaps there are other stretches like that elsewhere.  I have personally ridden across all 4 lanes of US 41 in Houghton, MI, on trays "borrowed" from the cafeteria at Michigan Tech.  I'm pretty sure that was both stupid and illegal, but I was in college.  Stupid and illegal were commonplace, almost required at that time.

[Lihu]

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

US 41 runs from Copper Harbor, MI to Miami, FL.  A portion of it in WI is now at interstate standards, perhaps there are other stretches like that elsewhere.  I have personally ridden across all 4 lanes of US 41 in Houghton, MI, on trays "borrowed" from the cafeteria at Michigan Tech.  I'm pretty sure that was both stupid and illegal, but I was in college.

Not quite on topic, but very interesting.

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

Stupid and illegal were commonplace, almost required at that time.

Yes, this is on topic.

[Patch]

14 minutes ago, jsgolfer said:

Especially when the Speed limit these days is 70 mph on most interstates these days.

After living in Northern VA/DC for the last 10 years, I'm with @iacas and @jamo, I'm amazed that there isn't more carnage on the roads, which means most people do pretty well with a 2 ton hunk of metal under their butts.  

 

Some parts of I-15 in Utah has speed limits at 85 mph,  and folks driv 90

[iacas]

@Lihu dude. What are you even talking about? The DMV is not at all describing this situation and you're still supporting the wrong thing. Clearly wrong.

[Slowcelica]

Rear end crashes are the #1 type of accident in the US, most of these could be avoided if people would follow the law and allow 1 car length per 10 mph, so at 50 mph the driver in the video should have been 5 car lengths behind the first car.

 

[Lihu]

Just now, Slowcelica said:

Rear end crashes are the #1 type of accident in the US, most of these could be avoided if people would follow the law and allow 1 car length per 10 mph, so at 50 mph the driver in the video should have been 5 car lengths behind the first car.

Good rule, because you never know what kind of idiot is in front of you. . .

 

[DaveP043]

1 minute ago, Slowcelica said:

Rear end crashes are the #1 type of accident in the US, most of these could be avoided if people would follow the law and allow 1 car length per 10 mph, so at 50 mph the driver in the video should have been 5 car lengths behind the first car.

I don't think anyone has disputed this.  Another way I've heard it put is that you should leave two seconds between cars, no matter what the speed, and that probably equates to a similar distance.  However, most of the discussion has centered around the actions of the lead driver, the one who hits his brakes and (in my view) turns a dangerous situation (tailgating) into an extremely dangerous situation (high-speed loss of control).  I believe we've beaten that horse to death, but feel free to weigh in.

[nevets88]

In the UK, some carriageways have chevrons painted on the road to help distance yourself from car in front. Do they have any effect?

[Slowcelica]

18 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I don't think anyone has disputed this.  Another way I've heard it put is that you should leave two seconds between cars, no matter what the speed, and that probably equates to a similar distance.  However, most of the discussion has centered around the actions of the lead driver, the one who hits his brakes and (in my view) turns a dangerous situation (tailgating) into an extremely dangerous situation (high-speed loss of control).  I believe we've beaten that horse to death, but feel free to weigh in.

Well on that, I think the driver both drivers were in the wrong. It's stupid and reckless to have slammed on his brakes and innocent people could have been hurt. 

The one thing we don't see is what happened before both cars passed the truck? We don't know what one driver did to the other before this happened. Either way it doesn't excuse stupidity.

[Lihu]

19 minutes ago, DaveP043 said:

I don't think anyone has disputed this.  Another way I've heard it put is that you should leave two seconds between cars, no matter what the speed, and that probably equates to a similar distance.  However, most of the discussion has centered around the actions of the lead driver, the one who hits his brakes and (in my view) turns a dangerous situation (tailgating) into an extremely dangerous situation (high-speed loss of control).  I believe we've beaten that horse to death, but feel free to weigh in.

I don't consider what the lead driver in this case to be "brake checking" per se. My sense of tailgating and brake checking is different being in a state that has much more aggressive drivers than others.

This is what I consider brake checking:

http://jalopnik.com/cops-use-road-rage-video-to-track-down-brake-checking-w-1690532761

The WRX was being an idiot with a fast car, that's brake checking to me. . .

Quote

The Subaru came from behind at around 100mph in moderate morning traffic. He cut from the fast lane to the slow lane and got trapped behind this Lexus. Subaru was honking and tailgating for a mile or two. Lexus remained calm with the Subaru behind him and maintained a slow but constant speed. Lexus never brake checked Subaru. Subaru then passes Lexus on the shoulder. 0:02 rolls down window and throws something at Lexus.

Once in front of the Lexus he starts brake checking him. The Lexus came close to crashing into him twice. The Subaru threw a couple of bottles at him later at the interchange and they both went on their merry ways on different freeways.

I thought the Subaru was having some sort of emergency and had to get to the hospital or something, he was driving that crazy. Then he started brake checking and throwing bottles so in the end he was just a douche.

This does happen a lot here, and I've even actually been brake checked in this manner in the middle lane. My driving habits usually follow pace with the normal left lane traffic too. So, It's not like I drive slow or anything.

If someone stepped on the brakes as in the video in front of me, I wouldn't even give it a second thought. Of course, I'd likely not careen off the road by hitting that patch of dirt in the left shoulder either.