1. Don't tailgate. 2. Keep your eyes on the road. 3. Thank you.

I don't jack my brakes, I touch them so the brake lights come on.

I love my rear bumper too much, I guess.

 

Yeah, I do that same thing. Just a brief touch so the lights come on. Hopefully that reminds the fuckwad behind me that we're hurtling at high speeds in huge, metal objects that are only as safe as we are.

 

That's what I learned, too.

I have a relative who is the most reckless driver I've ever seen. He drives like a complete maniac, even with his two young daughters in the car. He thinks he's some kind of badass. He tailgates, weaves, goes way too fast, doesn't like to yield. I do everything I can to avoid having to be in a car with him and whenever I am, I am completely tense. He lives in another state and I always wonder if there's a way I can drop a dime on him to the local cops up where he lives. He thinks he's a great driver -- that everyone else on the road doesn't know how to drive. As far as I know, he hasn't been in an accident, which is a miracle.

Anyway, good advice, JD. I drove during a very bad snowstorm this past winter and I continue to be amazed by the people who drive way too fast for the road conditions. I must have passed about 20 or 30 accidents.

 

One thing to remember is that the two-second rule should be increased if the weather or road conditions are worse. I was taught to leave a three or four second gap if there was rain or snow on the ground.

My wife frequently tailgates, and when I tell her to slow down, she insists she's fine. I tell her she is, until she crashes into someone. Someday, maybe she'll listen.

 

unfortunately, around here the tapping of the breaks reminds the fuckwad behind you to start blinking his brights, cussing and flipping you the bird as he gets even closer.

 

While we're at it, how about everybody drives in the F-ing RIGHT lane unless you're passing someone on the highway. I think people cruising along at the speed limit in the left lane are just as big a problem as those who tailgate. Actually, it creates tailgating because those driving in the left lane often don't realize they need to get over unless you get on their ass a little.

 

True. And that's just in the slow lane.

 

If only tailgating was limited to people in the left lane looking to pass.

 

A lot of times, I'll get into the lane I know I need to be in to make a turn. I've seen WAAAAY too many asshats who will SPEED UP as soon as they see me put on my turn signal to keep me from getting into the next lane.

If you're one of those people who does that, shame on you.

 

Driving home yesterday, some fuckwad in a sweet-looking Mercedes rolls up on me doing about 85. Nothing in the right lane (I was cruising along at 70-75 in the left because of a steady stream of trucks) so I get over. Couple miles up the road, I catch up to him. He's about 20 feet behind a semi in the left lane. In the right lane is another car, which is stuck behind another semi.
So Mr. Fuckwad veers into the right lane, sees he can't pass his semi, and tucks back in behind it. I would've sped up and cut him off after he went right, like I love to do, but it would've meant being 15 feet behind a tractor trailer going 70 mph. Not fun.
So a few seconds, Mr. F does this same shit again. His semi is steadily passing the other, but going 65-70 and taking a while. Not terribly slow. Just not fast enough for this asshat.
Finally, Senor Fuckwad veers right, around the car in the right lane and onto an off-ramp. He accelerates, ducks in between the car and the semi in the right lane, and keeps going all the way across into the left lane, somehow squeezing in between the two trucks and driving off to create more havoc on the highway.
Once he started his act, I just dropped back.
If it wouldn't have resulted in a 12-car pileup with several fatalities, I would've loved to see him clip that semi in the left lane when he cut all the way across and total that fucking $50,000 car.

 

Same thing around Atlanta. I'm always making people behind me mad because they think I'm just driving slow and letting everyone in. On that note, if someone is nice enough to actually use their signal, I do let them over.

 

What if I want to pass every car as far as the eye can see?