My solution: #1, tap the brake just enough to show my lights. Sometimes that gets them to back off. If it doesn't work, phase #2, keep foot off brake, and lift right foot from gas peddle. Slow down to 10 MPH below the speed limit ... slower if that doesn't work. This aggravates them enough to get them to go around, and the lower speed makes it easier for them to do it. And, if worse comes to worse, their dangerous driving could cause an accident (obviously), and I'd rather have that wreck at a lower speed.
Criticize me if you must, but I do not tolerate tailgaters. I wish I could shake some sense into the morons.
My solution: #1, tap the brake just enough to show my lights. Sometimes that gets them to back off. If it doesn't work, phase #2, keep foot off brake, and lift right foot from gas peddle. Slow down to 10 MPH below the speed limit ... slower if that doesn't work. This aggravates them enough to get them to go around, and the lower speed makes it easier for them to do it. And, if worse comes to worse, their dangerous driving could cause an accident (obviously), and I'd rather have that wreck at a lower speed.
Criticize me if you must, but I do not tolerate tailgaters. I wish I could shake some sense into the morons.
I hate it too. I once did just what you suggested above there. Tapped, then slowed down. This was on the freeway. The woman behind me had the expression of a six year old watching a disney movie the entire time (thousand yard stare). I slowed from 75mph to 45mph before she finally broke out of her daze and just went around me... her thousand yard stare in place again. No expression, no apologetic wave, nothing.
Isn't that crazy?? Made me madder than anything that we have people who are just zombies out there.
I use the tap the brake method, I do a 3 tap, its sorta like morse code for get off my tail you jerk! It seems to work pretty well, and some drivers pass, and others just get the message and back off a bit. I also get the cut in front deal a lot, they think hey thats a small car, I'll just get in front of it, not realizing I'm going faster than they think.
I've found being small has its advantages on the road too with some of the nicer drivers (even including SUV's) if I'm pulling out into traffic I most always get waves to go ahead and cut in front, in my other car I rarely get that, they just ignore me, and scoot forward so I can't get in.
Aren't height challenged people subject to some bullying, often unconscious?
Usually conscious in my experience. Hello, I'm here to audit you, do you really think asking if I'm 12 years old is going to make me feel warm and fuzzy toward you?
I hate it too. I once did just what you suggested above there. Tapped, then slowed down. This was on the freeway. The woman behind me had the expression of a six year old watching a disney movie the entire time (thousand yard stare). I slowed from 75mph to 45mph before she finally broke out of her daze and just went around me... her thousand yard stare in place again. No expression, no apologetic wave, nothing.
Isn't that crazy?? Made me madder than anything that we have people who are just zombies out there.
I've had exactly the same experience but it doesn't matter what vehicle is being driven. This is not exclusive to the smart.
I was going to make the comment that smart drivers are driving too slowly and creating this problem for themselves, until you commented that you were going 75 mph. Even so, I will bet that there are many smart drivers who also think that because they're driving such a small car they need to drive slower - or they are too conscious of getting the best gas mileage and driving slow to get it.
just a related side track note - I've been trying to get some good mileage figures lately and by mainly driving on highways between 50-60 mph the car did manage to get between 60-65 mpg (imperial) - translated for U.S. that would be roughly between 50-55 mpg. This is a 451 BTW. If hypermiling it could probably get 70-80 mpg imperial.
Also, this car is unique in that the mileage can vary by so much depending on how it's driven - almost double in fact.
The tailgaters I really despise are the drivers with the jacked up trucks with their front bumpers 24" off the ground that come up behind you at a light and get up as close as possible. . . And all you can see is part of his grill and/or bumper in the rearview!
When the light changes I usually take my sweet a$$ time about getting moving. . . anywhere from 15 to 45 seconds usually works. Once I got out of my car to ask what the problem was - me being 6' and 290# - the guy apologized and turned red. . .
I was going to make the comment that smart drivers are driving too slowly and creating this problem for themselves <snip> I will bet that there are many smart drivers who also think that because they're driving such a small car they need to drive slower
Wow, that assumption most definitely does NOT apply to me! LOL
Driving 5+ MPH OVER the speed limit doesn't stop people from driving like fools glued to my back bumper. Slowing down usually does though. No question, that is precisely the opposite reaction they desire from me. But, you know what? I don't give a damn what they want, I want the SOB to get off my a$$.
just a related side track note - I've been trying to get some good mileage figures lately and by mainly driving on highways between 50-60 mph the car did manage to get between 60-65 mpg (imperial) - translated for U.S. that would be roughly between 50-55 mpg. This is a 451 BTW. If hypermiling it could probably get 70-80 mpg imperial.
Also, this car is unique in that the mileage can vary by so much depending on how it's driven - almost double in fact.
Aren't all 451s gas, as opposed to diesel? Sorry if I've confused things. I know that diesel smarts can get super mpgs; I've heard #s in the 70s range, too. Gas smarts, OTOH, can't do better than about 55 mpg, I'd guess, and that's pulling out all the stops. On my (relatively uphill) drive home this afternoon, I managed to get an apparent 54 mpg (according to scangauge). I sure do get my share of tail-gaters, as I pulse-and-glide between 50 and about 60 mph on a 65-mph highway. I'll drive faster when I have to, but when traffic is not too dense (which is usually, since I travel at odd times), I still get the occasional spacey tail-gater. I don't react -- I just drive as usual, and eventually they figure it out.
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