Comments on: HOW TO DEAL WITH TAILGATERS http://patterico.com/2003/12/28/how-to-deal-with-tailgaters/ Harangues that just make sense Wed, 09 Jul 2008 03:16:01 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Rosemary Esmay http://patterico.com/2003/12/28/how-to-deal-with-tailgaters/#comment-273 Rosemary Esmay Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=1042#comment-273 I am not this way. I spent the weekend driving around Chicago and I saw some things that nobody should see. People crusing the passing lane are as dangerous as speed demons. Why? Because they piss people off. They endanger everyone. Someone decides to start weaving in and out to get around "pokey" and we are all at risk. I actually avoid freeways when I can because I don't want to risk my son. People are insane. I was tired and really annoyed after 6 hours in the car. It was a vitrolic rant. I was not serious about the cutting people off bit - although I have fantasized it. I am not this way. I spent the weekend driving around Chicago and I saw some things that nobody should see. People crusing the passing lane are as dangerous as speed demons. Why? Because they piss people off. They endanger everyone. Someone decides to start weaving in and out to get around “pokey” and we are all at risk.

I actually avoid freeways when I can because I don’t want to risk my son. People are insane.

I was tired and really annoyed after 6 hours in the car. It was a vitrolic rant. I was not serious about the cutting people off bit - although I have fantasized it.

]]> By: Patterico http://patterico.com/2003/12/28/how-to-deal-with-tailgaters/#comment-274 Patterico Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=1042#comment-274 I figured as much. Unfortunately, there are people out there who act out your fantasy. But I didn't think you were one of them, really. I figured as much. Unfortunately, there are people out there who act out your fantasy. But I didn’t think you were one of them, really.

]]> By: Hugo http://patterico.com/2003/12/28/how-to-deal-with-tailgaters/#comment-275 Hugo Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=1042#comment-275 I had a tailgater years ago. I slowed to 45mph to prompt him to change lanes. He changed lanes and got in front of me and slowed his car to 30mph. We were on a highway. I camly observed as he revealed his character. He was a pushy and vindictive sort of dude. I also camly observed my thoughts, I thought that if he was unarmed, I could invite him to the shoulder to converse. I thought that I could probably reason with him or leave him crippled. I saw my thoughts were a waste of time. I got off the highway and went around him to get back on further down the way. He probably was armed, and probably not a rational person at the time or ever. I do not play games with others using my car. I have no need to point out the errors of others and teach them a lesson with a car. My survival is important for my family, my main concern is to survive an encounter the best way possible causing the least amount of harm. One thought does linger, the delicious fantasy of applying heel hooks to each leg while he screams, then choking him out. I gotta get some Sanka.... I had a tailgater years ago. I slowed to 45mph to prompt him to change lanes. He changed lanes and got in front of me and slowed his car to 30mph. We were on a highway. I camly observed as he revealed his character. He was a pushy and vindictive sort of dude. I also camly observed my thoughts, I thought that if he was unarmed, I could invite him to the shoulder to converse. I thought that I could probably reason with him or leave him crippled. I saw my thoughts were a waste of time. I got off the highway and went around him to get back on further down the way.
He probably was armed, and probably not a rational person at the time or ever. I do not play games with others using my car. I have no need to point out the errors of others and teach them a lesson with a car. My survival is important for my family, my main concern is to survive an encounter the best way possible causing the least amount of harm. One thought does linger, the delicious fantasy of applying heel hooks to each leg while he screams, then choking him out. I gotta get some Sanka….

]]> By: Earl http://patterico.com/2003/12/28/how-to-deal-with-tailgaters/#comment-276 Earl Tue, 30 Nov 1999 00:00:00 +0000 /?p=1042#comment-276 Here is something that I've sent to the Editor of the Herald Sun in Melbourne Australia concerning the driving habits of the people I am forced to share the highway with. Dear Sir A quiet drive to work is getting to be almost an impossibility when using the Warburton highway. In the predawn hours the hoons, hillbillies, rednecks and tailgaters are in plague proportions along this and ad-joining roads. They all seem to favour utes and four wheel drives. These idiots feel that speeding, tailgating, flashing their lights and passing on double white lines is a must, that I can handle, but then standing on the brakes after they pass you is right over the top. If the government is serious about the road toll they should put tailgating on top of the list. Long license cancellations, jail and stiff fines sound like a good thing for these people, and they should start on the Warburton highway in the predawn hours. Earl Downing. ***************************************************************************************************************** Dear Sir The incident that has caused this letter to be written happened last friday morning. At about 6:00am I was tailgated by a ute driver, as I am nearly every morning. This driver demonstrated a lack of responsibility that I found hard to believe. Not only was he speeding to catch up and tailgate me, he started flashing his lights when about 3 metres behind me at 80 kph, I slowed down in the time honoured response to such behaviour. He then took it upon himself to cross double white lines on a bend. When he got in front of me he stood on the brakes and almost came to a standstill, I was still going slow but we had entered a 60 kph zone while this was going on. He then accelerated on to another group of vehicles about 100 metres ahead and proceeded to do exactly the same as he had done to me. He turned off at Monbulk road. I reported this to the police who said that unless they had a license number they could do nothing. All I could give the police was part of a trade name on the door XX.XX Jordan Plant Hire or Plant Hire XX.XX Jordan. I have had run ins with this driver before but not as bad as this last lot. He appears to be a serial tailgater. I think there was a fatal accident on this particular road (Cleg road) a couple of weeks ago. Here is something that I’ve sent to the Editor of the Herald Sun in Melbourne Australia concerning the driving habits of the people I am forced to share the highway with.

Dear Sir
A quiet drive to work is getting to be almost an impossibility when using the Warburton highway. In the predawn hours the hoons, hillbillies, rednecks and tailgaters are in plague proportions along this and ad-joining roads. They all seem to favour utes and four wheel drives. These idiots feel that speeding, tailgating, flashing their lights and passing on double white lines is a must, that I can handle, but then standing on the brakes after they pass you is right over the top.
If the government is serious about the road toll they should put tailgating on top of the list. Long license cancellations, jail and stiff fines sound like a good thing for these people, and they should start on the Warburton highway in the predawn hours.
Earl Downing.

*****************************************************************************************************************
Dear Sir
The incident that has caused this letter to be written happened last friday morning. At about 6:00am I was tailgated by a ute driver, as I am nearly every morning. This driver demonstrated a lack of responsibility that I found hard to believe. Not only was he speeding to catch up and tailgate me, he started flashing his lights when about 3 metres behind me at 80 kph, I slowed down in the time honoured response to such behaviour. He then took it upon himself to cross double white lines on a bend. When he got in front of me he stood on the brakes and almost came to a standstill, I was still going slow but we had entered a 60 kph zone while this was going on. He then accelerated on to another group of vehicles about 100 metres ahead and proceeded to do exactly the same as he had done to me. He turned off at Monbulk road.

I reported this to the police who said that unless they had a license number they could do nothing.
All I could give the police was part of a trade name on the door XX.XX Jordan Plant Hire or Plant Hire XX.XX Jordan. I have had run ins with this driver before but not as bad as this last lot. He appears to be a serial tailgater. I think there was a fatal accident on this particular road (Cleg road) a couple of weeks ago.

]]>