Trouble with tailgaters

[Jmtoast]

^^^^^^ this is an example of why drivers here have such a terrible reputation.
Nobody will be flashing highbeams on you seeing you're passing someone. If someone does flash, it means you're camping in the left lane and should get f**k off it. Not going to comment on brake checking, hope you do it to a semi and learn your lesson.

People camp in the left lane here in Michigan, as well as everywhere else of course. I used to think that people were just ignorant of it being illegal and a db thing to do until Michigan started getting the word out on FB that they were specifically enforcing it that week. That week no one does it. I learned real fast that left lane campers, that force you to pass on the right, are perfectly aware they're being a asshole and breaking the law. They just don't care.

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[Jmtoast]

Don't know if anyone has mentioned spattering high speed tailgaters with your washer fluid. This is assuming your fluid gets blown over your car at speed. I know it does on a lot of cars. Of course gets your roof too but a lot of people don't care for it all over their car. Just an unfortunate side effect when a bug commits suicide on your windshield.

There are times when I wished I had a cummins with the rolling coal mod.

 

[w3rkn]

It is such a smooth experience, when you have drivers, all knowing what is going on. It is rather fun actually and usually a few cars will tuck in behind and will join in, on moving the crowd. I went from downtown Toronto to suburb in Detroit in 2h 15m.. and there was 4 cars that I collected along the way.

We never dropped below 120mph.. and moved everyone out of the way (peacefully).

 

[Norm Peterson]

... Now one of the things I pay attention to is how much the front of the car dives when the brake light comes on. Typical cars have soft and spongy suspension and by being observant it's fairly easy to tell how hard they are pushing on the brakes.

I also do my best to observe traffic as far up the road as possible. Since my car is low that means looking around other cars and sometimes watching lights, shadows or reflections. If the entire line of cars is slowing down significantly, then the car in front of me obviously will be too.

All of those things.

I now find it annoying that when I crowd the left side of the lane so I can see around some SUV that the SUV driver then moves over so I can't.


Norm

 

[Norm Peterson]

I never have understood why people worry about tailgating?.They are behind you and you should be more worried what is going on in front and beside you.

If I'm out on the track, tailgating doesn't bother me because I have reason to believe that the driver behind me not only knows how to pay attention but also knows where the most likely places to expect braking to happen are and that I'll point him by at the first safe opportunity to do so. I can't assume that the random driver behind me on the street is anywhere near that good, or that he'd even know what to do if I threw him a point-by. Never mind that in street driving most drivers are far less focused on their driving than a track rat is at an HPDE.

I think most people don't want to go through the whole accident reporting and insurance hassle and be potentially without their own car for an unknown amount of time getting repairs of hopefully good but potentially uncertain quality. More so for those with significant involvement with their car's appearance.


Norm

 

[w3rkn]

As a side note, I have had a cell phone for 28 years (same phone # btw)… and I have never text'd anyone while driving. I also see accidents happen before they take place.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

As a side note, I have had a cell phone for 28 years (same phone # btw)… and I have never text'd anyone while driving. I also see accidents happen before they take place.

While driving I almost always have incoming texts read to me and I dictate responses some times.

Been doing it for 6+ years. Phone never leaves my pocket, eyes never leave the road, hands never leave the wheel and 100% voice controlled.

Text arrives, my phone mutes any audio playing by the car and announces who the text is from over the car speakers and asks if I want it read. If I say to read it, the phone reads me the text over the car's speakers and asks if I want to respond. If I do, I dictate a response via the car's microphone and the phone reads it back to me over the car's speakers and asks if I want to send, cancel, start over.

I find it safer and less distracting than talking to a passenger since texting never has time pressures or needs body/facial language control or tone of voice control LoL.

Not assuming @w3rkn was referring to that kind of texting but only posting because not everyone knows texting can involve ears and mouth only.

 

[Bikeman315]

As a side note, I have had a cell phone for 28 years (same phone # btw)… and I have never text'd anyone while driving. I also see accidents happen before they take place.

Please tell me you don’t see dead people.

 

[Bikeman315]

While driving I almost always have incoming texts read to me and I dictate responses some times.

Been doing it for 6+ years. Phone never leaves my pocket, eyes never leave the road, hands never leave the wheel and 100% voice controlled.

Text arrives, my phone mutes any audio playing by the car and announces who the text is from over the car speakers and asks if I want it read. If I say to read it, the phone reads me the text over the car's speakers and asks if I want to respond. If I do, I dictate a response and the phone reads it back to me over the car's speakers and asks if I want to send, cancel, start over.

I find it safer and less distracting than talking to a passenger since texting never has time pressures or needs body/facial language control or tone of voice control LoL.

Not assuming @w3rkn was referring to that kind of texting but only posting because not everyone knows texting can involve ears and mouth only.

Don’t kid yourself. Talking and texting, even using Bluetooth is distracting. Ever start a conversation at location A and hang up at location B and not remember the details of your drive. Everyone does including me. As I get older I’m trying to stay off the phone in the car. I need every brain cell I have to make sure another driver doesn’t kill me.

 

[Jmtoast]

Don’t kid yourself. Talking and texting, even using Bluetooth is distracting. Ever start a conversation at location A and hang up at location B and not remember the details of your drive. Everyone does including me. As I get older I’m trying to stay off the phone in the car. I need every brain cell I have to make sure another driver doesn’t kill me.

Not as distracting as grown men on bicycles but yeah it’s not smart to text and drive

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Don’t kid yourself. Talking and texting, even using Bluetooth is distracting. Ever start a conversation at location A and hang up at location B and not remember the details of your drive. Everyone does including me. As I get older I’m trying to stay off the phone in the car. I need every brain cell I have to make sure another driver doesn’t kill me.

Not fooling anyone. And I can respect someone else's (less valid) opinion but only if they swear they gag all passengers because talking to a passenger is much more distracting/dangerous than voice texting.

When I get a text asking if what she wore last night made her look fat, I yawn, take my time and maybe answer now, maybe not. If my passenger asks me the same thing I can't take even a second to answer because having to think is impolite and hints at formulating a white lie. At the same time I have to keep from sweating or the pitch of my voice rising. I might not even notice the out of control cement truck bearing down on me.

So, if you gag all passengers (pictures or it doesn't happen), I can respect your views on voice texting.

 

[Jmtoast]

When I get a text asking if what she wore last night made her look fat, I yawn, take my time and maybe answer now, maybe not. If my passenger asks me the same thing

.

As your attorney I advise you not to answer that question.... regardless.

 

[Bikeman315]

Not fooling anyone. And I can respect someone else's (less valid) opinion but only if they swear they gag all passengers because talking to a passenger is much more distracting/dangerous than voice texting.

When I get a text asking if what she wore last night made her look fat, I yawn, take my time and maybe answer now, maybe not. If my passenger asks me the same thing I can't take even a second to answer because having to think is impolite and hints at formulating a white lie. At the same time I have to keep from sweating or the pitch of my voice rising. I might not even notice the out of control cement truck baring down on me.

So, if you gag all passengers (pictures or it doesn't happen), I can respect your views on voice texting.

I’m sorry, but I’m afraid you misunderstood me. I totally agree that talking to passengers is equally or more distracting then using Bluetooth. I just wanted to point out that some drivers can be distracted by using Bluetooth. There are those who think using hands free is safe. It’s not, at least not for everyone.
By the way, I used to have a cup of coffee in the car on the way to work every morning. Distracting, yeah, could have been, but I did it. I’m not telling anyone else what they should do.

 

[Blue Moon]

Everyone who drives slower than me is an idiot who can't drive and shouldn't be on public roads. Everyone who drives faster than me is a maniac who shouldn't be driving and ought to be arrested.

No matter how fast I'm going.

 

[lacanteen]

Everyone knows that Mustangs have the right of way, especially red ones.

I then Googled "red Mustang snow plow". Was not disappointed...........

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