It's fun and easy to get rid of an
obnoxious tailgater.
Once you see you're being tailgated, follow these steps:
- Check speed. If you're going below the speed limit, speed up to the speed limit (assuming there are no adverse conditions which make that unsafe). See if the tailgating continues before going on to #2.
- It is unsafe to drive too close behind someone. Since you aren't the one doing the following, slow down until the person behind you is a safe distance away. If they stay at 1/2 car length behind you, then you should slow down to about 5 mph. This is following the general rule that there should be a car length between cars for every ten mph.
- As you slow down, the dumbass may get the idea and back off. Feel free to accelerate back to your previous speed, now that it is safe to do so.
- If the dumbass tailgater doesn't get the idea, just keep slowing down. Stop the car in the middle of the road if you have to. When the tailgater gets out of his car, start driving again.
- If, as you slow down or stop, the tailgater takes advantage of the opportunity to pass you, good: you don't want them behind you anyway if they don't know how to drive reasonably and safely.
Note: I'm assuming the person is a
genuine asshole: Otherwise he wouldn't be
tailgating; he would be driving at a
safe distance and waiting for an opportunity to
pass safely.
Second Note: Wharfinger seems to have missed the point entirely. No one (i hope) drives with the intent to disrupt traffic. Personally I drive the speed limit because I had my license taken away for 3 months for
speeding. The goal is not to prevent people from passing you...as I say in my writeup, if the person passes, BOTH people win. The person being tailgated doesn't want to be stuck in that dangerous situation any more than the tailgater wants to drive *gasp* the
speed limit.