When someone tailgates you, do you speed up or slow down?

Question

And why?

Answer 1

If someone tailgates you, don't try to lose them by speeding up. You'll just end up being tailgated at a higher speed.
The only safe way to handle a tailgater is to get him in front of you. When someone is following too closely, the best thing to do is change lanes and let him pass. If you can't do this, slow down and open up extra space ahead of you. This will encourage him to pass. If he doesn't pass, you will have given yourself and the tailgater more time and space to react in case an emergency does develop.

Answer 2

It depends on how fast i'm going as well. If i've gone into "auto pilot" and am driving under the speed limit than i'll speed up to the correct speed. I'll also make a gesture of apology for being an idiot.

On occassion when i have a carfull of hooligan kids tailgating me, I'll keep just enough car length between me and the next car in attempt to prevent them from dodging through traffic and killing themselves. They usually scream past me before i get to complete my mission.

Answer 3

I was getting tailgated buy a guy once on the highway. I was already going 25kph over and he still felt the need to ride my ***. I just stayed the same speed and held up my middle finger for a good 30 seconds or so.

Answer 4

It would drastically depend on the situation on the road. I once was hit by some moron when I simply stopped at the traffic light -- I should have been more circumspect and apply the breaks slower.

If you have any chance at all, carefully change lanes and let them pass. These people are nuts with little respect to anybody else, and you better stay away from them. When I don't have the option of changing lanes, I usually apply the brakes very slightly to my break light comes up and watch the reaction. If they slow down promptly, I continue forward while still paying attention. If their reaction was slow as per my standards, by all means, I find a way to pull over and let them pass. I've been to the hospital once, and I learnt to be be extra careful.

Answer 5

You should do whatever is safest in the circumstances. You can't "teach someone a lesson" by slowing down or slamming the brakes, and if you go unreasonably fast, you put yourself in danger. If you can, let them pass you so they can tailgate someone else.

Answer 6

It all depends on who is tailgating me normally I will move into another lane or tap the brakes a few times. But if their ready to hit me I have hit the gas. I know my V8 will be there for me if I need it. Honestly I really don't feel like having my truck go into the repair shop since some asshole decided they were gonna rear end me I need my truck always.

Answer 7

Sometimes I speed up, if it's in a ghetto area, but not too fast. Then again, sometimes I slow down to piss them off. If they can't wait to get to where they're going, they should have left earlier. On the rare occasion where I'm feeling sadistic, I'll stop extra long at a stop sign, and if they're riding my a** and then they try to fly around me, I speed up and stop them. They want to ride my a**? They'll ride my a** til I let them stop. It's funny to see preppy business men in fancy new cars doing that sort of thing, then I look in my rear-view and see their expressions. It's priceless. My fiance, on the otherhand...he will brake check them, especially if they're on their cell phones. Stupid, but hey. What can I do?

Answer 8

When I was younger, my response would be to wait until they get almost as close as is physically possible, then stand on the brake.

Now I just keep my current speed & flash brake lights. If I can see it's clear ahead to pass I may roll down my window & wave them around.

If I'm on my motorcycle, I'll either maintain speed (if on a city street) or pull over & let them pass (if rural).

Answer 9

i always go 9 miles over the speed limit where i live.. 9 because i dont get points taken from my dl and its only $15 if i get pulled over .. but if i am being tailgated, i stay the same if they want to pass i let them, although i am tempted to slam on the brakes.. who isnt?

Answer 10

I slam on my breaks, of course i do the occasional tailgating, but i am usually the victim of tailgaters. They usually back off once they see the break lights.