Do people tailgate you when your on your bike? What do you do?

Question

where I live there is a lot of car tailgating car....especially trucks/SUV's tailgating. when you are on your bike and there is a guy riding your butt...do you change lanes, keep going at your speed, or what?

Answer 1

Firecracker has the polite, and probably the legal answer to this problem they never mention when they try to shove a helmet down your throat. Tailgaters are a major problem, and I treat them as such. you have to remember that most people do not consider a motorcycle the equal of a car. And others, down here in Florida (Who have no education.) think it's funny to see the bike try to avoid the situation.

I'll start here. I started riding a bit over twenty years ago. No MSF courses then, not many bikes on the road. I learned the hard way, and it has saved me quite a few bruises. For the last few years I have been riding as if I was driving a cage. I use my horn, and my one finger peace sign. (I have to add here that if you have not seen what I am using as an avatar, this may not work for you!)

I seem to only get tailgated by yahoos. (No reflection on the site, but that's what they call them down here in Florida.) The leather jacket with the patch, (Just a HOG patch, but most people don't know what a real M/C club patch looks like.) and the tall buckhorns and highway pegs seem to get a little respect unless they are trying to break your chops on purpose.

I'm sorry to disagree with the person that said don't lock up the brakes. I don't actually lock 'em up, I just slow down damn quick, have my lower gear selected in case it is just a stupid bunghole that is NOT teasing me, so I can go like hell when they come close. DON'T try this unless you have a few miles in the saddle, and the bike to back it up.

I give them a "courtesy" flash of the brake if they get too close. Then I play hardball. If they hit me, and I'm doing the speed limit, some insurance company is going to get me a new bike. One thing about yahoos, other cagers don't care for them either. Use this to your advantage.

In the rain, I put up with no bull at all. I can't take my turns at 25 MPH in the rain like I can when it's dry. I have no windshield wipers, and only two wheels. I take my time in the rain. The finger comes out quite a bit. And I use to great advantage the way I'm dressed, and what I'm riding.

The safe way is to chicken out like some have said. They may be able to do that. I ride every day in Sarasota, Fl. In the city. I have to play the game. (I don't own a car. No need in Florida.) The best way to do it (For me anyway.) is to play the game YOUR way! Make the best of your bike. Don't know what you ride since you did not say. But just about any decent size bike can out manuver and out accelerate any car on the road.

Just remember that that the other butthead can run you over if you are not paying attention. I do so love to hear the sound of screaming rubber from the yahoo behind me when I do hit the brakes, but make sure it's gonna be one that has the sense to not run you over!

Never give up. Keep your lane. Not to the point of death mind you, but a motorcycle is a vehicle under state law. Just like a car. You have the same rights. Use them! (But tease the buttheads if they look like are trying to tease you! To the best of your abilities, that is.)

I can say this since I have an FXDWG with a TC-88. And I recently had my 50 grand (miles) done. New brake rotors and pads, motor gone through, (Not at an H-D dealer, an indie shop. Done right and no H-D tax!) suspension back to more than I can handle, but glad it's there. My weekend is coming up, and I hope like heck somebody tailgates me. I have a present or two for them.

Someone has to educate the public about bikes. It may as well be us riders. We may lose one or two, but I never worry about that. I just "educate" them. Good question, made me think quite bit. But It works for me. If it don't work for the pussy riders, sorry.

Good luck with your solution to the problem. Ride safe. Ciao!

Answer 2

Yes, sometimes.
I'll tap the rear brake 2 or 3 times rapidly. Not enough force to slow down, just enough to make the lights flash. My old bikes with the mechanical brake had the switch set so the light would come on just before the brake applied. I've used the 4 way flashers a time or two when I didn't want to risk the brake. I keep going at my own speed, there's no use in making things worse by slowing down. I don't speed up as I'm already going at the speed I want. A common utterance: "If you don't like the way I speed, you should have taken the highway." Most of my riding is done on secondary highways or other 2 lane roads. That rules out changing lanes for the most part.
Sometimes I'll do things like point at the speed limit sign, then give the guy behind me a finger count. 4 and 0, for example. It never really works, but I feel better.
Crowding at stoplights is similar. Many a time I've turned in my seat to say "Hey, that's not a bumper back there, you know!" Works sometimes.

Answer 3

If I'm on a two lane road, I just slow down and wave the soon to be Darwin Award winner around me. If the tailgater will not pass me, I just pull off the road. I'll even go as far as to pull up someones drive way if I have too.

On the freeway, I'll just change lanes. 9 out of 10 times the tailgater simply passes and moves on, but that 10th time is usually a teenager or drunk playing games. This game no motorcycle can win. So get off the freeway and get back on later.

What ever you do don't just speed up. All that does is allow the tailgater to follow you too closely at a higher speed. A motorcycle can stop very fast, but cars, SUVs, and trucks can't.
Ride Safe

Answer 4

When I am riding, if the traffic is heavy on a 4 lane(2 lane divided) I slow down a little and give more room in front of me so I have more room so I wont have to make any sudden stops. I will also check the mirrors more frequently. Maybe the tailgater will get the clues. On a two lane, If possible, I will pass the vehicle in front of me. I can clear the vehicle much easier than the tailgater can. If all else fails, I will turn off and take a breather. I dont have a cage around me if the idiot makes a mistake.

Answer 5

If I have have a tailgater, whether in a car or motorcycle, I try to get away from them. I had two friends that got killed, because they fell off their motorcycle and the car behind ran right over them, because they were following too close. But never brake check on a motorcycle, that could be dangerous.

Answer 6

the text book scenario is true,,,,,if you have some ****** tailgating you,,,speeding up only results in some ****** tailgating you at a higher speed,,,,hence causing more danger to your self,,,if you cant pull over,,slow down and give your self more room to react in front of you.............then let the "richard" pass when you get the chance.......or ignore him,,,,(or her), when youre in control of a vehicle its your ride your road and your rules, you set the speed for those behind you.

Answer 7

Happens a lot for some reason. I flick the front brake lever a few times to make the brake light flash. Usually that wakes them up. If they persist I will try to get them to pass by slowing and moving over, waving them by, or whatever. In an extreme case I will just pull over and finger them as they pass. One guy got mad at that and pulled over in front of me, slamming on the brakes. I got off the Harley to get ready, but the yuppie idiot looked, and then his common sense kicked in, so he left. And all I was going to do was tell him my wife wanted to kick his butt.

Answer 8

Some guy did that to me the other day. I just put up with it then he blew past me and signaled me to move over. Traffic was thick so their was no purpose to move out of his way. So I was p!ssed he was even tailing me during rush hour. A couple exits later he got off the freeway and looked at me. Then I flipped him off. It's better to wait so they can't retaliate.

Answer 9

I slow down as much as possible, give them a bad look over the shoulder. If that doesn't work, I like to spit up into the air, they seem to get the hint

Answer 10

Depends where I am. If I can, I just put some distance between ****** and myself. Or I pull to the right, slow down, and wave them around with my middle finger fully extended.