The defensive driving classes I’ve taken taught me to leave enough space to see the back tires on the ground of the car in front of me. The reason - in the event your car get rear ended you can hopefully avoid being thrown into the rear of the car in front of you.
FWIW I was in an accident where I got hit from the rear by a distracted driver. That gap allowed me to maneuver and avoid the car in front of me.
My pet peeve is people who pull up on my back bumper in an intersection knowing if they get hit, I am now going to get hit.
People who refuse to scooch over to the center line at a light to allow right on red. or people who make is a point to crowd to the right and denying multiple folks behind them from taking a right on a red light.
The only time I ever was brake-checked in my life was in Boston. The other driver took offense to me wanting to merge safely onto the freeway. Granted, I flipped him off for not yielding.
I challenged a Bostonian woman I know about this practice (brake checking) and she said OMG YES. Apparently it’s common over there.
Seems stupid to brake hard in front of someone whose driving skills you find fault with.
When I am driving at about 3 miles over the speed limit on the I-15 raceway (that’s just what it is), and somebody comes up less than a car length behind me and stays there. Meanwhile, on both sides of me there is an open lane. What is wrong with these people?
I have the annoying habit of being in the left lane only when I am passing someone. My peeve is when I am in a center lane with an open lane on both sides of me. If a guy wants to drive 80+ MPH in a 70 MPH zone, be my guest, but just pass me, don’t endanger yourself and me by being one car length behind and forcing me to simply get out of your way.
My current theory is that they have no idea they’re doing it if they’re not actively trying to pass you. They’re too busy listening to music or talking on their phone (or worse, texting) and are fixating on your bumper as their guide.
Those people tend to also slow down when they don’t have anyone immediately in front of them. I know because I’m the impatient jerk trying to pass them when they don’t leave adequate gaps to work with.
My wisdom can be questionable but my approach to tailgaters is “well, if you want to be THAT close to me, I’m going to go at an appropriate speed for the distance you chose.” Then I take my foot off the throttle and coast (not brake check). When we’re sufficiently below the limit, I hit the gas hard to put space between us and resume the speed I was going before. They usually get the hint.
My biggest issue on the freeway is still the semi that decides to pass another semi. Usually:
On an incline
The truck that is passing is going a full one tenth of a mile per hour faster than the truck they are passing (60.2 vs 60.1)
There is a mile of clear road behind me but they chose to change lanes right in front of me anyway
Could be using adaptive cruise control. It maintains a set distance behind a car in front of you if they are going slower than their set speed. Lot ofpeople like to set it and not worry about breaking or accelerating.
Adaptive cruise control is the most awesome thing ever. I set mine to run as far behind vehicles in front of me as possible. FWIW I actually get better gas mileage when I use it on the long drives to Southern Utah or Yellowstone.
I use it too. The problem arises when the person behind me prefers to be only 1 car length behind me while I am maintaining the distance my cruise control wants.
