Timphipps

I work on a college campus and believe in driving very close to the speed limit while on campus. We have had a rash of student pedestrians being hit by cars, a combination of people driving way too fast and oblivious pedestrians talking on cell phones. In any case, the last thing I ever want to do is hit a pedestrian.

So I get these bozos who ride six inches off my rear bumper when I am driving 30, which is 5 mph over the limit. Particularly big pickups. I get my revenge, though. The road from my office to the interstate meanders around buildings and has a speed limit of 25. But there is this very tight, 10 - 15 mph hairpin with a traffic circle island in the middle and a curb on the outside with an empty grassy area beyond the curb. What I do, if the road is clear of traffic ahead of me and I have a tailgater, is lure him or her into the turn at 30+ mph. Since they are tailgating they don't see much ahead of them other than my rear.

I enter the curve at quite a bit under my maximum corner speed but over theirs (I have been making this turn for 15 years now and I know what I can handle in various conditions). I keep off the brake so no brake light, hit the corner with neutral throttle and accelerate out. Usually I just get the tailgater crossed up while I accelerate away. But occasionally it is really fun. Once, in my former car, a prelude, the car behind me got loose and and did a 180 ending up over the curb. No traffic, no damage to anything but the driver's ego and maybe a rear tire.

Today a big pickup with out of state plates was tailgating me and kept surging up to my bumper in a really aggressive manner. I did my trick and as I accelerated away I saw him push to the outside of the curve, panic and hit the brakes and go fully sideways blocking both lanes. Again, no traffic no damage but maybe a lesson learned!

Hope I don't get keyed.

jasonw

Sounds fun unless people can jog in the area...

papa5murf

next time tape it..

04RioS2k

thats what tailgaters get.....I mean god some people just don't have patience......

Caffeinated21

While i totally approve of that way of ditching tailgaters, I think we need to clarify what situation were talking about. The original poster said this was in his college campus, and i think the same rules apply in bussiness areas and residential neighborhoods. HOWEVER, outside of these areas, regardless of speedlimit, if someone is tailgating you, PULL OVER. They obviously want to go faster than you are driving, so be courteous and let them.

Not that tailgating is the nicest way to let somoene know u want to pass them; i personally give a single flash of the brights (flash to pass) when i come up behind someone, and wait at a safe distance untill they pass a turnout. If they dont pull over, I'll give them a light toot of the horn, and if they pass another turn out, then they get the tailgating+brights+horn treatment.

Bo_Vien

Here in Dallas, we have people who will tailgate you during rush-hour traffic. For example, today when coming home from work on 183, all 3 lanes are crawling at 20-30mph. NO ONE is going anywhere fast, but the truck driver behind me must not have seen me as he was on my ass the entire time.

BTW, brake-checking is illegal, right? Not that I'd like to start yet ANOTHER pileup on 183.

Asterix

We have a lot of very impatient people here that tailgate you but on the freeways as 80mph and I'm talking inches away.

I know the roads well enough so just before a speed camera, I pull over, they accelerate furiously and "click", smile please.

FraudulentNeon

Original poster:

You drive slow (to not harm anyone), yet you allow a possible accident to happen? If there was oncoming traffic then something could have happened to an innocent third party. Basically, you bitch about asshole/dangerous drivers while you are one.

So, remember:
Revenge is for pussies.
An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind.

B SweepeR B6

exactly, very true. Also the sad part of this whole thing is that Timphipps said he has been making that turn for 15 yrs so I am assuming he is in his 30's probably and you owuld think someone past his 25's woudl become mature and more of a good hearted (i say that cuz you see the 180 spin out as a funny thing) and more of a mannered person and less ignorant person (which i am getting used to in this country as ppl get more ignorant, rude, and cold hearted as not years go by but the months that go by) I mean c'mon bro...grow up already for one, two, why got to be an asshole? what if that was you spinning out in the car w/your kid or lets say just you in general? whats soo damn funny about that, if tailgaters piss you off so much then move the out of the way n let them drive off n if they crash thats on them due to excessive speed, but instead you rather have it sit on your own concsious (if i spelled that word right) but obvoiusly that is something you can live with cuz you seem like an asshole and i SAY THAT ONLY BECAUSE YOU FIND a 180 on a tight turn humurous of other people that can possibly get injured or more god for bid.

ff_

I often do the same thing. Lure the tailgater into the corner at a speed that they can't handle. Problem (for them) is that they're fixated on your rear bumper, and not the road ahead. It's a fun trick, and certainly fair game.