How to handle tailgaters?

[metal hed]

Was out on the bike yesterday in town and some jerk was right on my ass, speed limit was 25 and I was going around 30. I just kept going checking my mirrors frequently. Honestly I wanted to stop in the middle of the road and start screaming at the idoit but that wouldn't get me anywhere. What do I do next time?

 

[Red Wazp]

Well you could run it up to 14k in a few gears but in a 25 speed zone that may be a unwise decision. The best thing to do is pull over and let the butthead go by. Last thing you need is him on your a$$.
I used to get all uptight over people like this but now I just let them go-most of the time.

 

[fzme]

He obviously wanted to go faster than the speed you were setting, so next time, just pull over and let him go around you.

It's hard to let go of pride, especially when someone else is in the wrong, but when you are on a bike, you're totally exposed. You can't impose your will on an idiot car driver from the back of a motorcycle. The best move is to yield, pull over, de-escalate, etc. Even ignoring him and continuing to go at your own pace can be dangerous because you're tempting his/her boiling point. If someone in a car wants to impose their will, let them. They don't care about you--don't give them a reason to.:thumbup:

If yielding doesn't work. Use your superior acceleration/braking/steering to GTFO of the way.

 

[metal hed]

Haha i like the running it up a few gears idea! Lol but seriously i know that i have to let it go and not get angry. It just sucks cuz its that person who will end up hurting someone on a bike. And thanks for the advice, next time i will just pull over and let them pass.

 

[thebikergeek]

Give yourself a bigger gap and then brake harshly. That usually freaks them out! Otherwise slow right down by some traffic lights and speed up to make sure you get through them but the car driver doesn't (I did that to a bus )

 

[Erci]

Give yourself a bigger gap and then brake harshly. That usually freaks them out!

Awful advice. Hope that was a joke.

Pulling over and letting tailgaiters pass is absolutely the right advice. If you find yourself in a situation where you cannot pull over quickly enough (say you're on a highway in passing lane and traffic is heavy in middle lane), give yourself lots of room between you and the vehicle in front of you (if applicable), so you can brake smoothly if the traffic slows down thereby lowering the chances of the car behind you running into you.

 

[oldfast007]

Install a set of these....Just kidding, yup, move over and move along...sucks though.

 

[discgolfdude]

Give yourself a bigger gap and then brake harshly. That usually freaks them out! Otherwise slow right down by some traffic lights and speed up to make sure you get through them but the car driver doesn't (I did that to a bus )

I'm a bus driver, and I drive my bus like I do a bike. I actually hate riders like you!!!:spank:

Respect others, and drive like you want them to respect you!!!:BLAA:

 

[scottsst]

when I get people on my ass like that I pull over and let them by. but not before messing with them for a bit doint stuff like riding the rear break and slow down a 5 mph to try to make them pass. If they want to go faster let them I say!

 

[Red Wazp]

I'm a bus driver, and I drive my bus like I do a bike. I actually hate riders like you!!!:spank:

Respect others, and drive like you want them to respect you!!!:BLAA:

Hats off to you Mr. Bus driver.:thumbup:
That's got to be a tough job with all the sh*tty drivers out there.

 

[Kazza]

Pull out the way and let them pass.

No point doing anything stupid yourself that could put you in danger or antagonise the idiot cager behind you. These days, they could have a gun or anything.

 

[Kazza]

Give yourself a bigger gap and then brake harshly. That usually freaks them out! Otherwise slow right down by some traffic lights and speed up to make sure you get through them but the car driver doesn't (I did that to a bus )

Bad advice.

You'll be on the forum for a short time if you do that :shakehead:

Hopefully, you were joking....

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Slow down, create more time and space between you and the vehicle thats in front of you. Hopefully, the driver will then pass and go around you. Or just pull off to the side like others have said.

Remember, Car vs Bike, the car will always win. It ain't worth it.

It's all about enjoying your ride.

 

[Wolfman]

My personal preference is just to get out of their way...either move over, or speed up, and change lanes...if it is malicious tailgating...then they may wanna chase you, then it starts to get scary!

 

[Wh0M3]

I had this very thing happen to me once. I was on a road that was marked as 25 mph and it is the same road that the State Cops post is on, so I know that it is watched like a hawk. I was doing 25 +/- and the car behind me came up like they wanted to go faster. I wasn't going to budge on my 25 so I actually turned around and looked at them face to face and they backed off. I don't know if this is a good advice but I grew up in that town and knew the area I was in really good. I was on a straight path and the road doesn't have more than a couple cars on it at anytime.

So maybe I'd call it the Glare of Death move. :BLAA:

 

[discgolfdude]

Hats off to you Mr. Bus driver.:thumbup:
That's got to be a tough job with all the sh*tty drivers out there.

Everyday is an adventure that is for sure!! Just like taking my bike out for a ride to the store lol!!

 

[lonesoldier84]

I'm a bus driver, and I drive my bus like I do a bike. I actually hate riders like you!!!:spank:

Respect others, and drive like you want them to respect you!!!:BLAA:

Don't your passengers mind when you open the swing-door and stick your knee out?

 

[The Dude]

I've found that most drivers give me a little more space on the bike than they do when I'm driving my car. Still, I get a tailgater once in a while.

First, I just do a head check. Sometimes turning around to look at them gets the message across. If they're an attentive driver and they see I'm concerned enough about their location to turn around, they'll often reevaluate their spacing.

If that doesn't work, I will put my left hand down to my side and slowly push back a few times. If they give me some space, I kindly wave a thank you. That usually does the trick, and hopefully educates the driver for the next time they're behind a bike.

If that doesn't work, I follow the MSF guidelines and slow down, increasing my following distance from the vehicle in front of me. The last thing you want to do is make a sudden stop, no matter how far the car behind you is. With drivers being so distracted nowadays, you don't want to chance it. I would never move over and give them an opportunity to pass me. I own that lane, even if I don't need it all. I ride in the left track and protect my lane. If they want to pass me in another lane, that's fine. But if there's more than one lane of travel, it's unlikely anyone is keeping up with me.


***Last week I was riding on a two lane country road from farm country into an urban center. As I was approaching the town, I notice this minivan in my mirrors. It's straddling the center lines like it wants to pass me. There's a car a few seconds in front of me and I'm doing 45-50 MPH (in a 45 zone). I have no idea what they were thinking and as I soon as I had a chance to get away from them (when the road went from two lanes to four) I pinned it. If you see someone being reckless, no matter how many wheels, just get away from them. It doesn't matter if you slow down, speed up, or stop.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Slow down, create more time and space between you and the vehicle thats in front of you. Hopefully, the driver will then pass and go around you. Or just pull off to the side like others have said.

Remember, Car vs Bike, the car will always win. It ain't worth it.

It's all about enjoying your ride.

I don't think this is a good idea. If someone is tailgating me the LAST thing I want to do is slow down and close that gap even more.

I always change lanes, brake, then change lanes back behind the tailgater. Then when they stop at a red light I pull up next to them and if they open their window, I ask in a polite voice why they thought that was appropriate. If they get belligerent, I look at them like they are of a level of mental retardation that would qualify for special care in a special care unit and let them pull back out in front when light goes green.

But don't gun it, it is very temping and I do this sometimes, but you will find that "gunning it" in this case will usually mean you have more focus BEHIND you than in front of you. You should only ever gun it when you are of clear mind and with complete focus. My opinion anyway. Too many things to hit in urban situations.

and speeding up then brake-checking them is a terrible idea like someone suggested. It will just anger them and make the situation worse.

Just get the hell away from them without gunning it. If you HAVE to, then yeah, get away by using your throttle, but almost always you can find a gap in cars in the lane beside you to pull into for 2 seconds to let the ape pass you.

 

[discgolfdude]

Don't your passengers mind when you open the swing-door and stick your knee out?

I haven't done that yet, but I do lean when I turn!!