How to handle tailgaters?

[Kamloops]

- Bikes are allowed to take the full lane. They almost never do, for obvious reasons. But they are allowed it (in the US).

Not true. Sort of.

In many states they have laws against this.

**No person shall stop or operate a vehicle at such a slow
speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic, except when stopping or reduced speed is necessary for safe operation or to comply with law.

**Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near
to the right side of the roadway as practicable obeying all traffic rules
applicable to vehicles and exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

**Under most State laws, bicyclists are supposed to follow the rules for slow-moving vehicles, the same as farm vehicles, construction machines, antique cars and horse-buggies. Slow vehicles travel to the right IF there is safe space. Faster vehicles wait until they can pass safely

One thing I hate about cyclists , most of them, is that when you finally get by them later down the road you get stopped in traffic at a light, and that same cyclist that held you up passes all the cars on the right that they just held up only yo hold them up again. Imagine if you did that on in a car or motorcycle how choked people would be.

 

[cap'n]

Faster vehicles wait until they can pass safely

This part is important as well.

 

[The Dude]

You guys are doing it wrong. Check out my other bike. I never have a problem with people following too close!

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYnn75Sw7e0]YouTube - ‪Jet engine blasts another motorcycle‬‏[/ame]

 

[Jim(tm)]

A trick I learned on the KLR650 forum is to stand up on your pegs and the tailgater will usually back off. Not sure why this works, but it usually does.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Local story

Maybe he should have stood on his pegs....

EDMONTON — Police have laid charges against a driver who rammed a motorcyclist off the road near Yellowhead Trail and Anthony Henday Monday afternoon. A witness reported the incident to police at around 4 p.m. and said the driver was tailgating the motorcycle and weaving in and out of lanes. Eventually the vehicle bumped the motorcycle off of the road and sent the rider flying into a ditch, the witness reported. Police later apprehended the 50-year-old motorist and he is facing charges. The motorcyclist is in hospital, awaiting surgery for serious scrapes from the accident. Edmonton Police spokeswoman, Lisa Sobchyshyn, said alcohol and drugs are not considered to be a factor.

Actually my friends aunt and uncle saw the whole thing happen, and were already on the phone to the police and paramedics before the truck hit him. The truck was tailgating and being a total *******, then pursued the bike and ran him off the road. What is wrong with people?

 

[fazed_ya]

I carry crushed spark plugs in my tank bag

 

[Pranqster]

let them pass, Its what you'd like other drivers to do for you.

 

[chomorro]

I try to let them pass but most of the time its not possible for me. I get tailgated on busy side streets. Where there is no shoulder just parked cars, and either no other lane, or the car in the other lane of me tries to go the same speed as i do. If i speed up to pass and change lanes i risk getting a ticket or impounded for going 15 over the limit in a 35 zone.

Its a catch 22, and yes i get people very pissed sometimes since im ONLY going 5 over the limit......

 

[bdevries]

I think it was this forum that I read about a guy carrying pennies in his jacket pocket to toss over his shoulder onto the tailgaters hood.. Obviously a very provoking move, and you better hope you have an escape route because the idiots that would tailgate a bike probably have no issues running one over..

 

[FZ09Bandit]

You have no idea how bad I want to throw something at the wind shield at a dump truck. They don't have to use a tarp here. Lazy ass holes, get stuck behind those on the road. Make you want to do something you will regret.

Damn what a zombie thread.

 

[Kingwu]

Be careful with the middle finger.

I did that years ago when a cyclist cut in front of my car. He was totally in the wrong and he was lucky I didn't hit him with the car.

Next set of lights - smashed my window and punched me in the head. Cops never got him, even though they staked the area out for about 4 weeks. That's why I hate people on bicycles :rant:

End of the day, you're on a bike - they can do more damage to you than you can do to them. Let them pass and get over it - safest option :thumbup:

Woulda got out and smashed his face in, then run his bike over.. :noworries::stupidpc::sinister:

 

[trepetti]

Sometimes drivers creep up on you out of inattention and poor skills. I have a 2 step approach. First, I politely wave my arm backwards asking them to open up a larger gap. That usually works, but if it doesn't, I pull over and let them pass. No one wins when a car and bike collide, but the bike ALWAYS loses!

 

[Brackson]

Ok [MENTION=25632]Kingwu[/MENTION], please stop resurrecting ancient threads. Some, like this one are long dead for a reason. This topic always creates strife in the community and is best left in the ground.

Please just leave this topic alone it has already been discussed to death.

 

[Kingwu]

Ok [MENTION=25632]Kingwu[/MENTION], please stop resurrecting ancient threads. Some, like this one are long dead for a reason. This topic always creates strife in the community and is best left in the ground.

Please just leave this topic alone it has already been discussed to death.

Ancient thread.. but it was "resurrected" last January 31st 2014. I wouldn't say I "resurrected" it.

Anywho, that doesn't matter. I never seen this thread and took interest to it. It's good to see what everyone would do in a situation of a tailgater and i'll comment if I want to.

Now, if this thread wasn't suppose to be commented on, i'm pretty sure it would be locked or deleted by a moderator. :thumbup:

 

[Brackson]

One or two posts in January is still a dead thread. That is besides the point.

My comment to you was more about your thread necromancy in general. Too many of your posts are thread resurrections. It is a great thing to read old threads, but you do not need to comment on old threads that no longer have active discussion. Especially not with an opinion. That is the difference.

I have also wondered why the thread had not been locked before, but that is not my decision. I am not a moderator for this sub-forum. But it is pretty rude of you to throw that in my face. If you notice most sub-forums here only have one or two moderators and many people help by giving advice about forum etiquette without a moderator tag.

My intention was not to start a conflict with you, but just to try and help you learn forum etiquette. Pointless thread revivals only clutter a forum.

 

[Kingwu]

One or two posts in January is still a dead thread. That is besides the point.

My comment to you was more about your thread necromancy in general. Too many of your posts are thread resurrections. It is a great thing to read old threads, but you do not need to comment on old threads that no longer have active discussion. Especially not with an opinion. That is the difference.

I have also wondered why the thread had not been locked before, but that is not my decision. I am not a moderator for this sub-forum. But it is pretty rude of you to throw that in my face. If you notice most sub-forums here only have one or two moderators and many people help by giving advice about forum etiquette without a moderator tag.

My intention was not to start a conflict with you, but just to try and help you learn forum etiquette. Pointless thread revivals only clutter a forum.

But why is it that you're the only person that has a problem with me "reseurrecting" old threads?

I clearly took interest in a thread and wanted to either ask a question or throw my 2 cents in.

A lot of these sub-forums have little to no new threads, bringing some life back into that sub-forum isn't bad.

 

[Brackson]

If your comments are constructive I agree. Most of yours are not though.

I have never seen it specifically outlines on this forum, but most forums strongly frown upon the practice. Even here I see people make jokes about it, often with a negative connotation.

As for why I am the only one? I may just be the first, many people don't like to be the first to say anything that may be unpopular, something I am obviously not afraid to do.

If the group really supports dredging up old subjects for comments as constructive as

Woulda got out and smashed his face in, then run his bike over.. :noworries::stupidpc::sinister:

are worthwhile then I will find the door. Personally I think comments like that are better kept to oneself.

I am not saying all of your posts are bad, or that all threads should be locked after one month from the last post. Your comment about the price you paid for your bike is a great reason to bring that thread back, as it is always a relevant topic to prospective buyers and sellers. But opinion and side thoughts are not helpful or constructive, instead they just make you look like your trying to pad your post count and waste everyone else s time.

 

[Kingwu]

Personally I think comments like that are better kept to oneself.

That's your opinion. I clearly see it different. If I wanted to "pad my post count" up, I'd comment on every single one of these threads. I'm only commenting on ones I find interest in. I read something, something pops up in my head, I post.

You commenting on the post commenting about me "resurrecting" the thread is irrelevant to the thread. If it bothers you that much don't open any threads that say "by Kingwu" on it.

 

[FZ09Bandit]

You have no idea how bad I want to throw something at the wind shield at a dump truck. They don't have to use a tarp here. Lazy ass holes, get stuck behind those on the road. Make you want to do something you will regret.

Damn what a zombie thread.

Refer to the Las page for details.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Based from my riding experiences, and a lot of it was down in Las Vegas, I rarely had any issues with drivers tailgating me. And if I did, and if it bothered me that much, I will take the best corrective action based on what options I have at that given time. Could be as simple as switching lanes. Last thing I want to be doing is riding and staring at my mirrors. Here in the states, you don't mess around with road rage. People can just snap.