Vent: People who drive way under the speed limit

[vroomagain]

I HATE tailgaters so much... I don't care who you are but if you start tailgating me when I'm going the speed limit and you have no reason to tailgate me that's when I get pissed.

You're tailgating me because you can't pass me so either stop tailgating me OR I WILL slow down much more.

But, I don't care when people drive 5MPH under the speed limit, much more than that is annoying though.... unless of course, you've been tailgating me, then I'll drive 15MPH under.

I go slower when I'm being tailgated too. It is for safety more than it is for revenge or spite. If I have to break suddenly and the car behind me is following at an unsafe distance then at least it will rear end me at a slower speed.


Although I understand the frustration. I was once behind someone who was going 30 in a 55 on a main road- it was an old couple having a conversation with the top down on their convertible Everytime it was legal to pass there were cars coming. Ugh that was a miserable drive.

 

[kaytieeldr]

OP here - how do you not tailgate someone who is driving a good 10 miles under the speed limit?

The same way you avoid tailgating anyone driving at any speed in any situation - you use the two-second rule.

Pick an object ahead - sign, parked car, etc. After the lead car passes it, count how long it takes you to pass it. Two seconds or fewer? You're too close.

The other way you avoid tailgating is to simply not tailgate. You leave a safe distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you. Simple. Tailgating isn't going to make a driver go faster. Find another route, if the speed being maintained is too slow for you (any 'you', not specifically the quoted poster).

 

[kaytieeldr]

You sort of misunderstood me. When people have no reason to be tailgating me in the first place because I drive AT the speed limit... THAT is when I ease off the gas and go 30mph when I should be going 45.

If they are going to be a d-bag, so will I. There is nothing (I mean NOTHING) worse to me than people who unnecessarily tailgate.

Oh. I wasn't aware there was ever a situation where tailgating could be considered necessary

 

[mrodgers]

The worst is driving on a 2 lane highway (2 lanes the same direction) and there is a cop on the road. I swear they drive 10 mph below the limit on purpose. You can see the line of cars behind them from a distance as you are catching up. It looks like someone waved the caution flag at a Nascar race as they are all lined up in both lanes and no one wants to pass the cop even though he is doing below the limit.


Tailgating:

I was on the way to work one morning. I travel 20 minutes on a 55 mph road that everyone runs at 65-70 during commute times. I was cruising along at about 70 when a truck comes up behind me. He is tailgating me at 70 mph! He was so close that I couldn't see through my own reflection in the windshield. I was getting really ticked off. I gave him a few brake light taps but he stayed there. He never made attempt to pass me on numerous occasions of passing zones. We hit the long straight stretch and I decided I would get rid of him. I hit the throttle and he was gone.

A few miles down the road I turn off the main drag onto a back 40 mph road. About halfway down this road, guess who is behind me? This road folks normally drive 50 mph. I was running around 50 mph and the truck was all over my bumper again.

Suddenly, my car seemed to not run so good. It just slowed and slowed and slowed down to about 20 mph and 20 mph is what we did for about 6 miles.

I get into town and turn towards work. There he is. I go through the intersection and there he is. I am coming up to work, there he is. I turn into work parking lot and there he is. I park and right next to me parks a coworker. He gets out of his "my truck compensates for the lack of size elsewehere" truck and is yelling and screaming. I guess he had "never been this late for work before." Funny, since I work at the same place and start at the same time and I wasn't late. I guaranteed him that the next time I can't see through my own reflection on my windshield from his headlights that he would definitely be late.

 

[mhsjax]

It wasn't the car, it was the driver. I drive a Saturn and my DH has gotten it up to 115 MPH. And I know I've done 80 in it myself. 55 is the standard US highway speed, the driver might have thought that your higher speeds were either optional or he/she just didn't feel comfortable going faster (I feel uncomfortable going much faster than 75 myself).

Sorry, just felt the need to stick up for Saturns!

We don't have 55 as the standard highway speed where I live, alot of times it is 70 or 65 at the least.

 

[mhsjax]

The same way you avoid tailgating anyone driving at any speed in any situation - you use the two-second rule.

Pick an object ahead - sign, parked car, etc. After the lead car passes it, count how long it takes you to pass it. Two seconds or fewer? You're too close.

The other way you avoid tailgating is to simply not tailgate. You leave a safe distance between yourself and the vehicle ahead of you. Simple. Tailgating isn't going to make a driver go faster. Find another route, if the speed being maintained is too slow for you (any 'you', not specifically the quoted poster).

YOu could also turn that around and say if you can't handle or choose not to go the speed limit, then you (you in general) find another slower route.

 

[declansdad]

Facts only, no opinion: It's a speed LIMIT. Not a speed requirement, or a speed minimum. If a driver on a single-lane road opts to travel at a reasonable speed below the posted maximum (aka limit), they're doing nothing wrong.

Oh, and to the poster who asked a page or so back: when there's a posted minimum and maximum but weather or road conditions dictate an even slower speed than the minimum, at least here in Massachusetts the temporary limit/maximum is broadcast on the radio and enforced by the State Police.

In many places, traveling too far below the posted speeds limit for no good reason can get you a ticket as well. You are creating a hazard.

 

[declansdad]

YOu could also turn that around and say if you can't handle or choose not to go the speed limit, then you (you in general) find another slower route.

 

[LilyWDW]

In many places, traveling too far below the posted speeds limit for no good reason can get you a ticket as well. You are creating a hazard.

Yes you can... it's called obstruction of traffic. Growing up in a family of police officers can be so much fun.

 

[kaytieeldr]

"Standard"? Or "legal/posted"? There's a difference.

I just ran up to the supermarket to pick up a few more things. The speed limit is 30-35, it's dark, and it's raining. The car in front of me never went faster than 23, usually more like 20. I was still able to avoid tailgating by simply leaving a common-sense distance between that car and mine (can't say the same for the driver behind me ).

Don't you know, not only were they going to the same store, they headed back to their car the same time as me. I was able to leave the parking lot before they were settled in their car and travel home at or close to the speed limit.

 

[travelbug]

The people driving too slow are usually occupied with something else, cell phone, texting, makeup. I catch one man in a Jaguar every morning who reads his paper while he drives. He could care less that he is in the left lane doing 10 under on a 4 lane highway.

Yes, I see this type of thing quite a bit too. One morning on my way to work, I got behind a lady going REALLY slow. When I could finally pass, I looked to see who was driving. The lady was holding a McDonald's cup in one hand and was looking at the cell phone in her other hand. I guess it's hard to drive at a decent speed when using your knees to steer.

 

[golfgal]

I don't think someone driving under 5 miles the speed limit a big deal? I would rather drive a little slow then over the speed limit

It is when you are impeding traffic. I you have 20 cars behind you, pull over to the side and let them pass if you don't want to drive the speed limit.

I HATE tailgaters so much... I don't care who you are but if you start tailgating me when I'm going the speed limit and you have no reason to tailgate me that's when I get pissed.

You're tailgating me because you can't pass me so either stop tailgating me OR I WILL slow down much more.

But, I don't care when people drive 5MPH under the speed limit, much more than that is annoying though.... unless of course, you've been tailgating me, then I'll drive 15MPH under.

Why not just pull into another lane or pull over to the side and let them pass? It isn't up to you to play state patrol and decide who drives how fast.

You sort of misunderstood me. When people have no reason to be tailgating me in the first place because I drive AT the speed limit... THAT is when I ease off the gas and go 30mph when I should be going 45.

If they are going to be a d-bag, so will I. There is nothing (I mean NOTHING) worse to me than people who unnecessarily tailgate.

Their "unnecessary tailgating' might be necessary to them--again, who appointed you the road god?

I was driving home yesterday and on a 3 lane highway 3 cars driving side by side holding up traffic. If you are not going any faster than the people in the lane next to you and there are 30 cars behind you, tailgating, move the bleep over!!!

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Their "unnecessary tailgating' might be necessary to them--again, who appointed you the road god?

I was driving home yesterday and on a 3 lane highway 3 cars driving side by side holding up traffic. If you are not going any faster than the people in the lane next to you and there are 30 cars behind you, tailgating, move the bleep over!!!

There is no such thing as necessary tailgating when you don't go under the speed limit... there's just impatient ****(make up your own four letter word).

I never said I was road god btw. AND when I'm GOING THE SPEED LIMIT why does anyone need to pass me???

And did I mention how much I hate tailgaters? So much that if they're going to be a jerk then I feel completely fine with being one back to them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Their "unnecessary tailgating' might be necessary to them

Their impatience may be necessary to them - but tailgating is not only NEVER necessary, it's a heck of a lot more dangerous that traveling at or a few miles below the speed limit.

 

[C.Ann]

Their impatience may be necessary to them - but tailgating is not only NEVER necessary, it's a heck of a lot more dangerous that traveling at or a few miles below the speed limit.

For some it boils down to nothing more than passive-aggressive road rage.. They think they can intimidate the car in front of them into driving faster by riding on their bumper and when it doesn't work, they simply become more enraged..

 

[sparklynails23]

The car had US military tags on it, and all military personnel are required to take a drivers test for driving in Germany, so they are well aware of what is expected of them behind the wheel. I did not say anything about the car, just that I noticed it was a Saturn. You don't see many of those here in the land of expensive German BMW's , Audi's and of course my favorite the Mercedes Benz. The good thing is that when the military folks get tickets the military is notified first and they are mandated to counsel the person. So not only do you get an expensive fine but you also get spanked by your commander. Sorry but your justification is not fact!

I've been driving 100 mph in a rental BMW on the autobahn, and Ferrari's and Porsche's passed me like I was standing still. That's why you get those massive pile-ups.

Most of the slower drivers I see in the U.S. are seniors. It can be dangerous, but I don't think there's a good solution to the problem.

 

[mikehn]

I could not care less how slow people drive. Just do it in the friggin far right lane so that others may pass.

 

[mum4jenn]

When I am on the dark country roads around here I drive at least 10 mile under the speed limit. Anyone that does not like it can pass me. I go to work when it is still dark and we live in an area that has lots of Deer and I am on a constant lookout to see if a deer(or most days a whole family of deer) is going to run out in front of me. I do not see well in the dark in areas with no street lights and I can not afford a car repair or a new car right now just because someone wants me to keep out of their way. At 6am I only see about a dozen or so vehicles so there is plenty of opportunity for someone to pass me.

So if you come to South GA go around my little green car and you can be my deer buffer!!! LOL!!!


What I hate is for the folks behind me who insist of keeping their brights on to try and intimidate me to go faster. My car is low to the ground and when giant SUVs and trucks are behind me even me adjusting my miror does not get those bright lights out of my sight.

 

[Galahad]

We have a lot of seniors here who shouldn't be on the road (if you need to be at a complete stop to make a turn, it's time to give up your license). If you need to drive 10 miles under the limit, your driving skills have deteriorated, and you are a danger to others.

At what age do you anticipate giving up your license?

 

[golfgal]

There is no such thing as necessary tailgating when you don't go under the speed limit... there's just impatient ****(make up your own four letter word).

I never said I was road god btw. AND when I'm GOING THE SPEED LIMIT why does anyone need to pass me???

And did I mention how much I hate tailgaters? So much that if they're going to be a jerk then I feel completely fine with being one back to them.

Then move over to the right lane or pull over and let the line of cars behind you pass. If you look in your rearview mirror and there are 20 cars in line behind you, you are holding up traffic.

Also, are you sure you are going the speed limit. I just had this discussion with DH last night. He was giving me a hard time for "tailgaiting" a guy in the LEFT lane going 10 mph under the limit. He kept insisting that the guy was driving the speed limit-he wasn't and I proved that with the next speed limit sign. I pulled into the right lane to pass this road god and he sped up and drove next to the other car in the right lane so I couldn't pass, jerk. Then on the way home DH was driving, tailgating someone in the RIGHT lane of a 4 lane highway driving 10 mph under the speed limit. I pointed that out, just to make a point, he again insisted he was going the speed limit which he thought was 60 but it was 70. Also, move around the car in the right lane with NO cars in the other 3 lanes.