How close have you come to takin' it in the butt?

[manco]

If people would learn how to drive without using their brakes for anything other than stopping, they'd give ample room to the cars in front of them. I can't count how many times, while driving in traffic, other cars use their brakes because they floor it to get up on another car's butt. I see how saving that second or two really cuts the commute time.

[FredK]

Yes, it's a well known fact that tailgating can cut your drive time in half. :roll: :mrgreen:

[Mastrcruse]

Last Friday I almost took it up the butt from a Pontiac GTO. I was going 70 and a light in front of us turned red. I started slowing down, needed to put more force on the brakes, it was one of those lights you can't run but have little distance to stop. Turned red and here he comes full force, slams on his brakes, shit starts smoking and slides right next to me.

He had the balls to wave at me and then go first when the light turned green. Its the driver, like everyone has been saying.

[nando]

I hate people that ride their brakes, or drive 3 feet from a car in front of them, touching their brakes every few seconds to avoid a collision because they are incapable of controlling their speed with the throttle. and yeah, it's definitely the drivers who are inadequate... I always try to leave myself an exit when I get to a stop sign or a light, if possible, leaving enough room in front of me that I could maybe try to get out of the way. and people always seem to like to stop 6 inches from my rear bumper in traffic, I want to get out and smack them.

[Dave]

I hate people that ride their brakes, or drive 3 feet from a car in front of them, touching their brakes every few seconds to avoid a collision because they are incapable of controlling their speed with the throttle. and yeah, it's definitely the drivers who are inadequate... I always try to leave myself an exit when I get to a stop sign or a light, if possible, leaving enough room in front of me that I could maybe try to get out of the way. and people always seem to like to stop 6 inches from my rear bumper in traffic, I want to get out and smack them.

You have to leave yourself an out. Always.

Case in point. My family and I were heading back from our place in Florida last year, and we were on the Florida Turnpike, heading North out of Orlando. There are often bottlenecks at the toll booths.

I was in the left lane behind a bob-tail Peterbilt. Behind me was a 5 or 7 Series (Dont remember which, but it was kitted out with ACS gear).

The logjam started abruptly - and the Peterbilt jammed on his brakes. Now with his huge contact patches and big brakes, he was on it hard, and I chose (wisely) to duck out to the left shoulder - which was not so much pavement as it was grass. I wound up looking to my right at the ass end of the Peterbilt - while the slide in the grass added to my stopping distance, there was still a chance I would have made contact with that Semi.

What made ducking out even more important was the fact that the BMW came to a stop about three feet from hitting the same semi. Obviously, we would have been sandwiched between the two had I not taken evasive action. I knew the old guy in the BMW was riding a little too close for comfort, but I wouldn't say he was tailgating.

[redhatpat]

Very true. I was driving a Ford Focus and I had to come to a quick stop from 50mph. The new model Toyota Corolla behind me locked the brakes and came within inches of my rear bumper.

I thought the locked brakes sounded wierd, so I looked it up at toyota.com and sure enough, ABS is an option on all corollas (except for the sporty XRS model). Un-fucking-believable. No wonder the base model is so cheap, ~$14,000.

[Charlie]

I got really, really drunk once. I try not to talk about it.

Oh, wait, that's not the thread..er..yea.

-Charlie

[e30prideTN]

I'm constantly looking in my rear view mirror to see if the people behind me are braking. One of my biggest pet peeves is someone tailgating me. I'll admit it -- I'll ride them if they're going 5-10 under the speed limit or just say f*** it and pass em (dotted line or not). I don't want to put any bumper stickers on my car but I did see someone with a great idea. THey just put a big sign in their rear window and I'd like for it to say: Get Off My A**, Watch For Sudden Braking....every morning while I drive to work on the interestate (while everyone is driving 70) it is completely bumper to bumper and people STILL try to squeeze in. Ugh...I just shake my head at them. All I know is someone better have insurance if they're going to hit me -- I wouldn't mind getting some money to replace the diving boards.

[e30vert]

Yes, it's a well known fact that tailgating can cut your life time in half. :roll: :mrgreen:

Fixed your statement

I neither give nor take it in the tailpipe -thank you.

[Brew]

You have to leave yourself an out. Always.

Case in point. My family and I were heading back from our place in Florida last year, and we were on the Florida Turnpike, heading North out of Orlando. There are often bottlenecks at the toll booths.

I was in the left lane behind a bob-tail Peterbilt. Behind me was a 5 or 7 Series (Dont remember which, but it was kitted out with ACS gear).

The logjam started abruptly - and the Peterbilt jammed on his brakes. Now with his huge contact patches and big brakes, he was on it hard, and I chose (wisely) to duck out to the left shoulder - which was not so much pavement as it was grass. I wound up looking to my right at the ass end of the Peterbilt - while the slide in the grass added to my stopping distance, there was still a good chance I would have made contact with that Semi.

What made ducking out even more important was the fact that the BMW came to a stop about three feet from hitting the same semi. Obviously, we would have been sandwiched between the two had I not taken evasive action. I knew the old guy in the BMW was riding a little too close for comfort, but I wouldn't say he was tailgating.

Sounds to me like you were either too close to the semi or not paying attention. In my opinion, you should ALWAYS have enough room in front of you to be able account for reaction time and your car's braking power. I also usually give myself more room in front if someone is tailgating me.

[Dave]

Sounds to me like you were either too close to the semi or not paying attention. In my opinion, you should ALWAYS have enough room in front of you to be able account for reaction time and your car's braking power. I also usually give myself more room in front if someone is tailgating me.

We had quite a skid in the dirt on the shoulder. I didn't get out and measure and have a crash reconstructionsist look at it, so that is why I said there was a chance I could have made contact had I stayed on the pavement. However, it stands to reason that we likely would not have. That point was mooted by the fact that the old guy in the BMW would have creamed me anyway had I not taken the shoulder. And He was not Tailgating - maybe closer than he should have been - but more likely inattention was the culprit with him.

[AdironRider]

Come on here boys, everyones been in rush hour traffic or at toll booths where if you were to give the proper stopping distance, you wouldnt go anywhere as cars would fill in the gap in front of you. Its the times that your just sittign at a light and some dumbass broad slams into you without even hitting the brakes that really pound you in the ass. Even still that was a lucky dodge there Dave.

Threads like these make me laugh sometimes where everyone gets on their soapbox and preaches about how everyone should drive. Even your drivers ed teacher takes his eyes off the road sometimes to change the radio station or whatnot. Shit happens, thats why they created insurance and they determine whos at fault. The best you can do is try and drive as best you can. Take Ryans sick cab that just got totalled, theres only so much you can do.

[FredK]

If you're afraid of taking it in the shitpipe, I'd suggest using one of those brake light flashers. There's even ones that use accelerometers so they only kick in and flash when you decelerate quickly.

Anyway, the faster I'm traveling, the more gap I'll leave between the car in front of me and myself. So if I'm going 3 mph at a toll booth, I'll be at your bumper. At 80, I'll leave enough room for a few cars to get in. If there's someone directly on my ass, I'll move over to let him pass. Let him get to work 6 inches faster than me.

[e30vert]

A guy I worked with rode a GSXR 750 when those were "the" bike to own and ride. Well one day on his way home he came upon a stopped big rig in front of him at the stop sign. Instead of pulling right behind him he thought it was better to move along side and "split lanes" (which is perfectly legal) . Just after he did that BOOM someone slammed into the back of the truck with a good deal of force. Had he not moved when he did he would have been crotch rocket sandwich... Is there such a thing as "lucky stars" ? If there are he sure was blessed by them that day.