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Why You Never, Ever Brake Check (Or Tailgate!) Another Driver

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Ouch.

If you're going to tailgate be prepared for the other person to brake check you.

If you're going to brake check a tailgater be prepared for a possible collision
 
Blizzard said:
What annoys me is if I'm driving on a nearly deserted road and I use the middle (NOT LEFT) lane, going the speed limit (e.g. at night, e.g. to reduce risk of a deer jumping out on the highway, which is an actual issue)...and someone tailgates me. And then passes me. Using the right lane.

When the left lane is clear behind me to the horizon. Aren't you supposed to pass on the left in the U.S.?
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Yes you aren't supposed to pass on the right
 
Cybrwzrd said:
The easy fix to that is not to lane squat. It prevents all conflict and the biggest threat to everyone getting to their destinations safely - Δv.
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There is a massive chasm between "lane squatting" and simply not passing fast enough to satiate your rushed needs. See: OP video. He wasn't squatting; he was probably over the speed limit and passing a truck and letting cars merge onto the freeway. Not good enough for our favorite gaiter. So fuck that guy and whatever arbitrary definition of "squatting" you're attempting to apply so liberally as if this was a black/white issue. This shit is perception vs reality and aggro vs aggro pissing contests and its shades of grey at the risk of all of us who are sane.

zelas said:
But he remained in the lane once he passed the car on the right. He could have moved over the moment he decided to brake check.
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Clearly he was only seeing red at that point. Time to make territory.
 
I knew someone who brake checked someone and it caused a pileup and another person unrelated to the first two cars died. That guy is in prison now, not worth it for a myriad of reasons.
 
low-G said:
In my state you are TAUGHT to break check. That's what you're SUPPOSED to do. You're NEVER supposed to tailgate under any circumstances.

Still if someone tailgates me I'll usually just drive slower the closer they get. Usually sends the message.
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you're taught to provoke accidents - putting you, the tailgater, other drivers on the street and all passengers involved at risk of serious injury or death - just so you can make a point?
e: see the post above
 
low-G said:
In my state you are TAUGHT to break check. That's what you're SUPPOSED to do. You're NEVER supposed to tailgate under any circumstances.

Still if someone tailgates me I'll usually just drive slower the closer they get. Usually sends the message.
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lol what state is this? I want to see the driving manual.

Here it is from my state:

If you are followed too closely or “tailgated” by another driver, and there is a right lane, move over to the right. If there is no right lane, wait until the road ahead is clear and then reduce speed slowly. This will encourage the tailgater to drive around you. Never slow down quickly to discourage a tailgater. This will only increase your risk of being hit from behind.
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also:

“SLOW POKE” DRIVING
It is against the law for you to drive slower than the posted minimum speed under normal driving conditions. You may drive more slowly than the minimum speed if you are driving in bad weather, heavy traffic, or on a bad road.
If there is no posted minimum speed, it is still against the law for you to drive so slowly that you block traffic. If you have to drive more slowly, and vehicles line up behind you, you should pull over and let them pass. Many crashes are caused by slow drivers who block other traffic. Remember, slower is not always safer.
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I'm pretty sure that in the eyes of the law, the brake-checker in this circumstance would likely be charged with dangerous driving and leaving the scene of an accident, both of which are criminal offences.

The tailgater would likely be charged with careless driving which is not a criminal offence, but would be subject to a fine and loss of demerit points. Also, his insurance premiums would increase substantially as a result of the the accident.

In my opinion, that's what both of these assholes deserve (and I'm assuming there was no incidence of injury or death).
 
I really hate people that cruise on the left lane. The left lane is meant for passing, not traveling. If people are moving faster than you on the left lane, move the fuck over.
 
Dreams-Visions said:
There is a massive chasm between "lane squatting" and simply not passing fast enough to satiate your rushed needs. See: OP video. He wasn't squatting; he was probably over the speed limit and passing a truck and letting cars merge onto the freeway. Not good enough for our favorite gaiter. So fuck that guy and whatever arbitrary definition of "squatting" you're attempting to apply so liberally as if this was a black/white issue. This shit is perception vs reality and aggro vs aggro pissing contests and its shades of grey.
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The checker had plenty of time to move over. It also appears that the checker slowed down before hitting the brakes. This is a black and white issue. Don't be a dick and yield to faster traffic. You do that, and the problem goes away. The SUV driver is terrible for losing control of their vehicle, but that was caused by the brake check.
 
Ray Wonder said:
Don't tailgate me.

Brake checking will occur, and you can't prove I did it on purpose. So you hitting me is your fault.

I'm on the breakchecker's side.
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Well.... if I can prove it with dash cams then yea and audio recordings, then yes I will wait till the cops come and get you fucked over. The fact that you are so quick to put someone else's life in extreme danger makes me lose all respect for you.

The people who drive parallel to another car for multiple lights and then brake check a person deserve serious jail-time at the very least(15+years) and the death penalty at the worst if it can be proven they did it intentionally. They are absolute scum
 
TheBryanJZX90 said:
No, of course it doesn't say it's OK to tailgate or speed. It just says that it's ALSO not OK to block the left lane by going slower than a car behind you. It's not that hard. That's why I said BOTH are wrong.
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That's not what it is saying either.

If I am correctly using the left hand lane to pass a number of slower moving vehicles on the right. Meaning they are going under the speed limit, and you come out of nowhere going 20mph over the speed limit, you have no right to begin tailgating in this situation when I have no oppurtunity to yet get over.

I am using the lane appropriately and within the scope of the law to move my vehicle faster then the slower traffic on the right to overpass them. The moment you begin to get too close to my vehicle you are breaking the law first and foremost by following too closely.
 
low-G said:
In my state you are TAUGHT to break check. That's what you're SUPPOSED to do. You're NEVER supposed to tailgate under any circumstances.

Still if someone tailgates me I'll usually just drive slower the closer they get. Usually sends the message.
Click to expand...

What. The. Fuck.
 
I never brake check. I'm way too paranoid that they'll hit me. I've tapped the brakes to make the lights come on but would never have the balls to actually slow down. I don't trust my car enough to be able to speed back up. If they don't like my speed then it's up to them to pass me. I'm not pulling over especially since it's always a one lane road. There's no where to pull over. Let them tailgate. It's on them if I have to stop for a deer. Surely if they're impatient enough to follow my ass that closely they have no problem ignoring the solid double lines and passing me. And if they do then fine, I'm going the speed limit.

And if I'm following someone and they're going too slow (read: well under the speed limit) then sure it's annoying, but I never get within 10-20 feet of them because I also don't trust them not to slam on the brakes. I'll just get there later and just hope that sooner or later they'll turn somewhere. I don't pass because, as I said, I don't trust my car enough to speed up to the speed I need to go before someone appears in the other lane.

It's not worth it really. To risk an accident either way. Note: I'm talking about single-lane roads. Not two-lane highways.
 
Barrel Cannon said:
Well.... if I can prove it with dash cams then yea and audio recordings, then yes I will wait till the cops come and get you fucked over. The fact that you are so quick to put someone else's life in extreme danger makes me lose all respect for you.

The people who drive parallel to another car for multiple lights and then brake check a person deserve serious jail-time at the very least(15+years) and the death penalty at the worst if it can be proven they did it intentionally. They are absolute scum
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This can't be serious right? I should get the death penalty for brake checking someone?
 
Jonm1010 said:
But they aren't slower traffic. They are going above normal pace to pass slower traffic on the right.
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If you are going the normal pace in the passing lane, you are most definitely driving wrong. Get over to the right, and let faster traffic pass. If they are going too fast, let the cops take care of it.

Jonm1010 said:
The only one in the wrong in this situation is the tailgater who wishes to use the left lane as his super highway and wrecklessly endanger vehicles in front of him abiding by the law.
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No, it is against law in most states to impede the speed of traffic in the passing lane. The vehicle in front is not abiding the law. When he realizes someone was tailgating him, the legal thing to do is find a safe hole and merge right. Nobody, but the police should be enforcing the speed rules on the road. That is one of the many ways accidents happen- by people making up their own rules of the road.

Jonm1010 said:
I am not in California and most states also have laws against following too closely to a vehicle. So again, the tailgater is in the wrong.
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There is usually a time component attached to tail gating. If someone is tailgating you for more than 30 seconds, that is definitely annoying. But that didn't happen in the video, did it?

How many people's lives did the brake checker endanger to prove his point? And then the coward fled the scene of the accident he caused. I'll take a tailgater on my ass any day on the road over a self righteous brake checker any day. Because I can predict what the tailgater wants- me to move over. I have no idea what self imposed rule a brake check wants out of me.
 
ISWThunder said:
You're supposed to slow down, to force the tailgater to slow down too and minimize the chance of a serious accident. People take this to mean, "I'll just stomp on my brakes to scare them, and if we crash it's their fault."

Of course, this just enrages the tailgater and makes things more dangerous.
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Yea defensive driving is different. Slowing down slightly is fine(even on the passing lane, because they might try to be switching lanes to let them through). Slamming the brake is a different story though.
 
vainglorious said:
I really hate people that cruise on the left lane. The left lane is meant for passing, not traveling. If people are moving faster than you on the left lane, move the fuck over.
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Some people just don't know (or don't care). When my dad was teaching me how to drive, he hammered into my head how the left lane is meant for passing only. What he does is flashes his lights if the person ahead of him is just cruising in the passing lane.

I used to do that, but some people just ignore it and continue cruising. So I just say fuck it and pass on the right to avoid it altogether.
 
blame space said:
that's no excuse to drive so close to someone that if something happened ahead of you you might not be able to react in time. It's macho bullshit and bullying quite honestly.
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People blocking flow of traffic in the passing lane are oblivious to their driving and think they own the road. They're the ones throwing bullshit around. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MOVE OVER.

Honestly.
 
Ray Wonder said:
Yeah well I think a controlled tap to let them know, is much safer than just allowing them to tailgate. If an emergency occurs, you're going to get a full blast rear ending when you slam your brakes.
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If someone is tailgating you it's a dangerous situation regardless of your actions. If you're holding up traffic, allow them to pass. If you are unable to move over, do your best to drive defensively. Brake checking is an aggressive response to aggressive behavior. ITT there is a lot of celebrating just dues for tailgaters who are placed into bad spots by brake checkers. Is your pride really so fragile that you feel the need to put lives at risk because you feel slighted on the road? How juvenile.

It serves everyone's best interests to drive defensively.

If someone is tailgating you, how much attention do you think he's paying to the road? Do you think he'll notice a light tap of your brake lights? Do you think he'll notice your car slow if you let up on the gas, without your brake lights on? Don't try to out asshole and asshole. You're not doing anybody a favor.
 
Muffdraul said:
If you block traffic flow in the passing lane you are the worstest.
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The passing lane is for passing in states it is deemed as such. If they aren't doing that then they are in the wrong but if they are in the process and not doing it to your liking, keep safe fucking distance.

The left lane is not your personal super highway.
 
Crunched said:
If someone is tailgating you it's a dangerous situation regardless of your actions. If you're holding up traffic, allow them to pass. If you are unable to move over, do your best to drive defensively. Brake checking is an aggressive response to aggressive behavior. ITT there is a lot of celebrating just dues for tailgaters who are placed into bad spots by brake checkers. Is your pride really so fragile that you feel the need to put lives at risk for feelig slighted on the road? How juvenile.

It serves everyone's best interests to drive defensively.
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Your reply is almost like not even addressing me, or what I said. I agree with you I guess? lol

Crunched said:
If someone is tailgating you, how much attention do you think he's paying to the road? Do you think he'll notice a light tap of your brake lights? Do you think he'll notice your car slow if you let up on the gas, without your brake lights on? Don't try to out asshole and asshole. You're not doing anybody a favor.
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Actually yeah, they normally do notice.
 
the onus of safety is on the tailing car, not the car that the tailer thinks is going too slow. it's a choice to tail a car more closely than what is safe. If they don't or can't get over, is it uncouth? Rude? Yes, but tailgating is much more dangerous than driving too slowly.

The amount of extreme danger people will put themselves and others into over pride or potentially arriving 5 minutes earlier to their destination is terrifying.
 
Jonm1010 said:
That's not what it is saying either.

If I am correctly using the left hand lane to pass a number of slower moving vehicles on the right. Meaning they are going under the speed limit, and you come out of nowhere going 20mph over the speed limit, you have no right to begin tailgating in this situation when I have no oppurtunity to yet get over.

I am using the lane appropriately and within the scope of the law to move my vehicle faster then the slower traffic on the right to overpass them. The moment you begin to get too close to my vehicle you are breaking the law first and foremost by following too closely.
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"He broke the law first" isn't a very good defense here. Again, I've never said anything even close to "it's OK to tailgate." But if you're going slower than traffic behind you in the left lane you ALSO have a legal obligation to move over as soon as it is safe to do so. The driver in the video did the exact opposite of that. Instead of maintaining speed and moving left, which would have been safe to do in just a couple seconds, he brake checked, which made everything worse.
 
vainglorious said:
I really hate people that cruise on the left lane. The left lane is meant for passing, not traveling. If people are moving faster than you on the left lane, move the fuck over.
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I hate to sound like a broken record, but the left lane usage depends on the state. For some states, you can sit in the left lane all you like as long as you go the speed limit.

Doesn't mean you should, of course, but common courtesy seems to be lacking no matter where you are these days.
 
Unknown Soldier said:
If you're driving slowly in the left lane, better known as the lane you're not supposed to hog and block traffic in, you're asking for people to ride your ass. Get out of the fucking way, some people are trying to get somewhere. You might be blocking a car with a pregnant woman inside trying to get to the hospital to give birth or something. Don't be an asshole and block the left lane.

If I'm in the left lane and I see a guy coming up behind me who obviously wants to go faster than me, I move over to the right. It's common fucking courtesy.
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Not everyone who is driving slowly in the left lane is there to just cruise. Some of us have to make turns, and you can't really do that going faster than the speed limit. Also, people who have an upcoming turn aren't going to get over for you. In those instances, you can go around.

Otherwise, it's just better to just stay in the right lane unless it's to pass or you need to turn.
 
both brake checking and tailgating are for scumbags. it wouldv'e been better had the tailgater actually ran into the brake checker
 
vainglorious said:
People blocking flow of traffic in the passing lane are oblivious to their driving and think they own the road. They're the ones throwing bullshit around. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MOVE OVER.

Honestly.
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Wait, who thinks they own the road? I'm confused because you're making it sound like you think you own the road.
 
low-G said:
In my state you are TAUGHT to break check. That's what you're SUPPOSED to do.
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What you're taught to do is tap the brakes lightly to warn them when you're about to actually brake. You're giving them a heads up that you're about to slow down. It makes the road more safe for everybody.

That's different than trying to spook someone or get revenge for them tailgating you. That makes the road less safe for everybody.

Tailgating is also wrong and makes the road less safe for everybody. Both are wrong and shouldn't be defended.
 
The worst is my buddy who tailgates all the time, like unconsciously. Then he gets super pissed when people are even in the vicinity of the back of his car.

Like bruh cmon
 
blame space said:
that's no excuse to drive so close to someone that if something happened ahead of you you might not be able to react in time. It's macho bullshit and bullying quite honestly.
Click to expand...

There's no excuse to block faster traffic in the passing lane. It's rude, inconsiderate, and usually illegal, quite honestly. Get the fuck over and there will be no problem.

Some people are describing a situation where the person blocking traffic in the passing lane doesn't have an opportunity to get over because of traffic in the right lane. I don't have a problem with that. The only time I get aggravated is when they could easily get over to let someone behind them pass, but they simply refuse. Either because they're oblivious, or because they're an asshole with the attitude of "Hey fuck you man, pass me on the right if you want to go that fast." Either way, those people are shit.
 
vainglorious said:
People blocking flow of traffic in the passing lane are oblivious to their driving and think they own the road. They're the ones throwing bullshit around. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MOVE OVER.

Honestly.
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But what if I'm in the left lane going the maximum speed limit.

Is that still blocking?
 
Chococat said:
If you are going the normal pace in the passing lane, you are most definitely driving wrong. Get over to the right, and let faster traffic pass. If they are going too fast, let the cops take care of it.



No, it is against law in most states to impede the speed of traffic in the passing lane. The vehicle in front is not abiding the law. When he realizes someone was tailgating him, the legal thing to do is find a safe hole and merge right. Nobody, but the police should be enforcing the speed rules on the road. That is one of the many ways accidents happen- by people making up their own rules of the road.



There is usually a time component attached to tail gating. If someone is tailgating you for more than 30 seconds, that is definitely annoying. But that didn't happen in the video, did it?

How many people's lives did the brake checker endanger to prove his point? And then the coward fled the scene of the accident he caused. I'll take a tailgater on my ass any day on the road over a self righteous brake checker any day. Because I can predict what the tailgater wants- me to move over. I have no idea what self imposed rule a brake check wants out of me.
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you need to re-read my post and actually address the situation I am speaking too. Quit changing words around to make your argument stick.

Again, the danger begins by a tailgater, quit defending those actions. The video in the op is an incident where both people are possibly in the wrong depending on state. However the first sin was committed by the tail gater, nothing would have happened had he not I itialy broken the law by following too closely. end of discussion.
 
Left is the passing lane, hence you should really only be in there while passing. Now if someone else is passing at the same time as you albeit slower than you'd like... that's your problem, not theirs.

I do run into this situation a lot. Sucks when semis take 5 minutes to pass another semi, but it is what it is. Give 'em space and hope they get their shit together. Similarly, if someone's tailgating me while I'm passing a mass of traffic on the right, I might make it a prerogative to take extra time passing. Treat other people with respect and you'll probably get what you want quicker.
 
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