Ruses to stop tailgaiters
 

Has anybody considered putting a magnetic sign on the door and on the back of your car that says "Survey Crew?" Just put a hardhat on the dash or on the back deck, a clipboard on the front seat and wear a safety vest everywhere you go?

If your county/state allows it, add some flashing yellow lights in the rear window and behind your grill. That should keep most manic tail-gaters from
honking while you coast. :D

https://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:...4survey600.jpg

Highway or town/city driving? Isn't it illegal to be going substantially less than the speed limit on most highways and freeways? I've seen local highway construction crew pickup trucks using a big full window sized directional flashing yellow LED arrow in the rear window so maybe those are obtainable from a safety supply store.

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[QUOTE=ArtFox;100800]Has anybody considered putting a magnetic sign on the door and on the back of your car that says "Survey Crew?" Just put a hardhat on the dash or on the back deck, a clipboard on the front seat and wear a safety vest everywhere you go?

If your county/state allows it, add some flashing yellow lights in the rear window and behind your grill. That should keep most manic tail-gaters from
honking while you coast. :D
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My favorite was a magnetic sign that said


----test vehicle---
--DO NOT FOLLOW--
Allied Manure Spreaders

It was just an old guy with a sense of humor, but it worked.

That reminds me:

Amish bumper sticker: Warning! Do not step in exhaust...

Yeah tailgaters are a nuisance and other than slowing down even more to really make them angry, there are no foolproof ways of keeping them off you.

I don't care much for alleygators either! :D

Thoes are much nicer idea than mine. I want one of those programmable LED signs in my back window. when someone gets too close, it displays:
"BACK OFF <insert favorite cussword here>"
:D

I have been thinking about a horn that honks to the cars behind:).

I've toyed with getting one of those programmable LED signs for the back and one for the front (mirror).

To remove idiot tailgaters (let's say I'm doing 60 in a 65 zone and they want to do 85 in the slow lane) I simply slam on my brakes if the license plate of the vehicle behind me disappears from my rearview because they are too close, after warning repeatedly by tapping brakes. I know exactly how much I can slow down and then reaccelerate and not get hit. In Washington State this resulted in several spilled lattes from idiots tailgating me - but less tailgaters over time because I found that the SAME people would tailgate all over town! Not so much after they'd been warned by taillight tapping, and then had to slam on their brakes and dump their coffee in their lap! Probably too much coffee is why they were so jumpy & tailgating in the first place.

I have been known to stop dead on the freeway to remove idiots (no other traffic and they want to "draft" off me regardless of my speed. Nothing like someone 6'3" swarming out of a little bitty car to get them to speed off. Only done that twice but it worked.

One time I was driving in northwestern WA state, where I lived literally across the street from the Canadian border. It was POURING rain, and in WA semis have to go slower than regular traffic on the freeway. This guy would NOT let me pass for whatever reason. He was limited to 60 but I could do 70, I just wanted to get around. Every time I'd speed up, he'd speed up and swerve in & out of his lane, throwing up so much water I could not see if he was in my lane so I wouldn't hit him.

Finally I flicked my brights, once, to let him know I wanted to pass, as there was zero other traffic around. He turned on his LOADING DOCK LIGHT, on the freeway! Basically a headlight/spotlight that you shine backwards onto the loading dock! I slowed down as it was only about five more minutes to my exit. Had to do 50 because he mandated it.

BUT - at the exit I was able to easily pass him, and go to the Customs checkpoint. I told them EXACTLY what happened - he was swerving, speeding up & slowing down, and he turned on a rear-facing spotlight aimed at my windshield. Now these symptoms to me appear to be those that a drunk driver might exhibit - and I repeated that - he might be drunk or under the influence of some drugs, who knows, maybe even smuggling something.

I pointed it out, gave them the license # (it was Canadian plates, there is only ONE place you go on Interstate 5 at that point of night), and they ran over to him at the truck checkpoint, guns drawn. I bet it was several hours before he got home that night! I just turned around and went home and slept well.

I can't stand tailgaters, I keep at least "three stripes" myself if trying to take advantage of any aero drafting, usually just my own aero and no one elses.

Personally if you want to draft, I have no issue, but if the person indicates (brake lights tapped repeatedly) they don't want you to draft, be safe and find another target. Personal opinion here.

My Saab, a 2001 9-5, and all SAABs of 90's and early 2000 vintage (at least) have rear fog lights. For the American market they ship with only one bulb. But you CAN put a bulb in both sides. When you flip them on, they look like brake lights. It's a nice trick for tailgaters. A fake brake check without losing speed.

Best thing is to ignore them. They eventually go away. Or go around. Every now and then, they cut in front and slow down, thinking they are punishing me. Usually I just laugh and point.