Tailgaters, Harassment, and other irritants

[jmckinley]

After three months now, the harassment and tailgating is getting worse.  350 mile trip yesterday, all interstate, and they were all over me. Didn't matter whether I was driving 65 or 85.  

 

I'm seriously thinking about prying off the Hybrid badge.

[Ryan McEachern]

Where are you driving jmckinley? we are only a couple weeks into our c-max up here, but have only received thumbs up from other drivers. If someone is driving aggressively around you, call the cops and give them the license plate number!! Tailgating is serious offense. You might end up saving a life someday.

[Sparky]

Sign on the back of my motorhome:

 

I may be slow, but

I'm ahead of you.

[jmckinley]

I'm in Ohio, between Dayton and Cincinnati.  Yesterday's trip was from Dayton to Louisville on I-71.  Bad news on the KY part of the journey. Last night on the way back an F-150 4x4 was on my butt up to 90 when I pulled over. Then he slowed back down to 70 which was what I was doing to begin with. And that was just one of them.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Sign on the back of my motorhome:

 

I may be slow, but

I'm ahead of you.

Let me see...can I get close to read it  ;)

 

Over here in CA, its 55 for trucks and RVs so people here are use to slow vehicles on the right. Fingers crossed, I had no issues yet but I neither travel slow or too fast - somewhere in between depending on my mood and where I am going and when I am getting there by.

 

Hang in there fellas, worse come to worse don't do stupid stuff like 90mph, that stuff gets u killed or a dent in your wallet if u get radared - call 911 to get these fools off if u have to, or keep the number of the state HP on your phone. 

[RachelnLa]

People are always in a hurry. We try to take the highway when possible. I know it's not an option all the time but it's such a change from the interstate. An enjoyable change.

[JohnnOhio]

There are a bunch of a*&%$^# drivers around Columbus to. I just pay them no mind and do my thing. There are 3 lanes go around me dumb%*$%#.

 

I work in a print shop. The copier tech was dumping the waste toner out of a machine into a plastic bag to take with him. He told me once he had someone blowing and flashing lights at him on the freeway so he released (what he called) a toner bomb on them. If you don't know once that stuff gets on something and gets warm or wet it doesn't come off. That had to be a mess for that idiot driver to try to get off.

[Max Power]

I had a van doing weird things around me today.  Typical pass the hybrid because they must be going slow and then not keep the speed up after you do.  With the realization that I get better mileage at 65 versus 55, I usually follow the flow and go ten over through the 55 areas.  I'd appreciate if people passing me would do the same, don't get cold feet now that you are in the lead.   :)

 

 

What's the fine for driving while Texan in Virginia?  After I backed off for a few miles I came upon them pulled over by a local Sheriff.

[RedLdr1]

It isn't necessarily a "hybrid" thing.  Last Christmas vacation I had an 18 wheeler pull up on the tail of my Flex and flash his lights and honk for me to move over.  This was at 1AM in the morning at the merge of the the Florida Turnpike and I-75N where there are four lanes!  I was in the third lane from the left with my cruise set at 75MPH...  There was nothing in the two lanes to my left, or the one on my right, and I mean nothing even faintly close.  I just turned off the cruise and let my Flex start slowing down until he decided to pull around me.   Just south of Ocala  FHP had the idiot pulled over, I honked and put my window down and gave the trooper a thumbs up in the hope that it might help convince him to cite the "professional" driver who was acting like an idiot and speeding. 

 

The best "cure" I've had for tailgaters was the windshield washers on a mid 90's Chevy pickup.  When driving at highway speeds if I "washed the windshield" about two thirds of the washer fluid blew over the cab and landed on the car behind me.  The "blue goo" spray caused many a tailgater to back off... :)   Maybe I need to realign the rear window windshield washer on the C-Max.... ;)

[RachelnLa]

The cure! Gotta love it.

[StoBro2]

The best "cure" I've had for tailgaters was the windshield washers on a mid 90's Chevy pickup.  When driving at highway speeds if I "washed the windshield" about two thirds of the washer fluid blew over the cab and landed on the car behind me.  The "blue goo" spray caused many a tailgater to back off...  :)   Maybe I need to realign the rear window windshield washer on the C-Max....  ;)

 

Obviously the only reason someone is tailgating is because their windshield is so dirty they can't see you. So you're helping them out by giving them some of your washer fluid!

[mtb9153]

Tailgaters, no problem I just practice my slow but gradual braking.  Kills two birds with one stone, regens your batteries, improves the mpg numbers (if done right).  Makes a point to them to back off.  They just shoot around you in disgust and I say to myself I'll stop at the pump one time for every three they make. :)

[BigRed]

In WA the law is if you get in a fender bender the guy that hits the other car is automatically 100% at fault (because he shouldn't be following so close and should have braked).

 

Whenever I see people tailgating me I always break check them. If they fail they get to pay for all my repairs under the state law.

 

That also means super aggressive tailgaters aren't all that common around here. It is fun to troll them though. Making their blood pressure rise is lowering mine, heh.

[nsteblay]

I have experienced similar.  I am not sure it's because they see the Hybrid sign.  As a matter of fact I would imagine most of them can't even read - at least not words that big.  

 

You know one thing I've noticed is when starting from a stop light I let the EV start the acceleration and then kick in the gas engine.  When gas engine kicks in I usually gain quite a bit of ground on the car behind.  I am thinking it has something to do with the CVT.  It always satiates the "Indy" driver inside of me!

[C-MAXER]

The best bumper sticker I've come across was from a fella on a Prius forum who had one made up that said, "You can tell me how fast to drive when you start paying my gas bill".    :rockon:

[Manticore]

When I had my 2005 Colorado pickup I used to drive in the right hand lane at 55mph on my daily commute.  I made a sign for the back window that said: 

 

"I drive slow to conserve gas, pissing you off is just a bonus!".

 

Many drivers would give me a thumbs up and a big smile as they passed me.

 

I think I may have to make a sign for the back of the C-Max.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Manticore

[SnowStorm]

About the scariest thing I've had was this idiot vehicle that "locked" me in the left lane.  They stayed just a bit behind so I couldn't pull in front.  I sped up, slowed down, multiple times, above and below the speed limit - they stay in the same place.  Finally got away somehow (or they might have turned off).  Couldn't figure out what they were up to.

 

The "other irritant" is the constant barrage of high beams (or mis-adjusted lights) behind you, tailgating or not.  I'm about ready to remove all the mirrors and install video cameras.  Would cut wind resistance to boot - better MPG!

[altabrig]

I'm a boxer and have a little pair of gloves with colors of Mexico hanging from my rear view mirror. Never had a problem. :)

 

 

 

 

It isn't necessarily a "hybrid" thing.  Last Christmas vacation I had an 18 wheeler pull up on the tail of my Flex and flash his lights and honk for me to move over.  This was at 1AM in the morning at the merge of the the Florida Turnpike and I-75N where there are four lanes!  I was in the third lane from the left with my cruise set at 75MPH...  There was nothing in the two lanes to my left, or the one on my right, and I mean nothing even faintly close.  I just turned off the cruise and let my Flex start slowing down until he decided to pull around me.   Just south of Ocala  FHP had the idiot pulled over, I honked and put my window down and gave the trooper a thumbs up in the hope that it might help convince him to cite the "professional" driver who was acting like an idiot and speeding. 

 

The best "cure" I've had for tailgaters was the windshield washers on a mid 90's Chevy pickup.  When driving at highway speeds if I "washed the windshield" about two thirds of the washer fluid blew over the cab and landed on the car behind me.  The "blue goo" spray caused many a tailgater to back off... :)   Maybe I need to realign the rear window windshield washer on the C-Max.... ;)

 

 

When I had my 2005 Colorado pickup I used to drive in the right hand lane at 55mph on my daily commute.  I made a sign for the back window that said: 

 

"I drive slow to conserve gas, pissing you off is just a bonus!".

 

Many drivers would give me a thumbs up and a big smile as they passed me.

 

I think I may have to make a sign for the back of the C-Max.

 

All are gems worth a smile before or after getting on the freeway. 

 

It may not be safe to drive 65 on a southern Ca freeway when traffic is flowing, but no one can make you drive over it.  I am good with 62.  I get uncomfortable trying to maintain 55 when cars ar going 80.  It just feels wrong.  Maybe I need a zinger MPG bumper sticker too.

Edited April 13, 2013 by altabrig

[Jus-A-CMax]

altabrig....agree. 55 is not safe in the main freeways near LA. But between 60 and 65 is better - especially if you P&G. U know this but most folks not in CA don't - trucks driving in CA have to do max 55 (reality:60mph) so it's not like CA drivers has never seen slow traffic on the right lane. Or start bugging people. A lot of them are gardners on the way to the jobs as well. I've never had issues with the right lane in my FE mode but I also put on my SPEEDY mode with the eco-cruise ICE High MPG as well when I need do...isn't it wonderful to have a car that gives good FE in whichever mode YOU decide to drive...  :)

Edited April 13, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax