I have a long commute to school each way. It's about 53 miles one way and it takes me about an hour. It's been a blissful summer not having to spend that much time in the car each day! But with in-services in full swing, I've had to get back into the commuter routine.
Yesterday, as I was entering the ramp to merge onto the freeway, I had a tailgater following me. It's difficult not to get irritated with tailgaters. I can handle drivers who cut me off (I doubt they sit there and wait for me to get as close as I can before veering in front of me). I can handle those annoying drivers who are going too fast and who are weaving in and out of traffic (I can give them the benefit of the doubt: maybe his wife is in labor, maybe he's trying to catch his flight on time, maybe his hair is on fire). But tailgating is deliberate, purposeful, and just plain rude. Especially when I'm going the speed limit.
It occurred to me yesterday that what my little Corolla really needs is a backwards honk. Every car's horn faces forward. I've never heard of car where you can easily honk at the person behind you. It would be fairly easy to do a makeshift one. I could strap a backwards-facing bullhorn to the top of my car. I could find a way to program it with a super loud honk, or a really loud voice saying "GET OFF MY TAIL"
But the most effective way to get rid of a tailgater is to ease off the gas pedal and start going one or two miles slower. Boy that makes them mad. They get into the other lane pretty quickly after that. I guess it's not a very nice thing to do on my part, but it does get rid of them!
Not Modern Enough to Use Modern Conveniences
8 months ago
7 comments:
I love the backwards hornn idea - you should patent that!!
They say teachers have eyes in the back of their head why not have a horn in the back of their car!
Backhorn, I like it...
I used to gently tap my brake, but these days that might get one shot!
I have thought of having little computerized signs we can flash in our back window, but that would get a lot of people shot!
:(Brenda
Don't look in your rear view mirror. just go merrily on your way and avoid eye contact. Or you can lock your wheels and watch as they try mightly to stay off your bumper. Bad advice.
When I was learning to drive people used to do that to me all the time - my driving instructor used to keep stamping on his duel control brakes... it made the car behind back off a bit but it also made me look like a terrible driver!
Personally I use the same technique as you, but I look for places where I know they won't be able to pass me and then drive A LOT slower than the speed limit just to really tee them off. I actually enjoy doing it in some perverse way because I know it'll wind them up massively.
I'm so gonna get murdered in some crazy road rage attack.
I've been able to backward honk for years...
oh, you're talking about your car...
nevermind
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