So, is there a rash of peoples houses burning down, or some other emergency to explain why, when I’m doing the speed limit, or even 5 to 10 miles over, people virtually tail gate me and speed on past me the first chance they get?
Maybe I’m being inconsiderate driving 65mph in a 55mph zone. How could I be so inconsiderate to the other drivers like that?
Today, my wife and I drove to Tillamook to place some flowers on the graves of her relatives. We were driving through lots of twisty and turny roads. Even then, people were incredibly impatient. You know how annoying it is to be driving at or past the speed limit, and still have someone sitting on your tail, pretty much making you feel pressured to speed up even more? Especially when you’re on a twisty road and can easily get into an accident.
Then again, maybe I’m being unfair. Maybe 55mph is too slow. From what I see other drivers around me do, maybe we should raise it to 75mph.
Nah. Never go a speed that you are not comfortable with, but if you can’t move into a slow lane, it’s always nice to pull over into a turnout or wide shoulder–less stress all around. They might be an asshole, but there’s no reason to let them bother you longer than absolutely necessary. That’s what I usually do. My fiancé lets them sit and stew–unless it’s a motorcycle; then, he pulls right over. 
Profanity: 0/4
Irony & Sarcasm: 3/4
Angst: 1/4
Length: 2/4
Uniqueness: 0/4
Overall average: 1/4
Sorry, I’d never done a rating before and I wanted to try it.
It’s the same everywhere. On the way back from town today I was stuck behind someone going between 55 and 45 (in a 55) and while I admit I was behind them (as were a dozen other people), I always kept at least two seconds between us. Tailgating drives me nuts, so I don’t do it.
My new old car’s trunk’s lid is opened by a little switch inside the arm rest. I’m tempted to mount an air cannon to the lid of the trunk so that I can flip a couple switches and launch confetti at people tailgating me…
Oregon isn’t that bad, relatively speaking. I’m originally from Southern California, and let me tell you, it’s like a post-apocalyptic free-for-all down there. I’m surprised they even bother to put up traffic signals.
Anyway, I always drive the speed limit. Whenever I get tailgated, I slow down to a crawl until they back off. Then I speed up to a normal pace. If they start tailgating again, I start slowing down again. You’d be surprised at how quickly they learn.
If I get a long line of cars behind me on a highway, I pull to the shoulder as soon as I get a chance and let them pass. I don’t let other people pressure me into driving unsafely. If they get pissy about it, so what? My dad broke his back in an auto accident, and I’ll be damned if I let something like that happen to me. A few impatient motorists are low on my list of priorities when I’m behind that wheel.
-DP
Maybe they’re all angry about that kooky Oregon rule that says you can’t pump your own gas.
Surprisingly, I’ve had relatively few incidents of tailgating. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t seem to happen very often to me, but when it does, I’m irate.
I see happening a lot more often to other cars on the road, and I can only marvel at the stupidity of the tailgater.
For my part, I never tailgate. I figure that if I don’t want it done to me, I shouldn’t do it to someone else.
I’m from California (West Sacramento) originally, and have been here for 18 years (I was only 10 or 11 when I moved up here with my mother in 1984.) Anyway, One thing that my mother and I liked about Oregon is that the pace was so much more relaxed, like it was 20 years behind the times. Now though, I notice more and more people are in a hurry when driving. I don’t why it gets to me, but it does. Maybe I’ll try the slow down/speed up method. If the road goes from a single lane to two or more lanes, and I’m being followed by impatient drivers, I usually will take the slow lane to let them pass me. Watching them go by at what must be 70 to 75mph since I’m in the slow lane at 65mph in a 55mph zone. Oh well, go figure.