Tailgaters. I mean people who drive so close to your rear bumper that you can almost hear the gears turning in their little pointed heads.

This is especially dangerous on the little twisty mountain roads around here, which are full of deer. If I had to hit the brakes, one of these tailgating bozos would be sitting on my lap.

What technology can protect me from these people? Better driver's education? Flamethrowers mounted on the back of my vehicle? (I think I'm in a bad mood).

Agreed. Funny how they always have their highbeams on too.

Just what part of "if they slam on their brakes, we're all dead" don't they understand?

"What technology can protect me from these people?"

I find the "Half empty Colt45 beer from between my legs out the sunroof" works pretty well.

(put the cap on first)

My husband has a great way of dealing with them pointy headed tailgaters:

He turns on the emergency flashers, that light up just like if he was braking. And then enjoys the view behind him, while the guys there scramble to stop their car.

Not only it works on keeping them of your tail for a while, its also fun!

This can also be accomplished by lightly touching the brake causing the brake lights to come on while simultaneously stepping on the gas with the other foot.

Personally, I am most afraid of drivers crossing the centerline while jabbering on their cellphones.

Years ago, when my '79 VW Rabbit was having electrical problems, my then-spouse rigged a rocker panel on the dash so I could manually activate the backup lights.

Came in handy when a tailgater zoomed in. I just flipped on the light so it appeared I was backing up in traffic. It was a beautiful thing.

Almost wish I still had that car, except that it was a manual transmission which would be a headache to drive around here.

My brother-in-law and I were heading up I-5 to a convention. Around Stockton California, I'm cruising at a good clip (why no officer, I wasn't speeding ) in the far left lane of a mostly empty highway and this guy in a red sports car is riding my bumper for several miles. The man could have passed but seemed intent on bullying me out of the way. My brother-in-law made a comment about it and I had just about enough. While debating whether to use the brake light trick or some other road rage-inducing tactic I happened to spot a chunk of tire in our lane ahead of us.

I told him "Watch this…" and ever so slowly allowed my car to drift just enough to clear the piece of debris. The tailgater was not so lucky and took it full in the grill. There was a marvelous explosion of tire and grill pieces and much swerving and cursing from him.

We didn't see him again.

"... in the far left lane ..." - does that mean he'd have had to pass on your right? Is that legal over there? Sorry, I don't know much about US road law - please explain.

There is always 1 a**hole when it comes to tailgaters. Typically the a**hole is in the back, unless it is the left lane, of a multiple lane roadway, in which case the a**hole is the driver in the front. You need to move over and allow the safe passage of other vehicles.

Left lane is for passing only, Passing on the right is dangerous, and in most states it is illegal. I am happy to say that my state (PA) has passed a 'Drive Right Law', requiring those not passing to move to the right or be fined.

As a fellow PA resident, I wasn't aware of this law. Thanks for the heads-up.

I believe it was passed last summer. I reading it in the paper, and I know (from recently teaching my son to drive) that it is in the latest PA driver training manual.

I also remember reading that the police are finding it hard to enforce, based on the wording of the law.

I would have worded it differently, maybe something like: Passing on the right is Illegal, and the driver on the left will be fined.

...and then there are the a**holes who need to tell others what they need to do.

Dude, obviously you have some trauma here.

If there is a way around, use it. You don't have to bully someone because they aren't driving/talking how you want them to.

It's called courtesy. It should exist on the road, and in these forums.

-the aformentioned a**hole...

Courtesy works both ways. Road hogs and tailgaters both need to show more respect. (myself included)

Chris

"If there is a way around, use it ..."

Is passing on the right legal and considered safe practise where you are?

Is driving on someone's bumper safe in yours?

No. Please answer my question.

Your question is irrelevant within the context of the other question.....riding a bumper is always wrong, overtaking on the "wrong side" can be legal or not.....in Germany, only legal on the Autobahn, when speeds are below 80KMH (50MPH).

Of course it isn't irrelevant!

If passing on either side is legal....then hogging the middle or outside lane isn't a problem. There's no need to 'request' the offending driver moves over (with lights horn or driving 2" from rear as the prefference is in Italy). You just pass ....

Dunno where you get your deffinition of irrelevant!

Del

You want to read more carefully WHICH post I was answering....

I WAS AGREEING WITH JohnDG. THE OTHER GUY'S COMMENT WAS IRRELEVANT!!!

GOT IT FINALLY ??????

Follow the post numbers......much more carefully.....!!!

Bad hair day?

(GA btw)

Personally, I'd rather put a laser in my trunk and melt a nice hole in their radiator when they got too close. This would give them enough time to pull over without causing too big a mess on the highway and teach them a good lesson in the process. Can't plug a hole that big, have to replace it, that will put a nice dent in their wallet!

The flame thrower is also tempting but would probably cause too much mayhem on the highway and get you slapped with tickets and a lawsuit. The laser, on the other hand, can't be traced!

I think you'll find that chrisg288 was that guy behind^* - meaning you're the guy in front.

If you're stuck in a lane - can't go faster (because of traffic in front of you) or move aside, or it's a two-lane highway - and someone's trying to park in your trunk/boot then I'm with you 100% (in spirit).

If you're on a multi-lane highway sitting in the (US-left, UK-right) lane, AKA the "fast" or (more correctly) "overtaking" lane, with no good reason - then you'd better consider re-sitting your driving test, for all our sakes.

Regards, JohnDG

^* please re-read his post carefully.

Sorry, I wasn't pointing my comment at Chrisg288 personally, I had intended my remark to refer to tailgaters in general, not his no. 9 addition nor his position in traffic. Sorry for the confusion. I accidentally clicked on the reply to his reply instead of the general blog. I understood what he was saying. Been there, done that!

Sorry, back at ya. Went off the deep end there a bit, but it's something I feel strongly about.

When I'm on the occasional long (for the UK) drive, I'm forever trying to balance^* length of journey time, safety, legality and fuel economy (and there may be some others, such as avoiding the local fauna without endangering other road-users, and all the other things I can't remember coz its late & I'm tired).

Seeing other drivers deliberately or thoughtlessly thwarting my objectives† or making illegal or dangerous maneuvers makes my blood boil.

^* in no particular order.

† yes, I'm a selfish b'tard. Let he who is without sin, cast the first stone.

^{(Bloody 'ell - John's got on 'is 'igh 'orse t'night} - _{go back ter sleep, ya twat)}

There is nothing wrong with my memory or my sense of geography. Especially as I identified the location as near Stockton, CALIFORNIA. Would a time reference and the make and model of vehicles mattered as well? There were other factors involved, but they seemed irrelevant and therefore not included.

My confusion and hence delay in responding to your non sequitor comes from you trying to justify the other driver's behavior.

He neither signaled nor made his intentions known, save hugging my rear end. Yet, apparently this places me in the wrong? I did not yield, therefore I deserved to have my bumper ridden? So be it...

I think I'm done posting here. I see no need to make myself a target for abuse.

Good day sirs...

Is overtaking on either side allowed where this happened? (California I believe)

If not allowed you were in the wrong, if allowed, you were in the right!!!

That was the point of the questions from others........

Perhaps someone else can answer the question about road laws in California for us non US Citizens.....if Trex does not want to.....

PS Trex is a form of Lard used in UK cooking (or used to be...)

Hi, Andy,

The California Driver Handbook states that passing is permitted on either side on a multi-lane highway.

Also (unlike Utah) there is no specific instruction to yield the left-hand lane to drivers approaching from the rear.

There is, however, a section about lane usage:

"Drive in the lane with the smoothest flow of traffic. If you can choose among three lanes, pick the middle lane for the smoothest driving () . To drive faster, pass, or turn left, use the left lane. When you choose to drive slowly or enter or turn off the road, use the right lane.

If there are only two lanes in your direction, pick the right lane for the smoothest driving."

I'd've thought that on " ... a mostly empty highway ... " (#73) there'd have been no trouble leaving the leftmost lane clear.

I have to agree with you completely.....

Yes courtesy should be on the roads, and yielding the left lane is courteous, and the safe thing to do. It eliminates weaving, and a whole list of hazards caused by inconsiderate drivers, who prefer to "duel" with a tailgater, rather than do the safe thing and get out of the way.

Check your ego, and then your mirror, and then move over. It is safe, smart, and simple.

I apologize for the A** wording, so please substitute "inconsiderate, unsafe motor vehicle operator" in place of the offensive terminology in my previous post.

As far as the bullying comment, Again I apologize, I was trying to be 'colorful' not bullying, I did not realize your sensitivity. My mistake.

Highways were engineered for efficiency and safety, but they rely on all drivers understanding and using the design properly.

does the term " road rage " enter into the euro lexicon ?,

in calif.. the highway patrol tell you to just move over , call us , if you need , but antagonizing them might be in your best interest..

and then of course, not justifying, that type of driving... but.. there might be dire circumstances that that person is experiencing right then, a dying loved one , ..etc..

i know that driving like that would create a greater hazard..but if i may: adding to the hazard by intentionally slowing down or slamming the brakes ..

my 2 cents

That's awesome, I'm gonna try that some time.

I have found tailgating is a size thing, when I drive my Vibe commuter the bozo squad is right on the rear bumper, when I drive my heavily armored and modified Land Rover Defender they leave lots of room. There are however a few that just don't get it, for them I just push in the clutch, load up the diesel motor and let the clutch out while pushing the accelerator again, guess what, huge black cloud out the back and they back of to a distance where the can breathe again. Nothing like diesel dust up the nose to back off fools.

I am also working on a Joy Stick controlled paint ball gun for the back

Now that would be a handy device to affix to the back of my SUV. But I find that arrogant and aggressive drivers come in all vehicle sizes (and I assure you, I am not being tailgated because I am a poky driver. I are not.)

This behavior is as menacing in winter, with icy patches all over the roads, as in spring when deer are bounding all over. Scares the stuffing out of me, especially since I moved here from New Orleans, where ice is supposed to go in your adult beverage and not beneath your car.

May smack of passive/aggressive, but I have found tailgating reduced when I regulate my speed based on nearness. The closer they get, the more I slow.

Mathematically this *should* lead to my eventually coming to a halt, but I find they rarely have the patience.

This is mitigated by my generally driving like a bat out of hell, so if you are tailgating you are in a hurry.

And of course, having gray hair on my head, a lot of snap judgements are made by other drivers

I agree with you Sue, especially for dangerous roads.. however.

I HATE drivers who basically park in the fast lane and match speed with the slow lane. I curse, I honk, I drive on the rumblestrips... and occasionally tailgate.. but only when the visibility and driving conditions are excellent.

Chris

White van drivers hurtling along high-hedged, winding, single track country lanes.

Protection?

1. Stay at home
2. Go the long way round (burn some more fuel, why not?)
3. Use a helicopter (burn some more fuel, why not?)
4. Get a bigger white van - fit RSJ cow-catcher & airbags

Drivers bimbling along in the first overtaking lane when the driving lane is clear, and then pulling left at the last minute for an intersection without so much as a by-your-leave....

Ooooh! Another one. The Unlit Cyclist.

It's not the death of my ride I worry about, its the death of me or my passenger!

My biggest concerns are broad side impact from another vehicle. The worst would be by a pickup truck.

Statistically, it is the most deadly because there is only a door between you and two tons of out of control battering ram. Also, side impacts to the human body cavity kill because internal organs do not fare as well with lateral shear as they do with frontal assault.

Trucks and SUVs are the worst killers (ignoring bulldozers and tractor trailers for now) because:

1. the ride height of the SUV and pickup places the front bumper (and its supporting frame) at chest height or head height for the passenger/driver of a car.
2. Most SUVs and all trucks use a standard H-frame instead of a uni-body. The front portion of the frame acts as two battering rams that concentrate the energy into smaller points causing cabin intrusion on the vehicle they strike.
3. SUVs and trucks do not have to meet the same safety standards as cars (they have a lower standard) and lack the energy absorbing crumple zones, particularly in the front of the vehicle, and do not dissipate the crash energy. Rather, these vehicles transfer most of the energy to the vehicle they impact.
4. SUVs and trucks have 1.5 to 2 times the mass of a car.

As I said, in a side impact there is little between you and death. The door has little energy absorbent distance and a side airbag does not provide enough protection. Typically, the airbag simply prevents external lacerations from glass, but the victim will rapidly bleed out internally. Aortic lesions are the most common cause of death.

How do I know? I have had my share of medical training and my girlfriend worked as a paramedic and has seen all of these first hand.

Motorcycles riding the stripe between lanes. I nearly hit two just today. The also have a bad tendency to bump my side mirrors.

The other problem here is the odd tendency of Malaysian drivers to drift between lanes. I fear driving along in my lane minding my own business and having someone drift into me.

Hi Steve, good to hear from you.

During my time there were you are, I tried to find out if they drive on the left or right side of the road/line. Wasn't there long enough to be sure but I wonder if you could point me in the right direction. Have you found out yet? They don't seem to mind as long as they get from A to B in the shortest time possible, never mind what they are in or on. Even if you are on nothing (per pede that is) you have to have eyes in your back.

Which brings me to the point of the OP. Us, in Australia, we drive on the left side of the lines (the right side) but tourists from other countries seem to forget that sometimes. We have hilly winding roads were I am and to suddenly have a car on the wrong side of the road meet you head on, can be shocking because they think they are on the right side, which they are but they are not if you know what I mean. Due to the speed limit on this little island not many people end up in hospital but it is a nuisance that tourists forget were they are. They get of a plane and 30 minutes later they sit in a hire car and go straight into holiday mode.

Left is right (correct) right is wrong. I am a bit dyslectic at the best of times so I wonder what would be the outcome if I would be driving around in the US. I better not try or only with a local at my side. They should introduce some graph, stuck to the wind screen, to remind tourists were they are and on what side of the road they should be traveling. Right is wrong left is right, at least here downunder.

Greetings from Rednunwod, very confused now, Ky.

As an American I was like your tourists, but now I am used to the other side. We are supposed to drive like Australians, but you are right, anywhere that gets you there faster is acceptable.

I am traveling through Europe in June. It will be very interesting to see how long it takes to get used to being on the other side of the road again.

My method is this: No matter what country, if you look out the drivers side window and see the center stripe (or middle) of the road, you are ok. If you look out the drivers side window and see the curb or the pavement, it is time for evasive action.

in Japan the drivers side is on the right side of the car,,,curb side.. if there were curbs..on Okinawa

Japan drives on the left, the same as 55 other countries still do.....so the driver sits on the RH side.

Maybe you were trying to tell us something else?

I fail to understand why tourists drive in a hire car on the wrong side......the car must be a RH drive for Australia.....surely they are not being rented LH drive cars???? Or is Bonehead more correct than even I can believe!!

The problem is greater in Europe when either UK drivers visit the Mainland in their UK RH drive cars, or mainlanders go to the UK with their LH drive cars........

In my travel to Sakhalin Russia I was suprised to find that while cars drove on the right side of the road, there were both right hand and left hand drive vehicles there (about 50-50) many of the the cars came from Japan (right hand drive) but many came from the US or Europe in (left hand drive). Both were happily allowed on the road.

I personally have never heard of a country "Banning" cars with the steering wheel in the "wrong" position.....if you are used to being on the "wrong" side, its not a problem.....

But why would a tourist sit in a car on the "correct" side and still drive on the "wrong" side.....???? Driving your own car in a country where the rule of the road is different is another thing, easy to be wrong!!!

Hi Andy

BONEHEADS, all capital letters.

It mostly happens when they turn off. Due to the none existence of traffic they are not reminded of their positioning on the road. Rush hour here is when you see more than 4 cars at the same time. And, like I said, it is very curvy.

Did I mention the scooters? With curvy backpackers sitting on them. They come off these noisy little things on a daily basis and have the gravel rash to prove it. Some hardly ware enough textile on there bodies to cover the main organs. The Island clinic is very busy at times and some scares are to be had for life. I've seen it many times. BONEHEADS, weeping and crying. Terrible.

Will they ever learn? NO! Ky.

Understood......

"They should introduce some graph, stuck to the wind screen, to remind tourists were they are and on what side of the road they should be traveling."

This reminds me of when my husband and I went to the Bahamas on our honeymoon... We got into our rental car and started to drive away when we quickly came to realize there was a car driving straight at us down the road! We decided that we must be on the wrong side of the road, and much grumbling ensued about how the rental car place should have warned us, as we were obviously tourists and hadn't a clue. The steering wheel was on the lefthand side of the car, and we were supposed to drive on the left side of the road.

We were driving for a good half an hour (still grumbling) before my husband leaned forward to look down the street at an intersection and he spotted the "KEEP LEFT <---" sign on the windshield right under the rear-view mirror. We were too tall to see it when we got in the car-- it was blocked by the mirror!

Me - I'd like to duct-tape their hand to the turn signal & make 'em use the darn thing

That's not because they don't use the signal, they just ran out of blinker fluid.

No. Actually, the majority of them already have one hand occupied by a cell phone. So, the question they ask themselves; "turn signal or cell phone? Turn signal or cell phone? Guess who lost.

Texting whiledriving, (in this case a train):

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1171053

Or a School Bus driver:

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2009_05_13_School_bus_driver_fired_after_texting_while_driving/srvc=home&position=also

Yeah, the texting thing came along just about when we thought talking on the cell was bad was bad!

I drive a full size truck, so not too worried, but...

Lot of this is geographic.

Around the desert cities - Toyota Tundra with a 13,000 lb 30' long toy hauler on a steep downgrade? don't have to worry more than about an hour out - they've either died or not by then.

Phoenix - multi-lane slides to catch an exit.

Phoenix - When the temp goes over 115, or has been over 100 more than a couple weeks - people get frazzled and start shooting at each other.

Los Angeles - blondes use the "hair-flip" as a turn signal, if you miss the flip....

Atlanta, Savannah, and Phoenix - at one time or another I have seen drivers STOP, and backup in traffic lanes to get BACK to exit they missed.

HATE lane splitting motorcycles in LA.

Long upgrades out of LA, Phoenix, many others; sports cars that want to pass the passing tractor trailer on the RIGHT. They don't pull out into the passing lane until there isn't enough room for a car between them and the truck they are passing - so the only opportunity in that right lane is death. (Reverse for those who drive on the wrong side)

Just like people have their own bubble of personal space, vehicles have their own bubble. As soon as someone gets close to my bubble, whether it is from the front, side or back, I am worried.

Texting is worse than actually talking to someone on the phone. At least while you are talking on the phone, both of your eyes are on the road and one hand on the wheel. When texting, your eyes are seldom on the road and one hand on the wheel. It disgusts me that people would endanger the lives of people around them by texting while driving. If it is that important, pull over or do it at a stop sign with no one behind you. I saw a town near mine put up signs for anti-texting while driving. Hopefully more people are caught and punished for this reckless behavior. I am just afraid that people/kids are getting more adept at being discreet about texting while driving. Horrible thought.

Yeah, I've seen the more discrete - it means moving the phone to your lap - and your eyes with it!

No argument here, texting is worse, but some insurance study recently indicated that talking on a cell phone (including handsfree) makes you as statistically vulnerable to causing an accident as being legally intoxicated. As a motorcyclist and someone who would like some peace and quiet in the car once in a while, I look forward to the day when all cell usage is prohibited from the driver of a moving vehicle.

Either that or there has to be more aggressive enforcement of "maintain control of your vehicle". Doubt that will ever happen though.

And to think that I'm a limited government guy, but we as a society have really screwed up on this one.

Since one old woman in a Cadillac Esplanade tried to commit suicide on my truck, head on, at speed, from 50 feet. I can't look at the fψ€#ing things without a shudder.

The cure? Shoot 'em when they hit 50 (miles per hour).

Any needless collision perpetrated by a cell phone user. The turn signal has been the big loser to cell phones. Boneheads who do not use their turn signal - watch them. The majority of the time they will surely have a cell phone up to their ear. So, the question they ask themselves is this: "turn signal or cell phone? Turn signal or cell phone?" Guess who lost.

Ditherers...

As they are unpredictable, anyone who is at least vaguely consistent gives us all a chance.
E.G
Who they pull 85% onto a roundabout then stop (for no obvius reason) and wonder why the poor sap behind (who was making the last minute check to his right (or left in US)) has hit them up the arse.

Another recent appeared UK classic...

People who are taking the second exit on a roundabout approaching in the left lane but indicating right... this is fine if they are driving a huge articulated lorry which needs both lanes, but is otherwise total nonsense.
I was driving with someone a while back who defended this signaling and said 'they are going stright across' _{<slaps furry head>}
I hung back of course.... they proceeded right around to the 3rd exit effectively obstructing every vehicle on the roundabout, and if I hadn't hung back....blam!

Calm calm
Del

" ... they pull 85% onto a roundabout then stop (for no obvious reason) and wonder why the poor sap behind (who was making the last minute check to his right (or left in US)) has hit them up the arse ... "

Yes, YES! Four years ago, dear friends, I was that poor sap. Cost my insurers ˜£1k for a ½" scratch on the back wing of a little red Rover (panel-beating, respray, loss of earnings, alternative travel expenses, legal fees ...).

Oooh, oooh - another one! Bus drivers (and anyone else) who forget to cancel their indicators. Fell victim to this over 25 years ago (bus wiped out my Ford & gave me a goose-egg of a lump where my head met the driver's window). Haven't trusted anyone indicating since.

This reminds me of my trip to Yulin China last week. When crossing the street, you never hesitate, just boldly start walking across. As long as you maintain consistent speed and direction the cars will dodge you. If you loose your nerve and either start running or freeze, you are bound to get hit.

Roundabouts here in Malaysia are a free for all with people weaving between lanes and criss crossing in a random ballet of automotive madness. Typically three cars and two motorcycles side by side sharing two traffic lanes and the car on the inside lane wanting the next exit and cutting across three lanes to get there. If you manage to get in, and then get back out again it is the bright spot of the day.

yes, that's the way Saigon ,

and a few others handle traffic ,, the biggest vehicle gets the right of way, establish your route , dont waver..lol..

You Guys said it all, which is why I drive a relatively heavy car (for Europe anyway) 2 tons, and always have my belt on......next phase is to put a helmet on as well......

Our gen-i-ass traffic department put in two sequential double-lane round-a-bouts (I call them moron-a-bouts) at an off ramp of an interstate highway. Coupled with beautifully stupid signage which is guaranteed to misdirect you (if you are not familiar with the area), the inside lanes are for going left (but not always), the outside for going right or (eventually) straight ahead. If you get in the wrong lane to begin with (almost guaranteed) to where you want to go, you will be treated to all kinds of vehicles cutting across lanes at the last minute in either direction (this is especially fun when it is a huge semi-tractor trailer). Of course, there is no way (from appearances) they could know that they can actually continue on around the merry-go-round and make another attempt at getting into the correct lane again with less hazard to everyone else.

These two idiotic, poorly executed round-a-bouts have been a source of irritation to the locals since construction began on them and have not ceased to be a source of irritation since completion. Fender benders are, fortunately, usually not serious because you can't go very fast on these wonders without totally losing control, but that is a marginal plus. A couple of traffic lights could have done the same thing at a far lower cost (although idiots that run lights would still be a problem) and possibly have fewer traffic problems.

Round-a-bouts have become the darling of local governments here lately and while they do generally slow down the traffic, they also increase the confusion of drivers and not only the elderly ones either. Semis have problems because some of them are too small for them so they end up going right over the center, even some fire trucks have to do the same. I thought traffic engineers were supposed to make roads safer but round-a-bouts seem to confuse them too.

There are enough stupid drivers on the road today without traffic engineers adding to the problem.

Riding my bike whenever weather allows me, has taught me to keep eyes in all four directions. I keep an eye on the driver behind me the most. WHY? Because the guy in front may stop quickly, but bikes have greater braking than cars and I can either slip left or right of them. I've had cars on the left or right move into my lane but if necessary I can move to the lane marker while blaring my horn. (and my leg is ready to dent his door or side panel if he/she continues to move on me) Plus I can either speed off or slow down. But the guy/girl behind me putting on makeup, reading a map, talking or texting on their phone, perusing the newspaper or doing any other stupid "Yes traffic is heavy, but I need to do this" event, is definitely worth getting out of their way. Traveling back and forth in the New York City "Death Ride 2009" reality show is not for the faint of heart. Although as the original entry stated Jackrabbits darting in front of me is shear disaster, those jackrabbits who plow into me is an even greater threat.

rt. 80 to 46 to 3. That beautiful Lincoln tunnel, Holland tunnel, giant stadium, turnpike, Xanadu, end of road mess. Yesterday on the way home there was a car that had it's roof sheared away and they were trying to figure out how to extricate the woman on route 3. By the time we hit route 80 a public service truck went off the road and into the divider. About six cars behind us while approaching the divider mess, somebody who wasn't watching spun out and ended up on the meridian. LOVE these highways.

Indeed...many many many years ago I was riding my Lambretta when suddenly I found myself sitting in the pillion position watching the handlebars wobbling from side to side!
Was this a dream? Why wasn't I holding the bars?
Just before my backside hit the tarmac I worked out what had happened..
Yes I'd been shunted up the rear,

Fortunately not by anything too big...and I didn't get hit.
Del

I only fear the accident I cannot avoid. Tailgaters are easily and much more safely dealt with by simply moving over, and getting out of the way.

I am not too concerned about the driver that pulls out in front of me, because I will plow straight thru him, and have little risk of serious injury to my vehicle's occupants. (except for that darn airbag, which is why it is no longer safe to use the horn before impact)

The driver crossing the yellow line and causing a head on is the biggest worry, and most likely to cause the worst injury. My head on close calls have come from either a driver asleep behind the wheel, or worse yet the driver who consciously swerves into my lane to avoid hitting a squirrel (or any small fury animal)- To see a driver, risk serious injury to avoid the little thump of a four legged friend is foolish, and a true threat to the rest of us.

Typically those sustaining the worse injuries are those with their foot on the brake at the time of impact, so watch out for me, because I am just as likely to use the gas pedal in self defense-especially if you are choosing to hit me over the squirrel!

bravo

Here in Alberta, the furry animals are typically deer or moose. I've personally witnessed on a fourlane highway, 6 deer leaping across the lanes, and when they got to the other side, a half-ton truck took one on the left headlight at 120km/h... the deer disintegrated like a bomb, and the hood went back against the windshield.. but the driver (in the left lane) kept his wits and safely braked to a stop.

The moose can be up to 1600 lbs.. you may not survive, as are tall enough to be coming into the vehicle with you.

these are a constant danger here.

Chris

I am sure that Moose (CR4 Admin) will be MOST upset with regards to your comments!!!

lol...

not lol now... and I think thats a cow (female) not a bull (male)

Hi Chris

Is that in the front and out the back? Our problems with Roos seem nothing compared to that. Cars and trucks are the least controlled pest on this planet. The problem is that infection is instantaneous and mostly deadly. A cure or immunization has not been found yet but the grief is the same as if we had died of some mutated flu virus. The crippled don't speak up loud enough and there are plenty of them. Bad cars!

Talk to you soon, Ky.

yep.. in the front windshield.. now hanging out the back. My brothers, who have done a lot of oilfield driving have hit more than a few... if you are driving evenings in northern alberta, its just a matter of time.... they blend with the grass and brush almost perfectly at dusk.. later in the night, you can at least get the glow from the eyes sometimes.

Chris

Our biggest threat cloaked in fur, comes from deer. No where close to hitting a moose, unless you are in a hybrid, or some other vehicle that gets 35+ miles to the gallon.

Don't know why the deer discriminate, but they tend to only injure drivers of small cars and motorcycles. Not a threat to rest of us.

That is a scary picture you posted below.

Incorrect use of blinkers in Holland where i come from the rule is to turn on the blinkers BEFORE starting the slow down or turning process

in Japan many drivers don't use blinkers when they change lanes or slow suddenly down and turn on the blinkers before they turn.

I and i really don't like those super bright headlights when you drive at night, it also seems that they are (often) not correctly angled down towards the street.

Fast lane hogger, people who drive slowly on the fast lane, it is called fast lane for a reason.

Yeah that's a good un, we get some idiots signalling to tell you they have just turned!
Maybe that's the new way?... brake, turn, signal
I s'pose the most feared would be the idiot driving the wrong way down the Motorway... pretty rare , but there was one a while back wiped out a whole family.
Del

i cannot comprehend how one cannot notice that they are on the wrong side of the road

I think it was at night, maybe not so much traffic?.... then BAMMMM!
Or rather...
'Why are they all flashing and tooting?' BAMMMMM

Tailgaters, failure to signal, changing lanes without looking, pulling into traffic without looking, using cell phone and not paying attention, texting while driving.... to name a few.

I love my motorcycles, I also love rare, exotic, and classic cars. On my bike I'm risking my life with all the idiots out there. In an irreplaceable car, the slightest bit of damage would tarnish it forever and check one more rare vehicle from existence.

Whenever I travel the world (outside of USA), I'm always fascinated by how much more alert drivers are. Still there are fatal accidents, but if lane splitting we allowed in the USA I'd imagine the number of fatalities would be 10x.

The best drivers I've found are in Cape Town SA. I believe that it has allot to with the attitude of the population. In Cape Town, I found the population to be courteous in all manner of interaction. They have roundabouts there and traffic flows around them quite orderly. Using turn signals, yielding, and giving way are all qualities that I witnessed driving around The Cape. The worst place to drive? Right here in Houston. And, the closer one gets to the Mexico border, the worse it gets. It's dog-eat-dog out there!

I heard a new one this morning!

A man was fined this morning in CT, USA

for driving on the interstate while eating a bowl of cereal!

OH GOD!!!