Can you say EMERGENCY BRAKE? Brake lights won't come on and if they are checked out later they'll work. He'll get the ticket for riding too close and you'll have an '06 Insight at his expense (once you get out of the hospital).

OK, maybe that's not the best thing to do, not that the thought doesn't cross my mind EVERYDAY!

'00 Insight "Wazabi" -75,000+ miles
'03 Toyota Matrix - 81,000+ miles
'03 HCH-CVT-OSBM-41,000+ miles (retired 04-10-06)
"I'm very secure with my little Insight, no Prius envy here."

Luckily, no one has ever hit my rear bumper yet, but I have had a couple of close calls (haven't we all?) and the number of people who drive like madmen just to pass me only to be stopped at the next light (which I knew was coming) is kind of funny. I know the traffic signals so well that I can tell whether I'll need to stop way before most of the rest of the drivers on my commute do, plus they wouldn't bother reacting in a gas-conserving way even if they did know. Witness the ridiculous number of people who hit the gas to speed up right before a red light just to get around me when I start slowing down early. It buys them about 6 yards- I wonder how much gas is wasted by these idiots? Maybe I don't want to know.

As you can probably tell, Yes it annoys me when they're tailgating me for going 'too slowly,' particularly when I am going the speed limit or thereabouts. If I'm slower, then pass me. They're not going to be able to drive *through* me, and I usually don't speed up (unless maybe it's a huge truck), so tailgating me accomplishes nothing and can be dangerous.

No, I generally do not fear being hit, but I know it's a possibility and that tailgating can lead to accidents, so I wish they would pass, especially when they have high headlights in my eyes (SUVs/trucks) and it's dark.

Speaking of close calls: I remember about a month ago, I was driving up I-17 through downtown Phoenix. Cruise control was set at 60 mph. I was in the center lane. About two cars back, behind me, was a 350Z. The left lane was clear. The right lane had a truck that I was slowly gaining on. Also, in my lane, I was behind another truck at about two car lengths. The 350Z decided he was tired of going +5, so he moved over to the right lane. As he was approaching me, I guess he realized he was running out of room as the gap between me in the center lane and the truck in the right lane was closing pretty quickly. He accelerated as fast as he could, got within inches of being in front of me, then quickly turned the wheel and zipped into the lane in front of me, narrowly missing the back bumper of the truck as well. Then he moved over into the 'still' empty left lane and kept on moving. Man oh man it must have been INCHES between our bumpers! He was a brave soul. I thought he was going to abort his high speed maneuver when he realized how tight the clearances was, so I never even clicked off the cruise to slow down. That car has such a huge blind spot that I'm thinking it was dumb luck and not skills that got him (and me) out of that situation alive.

<Best Tank Economy!><Best Tank Endurance!>

i like a short burst of 4-way flashers... it usually works, unless the tailgater is a REAL moron. then, nothing works.

+af
Northwest Raleigh, NC, USA
'04 Silver opt.BC/9; 24,000+ miles so far
http://www.plusaf.com/prius/prius.htm
http://www.plusaf.com/coast/coast1.htm
My Prius without the trailer:

My Prius with the trailer:

I let tailgaters figure it out for themselves that they can go around me. Duh, that's what the lane to the left of me is for--passing--right? Usually I'm following another car (at a normal distance) and the tailgater "should" be able to tell I can't speed up even if I wanted to.

If they get dangerously close, I have my favorite trick:
I clean my windshield
This is quite effective--they back off fast, and most tailgaters drive hot cars that they hate to get messed up.

LOL!
Front, Rear, or both?

+af
Northwest Raleigh, NC, USA
'04 Silver opt.BC/9; 24,000+ miles so far
http://www.plusaf.com/prius/prius.htm
http://www.plusaf.com/coast/coast1.htm
My Prius without the trailer:

My Prius with the trailer:

Just front--no wipers on the back, unfortunately. Can cars with back wipers do the spray thing too? Cool.

I like that idea, tarabell, and I think I'll steal it.

I give the person that I'm following a chance to speed up... then if they don't I just go by them. Why be frustrated and why piss off the person by tailgating? The funny thing is when I pass, they usually speed up. Haha. I love that.

[quote=rigger]Can you say EMERGENCY BRAKE? Brake lights won't come on and if they are checked out later they'll work. He'll get the ticket for riding too close and you'll have an '06 Insight at his expense (once you get out of the hospital).

LOL, so this is one of the reasons for a higher ins preimum...

They teach us in EVOC. (Emergency Vehicle Operator Class) that when following or sitting in traffic you should stay far enough back to see the rear diff or the bottom of the gas tank of the car infront of you.

This keeps you from hitting the car infront if someone hits you in the rear and also gives you room to veer to avoid a collision.

Here in Fla. if your caught sppeding in a school zone with childeren present it will cost you $500.00, ouchy in the wallet..

Thats the best one yet, clean the windows that washer fluid really flies when you aim the far right side nozzle just above the roof line...!

04' # 5, W/leather & JBL omitted.
"Prius, Just ask the person that drives one"
04' Tundra, 18mpg city & 22mpg hwy.
04' Prius, 60mpg city & 53mpg hwy.

Kenstyle NHW20 AERO Kit