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This has happened frequently to me - maybe you.

Say you are going 50 on a 60 freeway - not congested.

Someone in your rearview mirror pops up doing at least 70.

The logical thing to do would be to gracefully move in the lane to the left 100 yards behind.

Instead they race to a couple of car lengths then swerve left - even if I slammed the accelerator there is no way I go to their speed unless I was driving a Porche 911.

Has this happened to you?

And what are they thinking? Was the pass just a hostile gesture? Just not thinking?

This doesn't happen often to me, but it happened once yesterday. I saw a guy come flying up behind me in the right lane, nobody in the left lane, actually no other traffic anywhere in the area. I was about to dive onto the shoulder when he slammed on his brakes and swerved into the left lane. Bad idea to do both at the same time because he nearly lost control. Firm braking alone would have done it, he wasn't THAT close.

I wonder if they aren't on cruise control and doing something else at the same time, maybe texting? Or reading?? It doesn't seem malicious, just inattention.

Another possibility is they are not sober

I imagine it could be inattention most of the time...but not always. I get this quite often as I'm driving on county roads where the speeds are usually 50 mph or less. I'll see someone come from behind on a flat road, no oncoming traffic, in a passing zone, etc. and they will just hang there...tailgating. When they do finally pass, they look at me with the angry looks. I have also had them pass me without completely getting out of our lane and cut back in short.:mad::angry: It's as if they think it is their mission in life to force me to speed up to their speed when a simple fade to the left, pass, and fade back in to the right will work just fine. I chalk it up to arrogance and/or a sense of entitlement not to be inconvenienced. Oddly enough though, this problem doesn't seem to be near as pronounced in the southeastern part of our county even though the traffic and terrain is similar.:confused:

For emphasis: they could gradually move left at speed, but choose to get less than 15 yards behind then swerve left.

Perhaps they just don't drive very well. Can't judge relative speeds and have difficulty changing lanes. Seriously! And may be pissed because changing lanes is so hard for them. I just try to avoid looking at them and let them speed off down the road.

This has happened to me many times. I'm seriously convinced that some people have a limited sight distance to where they can only see what's directly in front of them, and nothing else.

Chalupa , you are correct. It has everything to do with the eye-lead time. An untrained eye runs about 2-3 seconds ahead of the body which is just fine for human travel (walking)

When speeds are increased to 50-60 mph an eye-lead time of 5 seconds or less leads to many surprises and abrupt maneuvers and corrections. This is very apparent to someone who has been trained or for some reason has found it necessary to increase the time and distance.

Many trained drivers use a minimum of 15 seconds eye-lead time and 30 + seconds is even better. Hypermilers must be used to looking further into the future to time lights, minimise brakes, ect. Many times the relevant info is seen, buty just doesn't register until the normal 3 seconds lead time. I observe it over and over riding with many people.

I *used* to drive this way before, however, for me at that time, it wasn't that I didn't see the car ahead or didn't realize I would be passing...It was just "more fun"...and also, depending on the speed, someone behind me maybe going faster and I'd wait till they passed me first. :o

Of course that doesn't happen anymore as I don't drive fast enough to keep up. Whenever people come in front of me however, I tend to get let off the gas until I have ample room (15+ car lengths) ahead. More people keep coming in, however I count that as a benefit as they could be sitting there idling. On a 7 mile commute, people usually cut in front of me 10+ times. I like saving fuel for more than just myself.

That's another thing the yuppie button (http://www.cleanmpg.com//forums/honda/t-hch-page2-4602.html#post33677) is for. I give them
every chance to move over and also take into account whether or
not they might be aiming for an upcoming off-ramp [and they often
leak enough "car english" to reveal the intent sans turn signals]
but once perigee gets too close for my comfort, it's the lightshow
+ thumb to make the swerve happen that much sooner. It's definitely
a safety device that has deflected its share of bad situations in
the time it's been installed.
.
_H*

I've ridden with a couple of people who simply don't look more than two seconds up the road. I've watched them run up less than 3-5 car lengths behind slower traffic, and then jam on their brakes obviously not seeing the vehicle ahead, even though it was plainly visible a mile ahead of time.

I was riding with a friend the other day and it was a constant speed up hit the brakes, speed up hit the brakes, cycle of wastefulness.

He knows how to hypermile but I guess it just doesn't appeal to him. He likes replacing brakes, rotors and stopping at every gas pump more.

It was frustrating to watch from the passenger seat but you know when you've beaten the horse to death so I just held my tongue this time.

I wonder if I'm getting old, not in a debilitated way, more like a comfortable enjoy your surrounds don't be in such a rush, better frame of mind. I mean I'm already driving like the old people I used to pass when I was a reckless teen. Now I look forward to getting behind them so I have an excuse to slow down.

To answer your question, those tailgating passers are practicing their racing maneuvers, that used to be fun too. Now timing lights so I can pass them while their standing still is more fun! :D - Dale

I was riding with a friend the other day and it was a constant speed up hit the brakes, speed up hit the brakes, cycle of wastefulness.

He knows how to hypermile but I guess it just doesn't appeal to him. He likes replacing brakes, rotors and stopping at every gas pump more.

It was frustrating to watch from the passenger seat but you know when you've beaten the horse to death so I just held my tongue this time.

I wonder if I'm getting old, not in a debilitated way, more like a comfortable enjoy your surrounds don't be in such a rush, better frame of mind. I mean I'm already driving like the old people I used to pass when I was a reckless teen. Now I look forward to getting behind them so I have an excuse to slow down.

To answer your question, those tailgating passers are practicing their racing maneuvers, that used to be fun too. Now timing lights so I can pass them while their standing still is more fun! :D - Dale

It is extremely frustrating watching from the passenger seat. Imagine waiting at a stop light to make a left behind 6 or so other cars who are all waiting for a break in oncoming traffic to turn left. Now one car goes ever 30 seconds, and every 30 seconds you get launched into the seat, only to be launched forward when the brakes are applied a couple seconds later... Cycle for however many cars need to make that left turn and cue headache.

This happends to me with almost every speeder/tailgater. Its like they dont see you untill they are almost into your trunk. I dont know why this is. Maybe they think that you are going faster then they think or something. I just let them do what they do and I keep on driving the way I am.

This would make a good Candid Camera episode. :D

Yup, happens all the time to me. People fly right up to my bumper, then switch lanes at what seems like the last possible second.

I'm sure it's the same people who can't judge red lights, and can't effectively merge lanes when there's construction ahead. They'll speed up to the merging point in the lane thats about to end, and slam on their brakes while they switch to the other lane, making everyone else slam on their brakes, which makes the people 100 yards back stop completely on the highway.

And I think it's a combination of not being able to judge what's ahead, and not paying attention, or doing something else while driving.

Happens a fair amount to me also. I think that there are multiple reaons and we won't understand them all. I see these reasons:
1. Inattention (Tuning radio, cell phone, adjusting makeup),
2. Aggressive behavior(It's deliberate),
3. Drunk or on drugs,
4. Blocked from passing by other cars,
5. Poor distance judgement,
6. others.

I use flashers a fair amount on Intersates just to try to wake folks up. I know it is probably illegal to use the flashers for this reasons, but a lecture from a policeman is a lot bette than a rear ender. I don't find anything else helps much. I also try to maintain at least 50-55 MPH, and that helps slightly. But there is no perfect strategy and it is certainly a matter of concern.

Happens a fair amount to me also. I think that there are multiple reaons and we won't understand them all. I see these reasons:
1. Inattention (Tuning radio, cell phone, adjusting makeup),
2. Aggressive behavior(It's deliberate),
3. Drunk or on drugs,
4. Blocked from passing by other cars,
5. Poor distance judgement,
6. others.

I use flashers a fair amount on Intersates just to try to wake folks up. I know it is probably illegal to use the flashers for this reasons, but a lecture from a policeman is a lot bette than a rear ender. I don't find anything else helps much. I also try to maintain at least 50-55 MPH, and that helps slightly. But there is no perfect strategy and it is certainly a matter of concern.

I use the flasher too, but I figure if I'm going 55mph and the speed limit is 70mph, that would make me a hazard to people going the speedlimit. I haven't had any cops pull me over for it yet. The ones on the side of the road stay on the side of the road and the ones driving down the freeway just pass me.

All the time too...sometimes you know the inattentive ones...they are the ones who nearly pull into another car or have to slam on their brakes at the last moment because of traffic next to them. If they were paying more attention, they could have moved over earlier, but they didn't.

This is a behavior that even ten years ago was not that common.

I'm sure it's the same people who can't judge red lights, and can't effectively merge lanes when there's construction ahead. They'll speed up to the merging point in the lane thats about to end, and slam on their brakes while they switch to the other lane, making everyone else slam on their brakes, which makes the people 100 yards back stop completely on the highway.

I definitely agree with u here.

The scariest is when big rigs do this. Many times a large, loaded to the gills rig will pull very close to my bumper before passing. Some even jam on the brakes, then hit the gas to get around me, turbos hissing madly.

The scariest is when big rigs do this. Many times a large, loaded to the gills rig will pull very close to my bumper before passing. Some even jam on the brakes, then hit the gas to get around me, turbos hissing madly.

I haven't had many problems with big rigs at all. I think the ones around here really do look a half a mile or so ahead.

Others around here seem to look about 200 yards ahead.

i had one today, and i could have known what he was thinking when he rolled down his window to chat.....

i was driving about 5 below the limit since it was two blocks to the light and most people only turn one direction or the other, rather than going straight. i saw him come flying up to a stop sign and then turn onto the road behind me, immediately on my bumper. i slowed down, he gestured. i gestured, he gestured some more.

when we got to the light, i turned right onto a 4 lane 45MPH road, as did he, only he of course swung quickly into the left lane and drove next to me for a bit. he almost ran into oncoming traffic rolling down his window to yell at me. i ignored him.

mile and a half later, i pulled up behind him at a light. i saw him glancing in his mirror, but about that time, there was nothing he could do or say that wouldn't further prove his stupidity.

hey, i think i will put this in jerk of the day...........