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As someone who was an innocent victim of a "I'm going to stomp on my brakes to show that tailgater that he's following too closely and see if he can really stop in time to avoid me or I'll sue him if he can't and rear-ends me" ... the "tailgater" lost control of his vehicle and swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, me.
Yes, the "tailgater" was driving a loaded 80,000lb rig semi-truck, and he was impaired, which added to the circumstances of the accident.
But the immediate causation of the chain of events to follow was the lead fellow who stomped on his brakes in a 55 mph zone of steadily moving traffic hard enought to lock up his wheels and leave skid marks on the highway.
The result of those two dickw**s having their egos and poor judgement at play on the road cost me a totalled MB 300Dt, a loss of a year of my life recovering from serious injuries (broken bones), three years before I could move my head around to look at traffic without pain or "clicks" from my neck, loss of the flow of speech for almost a year, and the loss of my business due to not being able to work. I'm an independent manufacturer's rep, so I lost my product lines, my business, and all the revenue stream from years of developing projects that I had invested which were completed from my efforts. My other business, an auto repair shop ... well, that was impossible to continue due to my injuries so I closed the doors and terminated my lease.
The highway patrol was able to ticket the semi-driver, but the witnesses could not positively identify the van driver who had stomped on his brakes to initiate the accident and fled the scene.
In my view, it was no "accident", it was a deliberately caused situation which resulted in a near fatality for someone else.
If you folks think that your insurance ... or the other party's ... will begin to compensate you for your losses in this situation, or you'll make money off of it, I've got news. It doesn't. It replaced my car with a comparable vehicle, and it paid for most of my medical costs. But it only replaced a portion of my lost income, and it didn't compensate me at all for the loss of my business. I received no money for "pain and suffering" even though I lost a year of my productive life due to recovering from broken ribs, neck and back damage, deep muscle bruising, etc. The reason why? because I chose to not be a permanent "victim" of the accident and aggressively sought to restore my life ... so, instead of showing up in district court (5 years after the accident) with "permanent" injuries and in a wheelchair, I was back in business earning a living again, able to speak again, and with little injuries at that point for a courtroom to sympathize with. Stuff like my hearing loss and tinnitus just isn't going to evoke much courtroom compensation ....
I don't know the laws in Kentucky, but I do know them in the Western states I drive most. A sharp officer isn't going to miss the skid marks of the lead vehicle and then the skid marks of the second vehicle. While the second vehicle may be cited for following too closely, the first vehicle had better have a real good explanation of why they needed to lock up their brakes, or they'll be cited, too, for causing an accident. The insurance companies aren't ignorant, and they'll see fault on both sides of the accident, which means the expected free lunch by the OP just isn't going to happen.
First off, I do not know what to say other than I feel a lot of sympathy for you. You were a victim of somebody like Kentucky Dad. Hopefully, this will maybe make them think twice about their heartless actions.
The way I handle it is I slow down to the posted limit first.If it contnues on I slow down to 5 under th posted limit until they stop or go around me.Just because I do not speed does not mean I am "barred" from the left lane.
Depending on what state your in , you can be. In MI (although it's rare) you can get a ticket for holding up the left lane (on a freeway).
As someone who was an innocent victim of a "I'm going to stomp on my brakes to show that tailgater that he's following too closely and see if he can really stop in time to avoid me or I'll sue him if he can't and rear-ends me" ... the "tailgater" lost control of his vehicle and swerved into the oncoming traffic lane, me.
Hopefully, someone will learn a lesson from your story. Hats off to you on your recovery and comeback.
Hmmm wonders what part of Kentucky KYdad is in??.. because were moving there at the end this month and I don't want to be anywhere around him due to fact that I like my life.
I am sorry, but you are now showing that you are not very bright, and a terrible mother if this is true. However, I call B.S on your story. If you had three guys in large trucks who were doing this, hitting your brakes would have been the absolute dumbest thing you could have done. I call B.S. because most likely they would have boxed you in and stopped you. Give it up, you are a right laugh anymore with these ridiculous stories.
Laugh all you want to, but if you are following too close, you are a bully and the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them.
After reading this thread, I am very concerned about the warped thinking of this generation. The person who was hurt in the accident blaming the person who put on the brakes for the accident. There could have been a good reason for someone putting on the brakes hard on the road. If you don't know the tailgater is the person breaking the law and causing the unsafe condition, you have a big problem with logical thinking. Stop blaming innocent people for the crimes caused by tailgaters. I am sorry you were hurt, but the right person got the blame. I hope they threw the book at him and I wish the police and highway patrol would start giving tickets when they see someone following too close. I also wish they would start giving tickets for people blowing horns for no reason on the highway.
I understand a drivers education teachers at a local school teaches children to follow closely so they won't take up too much space on the highway?? I think if that is true, the teacher should be fired for bad judgment. There is no excuse for following too close.
The main reason for a law of following too close is to prevent situations like this. A person could put on their brakes at any time for any reason, so stay back the space required by law. I always leave a safe distance behind the car or whatever in front of me and my car. Some people don't like it, but that's their problem.
I think this thread was started to try to get people to open their eyes and start driving better. By giving excuses to tailgaters, you are helping the bullies to keep doing what they are doing. I hope you don't put on your brakes because you have to and you are the next person they hit. I think following too close is a habit because people do it when they could as easily go around the car they are following too close. It is a deadly habit that needs to be stopped.
Laugh all you want to, but if you are following too close, you are a bully and the only way to deal with bullies is to stand up to them.
Please show me even once where I posted I am a tailgater, or that I support it in any way. I drive a tiny little 1991 Ford Escort. I do not, and will not tailgate anyone in my car unless I have a death wish, which I don't.
this sums up the op the best so thats why he would risk his and other peoples lifes because he does not care if he kills someone to prove a point
Yep. I say that about says it all.
Besides, I'm with some others. Who can even take him serious as he thinks Michelle Duggar is "sexy". creepy........ ~~~shudder~~~
Another pondering though........... for those that say they are always getting tailgated or it happens a lot............ have you ever stopped to think that it might have something to do with YOUR driving. Just sayin.
this sums up the op the best so thats why he would risk his and other peoples lifes because he does not care if he kills someone to prove a point
We could say the same thing about tailgaters. If they cared about the lives of the people in the car in front of them, they would stop tailgating. They could kill someone. Why are you taking up for them? You know there is a car in front of you and you know how fast you are going. BACK OFF!
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You were a victim of somebody like Kentucky Dad.
Hopefully, this will maybe make them think twice about their heartless actions.
If you had three guys in large trucks who were doing this, hitting your brakes would have been the absolute dumbest thing you could have done. I call B.S. because most likely they would have boxed you in and stopped you. Give it up, you are a right laugh anymore with these ridiculous stories.
