I want lights that say back off tail gaiter!!!

[savantelite]

I hate tailgaiters that ride 6 feet behind me doing 35mph! Don't they realize how dangerous they are making the situation for me? If I have to rapidly slow down with this jerk behind me i am screwed!

So of coarse I have tapped my brakes to let the guy know that he is to close but some drivers just dont care. So I want some super bright tail lights that scream back off! When I have seen LED arrays in some cars it sure got my attention, dang thats bright!

So help me out, what are my options?

 

[karl]

One is to pull over and let the idiot by.

 

[elizilla]

I install Hyperlites on all my bikes. The basic ones are two bricks about the size of a Lego brick, with eight LEDs on each. When you apply the brakes, they flash. They are very noticeable. You can set them to flash a few times, then go steady - or just flash constantly for as long as the brakes are on.

There's a cheap Chinese knockoff called "Electropods" that look very similar, but the wiring isn't as easy. My sweetie installed the Electropods on his bike, and in use they look just like my Hyperlites, but it took a bit more head scratching to get them going.

Signal Dynamics makes a license plate frame with a bunch of LEDs that you can program for a variety of different flashing patterns.

I am a big fan of products like this, and while they may not be DOT standard, I have had several cops compliment me on how great they are. I think that regardless of DOT rules, they pass most cop's common sense test and they don't even think of worrying about DOT.

What you want to avoid is using blue or purple lights, or wig-wag lights, because those trespass on the cop's turf and they don't like it.

 

[Coyote Chris]

One is to pull over and let the idiot by.

I asked my state patrol Capt. the same question....how do you handle tailgaters?
If you make them mad, they can hurt you in a number of different ways...the best thing to do is , as karl and the capt said, is to do what you have to , to get them to pass you.
Slow down slowly, pull over....get home safe. (I have some rather interesting but violent alternatives but they may not be appropriate here.)

 

[elizilla]

Oh, and there are larger/fancier Hyperlites on their site, than just the basic pair of Lego bricks. On the NT, I installed two double-sized modules of 16 LEDS each. They are half red brake light, and half amber lights that match the turn signals. On the Super10 I installed two double-sized modules of 16 LEDs each, that are all red and go with the brakes. Basically I just look at the tail end of a bike and decide whether to augment just the brakes, or the turn signals as well. The NT's turn signals are large but I don't think they're bright enough in daylight so I wanted to augment them. The Super10's turn signals are fine but the brake light is small.

 

[Phil Tarman]

I've got a Back-off brake light modulator. It flashes 3 or 4 times then goes steady for 4 seconds then flashes 3 or 4 times again....on and on. Plus I put two 10 LED Admore lights (10 per side) into the spots where my CooCase had two LEDs per side. They're wired into the Back-Off modulator and flash with the main brake light.

When I'm followed by a tail-gater, I back way off from the vehicle in front of me and try to give myself room to react relatively slowly to anything happening in front of me.

 

[elizilla]

Going between the lanes is illegal everywhere in the USA and Canada, except California. More importantly, it's not customary - it will infuriate every driver that sees you do it. Even in California where it is legal, the car drivers see it as cheating. And once you put yourself on the other side of that divide, some large percentage of other drivers will consider themselves justified in doing things to stop you. If you split, the car you pass may tailgate you worse than the first tailgater, to "teach you a lesson". And the next car up the road may move over in their lane to block you from splitting any further.

I filtered a lot when I was in Europe and it was fantastic! No one got all road ragey or tried to intentionally kill me for doing it. But in the USA I am very cautious about when/where I do it, and "already dealing with one crazy driver" is not a time when I would choose to filter - I don't need even MORE drivers around me who are seeing the red mist.

 

[garwil]

Like many of the answers above, I take low key opportunities to lose someone that is following to close for safety. Almost always, the first thing I do is reduce my speed to match their distance. Most of them tailgate because they want to go faster, and when they discover they are being slowed down worse, they change lanes and go away. This only works if they have alternative lanes. I do most of my riding on interstate and freeways so this often solves the problem.
However, sometimes they cannot go away because we are on two lane roads, or (my theory only) some people use the traffic in front of them to regulate their speed. In other words, they don't want to pass, or go faster, they just habitually drive until they come up behind someone, and then tailgate because that is confortable to them. These people do not normally notice that you slow down until you nearly come to a dead stop. Then they are confused because they weren't paying attention in the first place and don't understand why you are not going any more. I look for a place to pull over and let them go on their mindless way. I have often noticed afterward, as I follow them down the road that they move right up on the next guy and tailgate him as well. They have found a new regulator.

 

[Bear]

Most cagers who tailgate don't realize they are doing it--the exception being one who gets behind you and starts flashing his lights--supposedly this gives the motorcyclist the message to either speed up or move over. I usually ride 5mph over the limit, conditions permitting. Most of the roads I ride make passing difficult. Here in Maine, passing on a double yellow is ok, as long as you can see your way clear. I am never in a hurry, so I pull over, get my water bottle out of my tank bag, take a sip or two, and go on my merry way. Sometimes one has to put up with the tailgater for a while because the shoulder of the road is broken up or trashed--however, when a good spot to pull over presents itself, I pull over. On Interstates I just get into the right lane, and if I am already there, I slow down, which forces a pass.

 

[ken]

Most native Californians don't even notice lanespliting, especially in areas where traffic is common.

When lanesplitting on the 405 or 91 in Southern California, I've primarily noticed that drivers look on longingly, wishing they had a bike. High school driver's ed classes stress watching for bikes in traffic, and it appears to be a lesson that sticks.

I'll take this as an opportunity to ask, not for the first time, why other states can't embrace this simple and effective law. Better yet, why do states constantly debate helmet laws, but never consider legalizing lane splitting? I wish motorcycle riders could develop the effectiveness of the bicycle lobby. Where is the AMA on this issue?

Ken

 

[tawilke46]

Same for me Bob. I just move over and let them by. Then they become someone else's problem and not mine.

If I am on a two lane road and a cage is starting to crowd me from behind, I continue to do at least the speed limit or 5 mph over the limit, look for a safe place for a pass and move over and wave the vehicle around me. Normally I even get a thank you wave from the cage driver.

 

[androu]

Good discussion, lots of good comments/recommendations. I generally just try to let a tailgater pass me. I also find I have to adjust my position in relation to cars all the time. Its seems everyone wants to drive right next to me or right on my rear wheel, or do 45 in the left lane. I rarely split lanes, usually I'm just not in that much of a hurry I guess. If I had to commute in rush hour traffic on the freeway, I'd probably be tempted to do it more.

 

[seagrass]

I have lately began to think that "tailgater" is not the correct word for most of these drivers.

I think most of them should be called a "Road Bully" as most drivers that "tailgate" just want me out of their way, just like a "Bully" wants their own way and they often do not care how close they sit to my rear end to encourage me to go faster.

I generally travel about 5Km/h above the speed limit and when "bullied" I will travel a little faster to try and stay out of the "bullies" way until I can safely let them past or pull off the road.

Seagrass

 

[Bear]

Since this discussion began--an excellent one, incidentally, I had a chance to implement what was discussed. Running an errand in the next town, riding down Rte 1, a cager got right on my tail. I put on my right signal and moved over on the fog line. Did not have to slow down--he went right by. There was a double yellow line. About two hundred meters ahead, the speed limit drops from 55 to 35, then 25. He did not gain too many meters on me. He was probably not a local.