horn / tailgater

[csj]

I put a dual trumpet horn on the Tourer last month, to try to alter
the attitude of people who cut me off, or followed too close.
Horn is 120 decibels, Plenty loud enough to reach into the cage.

Three times in the last two weeks a moron was tailgating so close
as to nearly touch the rear fender. I let the fool go by, then
pull up beside em, let loose with the yell 'o that horn. What the..
The mo-fo did not seem to notice at all, didn't care, I watched
all three closely.

Thought about it for a day now, I'm wondering if these people are
stretched out on some med, prescribed or not, they're so 'out there'
that they cannot understand what just happened.
Maybe their strings are stretched so tight that me bangin the horn
tightens the string even tighter, maybe they gonna snap.

So I'm asking, has anybody else had this tailgater problem,
and have you found some effective way to deal with em?
Or are you agreeing that these folks are just messed up,
don't push em too hard.

[solo1]

I leave the trailer hitch ball on my Highlander at all times. It has a bright yellow cover. Tap the brakes and they back off.

However, that's not the thing to do when you're on a bike.  I slow down and try to get them to go around, doesn't always work.  Some cage drivers are idiots but they are bigger than us, probably would ram us from behind and might even get them to drop their cell phone but the bike rider would be toast.

[Daniel Meyer]

Peanut M&M's..

[Jack]

You can't win in a battle with a larger vehicle.  Road rage, anyone?  It is best to be defensive.

[Black Dog]

Some folks are just dicks...  Some folks, like you said, may be comfortably numb...  Then others, are in a forever hurry...

I've got the S.O.M.A (Stay Off My Ass) brake lights, the kind that flash quickly, then stay on steady.  The one on the fender, does just that.  When I've got the I/S Trunk on, the lights are set to 'Wig-Wag' before staying on...  Usually, a quick tap of the brakes, has 'em backin' off, and staying back further than normal...

Works for me, YMMV 

Black Dog

[Psychotic Bovine]

I had an suv tailgating me on a winding back road, so I blipped the kill switch.  The sound of a massive backfire aimed at his grill made him back off.
And yes, I do know that's hard on the exhaust system, but sometimes it's too funny to not do it.

[..]

You can't win in a battle with a larger vehicle.  Road rage, anyone?  It is best to be defensive.

+1

Move over and let the wanker go hassle another road user.

We on 2 wheels will never win.

The dumb are just plain dumb.

[stormrider]

Seems women texting are most often the culprit with me. I usually turn my head to try and make eye contact, give that evil look and it that don't work use my left hand/arm to signal them to slow down. That usually works. However, I had one after changing lanes on a 4 lane, pull up beside me cussing at me. Dumb bunny, guess she didn't know I was toting and I might go off the deep end. Take all kinds.
Most guys that have tailgated, when I give a slow down signal, seem to respect it and back off.
The few times I've had to use the horn is when some dingbat or another has tried merging over into my lane. I've got a Stabel, 136 db. It gets their attention.

[tybme]

What pulling your pistol and aiming it at them doesn't help?
No seriously - best thing to do is just get out of their way - I've see cagers actually attempt to force their way by bikes on the highway - it just isn't worth the hassle to mess with them.

[Mountainman]

A couple years back seven cars going up a long hill with me following them and all of a sudden a car passes me and squrts between me and the auto before me with little or no room to spare.  There was no way to pass and we all went for some miles before the car made a turn so I followed. After about eight miles of a few turns the car pulls over to let me pass in a very wide spot in the road and I had a spirited talk with a young teenager about the dangers of her driving attitude and how 'bikers' get killed for doing what she just did and for what ? One car length, and asked why she could not follow me till she made that first turn.  ........ I hope that little talk left an impression and she will be more carefull in the future.

[Mickey Runie]

You ride a Valk.     Just SPEED UP.    No more tailgaters.    Seems simple.      

[fudgie]

Heres my HD buds 'road cop'. He has taken off a few mirrors with this.
When in my truck or ambulance a little lean to the berm that kicks up gravel and throws gravel all over their hood slows them back. 
Actually, they know what they are doing. A horn honked as they pass wont phase them. They are expecting it.
Usually a finger and some words from my passenger or i lets them know they are close.

[RoboCop]

bring the heat

[CISE]

Back in the 80s when I was riding in Canada, a friend of mine used to keep a couple of empty glass coke bottles in his fairing pockets.

When someone tailgated too much he would "accidently" drop one, and it would impact on the car/truck's grill.

btw - is not anywhere near as effective with the plastic bottles

Not that I would recommend any aggressive/violent accident being a passive Canadian ya know

[PAVALKER]

Heres my HD buds 'road cop'. He has taken off a few mirrors with this.
When in my truck or ambulance a little lean to the berm that kicks up gravel and throws gravel all over their hood slows them back.  
Actually, they know what they are doing. A horn honked as they pass wont phase them. They are expecting it.
Usually a finger and some words from my passenger or i lets them know they are close.

It looks like your bud missed a spot near the pipes when he washed that last (last decade maybe)...   Actually I think he probably gets more use out of that hammer slamming parts back into place once they fall off....  

(someone had to say it.....)

[Garland]

I just try to stay away from crazy people. Does no good talking to them. I get out of the way or beat feet, because either they will make you crazy too or worse-they will kill you.

[Cattman]

30-45 cal. muzzleloader balls or ball bearings in the tank pouch. Flipped over your shoulder they never know where they came from.

[John Schmidt]

30-45 cal. muzzleloader balls or ball bearings in the tank pouch. Flipped over your shoulder they never know where they came from.

Yup, as a kid I used to carry a few large steel washers in my pockets. If I had some jerk or jerkess running up my tailpipe, I'd take a couple out and flip them straight up in the air, just like flipping a quarter...only bigger and more effective. The ones I used would often take out a windshield. I've mellowed somewhat over the years, sometimes carry smaller washers. 

Had a woman here in Orlando traffic that was in front of me and wouldn't let me pass, would pull over just enough to prevent it each time. I could see her watching me in the mirror. I often carry one of the boat horns with the small can of compressed air/gas, fits nicely in my drink holder. That time I waited at a stoplight and just as the light changed I blasted her through her window. She jumped and screamed and jerked the wheel to the right, went over the curb and across this guy's front yard, through his bushes, and came to a stop just off the curb on the other side street. She shut off the car and sat and shook. I coasted up and suggested next time she not play games with someone's life, then rode off. One thing I noticed just before I rode away....she needed a towel for the front seat.