Do you "brake check"?

[dsommer]

My morning commute consists of about 5 miles of interstate driving with my 3 year old son in the back seat (G35 sedan 6 speed MT). The on ramp is a huge sweeper that allows great visibility to the traffic you’re going to have to merge with.

 

That being said if there is a slower car that will be merging with me on the on ramp I normally let them get well in front of me so they can figure out how to drive on their own. This morning I was following a woman in a car prior to getting on the interstate. She was leaving the traffic lights in a lazy fashion, seemed to be in no big hurry. That’s fine with me because I was in no hurry either.

 

Well as luck would have it she is going my way, I allow her to enter the interstate well ahead of me then I accelerate and merge into my lane. Seeing the left lane open I indicate and continue my acceleration to 70-75 mph (70 zone) as I’m approaching her/passing her on the left, with out warning she begins to cut me off, I’m at 75 now and she’s going all of 55, I lay on the horn and high beams and pass her.

 

She gets all pi$$y and makes a run for me getting inches off my rear bumper, I don’t brake check her or anybody else for that matter, first and foremost I have my son in the car, second my car can stop a helluva lot quicker than what she’s driving and I just don’t care to go sliding off the road at 75mph. She did this twice in five miles, it didn’t really upset me but wtf, why tail gate like that? What if I did brake check her hard, that would be totally nuts.

 

So do you brake check tailgaters?

[buZy]

Depends...You could give them the brake lights without actually engaging the brakes. If they panic, spin out and die they deserve it.

[Beau M]

^ Nice tip. No I don't break check, if they are behind me acting that way, thats their problem.

[johnc]

I got brake checked twice at Buttonwillow by a guy in a Corvette who thought I was following him too close on a race track. He was sent home.

[ShaggyZ]

I never do. Depending on the vehicle I'm in/on (car, motorcycle) I'll approach it differently. Usually I'll just slowly slow down by not completely letting off the gas. My favorite thing is to press the brake until the brake light comes on and mash the gas - I usually do this on my motorcycle; brake light comes on and I'm gone in a flash, leaving the tailgater saying WTF and left all alone.

[Tombarace14]

I usally just let off the gas, im not going to try to cause a wreck. Usally that will make them mad and or me laugh due to the reaction.

[FlatBlack]

Dave, I-540 is driven by 99% idiots. There are "Slower traffic stay in the right lane" signs EVERY mile, and I always find myself trapped in at some point. I had never flashed my lights at anyone before moving up here, it is simply rediculous.

 

On a lighter note, I was heading up to Rogers the other day in the S30, and saw a S130 up ahead in the right lane. I downshifted into 4th to get up next to him. Usually the 280ZX drivers up here don't pay me much mind but I usually give a wave just to check. The guy's eyes lit up when he heard/saw my car, and switched lanes to follow me for a bit.

 

Nice to see fellow Z heads up here.

[fhptom]

That is why I wish they would let us have more unmarked patrol cars. People tend not to drive that way while I am out in marked car. Even now when I don't have lights on top. I am out there in my POV just licking my chops at all the activity I could be getting.

 

Oh well, REACTIVE instead of PROACTIVE enforcement.

 

Tom

[AkumaNoZeta]

Whenever I have that problem I usually just decelerate slowly until they pass me so they're no longer behind me. But I am still a kid and can be stupid too, if the road is clear sometimes I downshift a gear or two (depending what rev I'm cruising at) and just leave them behind. I've only had a couple people catch up to me, takes them a long time to do it though, but I think that was more of one of those "If there's any cops he'll get pulled over before me" kinda thing but by that time I'm back at the speed limit so it doesnt work the way they plan, lol.

[Chaparral2f]

I never brake check. In 3 million miles I've seen to many wrecks. But thank goodnes there isn't any law against thinking about it.

[Derek]

Depends on what I'm driving. F250 4WD diesel with lift gate on back, You betcha. Driving the Z, no way. Now keep in mind there's brake checking and there's brake checking. My idea of a brake check is a light tap just to get their attention not a rapid decel on the verge of locking them up. Now adays though I mostly pull over and let them by. It just isn't worth the hassle.

 

Derek

[attworth]

People here tend to not pay too much attention on the freeway, so I try and stay as far away as possible from anybody and everybody.

[capt_furious]

Depends on how badly they're pissing me off. If I get someone too close to me, usually if I've got the room, I'll drop a gear and nail it, and open up about 50 yards of space between me and them. Usually, they get the idea...back off, dummy, you're uncomfortably close.

 

If they persist, I'll just change lanes and they'll hopefully go on their merry (retarded) way. If the guys got a bug up his arse about me and decides he's going to play the 'hide my headlamps under your tailgate' game, I'll just take my foot off the gas until we're WAY below the speed limit. That sends the message to just about anyone: I'm not playing your game. Go away. They'll usually cut around and go flying off.

 

I used to be pretty reactive, but I've learned that most people just aren't worth it. A motor vehicle seems to give a large percentage of the population a power trip...let 'em go kill somebody else with their antics.

[Cobra_Tim]

Depends on how bad I need a new paint job...

[Adam393]

I never brake check, but i flash my high beams like a mofo if there is someone slow in front of me

[PanzerAce]

I'll brake enough to get the lights on, but not enough to actually slow down trick. Just isn't worth having to pry some crumpled cross over SUV off my rear bumper.

 

 

It does amaze me though how many people don't necessarily tail gate, but follow WAY to close for the speed we are going. I don't think they realize that if I slam on the brakes, I'm going to slow down WAY quicker than they can.

[maichor]

I don't. A couple of years ago I was behind these two idiots playing that game. Both were brand new cars. The guy if front locked them up 2 or 3 times, smoke everywhere. He was trying very hard to get hit. After watching that insanity, I gave them a wide berth. I usually just move it on over as soon as a can. It is not worth the headache.

[auxilary]

Let me tell you why I don't brake check anyone anymore....

 

about 5-6 years ago, I was coming home on 880 in my neon. Traffic is moving at 65-70 across all 4 lanes evenly. Some jerk off in a Honda Pilot is weaving through traffic, winds up behind me. Now, mind you, the traffic is not faster in left or right lanes either, and this guy is sitting about a foot from my bumper. And then he starts honking and flashing highbeams (or at least I think he's flashing, because I can't see them due to how close he is)

 

I brake check him, because at that point I'm pissed. No accident. He backs off. In a couple miles, traffic clears up and he winds up passing me on the left. His passenger, a certain 4 letter C word with good aim, manages to chuck a 44oz big gulp full of Dr. pepper through my window at 75mph. It lands on my steering wheel, exploding all over the interior of the car. I am filled with rage... I have never been so infuriated in my life. I take off after him, breaking probably 10 laws at once weaving in and out of traffic, almost colliding with vehicles, and frantically looking for something to throw at him that could cause moderate damage.

 

He managed to sneak in between 2 cars to an exit and I couldn't follow him because the gap closed. I am scared to think what I would have done if I had a fire arm on me. I would have been in jail.

 

And that, capt_furious, is why when we went to pick up that washer/dryer, and you were honking and yelling at the ******* that cut us off... is why I told you to chill out

[essdeezee]

Depending on situation, yes I brake check occasionally. Mine usually consist of just enough of a tap to get some weight transfer going.

 

If I'm in the Z, NEVER.

[attworth]

I had some fool in a brand new Cadillac ride my bumper getting on to the freeway one day. I was going a respectable 55mph on the service road and onto the ramp, where I began to pick up speed to the posted 60mph. He felt the need to ride me all the way up the ramp.

 

Once on the freeway, he proceeded to pass on the left, roll down his window, flip the bird and scream some obscenities that I couldn't hear behind my closed window (it was roughly 30* outside.) After that, he proceeded to speed off in front of me and slam on his brakes. Ended up making me slow to a near crawl.

 

At this point he pulls over and starts to open his door, assuming I've become enraged enough to join him for some road-side illegalities. Had my wife not been with me, things may have been different - but I tend to take the high-road with people like that and just go on my merry way.

 

Another incident (same highway.) The highway necks down from 4-3 with an exit only on the left - which is usually packed back at least 1/2 mile. Generally, people are pretty good about it, and only marginally slow down the 3rd lane (left side,) by merging quickly in front of some of the slower cars.

 

This particular day, the far left was backed up about a mile, moving 5-10mph. My wife and I were in the 3rd lane cruising around 60mph. Two, not one, trucks decide they want to take the exit about 250' from where it disconnects from the freeway. They did so by cramming two trucks into a spot fit for a small car. The process involved both of the trucks slamming on their brakes with smoke-a-flyin', and the second truck ending up with the back half of his truck hanging in the 3rd lane. Traffic was clearly stopped completely in the left lane at this point.

 

My wife was driving, and luckily for us, she was paying enough attention to stop completely without impaling the front of our car under-neath this truck, while simultaneously somehow managing to not get hit from behind by another truck. I really hate it when people do things which could bring harm to my family. Myself, not so much a big deal - but my wife?

 

I nearly got out and beat the life out of the combined ten teenagers in the two trucks. Luckily my wife was driving and had enough sense to speed away after showing her unappreciation with an upraised hand (very unlike her.)

 

 

 

 

This, youngsters, is why you shouldn't be brake checking, flashing your lights excessively, or driving like a complete moron. There's always the quiet man and his wife who can only take so much. (I'm in my 20s by the way....)