Tailgating is deplorable. It’s unsafe, unnecessary, and universally frowned upon – even aliens don’t do it. Yet somehow, we’ve all found ourselves in this situation: you’re in the right lane on a four-lane highway, and someone is riding your tail. There’s plenty of room to go around you, but for some reason the tailgater refuses to do it. So what do you do?

Make them pay

Wait until they’re too close to you, then slam on brakes and let them run into the back of your car.

– Or –

Pull into the other lane, and when your front tire is square with their back tire, pit maneuver them off the road and into a ditch.

Just kidding

That’s actually what you don’t want to do. In the moment, brake checking or responding to the driver behind you may feel like retribution, but it’s just as dangerous and unnecessary as tailgating. If someone is riding your tail, check to make sure you’re following the rules of the road, and ignore their attempts to frustrate you.

Why people tailgate

Typically, someone is tailgating you because they want you to drive faster. In this case, remember that it’s not your responsibility to follow their desired speed limit, just the posted one. In more severe cases, tailgating may be an expression of road rage. If you feel someone is endangering you or others on the road, call the police and ask for help. They’ll know exactly what to do.

Zen warrior

The best option is to avoid letting the tailgater upset you. This can be difficult, because tailgating is so dangerous and unnecessary, but at the end of the day it’s not worth getting angry about. You’ve only got so much time on this planet, so don’t spend it getting angry behind the wheel of your car.

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