Avoid Brake Checking Crashes With This One Weird Tip

I am talking about a 2 lane hwy with lots of cars, *like in the video here*. What are you talking about when you say 85 is not fast - remote highway, the track, Nürburgring maybe? We are not here to speak abstractly about some vague, ill-defined scenario. It's about the sitch in the vid. FYI, you could see up ahead and anticipate (both great habits btw) all you want, but you still know nothing about what goes on inside the vehicles in front of you, like the Pilot. Someone is having a mild stroke, their baby got stung by a yellowjacket and screaming like hell, they just found out they need to get to the hospital quick, or the cluster is showing a flashing CEL ... but at that point you've already written them off as idiots and stay fast on their tail, you are even more annoyed they turned on their hazards which blind you, so you pass them on the right post haste and all that at some "not-fast" speed ... did I get all of this wrong? If a trucker needs to pass, it's okay that they slow down 20 cars behind them until they merge back in. This is what sharing the road means.

The tailgater made multiple mistakes. I disagree with author on what he should have done. Steering is almost always better than braking when you know how to drive and are aware of surroundings. 1st was tailgating instead of just passing on the right. Tailgating is the aggressive "you should get over" move that leads to conflict. 2nd was tailgating again after being brake checked. 3rd was swerving and braking at the same time. A driver needs to drive aware of escape lanes, something you learn quickly on a motorcycle. A driver needs to know how to steer out of a problem and not hold down brakes and use up tire capacity. I am rarely brake checked because I don't tailgate, but when I am...for example when I have a slow car and need to pass with momentum before changing lanes I am always ready to pop out and take advantage of the pass the guy gives me by brake checking.

driving in/around Los Angeles, one becomes WELL ACQUAINTED with left-lane hogs... and to a point, I understand it. Right-hand lanes tend to get clogged/backed-up at certain exits, so the left lanes do offer a smoother progression. I grew up in Ohio... and was taught that the left lane was for passing. Apparently, a lot of people were not taught that... and toddle along at, or below, the posted speed limit in the left hand lane... and will not yield under any circumstances. Have I passed on the right? Yep... all the time... an unfortunate necessity. When someone comes up on my tail, I yield... no biggie. Others are bound & determined to stake their claim on that left hand lane... and will not relinquish under any circumstances. Have I tailgated? Yep, you bet. It's almost a requirement in L.A. Leaving the proper distance between vehicles is an invitation to 3 or so cars to slide in front of you. Have I BEEN tailgated? Yep... tho I could care less... I focus more on what's going on ahead of me... not behind. Usually, if someone's tailgating me, I'll try to get over... and no, I don't brake check. Have I been brake checked? Yep... tho any more, I'm more likely to just roll into them (I'm older & have better insurance!) Plus, I'm usually driving a 7,000 pound 3/4 ton 4x4 truck, which doesn't exactly stop on a dime (or handle quick transitions that well). Am I an A-hole? Probably... but so are the left lane hogs & brake checkers. I try NOT to drive during peak hours these days (a difficult proposition)... it's just a recipe for stress & anxiety... and tends to promote "undesirable driving etiquette"...

I guess this little topic might be called "Lane Discipline". Obviously the Honda Pilot in the video was not particularly concerned about it. But that brings up a whole flurry of issues about WHERE you should drive SLOWLY when a road has more than one lane going in the same direction. It is also obvious to me that we can't all be going slow in any lane we choose, because if everyone did that...well, you get the idea. So here may be some common courtesies, even when "drive to the right" is not posted: 1) TWO lanes: "slow" belongs on the right. (In Germany, it is the law. Pass only on the left. Flash lights to announce your faster speed in the left lane, and want someone there to move to the right.) 2) THREE lanes: Here, it may get complicated: ...a) Suburban/rural: "slow" should still be the RIGHT lane, with the other two for passing. ...b) Urban: "slow" should be the CENTER lane, with the left-most lane used for passing (or a rare left exit); and the right lane (ENTRY lane) for vehicles that enter from the many on-ramps in cities. 3) FOUR (or more) lanes, in cities and high-traffic density areas: "slow" should be the 2ND LANE from the right, again to allow easy entry of vehicles coming from the right. Again, left lanes are for passing. Yes, it is OK to pass a vehicle on the right if there is no other good choice (as in traffic slowing down in the left lane for a left exit), but for ordinary TWO or THREE lane highways, passing on the right should be a last option after flashing lights has failed. (I would not advocate honking horns for that: it's too disruptive and may be antagonizing, and should be relegated for emergency use only.) In my experience, there has to be some convention that we all agree upon, or traffic becomes little more than automotive anarchy, with bullying and aggression being the rule of the day, --- as in Russia. If there are any law enforcement or traffic management folks on the TTAC commenters list, please let us know if these findings/suggestions are off base.... ===================