slieker@orc.DEC (Graham Slieker DTN 247,2917) (03/28/85)
Subject: High Beams behind you solution I'am surprized no one has mentioned the obvious solution to this problem which I discovered years ago. On every one of my cars I mount a 130 watt driving light on the left rear bumper aimed to hit the driver behind me square in the face at about 3 car lengths. When one of these dips comes up behind me with his brights on I start with the polite approach,I flash my foward lights a couple of times,no response, I flash my rear light,still no response, I turn it on and leave it on. No one has been able to survive more than 10 seconds of this. In fact they usually pull off the road and stop,sometimes not under complete control either. It is really quite effective. I had an amusing experience with this technique up in Maine some time back. I had some jackass right on my tail with his brights on so I gave him the preferred treatment. When I turned my rear light on I could clearly make out the Troopers arm come up under the brim of his hat to protect his eyes. I then saw some colored flashing lights,oddly enough. He wanted to know "what the hell I was doing?" "Well nothing sir" I replied "its just an errant backup light" "Well get the goddamn thing fixed" he grumbled getting back into his car turning off his high beams and driving away. Sure its a backup light, when you turn it on everybody behind you -- BACKS UP. This is almost as much fun as the "tailgater treatment" you know the story, some deranged fool 10 inchs off your rear bumper. No matter how fast or slow you go he is right there and won't pass. I tap my brakes enough to turn on the lights a couple of times after slowing down hoping he will pass. If he still doesn't get the message, then simultaneously stand on the gas with your right foot,turn on the brake lights with your left foot and haul on the parking brake enough to get a screech and hopefully smoke off the rear tires without slowing down the car. The response is amusing as hell, sometimes they go right off the road. a word of caution here, make sure there is no one behind the tailgater when you do this since you don't want to cause a multiple car accident,one is plenty. Graham Slieker decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-orc!slieker
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (03/29/85)
> > Subject: High Beams behind you solution > Re: the backup lights and contortions on the pedals solution to tailgaters: I like these solutions!! The "dips" behind you deserve whatever they get. What if you had seen a deer on the road and quickly tapped your brakes? Unbeknownst to you, the guy behind promptly flips his car in panic. Serves him right. Although I can't believe anyone would still have high beams on after getting the royal treatment from your "backup light". For real? -- -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP) klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)