In my stock-looking truck, I'd get the occasional tailgater, but I am frequently getting tailgated and literally harassed by other drivers. In three months of ownership, I can clearly recall eight bad situations.
Most recently, on 4/3/17, I was tailgated and literally chased by a lifted truck. I won't say my speed but it was certainly socially acceptable and definitely not below the speed limit at all. He had pulled on from a side street, quickly caught up and easily got within three feet from the back of my car, occasionally closer. He put all of his lights on me, shifting his truck to the side so that one was shining in my left mirror and the other directly in the back window. My eyes were tearing up in seconds from dealing with the light!
A frame grab from my dash cam shows the effect pretty well.
![2017-04-03_232211 High Beams.jpg]()
The dark area in the middle are my headlights illuminating the area where his headlights were blocked by my car. I say headlights but one can tell the truck had far, far, far more than stock lighting including purple high beams.
My nature is to avoid confrontation and soon made a sudden left turn at speed (couldn't safety touch my brakes to make the needed right). What I didn't expect is that he then chased me down crossing in front of me at a residential intersection where I got a good look at the driver (likely a high school or college student) and incidentally got his license plate number as he passed by. Don't worry, I went the other direction!
I have had it happen twice in Atlanta last month. However, in one of those, karma did strike when one tailgated me just as badly for a couple of miles and even sounded off his "train horn" even though I was following a Tahoe, both of us were going a reasonable speed. The Tahoe was an unmarked police car! hehe
I'm not a slow driver, use the left lane for passing, never tailgate, don't use the "Low" mode in the Volt much (down major hills mostly,) always use the indicators and in fact, probably drive a bit too politely, like a native rural Texan would/should. Heck, I've even had a good friend who was a retired officer of 35/36 years say I was the most courteous driver he had ever ridden with.
Oh, and one incident happened with a dealer tech driving trying to figure out my ongoing CS MPG problem where the truck tailgated, passed and then brake checked us and yelled something about 'Government Motors' at the next light. So maybe that is the root of the problem because I have not seen this in any of my other vehicles, except for the fact that they are also GM products.
Anyhow, I'm still trying put this latest incident out of my mind and am curious how often this goes on and does it happen more with the Volt or have I just been 'unlucky' lately.
Now I need to run an errand. I think I'll take the truck. This time.
Most recently, on 4/3/17, I was tailgated and literally chased by a lifted truck. I won't say my speed but it was certainly socially acceptable and definitely not below the speed limit at all. He had pulled on from a side street, quickly caught up and easily got within three feet from the back of my car, occasionally closer. He put all of his lights on me, shifting his truck to the side so that one was shining in my left mirror and the other directly in the back window. My eyes were tearing up in seconds from dealing with the light!
A frame grab from my dash cam shows the effect pretty well.
The dark area in the middle are my headlights illuminating the area where his headlights were blocked by my car. I say headlights but one can tell the truck had far, far, far more than stock lighting including purple high beams.
My nature is to avoid confrontation and soon made a sudden left turn at speed (couldn't safety touch my brakes to make the needed right). What I didn't expect is that he then chased me down crossing in front of me at a residential intersection where I got a good look at the driver (likely a high school or college student) and incidentally got his license plate number as he passed by. Don't worry, I went the other direction!
I have had it happen twice in Atlanta last month. However, in one of those, karma did strike when one tailgated me just as badly for a couple of miles and even sounded off his "train horn" even though I was following a Tahoe, both of us were going a reasonable speed. The Tahoe was an unmarked police car! hehe
I'm not a slow driver, use the left lane for passing, never tailgate, don't use the "Low" mode in the Volt much (down major hills mostly,) always use the indicators and in fact, probably drive a bit too politely, like a native rural Texan would/should. Heck, I've even had a good friend who was a retired officer of 35/36 years say I was the most courteous driver he had ever ridden with.
Oh, and one incident happened with a dealer tech driving trying to figure out my ongoing CS MPG problem where the truck tailgated, passed and then brake checked us and yelled something about 'Government Motors' at the next light. So maybe that is the root of the problem because I have not seen this in any of my other vehicles, except for the fact that they are also GM products.
Anyhow, I'm still trying put this latest incident out of my mind and am curious how often this goes on and does it happen more with the Volt or have I just been 'unlucky' lately.
Now I need to run an errand. I think I'll take the truck. This time.
