People who tap and ride their brakes on freeways and highways when there is no one in front of them

[Jedi2016]

Yeah, saw one of these today right before I got home. When he actually started slowing down, I didn't know it except by watching his car. That's what makes these people so dangerous, it's exactly the same as driving with no brake lights at all, which is illegal as fuck.

I've always assumed it's those people that learned to drive always keeping one foot on the brake "so you can react faster in an emergency", but of course you can't just hover your foot there indefinitely, so they end up resting it on the pedal, hence the constant braking. I imagine they go through brake pads at least five times the normal rate and probably have no idea why.

 

[SlasherMcGirk]

Look it's raining and very wet and my tires aren't so good okay!

 

[steejee]

Ultimate boss:

Left lane
Very slight long downhill
Inconsistent speed
Random braking
Edit for shintoki: (Mostly) Matching speed with next lane
Final Fantasy Optional Boss: "Speed Trap" marking on Google Maps (which is never actually a speed trap)

Example: All Connecticut interstate freeways, or CT15 if you hate yourself and want to toss in 'No shoulder and definitely an accident somewhere' in.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Look it's raining and very wet and my tires aren't so good okay!

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😊

 

[shintoki]

Ultimate boss:

Left lane
Very slight long downhill
Inconsistent speed
Random braking

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If you add pacing the car to the right. I was going to call the police.

 

[steejee]

If you add pacing the car to the right. I was going to call the police.

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You MONSTER

 

[AstronaughtE]

My new favorite thing is when a person (typically a suv or big pickup truck) refuses to leave the passing lane, and is being tailgated by a person who refuses to change lanes to pass. I kept an eye on a pair doing this for like ten miles. Dude in front tapping their brakes angrily, dude in back flashing their lights angrily, and there was nothing but open road in either lane for as far as the eye can see.

 

[Karateka]

Maybe it's night time and they are worried about deer running onto the road.

Or one of the hundred other reasons someone might have to slow down while driving

 

[StreetsAhead]

Ultimate boss:

Left lane
Very slight long downhill
Inconsistent speed
Random braking

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This was basically my situation. The perfect storm.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Maybe it's night time and they are worried about deer running onto the road.

Or one of the hundred other reasons someone might have to slow down while driving

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Nah afternoon, broad daylight. 😂

 

[The Lord of Cereal]

i always guessed it was folks without cruise control who didnt know how to regulate their speed, but that was back in the day before every single car had cruise control

learn how to use cruise control, fuckos

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I drive like 90 miles a day for my commute (45 miles there and back) but I fucking hate cruise control. Makes me feel like I don't have full control of the vehicle and in the like 3 times I've used it just made me much more uncomfortable than I like.

I truly don't understand why people don't use cruise control on highways. The weird passing game you describe is absolutely infuriating and inexplicable. What's so great about constantly varying your speed that so many people are obsessed with doing it? I can't wait to get a new car with adaptive cruise control or some level of self driving so I can stop being enraged by this

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Because cruise control is terrible, I'm able to maintain a given speed and adapt it based on various conditions on my own without using any electronic nannies and generally speaking I just don't like it.

Also given how many jackasses go like 60 in the fast lane I have to imagine it'd be much more trouble than it's worth using cruise control when again, I'm perfectly capable of maintaining a speed manually.

 

[AstronaughtE]

I drive like 90 miles a day for my commute (45 miles there and back) but I fucking hate cruise control. Makes me feel like I don't have full control of the vehicle and in the like 3 times I've used it just made me much more uncomfortable than I like.

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I'll use cruise but I hover my foot painfully above the pedals out of fear.

 

[Funkybee]

Context? My initial take is OP could very well be tailgating.

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Nah I doubt. I see this shit happening everyday. The road is empty ahead of them, speed limit is 40mph, I prefer to stay far away from cars and I see some drivers hitting the brakes intermittently. My guess is that they're looking/texting on their phones and hit the brakes so they don't speed. The amount of stupid shit I see everyday is ridiculous.

 

[RedCrake]

My grandmother didn't learn to drive until the mid 70s when she was 50 years old. She drove with one foot on the gas and one on the brake. An absolute saint of a woman but a complete horrorshow to ride with on the highway.

 

[GameAddict411]

Yes, the person in the rear has an expectation to maintain a safe following distance. If you're following closely enough to the car in front of you that you couldn't stop without hitting them if they slam their brakes, you're too close and you'll be found at fault.

That's not what no fault insurance means. No fault insurance is medical coverage afforded by your insurance that will pay out regardless of your fault. The at fault driver would still be responsible for other damages.

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That's not how it works in Michigan. If someone hits you, your insurance covers and the not the other person.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

Nah I doubt. I see this shit happening everyday. The road is empty ahead of them, speed limit is 40mph, I prefer to stay far away from cars and I see some drivers hitting the brakes intermittently. My guess is that they're looking/texting on their phones and hit the brakes so they don't speed. The amount of stupid shit I see everyday is ridiculous.

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*nods*

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I just assume shit driver not comfortable choosing to go 23 in a 40 down a one lane road "just to be safe".

Regardless of speed I don't advocate tailgating. As soon as a lane opens up though? Fuck em. Time to goooooooooooo.

 

[Faces of Death]

Those people are annoying, but I just pass them. The worst for me are the ones who keep going between 100 and 110. Like pick a fucking speed or use cruise control. Even with adaptive cruise it's still annoying,

I'll always pass people like this more aggressively. I never cut them off but I make sure they hear me coming.

While I'm in the topic of passing, I also hate people who take forever to pass. Highways are mostly single lane in my area, so you pass in the oncoming traffic lane unless a dedicated lane comes up. Some people just go like 10 over, which can get others stuck behind them or unable to pass. Whenever I pass someone, whether in a passing lane or the oncoming one, I'm gone. I pass quickly and get back in my lane.

 

[Tigress]

If their brakes wear out and cause them to get into a wreck in the future, ain't my problem 🤷‍♂️

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It is if you are the one they wreck into :P

 

[pyxl_8]

Cruise control knows how to deal with wet roads.

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Tell me how the behaviour of cruise control changes when there's a runoff running across the road, or one half of the lane has standing water. Describe the measures cruise control takes to avoid aquaplaning, and how it compares to me instead being in direct control of the car's speed. Please.

 

[nanskee]

This used to drive me nuts, especially in the fast lane. I've chalked it up to people driving manual, they want to cause accident or they can't drive,

 

[Funkelpop]

They are assholes and believe me I'm an asshole too.

 

[julia crawford]

Is this a US thing? I don't even know what y'all are talking about

 

[nanskee]

I coast and maintain speed very well on highways and adjust my braking based on the person behind me, so few people are cognizant of their behavior and how it influences traffic flow.

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A lot of people don't know how to coast it seems, just accelerate and brake

 

[JonnyDBrit]

Is this a US thing? I don't even know what y'all are talking about

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'Riding the brakes' refers to people having their brake constantly pressed on, which from what I gather is especially common an issue with automatics (since the brake ends up the fundamental control on movement), and thus, prevalent in the US.

So as a manual user here living in the UK, I'm not 100% sure if I'd unwittingly qualify, since I do often use the brakes to bring myself back down to a reasonable speed (usually with a 'soft' touch on the motorway too, specifically to avoid anyone suddenly having to react), because it's easy for me to get above a speed, while I need to quickly get myself back down because my insurance is based on telematics box. They tolerate occasionally, unwittingly going over, but I've gotta ride that line.

While for anyone saying 'but cruise control', sorry to say that's still not a fully standard feature, especially on cheaper and/or used models. I've gone from a Vauxhall Meriva 2007 to a Suzuki Swift 2018 (though with a 2017 registry), and while the latter has a world of difference in various creature comforts, one thing absent for both vehicles is cruise control. So... even if it doesn't necessarily apply to the specific individuals with whom the OP is experienced and that must have prompted this thread, in general principle there are circumstances that would contribute to this phenomenon

 

[Bushy-Doe Blade]

There's a special place in hell for people who drive like that… but we call it Virginia.

I kid, VA drivers are cool… sometimes.

 

[Joe White]

Always expect that car in front can suddenly apply break with or without reason, and this isn't anything that adaptive cruise control couldn't handle. If the behaviour continues then just pass the car. Shouldn't be reason to feel anger or assume malice.

 

[Dr. Mario]

Most likely

1. They're an idiot who don't know how to drive
2. You're tailgating them and they want to fuck you back
3. Fucking around with the cruise control
4. It's regenerative braking and one pedal driving, look it up

As someone who exclusively one pedal drives now, I must be super annoying to anyone behind me. But I don't care they're behind me so they're losing the race anyway.