Brake checking - why?

[wazzuFreddo]

I like watching the break check fail videos on YouTube.

Especially the ones where people in cars forget physics is a thing, break check an 18 wheeler and get completely asspacked because there is no way a truck can slow in time.

 

[250mL]

Forget all your NASCAR analogies for a moment. And let’s also say that I don’t purposely brake check people which I’ll explain why later. So it’s not a “brake check” here, but this situation I’ll lay out here would feel all the same to you. Let’s just assume we’re driving down the freeway with you behind me. I’m going 75mph in the #1 HOV lane and you’re tailgating me. Let’s also say that this is commute time so maybe the #2 lane is maybe moving 25 at the most. Then all of a sudden someone decides to just cut into the #1 lane right in front of me so I mash the brakes on my car in an attempt to avoid or at least mitigate a collision with the fool that cut in front of me.

Sooooooo, not only are you going to hit me which is already completely your fault, but you’re actually going to fucking bury the throttle in some attempt to spin me out of the way and drive through the wreck like you’ve watched Days of Thunder just way too much? Which of course will either push me into the fool that cut me off, or worse, spin me. On a crowded fucking freeway while going 75 with a divider wall on one side of me, and slow moving cars on the other side of me, you would just spin me and turn me into a pinball. That’s your MO? Are you actually serious?


I drive a lot of cars. The majority of them are not mine. If I got rear ended in one of those, even if it’s totally not my fault, that’s still going to be a very uncomfortable conversation with one of my customers. Or worse? Let’s say I’m in my wife’s new Audi. Even though it’s a SUV, it’s brakes are absolutely phenomenal and can outstop at least 95% of anything out there. And the above situation happens where some psychopath tailgater actually spins me out and totals the god damn thing. You got $65k in property damage coverage on your insurance, or do you have the minimum $15k like most, and then I’d have to sue you for the rest? Assuming I even lived after a wreck like that.

Can we agree that my statement was a bit over the top?

I get your situation. If we are moving at 75 and the next lane is clogged at 25, there's no reason to tailgate. That is the end of your scenario as it concerns my theoretical actions. But as an aside, I think fault would be given to the one who made an unsafe lane change and would be responsible for any resulting pileup (that's with or without a theoretical tailgater).

My tailgating is reserved for those oblivious to the fact that they are doing 65 when the lane next to them is doing 64. Please sacrifice the 1 MPH differential and move the F over so that others can proceed at 75.

If I'm the only A-Hole on the road at the time, I will pass you with a purpose and not take my time about it, and you are free to move back over to resume "overtaking" at 65 MPH while the guy next to you is doing 64MPH, but please check your mirrors and let the next A-hole pass you by (I'd rather you stay out of the lane though).

Really, if one is so incensed about dropping 1MPH and falling in line behind the guy doing 64, how do you think those who desire to do the 75, but are trapped behind your 65 are feeling? Seriously, move over.

But in a situation where someone goes out of there way to brake check, again, their self preservation instincts already went out the window, but mine are just kicking in. I will certainly try to brake first to avoid incident, but if I'm going to loose control, I will do what I can to maintain it. Again, maybe a bit over the top since I have watched Days of Thunder, and also have not taken a proper driving course.

 

[cfives]

Probably best to define terms so that everyone is more likely to be talking about the same thing.

I think that the classic definition of brake checking is the abrupt and strong application of your brakes, in an attempt to modify the behavior of the tailgater behind you by providing a worst case example of what could go wrong. I don't recall ever doing that, but do lightly double tap my brakes to alert the person behind me to pay attention, similar to when slowing down to a stop light/sign.

 

[jt2]

Pull your handbrake up one click. The brake lights stay on without engaging brakes.

I've never seen a car where the parking brake engages the brake lights. You might want to test that theory.

Even better, in a stick shift (if it'll let you, many won't) is to push the clutch ALL the way down, and put it in reverse, and watch how quickly they get off your ass...

Yep. If you either have the only syncromesh reverse gear on the planet, or have superhuman strength and actually are successful in getting it into reverse, they'll have to get off your ass to dodge all the transmission parts and oil exiting your car.

 

[TheRobSJ]

I have never brake checked anyone as far as I can remember. But I can see why people do it I guess. Tailgating is dangerous and a great way to ruin some days for everyone involved. As I said before, I drive a lot of cars. Some are very high performance, and it’s pretty obvious that my stopping distance is a lot better than whatever the hell is behind me. Once you factor in reaction time on top of my superior stopping ability, it’s a foregone conclusion that I’m getting rear ended if I should need to jump on the brakes for any reason. This makes me very nervous when someone tailgates me when I’m driving a car like that. Even if I got nowhere to go since there’s traffic in front of me not going faster, someone who doesn’t understand physics will tailgate me. If a quick tap of the brakes and a feint of slowing down might make someone back the hell off? I can see why people might brake check.


Now here’s a story that I still kinda feel bad about to this day even though this happened over 15 years ago and really this isn’t my fault at all. Was doing about 65 on 237 in the #2 lane because #1 was HOV and I was by myself. I’m in a full size truck. Some fool in a small sedan is tailgating so close that I can’t even see the front of their car in my mirror anymore because the tailgate blocked my vision. Of course traffic came to a sudden stop as it frequently does on 237. This car behind me is so close and my truck is bigger than their car, I know damn well they don’t see around me. I didn’t want to jump on the brakes since they were so fucking close that they absolutely couldn’t have reacted in time and the certainty would’ve rear ended me and maybe even submarines a bit under my bumper. Instead I decided it was safer (for me) and less drama involved to just mosey over into the #1 lane as nobody was next to me. Imagine the tailgater’s surprise when their entire view changed from a black truck tailgate and chrome bumper under it to a car dead stopped in front of them they were closing on doing 65 and they were less than 50 feet away. If their foot even made it to the brake at all, they still had to have hit going at least 60. I heard the rather loud smack and in my mirror I saw a small dust cloud and I shit you not, parts flying up in the air at least 25 feet. At least one person in that exchange had to have been hurt pretty bad I’m sure. Part of me is glad the tailgater got totally fucked, but unfortunately someone else had to pay a price there. What is that like using a proxy to brake check someone then?

 

[Blankpage]

I deal with tailgaters by dropping thumbtacks from a trapdoor in my trunk and releasing my smokescreen canister

 

[scootergmc]

WTF? Congratulations, you completed the same zipper/merge move...albeit 1/4 mile too damn early. The same shit is happening in CA as other states...everyone is merging. There's just a disagreement on the timing of when it should take place. Who's to say 1/2 mile early is more appropriate than 1/4 mile early...??? The lines/cones in the lanes tell me both 1/2 and 1/4 mile merging is too early. Don't get butthurt because we're following the lines/cones. I do not condone crossing into the breakdown lane though, that is certainly reason to call one an AHole.

Absolutely. I did it last night. However I've seen many states use "Use both lanes to merge point" signs or something similar in their construction signage. Traffic engineers have this all figured out. Why they don't use the signs and encourage it here only screams for another Caltrans joke.

 

[mean dad]

WTF? Congratulations, you completed the same zipper/merge move...albeit 1/4 mile too damn early.

You and the guy earlier are completely ignoring the fact that when people wait to the last second, they are now slamming on their brakes...

Ridiculous to claim the lane needs to stay open for 84 fucking car lengths, but it's also ridiculous to instantly counter with "Oh my god so they're going to wait until the last fucking second and slam on their brakes and cut someone off!!1!"

You don't suppose there's a happy medium?

 

[scootergmc]

You don't suppose there's a happy medium?

Follow the cones until two become one. It's pretty simple.

 

[Climber]

Ridiculous to claim the lane needs to stay open for 84 fucking car lengths, but it's also ridiculous to instantly counter with "Oh my god so they're going to wait until the last fucking second and slam on their brakes and cut someone off!!1!"

You don't suppose there's a happy medium?

You're missing the whole point. If cars merge before they get to the single lane, traffic moves along much better than if you have assholes who wait until there is no choice.

Courtesy. It does make a big difference.

 

[MotoCat]

Probably best to define terms so that everyone is more likely to be talking about the same thing.

I think that the classic definition of brake checking is the abrupt and strong application of your brakes, in an attempt to modify the behavior of the tailgater behind you by providing a worst case example of what could go wrong. I don't recall ever doing that, but do lightly double tap my brakes to alert the person behind me to pay attention, similar to when slowing down to a stop light/sign.

This is a good explanation and I think we're all on the same page as far as brake checking goes. There's also mention of lightly tapping the brakes, letting off the gas and merging, but it seems like we get it.

People have mentioned motives of the desire to control others and to teach them a lesson, but I still stand by the opinion that making someone abruptly brake by doing the exact same thing has got to be one of the most pointless things ever.

 

[Climber]

This is a good explanation and I think we're all on the same page as far as brake checking goes. There's also mention of lightly tapping the brakes, letting off the gas and merging, but it seems like we get it.

People have mentioned motives of the desire to control others and to teach them a lesson, but I still stand by the opinion that making someone abruptly brake by doing the exact same thing has got to be one of the most pointless things ever.

Not pointless, just as tailgating is a statement, applying brakes to indicate that you don't appreciate them on your ass is also a statement.

Now, there are two cases here:
1. You're driving along and either are behind somebody in the fast lane or passing people in the next lane over and somebody comes up and immediately moves up to where they are just a few feet behind your bumper.
2. You're driving along in the fast lane, nobody is in front of you and the lane beside you is either going the same speed or faster, in other words you're just sitting in that lane, somebody comes up behind you and seeing that you're just parking in that lane, gets on your tail to let you know that you should GTF out of the lane instead of parking there.

In case 1, the tailgater is an asshole or at least doing an asshole move. In case 2, you're the asshole and, at least initially, the tailgater is letting you know that you should get out of the lane and get with the program.

Now, there are also two kinds of brake checking:
1. You push down on the brakes enough to force them to get on the brakes but not hard enough to force them to panic brake or hit you.
2. You mash on the brakes, forcing them into panic braking.

Granted, there are many shades in between.

I have never done either, but I have let my foot off the gas pedal and slowed the fuck down when I encounter an asshole tailgater when I either have somebody in front of me or I am in the process of passing a group of cars and it's not reasonable to expect me to suddenly put on my brakes and move over to let an impatient asshole past.

 

[SFSV650]

I got cut off baad doing 65 on hwy 13 by someone doing about 55. I got on the brakes hard and let him know I was there with the horn. He responded with an extended middle digit as he stood on his brakes.

I avoided vaporizing his econobox Nissan with 4,000lbs of swedish steel because I can outbrake him, but I do wonder if he would have behaved differently if he realized I had a dashcam running.

Tl;dr - get a dashcam.

 

[Climber]

I got cut off baad doing 65 on hwy 13 by someone doing about 55. I got on the brakes hard and let him know I was there with the horn. He responded with an extended middle digit as he stood on his brakes.

I avoided vaporizing his econobox Nissan with 4,000lbs of swedish steel because I can outbrake him, but I do wonder if he would have behaved differently if he realized I had a dashcam running.

Tl;dr - get a dashcam.

Post the video on youtube.

 

[scootergmc]

You're missing the whole point. If cars merge before they get to the single lane, traffic moves along much better than if you have assholes who wait until there is no choice.

Courtesy. It does make a big difference.

And traffic engineers who have studied the issue will tell you exactly the opposite. Educating people is the biggest hurdle to overcome the "assholes" as you put it.

Education. It does make a big difference.

 

[mean dad]

You're missing the whole point. If cars merge before they get to the single lane, traffic moves along much better than if you have assholes who wait until there is no choice.

Courtesy. It does make a big difference.

Jesus it's like you're being obstinate to be obstinate.

There is no reason to leave 84 car lengths open. Here's the part you're having trouble following: you also don't have to wait until the last second and slam on your brakes or wait until two lanes become one.

The happy medium is merging much closer than 1/4 mile, but not ten feet from the cones.

 

[Climber]

Jesus it's like you're being obstinate to be obstinate.

There is no reason to leave 84 car lengths open. Here's the part you're having trouble following: you also don't have to wait until the last second and slam on your brakes or wait until two lanes become one.

The happy medium is merging much closer than 1/4 mile, but not ten feet from the cones.

There is no reason for it to be 1/4 mile, that was just an observation that with 1/4 mile remaining everybody had already merged.

What is your preference? That they merge right up to the single lane?

Why are you stressing on '84 car lengths'? What have you lost with everybody merging well before the single lane? You think they're stupid?

 

[Climber]

And traffic engineers who have studied the issue will tell you exactly the opposite. Educating people is the biggest hurdle to overcome the "assholes" as you put it.

Education. It does make a big difference.

You can try to educate them, but at least around here the opportunists will always fuck up traffic by taking advantage of the courtesy of others.

 

[scootergmc]

You can try to educate them, but at least around here the opportunists will always fuck up traffic by taking advantage of the courtesy of others.

You're hung up on the courtesy, not the reality. I'm only educating you at this point.

 

[Climber]

You're hung up on the courtesy, not the reality. I'm only educating you at this point.

How are you educating me?

Courtesy is necessary for good traffic flow. Lack of courtesy results in far more traffic jams. I've seen this in practice for decades.

I don't know WTF you're educating me on, it's really quite simple and absolute.