Brake checking - thoughts?

[sebhaque]

Brake checking has always been something that conflicts my judgement - while I've never been a (direct) recipient of a brake check, nor have I done it to someone else, I'm not sure what to think of it.

I'm referring to slamming on the brakes for a split second when someone's tailgating you, to make the car dive under braking and to "scare" the person behind you.

I can understand why people do it - can't imagine being 3 feet off a fully braking car is any comfort, and if anything it'll get a tailgater off your arse quickly. Then again, it seems like a very tttish thing to do because of the perceived arrogance. I don't know what to think - what is the PH consensus? Bear in mind I don't plan to do it any time soon (I value my cars and NCB far too much for that) but curiosity is a cruel mistress.

The reason I ask is that on the way home today I saw 3 brake checks. Two by cars who were being tailgated by MLMs, one of which the MLM would dawdle at 55 behind a truck in the middle lane without overtaking (clear outside lane), but then accelerate hard to 80ish when the middle lane was clear. I overtook them 3 or 4 times just by their ignorance to the lanes outside. Only came up on the second one as it happened, and the third one was in the outside lane, BMW on the arse of a car in front going a fair lick quicker than me (pfft, typical BMW drivers. Doesn't bode well that I was in mine, eh?) when I'm guessing the car in front had had enough. It worked in all instances, but I can't see it being a very gentlemanly/PH tactic.

[davepoth]

It's dangerous driving; at best it's going to ps off the person behind. At worst, the person behind won't have ABS, locks all four wheels in a panic stop, and spears into another vehicle.

[Beyond Rational]

A conflict of judgement?

Does it seem like a good idea to try to 'teach someone a lesson' when they are meters from your bumper at 70+?

[Speed_Demon]

It's a terrible idea.

But I've done it a few times. I don't do it harshly, but I make what I mean clear. Had an accident (I wasn't the drive) on the motorway where the car infront had to brake heavily and so the car I was in braked hard, the tailgater behind us, did of course go straight into us. Don't want to risk that again.

I am fully aware of the irony of what I just wrote, seeing as the brake checking could course an accident, hence I don't do it too harshly and flash hazards, if that fails, I'll just do what I can to get away.

[Diabolik]

I've never had the need to do it, and probably never would even if I was in that situation - but I wouldn't really call it slamming the brakes on. Isn't it more of a gentle touch just to make the brake lights come on and scare the bd?

[rottie102]

Diabolik said:

I've never had the need to do it, and probably never would even if I was in that situation - but I wouldn't really call it slamming the brakes on. Isn't it more of a gentle touch just to make the brake lights come on and scare the bd?

Exactly, gentle tap on brakes AND accelerating at the same time. I do it when a moron sits on my bumper when I have nowhere to go because other lanes are full and I will continue to do so.

[McSam]

There are two types of brake checking, in my opinion - one is being the slightly arrogant-looking and more than slightly dangerous driver and actually slamming the anchors on momentarily to force the driver behind to brake hard and rethink their actions. Seems a bit mental to me, that one, if they're close enough to need it they're close enough to reshape my bootlid.

The other sort, the only one I'd consider doing - though haven't had to yet - would be keeping the same throttle applied, but dabbing the brakes with the left foot just enough to get the lights on for a second or two. Hopefully impulse will get the twunt to brake and think.

But if they're being really irritating I'll let them by, or, depending on my mood, just ps off over the horizon - both probably better options.

[S1_RS]

I used to do it regularly as a novice driver, these days I find just coming off the accelerator completely and slowing right down does the trick.

[mp3manager]

As a truck driver I carry high-value loads which are targeted by criminals. As part of my annual defensive driving course, standing on the brakes and brake checking is taught as an anti-hijacking technique.

I don't want to be hijacked and have a gun shoved in my face/baseball bat over the head, so if a vehicle is following me at 53mph for mile after mile on the motorway, I *will* stand on the brakes.

Edited by mp3manager on Monday 24th January 01:27

[deviant]

Brake checking to teach someone a lesson is stupid...really really stupid.

I dont rate just flashing youyr brake lights without slowing down much higher than that, you do not know how the following driver will react. Maybe they will slam their brakes on and the person tailgating them might slam in to them.

The safest and least stressful option for yourself is to get yourself in to a position where the tailgater can get past...slow down, move over, let them go and you resume your journey and get to sit back and watch them working themself in to a lather stuck behind the ext car.

If you can't get them past you then all you can do is substantially increase the distance in front of you so that you have space to absorb fluctuations in traffic speed ahead or if they slam their brakes on you have space to slow down more gradually.

[winterwinter]

deviant said:

Brake checking to teach someone a lesson is stupid...really really stupid.

I dont rate just flashing youyr brake lights without slowing down much higher than that, you do not know how the following driver will react. Maybe they will slam their brakes on and the person tailgating them might slam in to them.

The safest and least stressful option for yourself is to get yourself in to a position where the tailgater can get past...slow down, move over, let them go and you resume your journey and get to sit back and watch them working themself in to a lather stuck behind the ext car.

If you can't get them past you then all you can do is substantially increase the distance in front of you so that you have space to absorb fluctuations in traffic speed ahead or if they slam their brakes on you have space to slow down more gradually.

sounds nice point for sure.

[fatboy b]

S1_RS said:

I used to do it regularly as a novice driver, these days I find just coming off the accelerator completely and slowing right down does the trick.

^^ This, though I also find my windscreen needs washing too

[Digby]

mp3manager said:

As a truck driver I carry high-value loads which are targeted by criminals. As part of my annual defensive driving course, standing on the brakes and brake checking is taught as an anti-hijacking technique.

I don't want to be hijacked and have a gun shoved in my face/baseball bat over the head, so if a vehicle is following me at 53mph for mile after mile on the motorway, I *will* stand on the brakes.

Edited by mp3manager on Monday 24th January 01:27

Can I ask what that is expected to do to the potential crims in the car behind? Also, are you talking about doing this in the UK? I only ask as during my regular laps of the M25 etc, I see cars doing exactly what you say on a daily basis.Lots of them in fact! I assume some people are just a bit nervous of motorways, others want to save fuel and others are just in no real hurry.

[Larry Dickman]

fatboy b said:

S1_RS said:

I used to do it regularly as a novice driver, these days I find just coming off the accelerator completely and slowing right down does the trick.

^^ This, though I also find my windscreen needs washing too

Never understood this. Why give someone a free screen wash when they're pissing you off? In winter when my nozzles have frozen I know what to do now, follow you about.

[HundredthIdiot]

Tailgating is aggressive, unsafe and/or incompetent driving.

Brake checking is therefore escalating a situation with someone who has proven themselves aggressive, unsafe and/or incompetent.

This will end badly.

Also, they may be unmarked plod.

This will end badly.

[OwenK]

I think brake checking is just asking for trouble. In addition to all the reasons given above, I've always thought that you're just making a boy cried wolf situation - by brake checking an irritable and unsafe driver, he's not going to give as much urgency to your brake lights next time they come on, which might be the time you've crested a hill to see traffic stopped in front of you...

Just let them get on with it, move out of their way. You're not the police.

[isee]

S1_RS said:

I used to do it regularly as a novice driver, these days I find just coming off the accelerator completely and slowing right down does the trick.

That! I find that no brake lights and a gentle slowing down is a lot more irritating for the tailgater and requires even more concentration, always resulting in an overtake byt he tailgater or icnreasing the distance.

[carreauchompeur]

I would do the latter- Gently ease off the gas, it lessens the danger from the car too close by increasing available stopping distance from the car in front of you. Plus, it's nice and subtle, and has the capacity to really wind someone up without being overtly aggressive!

[kambites]

I tend to just slow down to increase the gap to the car in front and then let them past if it's reasonable to do so. One day they'll try it on the wrong car and suffer for it, but I'm not going to put myself and the others around me at risk in a (probably futile) attempt to change their ways.

Edited by kambites on Monday 24th January 08:55

[Dr Doofenshmirtz]

It's much safer to be in the outside lane at 90+mph, overtaking all these idiots and getting the hell out of their way!!
That's what I will say when the inevitable happens anyway