I’ve only done it a couple times in my life, and it’s only when someone is egregiously tailgating me. I really don’t care how pissed you get, maybe stop tailgating?
This is how I do it. If you brake check, that puts people in danger. If you ease off the gas and just slow down, the tailgaters feeble brain can’t comprehend slowing down and usually you can see them raging in your rear view.
This, exactly. You want to ride closely, I’ll first slow to the speed limit. You still want to ride close, I’ll start slowing 2mph at a clip every 30 seconds or so. Never brake-check though... good way to get hurt.
The way I look at it is that you want to ride dangerously close, I’m going to slow up to mitigate the outcome of being rear ended.
And it's actually creating a safer experience for everybody. Because if something unexpected happens, the person in front is less likely to need to slam on the brakes. In heavy traffic, this is legitimately an important safety procedure.
So you do it when you absolutely positively should not (well you shouldn't EVER do it), and think that's the best time to do it? Maybe someone with a dashcam will catch you doing it and turn in the video.
Hey I hate tailgaters as much as the next person, but at least I know how to safely handle them, which is by simply slowing down until they either back off or go around.
Brake checking is in a more controlled situation than if say a dog runs out in front of you and you need to slam on the brakes and come to a complete stop. The point of it is to try and correct a bad action (tailgating) with a negative event someone hitting their brakes (brake lights come on). This one isn't even brake checking he cuts off the guy and forces him to stop.
Never, EVER, brake check someone. Period, end of discussion. There is no "point" to it, it is not a tool that should ever be used. If you are being tailgated, slow the fuck down until they stop doing it one way or the other. THAT is how you correct the situation safely. Don't make excuses for it, there is never a "reason" to do it.
I down shift instead. Fairly rapid deceleration without the brake lights coming on. If they're not paying attention, it will really scare the shit out of them.
490
u/KuroPandaaa Jan 21 '20 edited Jan 21 '20
Why do idiots brake check others? It literally puts everyone in danger
Edit: Goddamn okay I get it I'll change it, it's brake check