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Thread: needs some ideas for an anti-tailgating device

  1. #1
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    needs some ideas for an anti-tailgating device

    Don't think it's possible to stop tailgating but I can think of a way to make it unpleasant for them... but I need some suggestions on what are some fairly low burning temp chemicals that put off a real bad smell when they burn, preferably with a bit of smoke for effect... any suggestions? Or some ready made gases that have a bad smell in small quantities. Obviously they need to be nontoxic but repulsive
    Last edited by Brian Ashton; 02-28-2015 at 7:05 AM.
    Sent from the bathtub on my Samsung Galaxy(C)S5 with waterproof Lifeproof Case(C), and spell check turned off!

  2. #2
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    I tried a couple of things. First I mounted a set of Cibie Super Oscars on the back of my truck. More for high beams, but good for tailgaters. Third time I used them it was a county sheriff. End of that story.

    Second time I drilled and tapped the exhaust manifold, plumbed it with to a windshield washer pump and reservoir, and filled it with cod liver oil. Flip the switch and the dual exhaust emited the worst smelling smoke you can imagine. It only worked a short time before the injector in the manifold would plug, but it was fun for tailgaters.

    I had a good one by accident. I was running a gravel train and I had one of those guys trying to save mileage tucked in behind me where I couldn't see him. Someone had dropped a couple of bags of mortar in my lane and there was no way to avoid them. They got hit by 11 axles and instantly created an impenetrable cloud from tree line to tree line on I75. I never saw that car again.

  3. #3
    Larry! You oughta include a warning when you post things like that. I about choked on my coffee.


  4. Needless to say I was not thinking about the kind of tailgaters you are refering to and could not imagine why you had against tailgaters (the kind that get together at football games, ect. Very popular around here). But now I get it LOL.

  5. #5
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    I mounted a mirror to the tailgate. At night if you get too close it aims your lights right back at you.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Ashton View Post
    Don't think it's possible to stop tailgating but I can think of a way to make it unpleasant for them... but I need some suggestions on what are some fairly low burning temp chemicals that put off a real bad smell when they burn, preferably with a bit of smoke for effect... any suggestions? Or some ready made gases that have a bad smell in small quantities. Obviously they need to be nontoxic but repulsive
    where i live it seems that everyone tailgates but in reality some do and many do not. Its just the way people drive and I normally just move out of the way and let them go thru if they are in such a rush. i think the government could do more by sending a message to drivers that tailgating is not good.

  7. #7
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    To start with, make sure you are traveling the speed limit. If you're driving below the speed limit I think it's rude to hold up people behind you, so pull over and let people pass.

    If somebody is really riding your tail, either slow way down so they go around you, wave them on, or pull over.

    Anything you do besides being passive is asking for trouble and is likely dangerous.

    I mumble quite a few choice words at the amount of morons that are on the road - crossing the center line, texting, talking on the phone, driving too slow, not signaling, etc. but I try to keep it at that. It's not worth doing something stupid.

  8. #8
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    I don't know how to create an odour, but on a previous car, I installed a toggle switch that turned on my brake lights. A couple of flips of that and most backed off, scared that they were going to rear end me.
    Grant
    Ottawa ON

  9. #9
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    Didn't one of the James Bond cars have some cool devices that would discourage tailgaters?
    NOW you tell me...

  10. #10
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    Worst tailgater I ever had was at night. He was so close that I sped not knowing that he was a city cop and he hit his lights and I topped real short he ended up in front of me in the ditch and barley could talk. he told me that I was doing 50 MPH and I said yes I know that is what the speed limit sign that we just past was posted when I sped up.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grant Wilkinson View Post
    I don't know how to create an odour, but on a previous car, I installed a toggle switch that turned on my brake lights. A couple of flips of that and most backed off, scared that they were going to rear end me.
    In my wilder youth I always had a switch to turn my brakelights off......

  12. #12
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    Love the bags of mortar Larry, I bet that was a sight to see. Not really a big problem around here, but I have noticed that something flopping around in the back of the pickup looking like it's ready to fly out seems to keep people off the bumper. I don't think it's against the law to apply the brakes if you feel a deer/elk/walrus etc may come out of the ditch into your way. It's also up to the people following you to be doing so at a safe distance and react to you safely. Careful though, the police have an opinion about messing with tailgaters I suppose, and it's probably some cluless teanager that you'd fell horrible about hurting.
    Last edited by Steve Rozmiarek; 02-28-2015 at 11:43 AM. Reason: posted before I was done...

  13. #13
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    In my younger days a tailgater would really get to me.

    One of my wild dreams came from being a caddy at a golf course. One of the fairways had the tee on a hillside and the fairway was across the road. Every once an a while a player would get a bad hit and hit the road. If a driver was unfortunate enough at the time the ball would end up under their car. The movement of the car would knock the ball forward and back down to the ground. This would continue until the vehicle came to a stop. Then all one could hear is some loud emissions of foul language coming from a rattled driver.

    I have dreamt up many ways to launch a golf ball from the back of my car, but have never done it.

    Now I try to determine if the person is actually tailgating. A car that is actually two seconds behind is what used to be considered a safe following distance. (Now it is called the three second rule.) At two seconds behind, it looks awful close in the mirror.

    It is easy to tell when there are shadows across the road. Start counting when you go under and see how long it takes for them to get under the same shadow. Other markers can also be used. Just remember to do this in a safe manner.

    A friend used to start drifting and swerving to get tailgaters to back off. Never seemed to work for me.

    Now I just try to find a safe way to let them pass.

    If you do go the "stink generator" route, maybe you should have a bumper sticker to warn them. Something like "Ride my Butt, Smell my F@#%$."

    What I really dislike is the idiots in their motor homes who often can't do the speed limit staying in the passing lane and making everyone go around. There is a special place in Hades for people like that.

    jtk
    "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."
    - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

  14. #14
    Not condoning this....but.....

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  15. #15
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    I was hoping this would be about how to stop my wife from tailgating. Nagging sure doesn't help.

    Anything you do could involve criminal charges if it goes wrong. Just keep that in mind.

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