ULPT Riding your ass with Brights on?
Posted by TinTheElvenKing@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 86 comments
I'm sure this idea isn't original, but it's near and dear to my heart anyways, and I was very proud to come up with it as a teenager.
Here's a tip for when someone is riding your ass with their bright mega-extra-jackoff LED ultra-bright headlight on at night: adjust your mirrors so their brights are reflected back at them. You can tell when you get the angle right because they back off IMMEDIATELY.
lookponies@reddit
I like to use those situations as my reminder/opportunity to check that my windshield wipers & spray nozzles are in good working order. For some reason, tailgating a-holes never seem to appreciate the free shower 🤷🏼♀️
cyrusthemarginal@reddit
Just take your foot off the gas and coast to a gentle little stop, they will go past. Double effective if you give em a thumbs up as they go by screamimg
Combatical@reddit
We used to have a car that you could turn off all the exterior lights on it, so if this ever happened to us we'd just slow down, turn off the lights and a friend would run at the car with a dog mask on.. heh oh Brian.. I'll miss you.
Icy_Needleworker7790@reddit
Let me guess what happened to Brian
Combatical@reddit
younginvestor23@reddit
The problem is they always seem to continue to coast behind you and get closer and closer then when you decide to change lanes they change lanes at the same time 😂
cyrusthemarginal@reddit
I don't change anything, i stop and let the crazy person go by, they are in a hurry not me.
Letters_to_Dionysus@reddit
this is a way better solution tbh
Cosmo_Cloudy@reddit
I always flick my rear view mirror up in their direction so they get a nice piece of their own light shining back at them 😇
artificiallyhip@reddit
Left hand turn signals are my go to
vonhoother@reddit
Like just turn it on, let it blink a while, then turn it off again? Fiendish!
Resembles what I do when getting tailgated with a lane on the right: signal that I'm changing to that lane, and do it, but s-l-o-w-l-y.
xJoeSchmox@reddit
Why are you driving with a lane on the right?
No_Sun9675@reddit
My dad carried a big rectangular flashlight in his car at all times. It was the kind that used a 12V battery; you know, those ones the size of a brick.
One night I got to find out why he always carried it. I was about 8 and we had a tailgater with their brights on. He told me to pretend I was at the arcade and to shoot the enemy pilot right in the eyes with my "blaster".
Guy tried to stay on the road... he ended up on the shoulder, not in the culvert. *sigh* Only got to play that game once. But it'll stick with me for life, just like that Dad's huge flashlight that I keep in my vehicle to this day.
anubisviech@reddit
A friend of mine did the same for a similar reason: Cars that blind you even without the brights on. One time he managed to flash the light at a cop car. He got stopped and questioned and after some argueing, they agreed to sit down in his car with theirs behind. Finally they believed that their lights were bright af and not adjusted at all.
He was let go with the remark to please not do that again.
I suggest you don't do that in a country where suicide by cop is a thing.
WhiteBlackBlueGreen@reddit
I like to start going 5 or ten below the speed limit and it will 100% piss them off
LackingUtility@reddit
I turn on my hazards. Makes them back off because they think something is wrong with your car, but doesn't trigger the rage that slowing down or brake checking does.
But of course, this is the wrong sub for that suggestion.
WhiteBlackBlueGreen@reddit
Thats a great idea and fits the sub if there’s no real hazard
Superslim-Anoniem@reddit
There is kind of a hazard though, the tailgater themselves!
backfire10z@reddit
I too like playing games with people who are proven to take dangerous actions in a multi-ton death machine.
WhiteBlackBlueGreen@reddit
Its safer though. If they want to kill me and ruin their life over this i have no problem with that
backfire10z@reddit
Letting the pass is safest.
And no, going 10mph below the speed limit is not safer when people expect you to go around the speed limit.
Aetheldrake@reddit
Honestly, nobody expects you to go "around the speed limit"
They expect you to do 10+ over. Even in the slow lanes. People are fucking crazy. Going 5 or so less, they'll either stay there and suffer like a dumbass masochist or they'll pass you themselves.
_newms_@reddit
Naw - you don’t deserve the downvotes - you’re right.
WhiteBlackBlueGreen@reddit
If im going slow, thats letting them pass. If its a one-lane road and im going slow, its safer when they rear end me if i have to stop suddenly.
MonkeyBrains09@reddit
Speed up when they attempt to pass so you can slow down again for double the fun!
WittyAndOriginal@reddit
Do you want them shining their lights into your eyes?
MonkeyBrains09@reddit
They already were when they were riding my ass!
WittyAndOriginal@reddit
But it seems like you're intending to keep them behind you, which means they will continue to blind you.
MonkeyBrains09@reddit
I do intend to keep them behind me to make them mad because they had their high beams on.
A quick adjustment of the mirrors or moving my head out of the focal point prevents the light from their high beams hitting my face so I can be petty and still see in front of me.
When they merge lanes into oncoming traffic, my side mirror would pick them up so I know to accelerate or I could just listen to their engine.
Then being behind me doesn't always mean I'll be blind.
alexj5566@reddit
At a certain point, it's just pathetic for wasting your own time. But you're chronically on Reddit so must not have a lot going on.
MonkeyBrains09@reddit
While you may see it as wasting, others may see it as entertainment.
Also, check what subreddit we are on. Unethical tips are being sought out. There is no need for personal attacks.
alexj5566@reddit
Ah yes, entertainment. Let's play around with the angry crazy guy who's already swerving around in 2 ton hunk of metal. You'll be fine, you also have a 2 ton hunk of metal to swing around. So much fun.
MonkeyBrains09@reddit
It also a good setup for a semi-frozen piss disk if their windows are open.
WittyAndOriginal@reddit
Fair enough. Fuck em
handicrappi@reddit
I ride a scooter and cyclists like to ride my ass to avoid wind (I've never had one ask politely or at all). I pull this exact trick on them and it's hilarious to see them get so angry and/or tired they have to take a break
ChaoticGoodPanda@reddit
I guess having auto dimming mirrors, this was something I completely forgot about.
BroccoliCompetitive3@reddit
Pennies kept in a cup holder. Open windows only as wide as your your thumb and index finger. AT SPEED, place penny on launch platform (thumbnail), shift slightly right in the lane, and launch. Practice enough to learn the slipstream of your vehicle and you will begin to land shots on target.
No dramatic gestures. Just launch after launch with a look in the rear view to see if the target seems to be reacting to a crack or loud noise.
Upgrade ammo by using broken pieces from sparkplug. Though these pieces will definitely be identified if there is reason to search your car. Pennies work, because many people carry change in their car.
The_zen_viking@reddit
Could this not also work with small tarmac rocks? You can just scatter them on the floor and make it seem like they're from your shoes
The_zen_viking@reddit
I think this only works with my car, but when I put the wipers on full speed and pump the water, the wipers push all the water from the windshield over the top of my car and into the space behind my car any tailgater would occupy, covering their windshield in soapy water
It works at 80 km, 50km even 40km. I don't know if it's a pressure thing or something but I haven't told my mechanic and now I fucking love tailgaters
whistler1421@reddit
Just pull over to the shoulder, let them pass, and return the favor
turbinewings@reddit
Definitely don’t throw coins out your moonroof so it hits their windshield. Because THAT is illegal.
Professional_Ear4712@reddit
My favorite is to just wash my windshield… a lot. Even better if their windows are open.
aabum@reddit
The easiest thing to do is move to the shoulder of the road, or the right lane, and let them pass. No sense of risking an accident just because you have little power in your life and choose to flex what little power you have.
I had to educate my son on this when he started driving. You don't know what's going on with the person behind you. Could be an asshole, could be in a hurry to get home to shit (I've been that guy), could be a sick kid they are rushing to the hospital, could be rushing to the hospital because their kid was taken there. The list goes on. In this situation, don't let the behavior of others dictate your behavior.
Pure_Cow_7831@reddit
flick pennies out sunroof
montey_burns@reddit
How about you stop being a roadblock and move out of the fast lane or pull over and let them pass if on a single lane.
montey_burns@reddit
You can be as sensitive as you want, but if you’re driving over the speed limit then all you’re doing is letting a cop blocker pass so you can go faster without worrying about getting a ticket. If you’re going too slow, GTFO of the way. Or you can pick a fight on the road and potentially get hurt or hurt someone else.
SaneIsOverrated@reddit
Nice bait
TinTheElvenKing@reddit (OP)
Brother, I go 10 over. Stop projecting ur issues on random redditors.
Subject_Turn3941@reddit
This is stupid. The amount of effort it takes to perfectly align a mirror while driving, is easily negated by them moving over slightly.
You’ll never ever get a consistent correct reflection. But even if you get it right for a few seconds; it will be unnoticeable by them.
xsmp@reddit
most cars have presets available...
SaneIsOverrated@reddit
Tf you mean "most".
Hell half the cars I know of don't even have power to the mirrors
Aetheldrake@reddit
Honestly my mirrors line up pretty well if I just have them go all the way out. It seems to line up so that it points directly backward. Which means when they move a little to the left to see why I'm not going faster and try to shine at me, it just goes directly back at them.
I've seen it hit a few drivers that would line themselves up with it and then they stopped tailgating or would decide to pass me even though I wasn't even in the passing lane so they should have fucking passed me to begin with
Existing_Many9133@reddit
If you're going to ride my ass with your high beams on I'm slowing down and adjusting my mirror! If you're riding my ass during the day I'm slowing down.
Ok-Assumption-1083@reddit
used to when it was clear behind them, give the fake brake check. keep on the gas but touch the brake pedal juuuuust enough to flick the lights on but not slow down.
MrKirkPowers@reddit
You should always keep a handful of AA batteries in the console for these occasions. Trying to decide whether to throw the whole handful behind you at once or just one at a time is the new problem.
Dry_Treacle125@reddit
Rear facing light bar, the strongest you can find. No need to dick around with mirror angles
Sunny-Day-Swimmer@reddit
Can we not mount crossbows
We ride eternal burning and chrome
Aetheldrake@reddit
Piss disc launches facing behind you?
SmuckatelliCupcakeNE@reddit
And trebuchets.
Spaceseeker51@reddit
Loaded with beehives.
horsetooth_mcgee@reddit
TheRealRega@reddit
Hitch up my blood bag
MidnightNo1766@reddit
Someone did that to my dad one time. The next lights he saw were blue because my dad was a cop.
Punningisfunning@reddit
Your dad was riding someone’s ass with his high beams on?
MidnightNo1766@reddit
No, this was quite a while ago when they were switching to halogen headlights on cars and patrol cars got them early on. They were so much brighter that for quite a while, people would flash you thinking your brights were still on when they were just a newer kind of headlight.
So that's what happened except from behind. It was a semi and he said he wasn't that close either, but the guy thought like this commenter and had lights facing backwards which he turned on.
SigmundFloyd76@reddit
This here. Or a couple bright spotlights. I have actually scoped the job and priced it out.
Useful too because I'm often on a dark beach loading kayaks and gear.
Shaiziin@reddit
Just slow down dramatically and put on your signal light like you're turning, then speed off muhahahah
thedrunkknight1@reddit
Slow down, unload your windshield wiper fluid and let it splash them
LankyGrass246@reddit
Older Jeep Cherokees used to have a rear wiper fluid sprayer you could unscrew a half turn and spray the car behind you.
nikdahl@reddit
I had so much fun with that in high school!
Witty-Association793@reddit
Just blast your windshield wipers and let them enjoy their individual rain parade.
Few-Tart-5700@reddit
omg I wish I had this when i was frequenting the backroads of Alabama at midnight
bkn95@reddit
unethically speaking; a little trap door/hole in your floor would allow you to drop spikes or something behind you without being seen doing it. also could drop contraband that way if needed
Toastwaver@reddit
I saw someone do this in C.H.I.P.S back in the day.
ThePureAxiom@reddit
One of my wiper fluid jets is slightly askew and fires high. So high in fact that anyone tailgating me when we're going more than 30 will get the majority of it on their windshield.
It's surprisingly effective for getting people to back off.
Streaming_Things@reddit
I let off the gas and either go the exact speed limit on cruise control, unbothered, or i full slowdown based on inertia. Then i prepare for their psycho reaction and react appropriately.
terry47147@reddit
Cover the rear of your vehicle in beautiful polished chrome!
JayBanditos@reddit
I’ll never forget back when I had my K5 Blazer. I was behind a guy in a Miata one night. My K5 had normal headlights nothing crazy no bright ass LED’s or anything but because my truck was higher than his Miata my dims were shining right into his back window. He thought I had my brights on and he kept brake checking me and driving slow AF until finally I did hit my brights and the mother f’er flipped me off and hauled ass.
drumscrubby@reddit
Laser pointer
dandaman178@reddit
Ima just start carrying a mini mirror with me and pull it out the window lmao
BigMikeInAustin@reddit
My cars haven't been able to get that angle properly. So I just keep slowing down until they pass.
MrBDIU@reddit
The county sheriff's where I live will do that to see if they can get you to to react. I can guarantee if you do that you'll get pulled over. Angle mirror down and ignore...
DoesBasicResearch@reddit
Cool story bro.
No-Corner9361@reddit
I mean… basic common sense, if it looks like a cop car just chill and maintain your focus.
Not that cops should be intentionally blinding and tailgating people just in case they maybe react in an illegal manner. Never mind entrapment, that sounds like a great way to get both the cop and innocent drivers killed for no good reason lmao. Of course, I don’t doubt that cops near you are doing dangerous and illegal stuff just to write a few more tickets, that is their MO tbh.
ObiWendigobi@reddit
It wouldn’t take too many complaints for a deputy to get stuck doing office shitwork if he’s pulling people over for adjusting their mirrors.
Yesitshismom@reddit
Get that ethical stuff out of here