On the road

None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.

How this was put together

If you only read a few

If you suspect you are being followed, do not drive directly home.
Followers need your address to return later and damage your vehicle or home.
6 people, independently
Do not look at your phone while walking or driving.
Distraction leads to failing to notice traffic or obstacles, such as walking into stuff/traffic or failing to look both ways.
3 people, independently
Avoid overtaking a stopped car at an intersection unless you can clearly see why it is stopped.
There are hundreds of reasons they might be stopped, such as a wreck, a deer, or a child.
one person who lived it
If a semi-truck flashes its lights after you have passed it, move back into the right lane.
The flash indicates you are clear to return to the right lane.
- This courtesy is not universal; some truckers only signal other truckers.
one person who lived it
- Flash your headlights to indicate you have completed passing the trucker, signaling they may safely merge back into their lane.3
If you suspect someone is following you in a vehicle, make four consecutive turns in the same direction to return to your starting area; if they remain behind, proceed to a police station.
This maneuver creates a loop that confirms whether the other driver is mirroring your movements intentionally.
- This method may not work effectively in areas without grid-based road networks or with complex one-way systems.
- Avoid turning onto poorly lit or isolated streets during the test.
3 people, independently

drivers, traffic, driver, avoid53

Move out of the left lane if you are not actively overtaking another vehicle.

During traffic jams, keep a gap of about 50 yards between you and the car ahead to avoid stopping.
This saves time for countless drivers behind you.
one person who lived it
Track the wheels of oncoming cars instead of the driver's eyes to gauge their actual path, since wheels reveal direction even if the driver is distracted.
Eyes show intent, but wheels show movement; side-to-side motion against the background is hard to judge quickly.
3 people, independently
Do not accept a wave to proceed across traffic if your view is blocked by stopped cars.
You cannot see moving cars that are hidden behind the stopped vehicles.
one person who lived it
If you are being tailgated, maintain your speed and do not let the other driver dictate it.
Speeding up gives in to their impatience and increases your stress; maintaining speed forces them to pass eventually.
3 people, independently

45 more on this

Ride closer to traffic when parked cars are present.
To avoid being hit by doors swinging wide open from parked cars.
one person who lived it
Keep your steering wheel straight when waiting to turn; do not pre-turn it until you are ready to move.
A rear-end collision could push you into oncoming traffic if the wheel is turned.
one person who lived it
If you are strapped into your pedals, emphasize pulling up on the pedals rather than just pushing down when riding uphill.
It makes the climb easier and helps you avoid getting tired as quickly.
- You must be strapped into the pedals for this to work.
one person who lived it
Do not rely solely on eye contact with drivers, as looking in your general direction from a distance may be misconstrued.
It is not 100% reliable.
one person who lived it
Stop walking briefly to see if the person behind you also stops.
If they keep walking, there is nothing to worry about; if they stop too, it means they are following you.
one person who lived it
Maintain consistent and predictable driving behavior rather than giving up right-of-way out of kindness, as unpredictability causes accidents.
Predictable driving is safer than polite driving when consequences can be catastrophic; predictability is politeness in this context.
3 people, independently
- Focus on personal safety over strict adherence to traffic rules or driver convenience.1
If followed and police are far away, drive quickly to a nearby fire station or gas station.
Firefighters may confront the follower, and gas stations have cameras and witnesses that can deter trouble.
3 people, independently
Pretend you are invisible when cycling; never assume drivers see you.
Your shadow points to cars that cannot see you.
one person who lived it
Report railroad crossing gate malfunctions using the phone number on the control box.
Reporting a malfunction could save a life.
one person who lived it
If you are leading another driver, signal your lane change and wait for them to merge in front of you before moving.
This allows them to let you in and prevents the risk of getting separated.
one person who lived it
Stay on main roads if you believe you are being followed; avoid side streets and dead ends, including your own driveway, to prevent being cornered.
Turning into unfamiliar side roads or dead ends can trap you.
2 people, independently
Use your brain to judge situations critically when riding a bike or walking.
Regardless of legality, failing to do so means you will not come out on top.
one person who lived it
If you are being tailgated during the day, turn on your headlights.
It appears as if you have hit the brakes.
one person who lived it
- Lightly tap your brakes or turn on parking lights to simulate braking and encourage a tailgater to back off without stopping abruptly.3
Move out of the left lane if you are not actively overtaking another vehicle.
Driving at the same speed as other lanes in the left lane can result in a ticket for failing to yield to faster traffic.
6 people, independently
Corral your dog closer to you and check which side a cyclist will pass before they arrive.
This prevents leash entanglement and allows you to anticipate the cyclist's path.
one person who lived it
Consider that warning speeders of police may allow dangerous drivers, such as drunk drivers, to continue driving and potentially harm others.
A warned drunk driver might avoid being stopped and then run over a child.
one person who lived it
Check behind you before proceeding, as you can still be hit from behind.
People often forget to keep an eye out behind themselves, risking serious injury or death.
one person who lived it
Use turn signals cautiously when tailgated; while some find flashing indicators eases drivers off, others report it causes aggression or confusion.
Some drivers instinctively back off, but others interpret right blinkers as permission to pass or react aggressively.
- Can be a recipe for disaster if the driver interprets the signal as 'go ahead and pass'.
- May provoke aggressive lane changes.
3 people, independently
If you are turning right and a bus has its right signal on, wait for it to fully enter the street before pulling out.
Drivers sometimes forget to cancel their blinkers, which could cause a collision if you pull out prematurely.
one person who lived it
Do not rely on your turn signal to grant you the right of way; ensure others yield before turning or changing lanes.
Having your blinker on indicates your intention, but it does not obligate other drivers to let you.
one person who lived it
- Do not rely solely on turn signals; look for affirmative signs like slowing down or wheel angle changes.1
Recognize that photos of a suspected attacker may not lead to identification if no one comes forward.
Photos do not help unless someone identifies the person in them.
- Based on a specific case where a case remained open years later despite having a photo.
one person who lived it
Cover your brake when entering an intersection on green; remember that only the driver can stop a vehicle, not the signal itself.
A red light or stop sign cannot physically stop a vehicle.
one person who lived it
Lower your kickstand or center stand when stopped at a red light to trigger the induction sensor.
This triggers the sensor.
one person who lived it
Check for yourself whether it is safe to enter an intersection; do not assume it is safe just because the car ahead is moving through it.
The car ahead may be making an illegal turn or misjudging the situation, leading to collisions.
one person who lived it
Refuse to ride in a car with friends known to drive erratically.
one person who lived it
If a motorcyclist pats the top of their head or helmet with an open palm, assume there is police activity or danger ahead and increase your awareness.
- Some riders pat the side of their head instead of the top.
6 people, independently
Do not let pressure from drivers behind you force you into an intersection prematurely.
The driver pressuring you is likely the same one who will drive around your wreck if you are forced into an accident.
one person who lived it
Cross streets only when no cars are coming or when cars have completely stopped.
one person who lived it
Display a bumper sticker claiming you can stop faster than the tailgater to deter close following.
People often do not tailgate when they see this message.
one person who lived it
Remain cautious on busy one-way streets, as illegal traffic going the wrong way is common.
one person who lived it
Be aware that late warnings from fast-moving cyclists are a common source of fear for pedestrians.
Faster cyclists tend to give warnings later, which scares pedestrians more.
one person who lived it
Avoid riding against traffic, as it increases collision risk by making you invisible to drivers expecting oncoming traffic.
Riding the wrong way can make you a 'beacon of destruction' and render you invisible to drivers who expect traffic in the other direction.
one person who lived it
Use road sensors (inductive loops) as your 'point of no return' for traffic lights.
Using this point while driving the speed limit eliminates last-second decisions to go or stop.
one person who lived it
Follow traffic laws strictly when cycling on roadways, including signaling turns and stopping at lights.
To ensure drivers can predict your actions and avoid accidents.
one person who lived it
Follow all rules of the road, including stopping at stop signs.
To maintain legitimacy and safety.
one person who lived it
Give a thumbs-down sign to aggressive drivers instead of using offensive gestures.
It diffuses the driver's anger and may make them feel bad about their driving.
one person who lived it
If you cannot move over easily for merging vehicles, keep your speed and do not slow down.
Maintaining predictability in driving is essential.
one person who lived it
Drive defensively by assuming others will ignore traffic rules and staying ready for violations.
4 people, independently
- Assume every other driver is incompetent or dangerous to maintain defensive awareness.3
Scan continuously while entering an intersection and remain vigilant until three-quarters of the way across.
One person reported this approach to maintaining safety.
one person who lived it
Install a dashcam that records both front and rear views to document aggressive driving incidents and identify drivers who intentionally cut in and brake hard.
It provides evidence against those who exploit laws to force rear-end collisions.
one person who lived it
At complex intersections requiring multiple loops to trigger a protected green arrow, position your vehicle on the third induction loop if a car is stopped on the first.
One person found that stopping on the third loop while another car occupies the first triggers the green arrow, whereas otherwise only a yield-to-oncoming-traffic green light appears.
one person who lived it
Pay close attention to your surroundings to detect emergency vehicles or hazards that may not be using sirens or signals.
One person avoided hitting a firetruck without a siren and another avoided being hit by a police car running a red light without a siren.
one person who lived it
If you do not notice an approaching cyclist, continue moving naturally instead of stopping abruptly to avoid causing both parties to stop.
Stopping causes panic and forces the cyclist to stop as well; continuing movement allows everyone to proceed without stopping.
one person who lived it
In an emergency stop, keep your foot firmly on the brake pedal rather than pumping it, allowing anti-lock brakes to function.
one person who lived it
Double-check for vehicles running red lights before entering an intersection on green, even if it means waiting longer than expected.
to ensure safety despite pressure from other drivers
one person who lived it

lights, flash, headlights, high16

When someone flashes their headlights at you, check if your own lights are off or if your high beams are on and blinding them.

When another driver flashes their lights, slow down and look ahead for issues like police, speed checks, crashes, or animals.
They might be warning you about something blocking the road.
3 people, independently
- If someone flashes their high beams at you, be aware there may be a hazard on the road ahead such as livestock, an accident, or a deer.2
- If you are unsure why a driver is flashing their lights, default to checking your vehicle status and slowing down slightly.2
- Interpret flashing headlights as a warning to slow down for hazards such as animals, debris, accidents, floods, obstructions, or police.5
Know that while police may stop you for flashing lights, they may not be able to issue a ticket if the act is not illegal.
It is not illegal.
- Based on one person's father's experience; the officer may still verbally reprimand you.
one person who lived it
Check your headlights when flashed; if they are off in the dark, turn them on immediately.
The flash may indicate that your lights are not visible to others.
2 people, independently
- When someone flashes their headlights at you, check if your own lights are off or if your high beams are on and blinding them.20
Expect a trucker to flash their lights or hazards back as a thank you after you signal them in.
The quick blink back makes you feel appreciated.
one person who lived it

8 more on this

Do not flash your high beams at pedestrians walking toward you.
It is unnecessary and can blind them as you approach.
one person who lived it
Consider that frequent flashes may be due to confirmation bias rather than targeted aggression.
You might be paying more attention because you are more considerate, making you notice flashes more often.
one person who lived it
Use black electrical tape on a wall to create reference lines for aiming your headlamps correctly.
Properly adjusted headlamps should not hit people in the eye.
one person who lived it
Be aware that newer LED or HID lights may appear brighter than older halogen lights, potentially causing confusion about whether high beams are on.
Newer lights are brighter.
one person who lived it
Avoid flashing your lights to warn of police if it is illegal in your jurisdiction or if you fear alerting the officer directly.
The legality of headlight flashing varies by jurisdiction.
one person who lived it
Change burnt-out headlights promptly instead of driving with only one working headlight or using high beams to compensate.
Driving with one headlight out can lead to tickets; using high beams to compensate shines directly into others' eyes.
one person who lived it
Recognize that HID bulbs in reflector housings scatter light and cause glare because they require projector housings to focus properly.
Projector housings focus light differently than reflector housings.
one person who lived it
Recognize that bumpy roads can change a vehicle's angle, causing headlights to appear to flash unintentionally.
3 people, independently

Include the specific date on flyers rather than just 'this Saturday' to avoid confusion about which day the event occurs.
Every Saturday is 'this Saturday'.
one person who lived it