How do you get motorists to SLOW DOWN?

Now that the kids are back to school I'm noticing what a pain in the butt traffic is. It was nice to escape that for a while, but now that kids are boarding buses and crossing busy intersections motorists still down slow down and pay mind to what they are doing, always in a hurry and most always going faster than the speed limit.

I watched a televised campaign of motorists being pulled over by police and interviewed on camera, and they are not ogres behind the wheel just every day people, who are always in a rush.

Why is it people can't give themselves a few extra minutes to get to where they have to go so they are not racing like maniacs in the mornings? But it's not just morning, it's always. When you do drive the limit it seems you have someone on your tail trying to PUSH you into speeding or people have just become accustomed to driving on each others tails at such high rates on the highway that common sense doesn't even fact into the game anymore.

What can be done?
Additional Details
Good for you Jeffrey, don't let idiots push your buttons.

Jeffrey

I'm so deathly afraid of speeding tickets, I always drive the speed limit.

I know what you mean about people tailgateing(sp?). It's such a pain. Especially those people who drive those jacked-up trucks.

In order for someone to hopefully get the message when they're tailgateing, I floor the car to get just far away enough from them, then I brake to get back to the speed limit. If they still tailgate, then I have no choice but to slow down until they back off.

I once went 20 mph on a 35 mph road because some redneck with his jacked up truck tailgated my poor little Nissan.

He gave me the finger, but he backed off.

Then when I turned off the road, he gave me the finger again.

But I don't much care about him.

cerwenna

I read an article recently, I think it was on CNN.com but I could not find it, about a town that was using cardboard cut outs of running kids to make motorists slow down. Most kids are just walking to school rather slowly to so motorists don't see a reason to proceed with caution. However, most motorists if they see a kid running in the direction of the street will slow down.

Corey the Cosmonaut

i'm never in a hurry. But i still drive 20+ over the speed limit unless in a residential area where the speed limit is 25. Usually i'll do 30 there. It's what i feel comfortable with. With near R-compound tires, and autocross pads i can safely stop better then anyone else. I never tailgate though, way too dangerous, and is based more on reaction time rather then car physics. I look for a safe opportunity to pass and never try to piss people off. They are crazy. I know how to drive fast, hell i've raced my car on a track quite a few times, i know it's limits, and how it reacts at the limits, i think everyone should know their car at the limits. i have a suitable car to do it, and my attention is always on the road. 6 years and never an accident. The ones i've avoided it would have been the other drivers fault. Usually on a cell phone. Make sure you are defensive as hell, never on the offense. Never try to slow down faster motorists. You do not have the ability to safely enforce the law and should be left to law enforcment. I've always been extremely defensive, like a motorcycle driver. Always look way ahead and predict what other drivers are going to do around you and be ready for your predictions.

dead eye

nothing, people may be in a hurry for any number of reasons; just get out of the way and don't play silly games like slowing down because someone is tailgating you, maybe they are trying to get to the hospital or rush home because someone is sick. leave the policing to the police and get your lame butt out of the way

chris j

Welcome to the rat race! I'd like to know just who would be in a hurry to GET to work, anyway... I can see hurrying to get home...but still...

FairesRuleTheLand

Put more police on the road with radar and stiffer fines for speeding. I noticed drivers are so impatient and right up on you as you drive no matter how fast you go it's never fast enough for the guy behind you. I actually had a driver behind me get RIGHT in front of me while I was at a STOP sign . He basically when around my car and just let himself into the intersection.. I was attempting to go when it was safe...he was very lucky but that really infuriated me to no ends as it was sheer rudeness on his part.

Doris Worthington

Shout "SLOW DOWN! SLOW DOWN!" at them! :)

SSG Anderson

Depending on your city size you can call your law enforcement office and see if they can help, ex's radar trailers speed traps dummy cars etc

bungee

its not up to you to be the worlds safety cop is it.

UCANTCME

TRY THIS......................

CALL YOUR LOCAL POLICE SUB STATION AND TELL THEM YOUR STORY AND CONCERNS.

SEE IF IT WOULD BE OKAY FOR YOU AS A PARENT, TAXPAYER AND CONCERNED CITIZEN TO WRITE DOWN THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBERS OF THE VEHICLES THAT ARE VIOLATING THE LAWS AND SEE WHAT THEY WILL TELL YOU.

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