Trailering

[BigMouthBasstard]

Am I the only person that gets extremely upset when driving to the lake? I have alot of money invested in my rig and boat and people on the road insist on following a few short feet from my prop at 70 mph on the highway. I mean im not driving like a grandpa, yea it takes a bit longer to accelerate up to speed with the boat's weight but geeze. I have insurance just in case something happens, but it still grinds my gears every time, not to mention its dangerous. Anyone else?

[zerofivenismo]

I felt somewhat irritated a couple trips ago.  Seem like folks had a taste for some prop.  I also thought to myself that it could be the mirror angles that makes the following vehicle seem closer.  I don't get worked up about.  I pay more attention to the road and traffic up ahead.  I think people are just envious of my custom jonboat and freshly painted Rude 25hp tiller, and just want to take a closer look...*sarcasm*.

[Fishing Rhino]

It bothers me about the same as someone who tailgates my vehicle with or without the trailer behind.

At least the boat provides a buffer zone.  If you have a transom saver and the motor tilted up, it seems to deter them from driving so close.

[fishfordollars]

Yep, it sucks. They crowd you and then when i stop at a redlight I watch the vehicle coming up behind me to stop. I grit my teeth as they always seem to stop a foot or two from the boat. I try to leave me enough room so I can creep up as they bear down on me.

I just hate it.

[Goldstar225]

Yeah, it annoys me some but tailgaters bother me more when I'm on my motorcycle.

[Taylor Fishin 4 life]

Get one of those bumper sticks that says if you can read this, THEN GET OF MY A**"

I would think something like that would get the message across.

[slonezp]

Most people see us as a nuisance but occasionaly you run into a guy who will let you know if you have a taillight out or a signal not working.

My advice to you: Get a faster truck and keep up with traffic OR slow down and tick them off more.

[oteymc]

I pull trailers of all kinds rv, horse trailer, boat, etc.  People have no courtesy whatsoever, I guess because they have never pulled one themselves.  What is worse is people pulling out in front of you too close.  I guess they don't want to get stuck behind you.  Then if they are behind you, they spend the whole time on your butt trying to get around you.

Annoying. 

[SoFlaBassAddict]

Kind of reminds me of a funny story that happened to my father and I a few years back.  We had just got back from a long trip to Bimini.  There was plenty of fish crud, chum, and all kinds of other nasty stuff floating around in the bilge.  This impatient jerk in his convertible is flying around behind us trying to get around.  Eventually we pull up to a red light, he gets into the lane next to us a car or two back.  Then all of a sudden the bilge kicks on and shoots a huge stream of some really nasty water straight into this guys car.  He starts screaming like a little girl, punches his car around everybody else in the intersection and disappears.  Light turns green and we just drove off laughing hysterically.

Karma.

[Long Mike]

There are very few people who tailgate me.  I generally drive about five mph over the limit.  If I have to, my Suburban, with boat in tow, has the power to easily pass a slower driver. I've had it up to ninety while passing.  In all honesty, I was waiting for the trailer tires to blow, but they didn't.  I suppose that's one of the draw-backs to having a Type A personality. i.e. Lead, don't follow.

[fishfordollars]

Heck Mike, you and I(Mostly you) look like a band of gypsies going down the road. It's no wonder they give us plenty of room.

You might want to consider doing away with the shag carpet window shades(And your choice of music).

[Glenn]

Nope, doesn't bother me.  I go 5 over and that's where it stays.  Safety is more important to me than pleasing the Speedy Gonzales behind me.

[Fishing Rhino]

There are very few people who tailgate me. I generally drive about five mph over the limit. If I have to, my Suburban, with boat in tow, has the power to easily pass a slower driver. I've had it up to ninety while passing. In all honesty, I was waiting for the trailer tires to blow, but they didn't. I suppose that's one of the draw-backs to having a Type A personality. i.e. Lead, don't follow.

Ahhhhh, the joy of a superior aluminum boat. Lighter, easier on the trailer, the tow vehicle, and the fuel bills, on and off the water.

[bass or bass ?]

I run on the freeway at 10 mph below the speed limit, 55 mph. This is Arizona, where everyone drives 15 or more over the limit. I never have tailgaters. They've all pulled over to pass me a long way back because I look like a stationary object to them as they roar up to and past me at 25 mph or more faster than my speed.

[BLUESKY]

An easy way to discourage tailgaters, weather you trailering your boat or not, is to gently ease on to the shoulder of the road just enough to let the tires start to throw up some stones, this usually gets peoples attention real quick. I know that you guys with the expensive fiberglass rigs are all about not marring the finish, but with my old aluminum boat that I take into any kind of jungle on the water, I dont to much mind an extra nick or two. What I actually hate worse than tailgaiters is the dad gum idiots that pull right out in front of you when no one else is behind you and then take their sweet time to get up to speed limit or even worse drive below the limit.

[Strike King]

It seems to me that it doesnt matter how fast your going towing or not theres always some A-holes that tailgate. your always holding them up and wherever they are going they have to GET THERE RIGHT NOW !!! And the idiots that pull right out in front of people will learn the hard way someday  >

[bassfisherjk]

I had the same thing happen on the way home from the lake yesterday.The person was close enough to my boat motor,I'm sure he could read the serial numbers.

[LoneWolf]

I was going fishing the other morning and it was still dark, was travleing the interstate. Some idiot was tailgating so close i am sure he could count the rivets on the back of my tracker. I couldn't pull into the slow lane as there was traffic and i was not going to break the speed limit. Finally as i passed a big rig and was able to get into the slow lane i had had enough and gave the idiot a brake check....couple taps....then the blue lights came on and off ......it was a state cop...... :D i was still peeved at the rudeness of how he was driving.....he went on his merry way.....he of all people should no that it was wrong......in retrospect i think he was trying to get me to speed......so he could write me a ticket....

[scrutch]

I just saw this earlier this week... a bumper sticker I wish I could have got a picture of... 

It said " Come a little closer... It'll make my shot easier"

[BigMouthBasstard]

I agree that sound like a great decal.

[pa mountain man]

I've seen some shotty trailers(utility,campers,horse,boat) on the road, parts waiting to fall off type trailers. When I see a trailer, I give them at least 100 yards,  I have no idea what if any maintenance has been done on them. I work night shift at a lake, and I would guess 60% of the boats that leave at night don't have operating lights on them, when I let the owner know, its always "They worked before I left". It maybe true for some, but I can't believe it for all.

[senile1]

I don't notice any difference in tailgating between pulling my boat or pulling nothing. Some people just tailgate. It's not cool but what do you do. I tend to drive 5 mph over the limit as some have stated. If I'm in the passing lane and someone comes up behind me I get over into the next lane to the right as soon as possible. I know I don't like left lane hogs who set the speed limit for everyone by driving in the left lane, so I make sure I don't stay in that lane if I am not the fastest vehicle in the area. In fact, the slow people driving below the speed limit who won't move to the right bother me more than the speeders coming up behind me. I believe they think they are safer drivers but, in reality, they create traffic jams especially in the city. If you give speeders the left lane, they are gone in a few seconds . . . the danger has passed. If you block them in you get bumper to bumper traffic and a higher probability of accidents in my opinion.