I knew I was going to get rebuttals for my comments on letting law enforcement handle tailgaters and on it not being fine to tap the brakes so with that in mind....
I know people who've been ticketed for tailgating. I also know people who've been ticketed for causing people behind them to have to put their brakes on. So, law enforcement does handle these situations. Here in California, the Highway Patrol is especially interested in semis that tailgate.
As to tapping your brakes, personally I think people use their brakes too much. There's a little thing called the catapillar or inchworm effect. Ever heard of it? It is caused by someone putting on their brakes, for whatever reason, and then everyone else sees the brake lights and they slow down until finally, way in the back everyone is stopped. And for what? So you inch ahead until like magic the road clears and everyone speeds off and you wonder why did you have to stop? So now some people are hot and then they tailgate and push and I get out of the way. It's a vicious cycle and I want to slap everyone of these people for being idiots. So you tap your brakes and it starts all over again. :rolleyes: I've driven the same 80 - 100 miles a day to work for 19 years and I've seen it all. And it isn't going to get any better until people realize that with the volume of traffic on the roads these days, they're going to get where they are going when they get there and not a moment sooner so just sit back and enjoy the ride.
Karl