[ashkamath]

Road Rage: Brake Checking.

I checked the entire Team-BHP threads and couldn't find anything on the menace of Brake Checking and the harm it could do to motorists. Hence this post.

Brake checking is when a driver intentionally and suddenly applies their brakes without a reason, often to scare or cause the following vehicle (vehicle behind) to collide with them. It is considered reckless driving and is illegal in many countries including USA & Europe.

A couple of years ago, I was on a trip from Goa to Himachal Pradesh (Jalori Pass) & back for an Auto group meet with 3 other persons. I had'nt met the other 3 persons who were also member of the group ( but from different state/ city) and we connected only through our group whatsapp and agreed to form a team for the 10-12 days road trip. So, I was meeting all of them for the first time.

The car, a Skoda Rapid was owned and driven by an Army Major who also happened to be a super speciality doctor. While we 3 passengers were totally chilled out, the owner/driver, Major saheb was a bit edgy through out the trip. He would honk incessantly without any reason, make some dangerous overtakes, and drive at some insane speed at times. He would also get irritated at the slightest delay at the tolls or if any vehicle in front didn't give way. That got on our nerve too, however we were hesitant to advise him as he was the owner of the car and we were the passengers and we all were strangers to each other.

While driving in Punjab, there was this fully laden truck in front of us trudging very slowly, the road was narrow and Major Saheb honked incessantly and also hurled some curses at the driver for not giving way. After say 45 seconds or a minute or so, he managed to overtake the heavy truck and drove directly in front of it and braked abruptly. I could hear the truck suddenly groaning heavily as it too braked. Then Major Saheb who kept an eye on the rear view mirror, pressed the gas, went about 20 feet and braked abruptly again. The truck behind was so close that I thought he will rear end us. The truck braked again and I could see the whole truck shake violently due to the heavy load and I was genuinely scared. While keeping an eye on the RVM, major hurled some expletives at the truck (B******, I will teach him a lesson.. Blah blah)and repeated the abrupt braking a couple of more times and then we sped off. I was really shaked from that incident. Here we have an army officer and a medical doctor who is putting himself and his co-passengers and the truck driver on harm's way for no fault of the truck driver.

I knew that the truck driver was minding his own business and the truck was groaning under the load as it trudged on the road slowly while our Skoda Rapid was just zipping past other vehicles on the road. And for no fault of the truck driver, an ego hurt driver put us all in the harm's way. I was too scared to even ask him why he did that.

Brake checking is illegal in most North American jurisdictions and can result in serious penalties, including: Fines, License suspension, Jail time, and Civil liability for damages and injuries. However in India it's quite leniant and for an offense of Abrupt Braking without sufficient reason, under section 177 of MVA, the fine is Rs. 100 for first offense and Rs. 300 for subsequent offense.

Now, with ADAS in many cars, this poses another issue, there are incidences when say a car A with ADAS decides to apply brake because say a car B in the other lane came too close and then the car C behind rear ends the car A. This falls in the grey area of brake checking. Again the counter argument is that car C shouldn't be tailgating the car A so closely and tailgating is also generally considered as illegal in many states in USA.

So guys, have you ever faced the road rage when a car brake checked in front of you or did you ever lose patience (for whatever reason) and brake checked some other vehicle? Was there any collision? How did you guys resolve the road rage? What are the ways to avoid this brake checking? How would you handle this situation?

[GTX+]

Most of the defense personnel I know or have met are extremely well mannered and thorough gentlemen. But sometimes, some experiences of the past have lasting effect on the personality of people. Having said that, it was no doubt extremely reckless behavior, especially since he had the added responsibility of you guys.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

So guys, have you ever faced the road rage when a car brake checked in front of you

Thankfully this has never happened to me.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

did you ever lose patience (for whatever reason) and brake checked some other vehicle?

Lose patience? A million times.

Did I ever brake checked? Nope.

[handsofsteel]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Road Rage: Brake Checking.

I checked the entire Team-BHP threads and couldn't find anything on the menace of Brake Checking and the harm it could do to motorists. Hence this post.

Brake checking is when a driver intentionally and suddenly applies their brakes without a reason, often to scare or cause the following vehicle (vehicle behind) to collide with them. It is considered reckless driving and is illegal in many countries including USA & Europe.


So guys, have you ever faced the road rage when a car brake checked in front of you or did you ever lose patience (for whatever reason) and brake checked some other vehicle? Was there any collision? How did you guys resolve the road rage? What are the ways to avoid this brake checking? How would you handle this situation?

Ok so here it goes. I was on a Honda activa (in Delhi) standing on the stop line for a red light at a major intersection (SP marg and Panchsheel marg for those familiar with Delhi) waiting to head onto Simon Bolivar marg when a baleno at high speed came from behind honking and flashing his lights. Considering that there was a good 30s + of waiting time, I paid no heed. Besides, I was first on the line so couldn’t have gone ahead/made way for him without cutting the stop line in full view of the cops there. The moment the lights turned green, I sped off. Now, Simon bolivar is an empty road mostly with a speed limit of 50kmph. My activa doesn’t cross 55kmph so I can safely say I was at /around the speed limit. I was on the left lane (2 laned road) when the car pulls up next to me and yells an obscenity. Ascertaining that there was nobody else around me as the intended target, I asked the driver (a young punk) his issue with a universal hand gesture. He yelled at me with profanities as to why I did not clear the line at the signal for him. I made a dismissive hand gesture asking him to carry on. He flipped his middle finger in response and cut across to the left Lane in front of me. I pulled into the centre lane and continued my way when he accelerated suddenly, pulled up directly in front of me, half opened his door and (as I now know it), brake checked me. I was very lucky there was sufficient gap between us, road conditions were good and little traffic that I did not bang into him. The guy sped away to the next signal. Immediately, a young couple in a white swift came alongside and told me that they would catch hold of him and asked me to catch up. They accosted the guy at the next signal and called the traffic cop. The punk just blew his top accusing them of being Instagram junkies and me of being a liar. The traffic cops realised something was amiss and asked the punk to pull over to the side of the road. It then emerged that the young couple (in the white Swift) had a video recording of the entire incident as they were busy filming the sunset/ evening skies.
The entire belligerent attitude of this guy changed and he suddenly became a polite youngster imploring us to let him go to his office as he was getting late. The police asked me if I wanted to press charges for overspeeding, rash driving and performing stunts in public. In a sudden rush of benevolence, I asked them to let him off with a warning which they did. In hindsight, it was a wrong decision and he should’ve been penalised instead of being let off.

Thanks to your post I now know the name of this reckless manoeuvre.

[Bhuvan]

Originally Posted by handsofsteel

Ok so here it goes. I was on a Honda activa (in Delhi)

I am a firm believer of good karma coming back and you are way ahead of me in this, also such behavior should not need a complain for punishment and the lesser we talk about police the better. Since quite sometime now I am training myself to get in my zen mode while riding/driving as idiots like you have mentioned are scattered like potholes on our roads, just avoid hitting one, stay safe and keep riding.

[ruskinash]

Originally Posted by Bhuvan

Since quite sometime now I am training myself to get in my zen mode while riding/driving as idiots like you have mentioned are scattered like potholes on our roads, just avoid hitting one, stay safe and keep riding.

A great example of why punctuation is of utmost importance!

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by ruskinash

A great example of why punctuation is of utmost importance!

Reminds me of that hilarious book, "Eats, shoots and leaves" vs the intended "Eats shoots and leaves".
https://www.goodreads.com/work/quote...ots-and-leaves

On a serious note, brake checking is grossly dangerous and tantamount to endangering public safety. Totally avoidable!

[Dr.LexWheels]

New spec Thar is frequently tested in the Chennai-Trichy NH by their expert testing drivers over the last few weeks.

I have seen them however gesturing to the vehicles behind them to change course and steer clear away from them to avert possible accidents. My family was curious why the test driver was gesturing.

But, have noticed that Thar was able to hold its composure and braked without any drama thanks to ABS and TCS.

That said, we all felt that such brake-testing by manufacturers is best avoided in highspeed public carriageways and should be confined only to their testing tracks.

[Aditya]

Road rage: Slamming brakes intentionally infront of another vehicle - Posts moved to a new thread.

[alphamike_1612]

Originally Posted by Dr.LexWheels

New spec Thar is frequently tested in the Chennai-Trichy NH by their expert testing drivers over the last few weeks.

I have seen them however gesturing to the vehicles behind them to change course and steer clear away from them to avert possible accidents.

This is bottom line illegal.
and if this is true, the respect I have garnered for the company is going down by the day.

Road testing a car (from where we see spy shots of camouflaged cars) is different from testing a car's emergency brakes on a public road, especially with other regular road users on it.

If they needed smooth tarmac and a long straight, the Irungatukottai Race track comes to mind. Or even better, NATRAX in Indore.

Doesn't Mahindra have an actual testing facility here in Chennai that has some world class facilities and all? I remember seeing a YT video on it.

[windrider]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Road Rage: Brake Checking.

After say 45 seconds or a minute or so, he managed to overtake the heavy truck and drove directly in front of it and braked abruptly. I could hear the truck suddenly groaning heavily as it too braked. Then Major Saheb who kept an eye on the rear view mirror, pressed the gas, went about 20 feet and braked abruptly again

I would like to see Major Saheb come to Kerala and try this sh*t in front of a Kerala state RTC bus It will definitely be the last time he pulls this stunt.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by windrider

I would like to see Major Saheb come to Kerala and try this sh*t in front of a Kerala state RTC bus

I think he wasn't behaving that way intentionally. He might have been just bought up that way. He is a super speciality Opthalmologist too. To be a surgeon in super speciality category, the doctor needs to be extremely patient and careful in his profession..

Coming to Kerala, forget the Major, even ordinary drivers/riders minding their own business are not spared.

I remember an incident that happened over a decade ago. I was on a motorcycle trip to Kerala with two more bikers. I was riding my Kawasaki Eliminator ( the precursor to the Bajaj Avenger) and my friends were riding Pulsars. We all had our headlights ON so as to keep track of each other in the narrow Kerala highways as it was easy to get lost in the maze of vehicles.

I was in the front and I was stopped by a group of people on road side. On stopping, I was asked where I am coming from and why the headlight of my motorcycle was ON?. I replied that we are 3 riders on 3 motorcycles and with headlight ON, it helps us to identify and track our fellow bikes. The men got angry with my response.. They said 'you guys must be racing on our roads". I responded "No, we are responsible riders who keep within the speed limits". Then one of the guy said "Switch OFF your headlight. This is not permitted here in Kerala" He actually ordered me with a raised voice "Don't show your smartness in front of us. Switch off the headlight and Go!"

We moved On, rode the whole length of Kerala and didn't switch ON the headlight (during daytime) for the rest of our time in Kerala..
Thereafter on a couple of trips to Kerala, I found that the local drivers / riders get triggered to the slightest perceived provocation such as an overtaking and take it personal. Not always but noticeably higher instances than in other states.

So, for us the bottom line is "When we drive/ride in Kerala, always drive /ride very very defensively (within speed limits) and always be alert and keep an eye open for the vehicles behind us as much as the vehicles ahead of us." We also remove all modification /accessories to our vehicle when we go on a Kerala trip.

[Mystic]

I have also observed this behaviour with my American local colleagues. We usually car pool when going out for working lunches at office in California. On one of our rides, American colleague who was at the wheel was pressing brakes and releasing quickly multiple times. I was surprised and asked him why he is doing that. He said that there is one crazy guy who is tailgating us to draw our attention as our car is full with lady occupants in the back seat. After this sudden braking exercise, that crazy guy overtook us and disappeared as it scared him with a possible crash of his car. I as an expat would never attempt to scare a tailgating car that way as I heard that people carry guns in their cars and one never knows what can happen next.

[SR-71]

This is dangerous but also one of the 'relatively' easier issues to solve. If you are brake checked, just get off the road take a break, stretch yourself, if possible, grab a bite and then resume your journey. Now this is not a fool proof solution all the time. For example, taking a break might not be feasible during in-city drive or if the driver is cuckoo enough to wait for you to get back on the road. But again, this should be a good solution in most highway drive cases as these drivers are impatient lot and would go on to find another target to fixate on!

[Thad E Ginathom]

I do not brake-check: uncalled for and highly dangerous.

I do (confession!) sometimes do what I call passive-aggressive braking. This is gently applying brake. One can bring the guy behind to a complete halt. In fact I heard of it as a police technique to stop another car.

Well... that was in my younger days (late 60s ) and I'm a lot calmer on the road now. If I am being tailgated I do my best to get the guy past. It's odd how that can sometimes be difficult. They are not driving at the backside of my car because they want to overtake, but because that is what seems right to them!

And, with a tailgater, I always slow down and double the distance between me and the vehicle in front: I now need stopping distance for two!

When I am aware that I have annoyed someone, maybe by doing the above, I am ready for retaliation. I will slow down as they overtake, and will keep well back from them. I will not give them the chance.

On a lighter note, I have various fantasy lit-up signs for the back of my car. The one for tailgaters says, "I'll turn my engine off and you can push."

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I do not brake-check: uncalled for and highly dangerous.

I do (confession!) sometimes do what I call passive-aggressive braking. This is gently applying brake. One can bring the guy behind to a complete halt. In fact I heard of it as a police technique to stop another car.

Thankfully I have never had a situation where some one brake checked me intentionally. But to a large extent cutting in and doing aggressive overtakes has the same effect as brake checking (in terms of safety). It seems that the standard SOP of an overtaking car is not to abort a goofed up overtake but to go faster and get in front and then by reflex brake (rather hard). Often cars overtake a slow moving truck in pairs (or triplets or .. you get the point) and then there is not even an option to abort an overtake. Which means it ends up in a situation very similar to brake checking. One needs to be extra careful in these situation. Obviously one should not indulge in this copy cat overtaking and overtake one at a time but that alone will not help. As car drivers we need to actively find ways to not get into the middle of a "wolf pack of cars". This is not easy but one thing that works is to keep a large gap with the slow moving vehicle and overtake when all the other wolves are done.