Traffic Law for Sudden Breaking

[dazzlersjade]

State of Michigan.

Today I was driving about 37mph on a 35mph street and suddenly a white car comes speeding behind me. This car keeps cutting other drivers off and ends up switching lanes until the white car is behind me. She continues to accelerate as to try to get me to go faster. There was a car right in front of me and no room for me to get out of the way and switch to another lane. A bit frazzled I break suddenly as to not hit the car in front of me. I can see the woman driver behind me yelling and seemed irate. Then she gets a pen and paper out as to try to write my liscense plate number down. I was confused becuase I'm sure she didn't hit me and wondering how can she call the police on me and get me in trouble when she was the one driving so aggressively? I'm freaking out that she will call the police and out of rage lie or make up a story because she was upset I did not speed up. Please tell me, can I really get in trouble if I didn't do anythig wrong?

 

[FlyingRon]

Don't worry about it. The woman is a jerk.
By the way, the answer to people tailgating you like that is to slow down.
It gives them maximum opportunity to pass you and if that's not possible INCREASES the reaction time, etc... for stops like this.

 

[You Are Guilty]

Yeah, brake-checking them tends not to work out well for anyone involved. Slow down gradually.

 

[Free_Advice]

I love people who drive with 2 feet & their brake lights constantly turns off & on.

No law about breaking but I could see a civil issue is done on purpose for the sole reason to get $$ from another party.

 

[Zigner]

Just because it's a pet peeve. The word y'all are looking for is braking.

 

[You Are Guilty]

Just because it's a pet peeve. The word y'all are looking for is braking.

Not for me it isn't. Just call me Shabba Doo.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086999/

 

[mraikes]

If you were to get any ticket, plead not guilty, and state exactly what happened. Odds are if anyone was charged it would be her for expressing road rage.

 

[randolph76]

If you were to get any ticket, plead not guilty, and state exactly what happened. Odds are if anyone was charged it would be her for expressing road rage.

I would think the white car could get a ticket for failure to maintain proper distance.

 

[The Occultist]

If you were to get any ticket, plead not guilty, and state exactly what happened. Odds are if anyone was charged it would be her for expressing road rage.

The violation of one driver has little to do with the violation of another driver. For example, if you pull out into traffic but then get hit by car and the only reason he was able to hit you is because he was going 15+ over the limit, yeah, he might get a speeding ticket but you'll still be found at fault for the collision. Here, yes, the OP was subject to somebody driver inappropriately, but that was no excuse to nearly cause a collision with the vehicle in front of him (and reckless/careless driving tickets can be issued without an actual collision).