Why do drivers go slow when you're behind them, but speed up when you have a chance to pass?

Question

they seem to speed up as if to prevent you from passing when you finally get an opportunity to pass.

I know someone out there does this, so please tell me why you do it

Answer 1

Because people turn into asses when they're behind the wheel.

Answer 2

See, I get it the other way around.  I drive safely in urban areas and drive like a bat out of h**l on the open road.  So I get annoyed when someone is driving on my tail on urban roads but then doesn't have the b*lls to pass me when I'm doing 95mph.

Answer 3

Because you have been tailgating them for the past 5 miles and they are pissed at you.

Answer 4

I can't stand those people. I will do 120 to just get beyond them.

They do it to feel superior. In Kuwait, people will die before they will let you in front of them. VERY macho culture.

Answer 5

Its weird to admit to this but yes I have kind of done it in the past. I go the speed limit for the most part (slow for some people) and it makes some people irritated. If they pass me and go on their merry way speeding then thats fine. I let them pass. You can usually figure out the speeders anyways because they had an opportunity to pass you a long time ago and took it.

I dont get why people who do the speed limit want to speed up to pass you and then continue doing the speed limit. I dont prefer being behind a vehicle because if they do something stupid and Im slow to react then Im at fault. Im a terrible driver when it comes to reaction times. So its a completely selfish thing.

Answer 6

Competitive, I believe. I mean same reason some people try to speed up after a red light just to get that "one up" over that person in the next car whos obviously on the phone not giving a dam rather your going 45 or 59

Answer 7

I hope you get a good answer to this one. This happens ALL the time here in Georgia! I even have big trucks do this on a 4 lane road. They are the most p**s-poor drivers I have ever seen in my life. ♥ ∞

Answer 8

Well, I drive the speed limit so I have been known to slow down when people tailgate me. The more they tailgate, the slower I go.

Reason number 1: I get really nervous when people are too close because I have been rear-ended one too many times. So, I feel safer going slower.

Reason number 2: You make me nervous, I slow down to bug you.

I don't think I speed up when people pass me. Maybe a little because I'm not nervous anymore, but mostly I say good riddance.

I agree with a previous poster - I do not like when people pass me then cut in front and slow down.

Answer 9

I think it has to do with control.

Answer 10

It's very simple, they're just trying to be very rude or being an a**. They try to take the rules of the road in their own hands, and try to block you off from going over the speed limit. And when you try to pass them they speed up to cut off that lane, while the second lane that your using to try to pass has a car up ahead. They try to use that car as a road block.

Answer 11

That's what the guy behind you is thinking too. It's all relative.