The following tips are reprinted courtesy of Motorcycle Safety Foundation, msf-usa.org ©2017 Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

MSF Safety Tip #66: Tailgaters

There is a right way and a wrong way to deal with tailgaters when riding your motorcycle.
First, make sure you’re not tailgating the vehicle in front of you, because if you are forced to make a too-quick stop due to your own lack of proper space cushion, your tailgater might crash into you.
If there’s no one in front of you, you might be tempted to speed up. But this can be dangerous, as your tailgater may speed up with you and you may end up riding beyond your skill level.
Sometimes, flashing your brake light (without slowing down), waiting a few seconds, then flashing it again will send a cautionary message. If your tailgater doesn’t slow down, you may be dealing with an aggressive driver, not an unaware driver. Encourage your tailgater to pass you, if conditions permit. Change lanes if you can; leave the road at the next safe opportunity (intersection, parking lot, etc.) if you can’t.

If there are no imminent opportunities to leave the road, then be extra cautious, leave ample room in front so when you brake there is space for the tailgater to brake also, glance at your rear-view mirrors more frequently, and plot escape paths to your left and right to avoid being trapped. Finally, you don’t want to be so distracted by a tailgater that your attention to the front is dangerously reduced.