when you brake-check someone, don't be surprised if they hit you!!! duh!! likewise, if you tailgate someone (we all know the difference between following just a bit too close and riding someone's bumper), be prepared for a brakecheck. how can you absolutely flip out when you brake check someone and they hit you??
if someone rides my ass, i usually move over, let them pass, and get behind them---how close i get depends on whether or not i'm driving my beater. i've brake checked in my past, but always when i have the trailer hitch on, and never to the point where i'm jamming on the brakes. there's a difference between sending someone a polite message they're too close, and purposely giving them no option but to hit you. either way, always be prepared for the real possibility of a collision.