Can anyone explain tailgating?
No, not a party in a parking lot. I mean trying your best to drive up someone's tailpipe.
I don't understand why so many people insist on driving as close as possible to the back of my car. I'm not asking you to slow down, but since you can't drive faster than me.. can't you go the same speed further back?
So is there an intended message? Are you trying to get me to speed up? Do you even realize you're dangerously close?
Why does tapping the brakes make some people move in even closer?
I just don't understand
Some people haven't figured out that you can't go faster than the car in front of you. Why do they have to do it right behind you? Simple: they are "getting there faster" (actually about .025 seconds faster, if you measured them passing a fixed point, from both positions).
I love tailgaters - I slowly decrease my speed until they get annoyed and go into another lane. What really gets me is when they ride your ass when the passing lane is wide open?????
How bout the pepole who talk on their phone, eat, read or put on makeup while driving.
Sometimes you see them from the side of the road. There will be a long empty stretch of road, and then a car comes by with another car right on its ass, followed by a long empty stretch again. You just have to shake your head and laugh. Morons.
When driving across town at a high-traffic time of day, I notice the worst-behaved driver and study their technique. The tailgating, the constant lane-switching, the perpetual cycle of accelerating and brake-slamming. What I've observed is that, without fail, at the other side of town, all of their efforts have caused them to be many *car lengths
behind me, when all I've done is drive respectfully in one lane.
I attribute this to what I call "selling low" in traffic. Think of the stock market: you "buy low" and "sell high" in order to maximize profits. In traffic, if you wait until something bad happens before changing lanes, you never see the "high" side of that lane. By "selling low" these spastic drivers are guaranteed to experience the worst conditions possible. And, they
waste alot of gas.
*(Incidentally, these "car lengths" translate to almost nothing as a measurement of
time...)
There will be a long empty stretch of road, and then a car comes by with another car right on its ass, followed by a long empty stretch again.
I think alot of drivers only ever look about 10 feet ahead. That long stretch of road, just on the other side of that car, is "invisible" to them.
Why is this thread in "relationships". Makes me think you mean another kind of tail gating.
Ironically, cars with advanced safety features such as anti-lock brakes and stability control then get into more crashes. As one van driver noted, the car behind her smashed into the back. Then the driver complained that his anti-lock brakes failed to stop him fast enough.
Recently ran across three cars all smashed into one another. They were all blaming the fourth car that had slowed down and made a right turn into a driveway. Not one of them bothered to blame themselves as I explained to each that if you hit the car in front, then you are 100% responsible. Later the cop had to explain it again to each. They insisted it was the fault of the right turning driver - not their tailgating.
Again, stats show that cars with anti-lock brakes do more rear crashing. But then you see that with SUVs driving down an iced road at excessive speed. They are in an SUV. Therefore they can drive faster on ice. Yes, that constitutes logic to so many.
If he tailgates, then you slow down excessively before making a turn. When he tailgates, do everything possible to maximize your safety at his expense.
Why is this thread in "relationships". Makes me think you mean another kind of tail gating.
Me, too.
I have noticed many of these tailgaters are teenagers. Now, I love teenagers and actually have two in captivity myself, but I DO fear their driving-around skills. They are very casual about the laws of physics and probability.
Very casual. They, the inmates, claim my fault lies in my handicap of MotherNess. In the spirit of Mom-ness I have done two things which I swore-to myself-never to do: #1) I've actually said these words: "your music sounds all the same!" AND #2) stomped on the imaginary brake on the passengers side of the car as my gorgeous 16 year-old passed a semi on a country road and nearly wiped us both off the face of the planet. I wouldn't have cared for my own life, being as how I've cheated death lo these many years, but I did care about my son.
What to do?
nothing to add, except, when did you change your title to "Mrs. Booberman"? Everyone is comedy gold this morning.
nothing to add, except, when did you change your title to "Mrs. Booberman"? Everyone is comedy gold this morning.
Lumberjim gave it to me. :)
"gave"?! It was an "exchange" and you, comedy gold notwithstanding, were robbed.
"gave"?! It was an "exchange" and you, comedy gold notwithstanding, were robbed.
Should I sue?
Would it involve the introduction of more evidence?
Would it involve the introduction of more evidence?
Are you a lawyer?
Why is this thread in "relationships". Makes me think you mean another kind of tail gating.
Because we do have a relationship of sorts with the people around us on the road. There's all sorts of communication going on, from calling them names to flipping them off. I was just wondering if there was intended communication with tailgating or what.
I was just wondering if there was intended communication with tailgating or what.
I think so, sometimes. They intend to say "you're not going fast enough for me" but the problem is either #1 they could just go around or #2 there isn't anywhere else, for either of you, to go. So while I guess it is communication of a sort, it isn't productive communication.
I think so, sometimes. They intend to say "you're not going fast enough for me" but the problem is either #1 they could just go around or #2 there isn't anywhere else, for either of you, to go. So while I guess it is communication of a sort, it isn't productive communication.
or #3 you are already going over the speed limit and don't intend to go any faster as it would be unsafe.
I considered a #3, but it should go without saying that I don't give a fuck how fast "they" want to go, for any reason.
I think a lot of people don't have a good mental perspective. I was driving with a friend once who started bitching about how the guy behind her was tailgating her, and I pointed out that she was closer to the car in front of her than that guy was to her. She didn't believe me, and we argued about it until later that day we did an experiment with parked cars, and she realized how close she'd been driving to everyone else.
On that note: according to George Carlin, anyone driving faster than you is a maniac, and anyone driving slower than you is a moron.
Well, I have to admit that I do tailgate sometimes, but it's usually in response to people 'cruising' in the passing lane. They piss me off, especially as they're usually going under speed and there are signs at the side of the road saying 'keep left unless overtaking' (as opposed to keep right for you lot I guess).
Unless people are willing to follow the road rules, they should not be on the road.
I tailgate the living shit out of some people. Specifically, the fucktards that blow a stop sign so they have time to pull out in front of me. You wanna be in front of me that bad? Fine, I'm in your trunk. Jerk.
I think its often an external locus of control thing. The tailgater is using you to choose speed. They don't want to be in control of their vehicle.
I also get very pissed at fly up to the intersection, jam on the brakes, and roll into the lane guy. Some of us are trying to get home without a coffin asswipe.
How bout the pepole who talk on their phone, eat, read or put on makeup while driving.
Its called *time management* and *multitasking* - sheesh :cool:
:p
I like to have Ice cold Yeungling Lager, and Burritos. Never did like the souflaki, or the creepy Greek guys that sell it. Brots are kinda gross, and the chicken is always undercooked or burnt.
The Dead shows were the best. Veggie Bagels, hackey sack, nitrous, reefer smoke everywhere. man, how you gonna beat that?
It's really 'brat' as in bratwurst, but LJ was being phoenetic and all.
geez blue, we are learning stuff tonite huh?
Oh yeah, I'm feeling really informed!
I have to admit - I'm with jinx sometimes.
I hate tailgators especially since I was rearended. They make me nervous and also since I'm normally driving 5-10 over they piss me off. I like to slow way down and either force them to go around me or get the hint to back off. What I don't understand are the idiots driving next to each other in both lanes of traffic, going 5 under. Those people really really piss me off, sometimes I'll ride the pipe of the one in the left lane (the fast/passing lane) since they aren't supposed to be driving there anyway. Atleast the person in the right lane is driving where they're supposed to be. I'm a chronic speeder though, I hate having a car infront of me and sometimes I unconsciously tail them, but I normally realize and back off. I've gotten pulled over 3 times for going about 10 over, and once for going 19 over. I got a ticket the last time I was goin 10 over.
You wanna be in front of me that bad? Fine, I'm in your trunk. Jerk.
I'm trying to explain this to my wife: if and when I tailgate, it's a controlled, deliberate execution of "road justice" via object lesson. When
she tailgates, it's for no reason whatsoever but "zoning out" - the complete opposite state I am in (hyper-vigilant) when I do it.
An example of when I might tailgate is this: there's nowhere to go, neither lane has an opening, but the guy behind me is right up my ass. He manages to squeeze in front of me, almost causing several distinct wrecks in the process, only to have nowhere else to go. Now, the roles are reversed. This is me: Hurry up! Hurry up! Out of my way! Go! Go! Go!
SEE, ASSHOLE, THIS IS WHAT [SIZE="3"]YOU [/SIZE]WERE DOING TO ME. YOU LIKE THAT? YOU LIKE THAT? THIS IS HOW [SIZE="3"]YOU [/SIZE]DRIVE, FUCKTARD. PRETTY FUCKIN' POINTLESS, HUH? SHITHEAD.Roadrage Def. . . See Above
I mean trying your best to drive up someone's tailpipe.
cuz she won't get pregnant?
:D
sheesh.. I wasn't talking about THAT
I don't tailgate anything. I drive a lowslung fiberglass sportscar. I want to have room to SEE what is in the road and avoid it. I also want to have a cushion of space if the vehicle ahead of me does something stupid.
It isn't worth damaging my classic car over to tailgate. I want to arrive at my destination in one piece.
All it takes is one of those cars ahead of a tailgater to slam the brakes and BAM!, the tailgater has hit them and are at fault because they did not have enough time to react and avoid the collision.
If people tailgate me I'll tap my brakes at them. If they don't back off I goose it to put some room between us that I feel comfortable with. If they crawl up my pipes again I will tap my brakes to slow them down and goose again for space. If they still don't get the hint, sometimes I'll wave them back with a hand gesture (all fingers visible) and if that doesn't work, I slow way the fuck down. Then I'm driving and stopping for two. I am aware of my intelligence and driving abilities, but since the tailgater is doing what s/he is doing, I assume they are morons and need me to govern their driving. If only for my own safety while I am ahead of them.
Exactly! When I taught my kids to drive I explained that space = time and you need time to react to what others do. You may be a great driver, but you can't count on everyone else to be doing the right thing
My one and only car accident - I ran into the back of the car in front of me. She was driving a nice BMW and pulled to a stop pretty smartly for a zebra crossing on a rainy road. I was a reasonable distance behind her (reasonable in my mind) but my crappy Peugeot's brakes were just not up to it. I cruised in slow motion into her bumper (pedestrian barriers on one side and traffic queue on the other meant I had nowhere to go).
Since then I give the car in front plenty of space - even if it means letting another 1-2 cars out and find somewhere to pull over if I have someone behind me determined to ride my arse.
a good rule of thumb: 3 seconds -- give the vehicle in front of you a 3 second cushion, using passing landmarks to time the distance.
a good rule of thumb: 3 seconds -- give the vehicle in front of you a 3 second cushion, using passing landmarks to time the distance.
will b 2secs kwikr 2 appt if cushn @ 1sec
Ow! OW! OOOOOW! Jesus Christ, what was that damn bollard doing in the way?!
You can't trust them an inch you know
First of all, I have an insurance license and worked in the industry for almost seven years... if you rear-end someone (and you were not pushed a full car length from a full-stop with witnesses) it is ALWAYS your fault.
You must be able to see the road beneath the tires of the vehicle on front of you to be a car length when you stop behind them. If you cannot and you get rear-ended and pushed into them, it is your fault that you hit them. 50% negligence = your fault, you pay.
You will get where you are going, you cannot push the car in front of you with your will, you will not get there faster, it is not justice in any way. You are just showing them that they got to you and they are most likely laughing at you or think you are stupid.
I am with an earlier poster, I just keep slowing down until they back-off or pass me. I have time. My wife does the same. We have gone down to 15mph below the limit and just held it there until our turn.
Of course if you are in the fast lane on the highway and someone comes up behind you, you are not the cops and it is not your job to make them slow down... get out of the way.
I think a lot of people don't have a good mental perspective. I was driving with a friend once who started bitching about how the guy behind her was tailgating her, and I pointed out that she was closer to the car in front of her than that guy was to her. She didn't believe me, and we argued about it until later that day we did an experiment with parked cars, and she realized how close she'd been driving to everyone else.
Exactly.....your perception of what's too close to your rear bumper may have no relation to reality. I work with a woman that complains incessantly about people tailgating her on the way home from work, but I drive the same route for the first couple miles and I don't see her being tailgated at all....perception.
;)
Oh yeah, and some people have no clue where their rear bumper actually is.
I've noticed that I'm much more testy about tailgaters since I got hit. They really piss me off.
Oh yeah, and some people have no clue where their rear bumper actually is.
I know that most of my problem is my car. I am very low to the ground and I sit just in front of the back wheels, so everything behind me seems closer than it really is.
When I was driving a corvette, the people behind me weren't a problem....'cept when they had flashing lights and a badge. :D
The new Vettes have solved the objects in your mirror problem. The occasional rice rocket may show up...