This is the audacity and idiocy of tailgaters. On a four-lane road - where there are two lanes for each direction - Im attempting to pass a vehicle going at or slightly below the speed limit. Im driving within 5 miles over the limit - typically a grace window where cops are concerned. A larger work truck loaded with welding materials - including a propane tank! - drives up with some acceleration behind me and begins to ride my bumper within a single car length. I gently tap my brakes a couple of times. The driver points for me to get over to the right lane...clearly demonstrating that he KNOWS I want him to back off, but hes unwilling to comply. I tap my brakes again and physically wave him off, signaling hes TOO CLOSE. He points for me to get over again. But, I cannot, for theres OBVIOUSLY another car to my side. I COULD move over if I had no qualms about the safety of other drivers. Something this guy certainly had no regard for. This is what gets me about tailgaters: they drive with NO regard for anyone else but themselves. Its THAT simple. They often speed well above the speed limit (or the grace speed limit). They act like EVERYONE has to make way for them no matter the current circumstances (ie: cars ahead that make it difficult to maintain a reasonable speed, cars in other lanes that prevent lane changes to accommodate, weather conditions, etc). They will drive right up on your bumper at significantly higher speeds before changing lanes even though they can plainly tell that they will have to pass, declining the sense to change lanes SOONER and thereby reducing risk factors. I have been on the highway going as much as TWENTY miles over the speed limit JUST to keep up with the flow of traffic, and these selfish morons refuse to adapt. THIS is why I have no love and no respect for tailgaters. Its hard enough to watch for traffic ahead of me and to my sides. I shouldnt have to avert THAT MUCH attention to whats behind me when its THEIR responsibility to watch THEIR driving circumstances ahead of them. I have had SEVERAL instances where a normal drive turns into a NEAR-crash because I had to slam on my breaks. Had a tailgater been behind me, Id be dead. Theyd MOST CERTAINLY would be dead. All because they insist on driving like they own the road. Quite frankly, I dont care WHO it is or WHAT the reason is. It is EVERYONES responsibility to maintain SAFE driving distances as much as is possible. And a complete REFUSAL to even TRY warrants an instant label of stupid moron...and thats putting is VERY mildly. I have NO problem passing this judgment - its WELL deserved.
Posted on: Tue, 22 Jul 2014 17:53:20 +0000