A TailGater By Any Other Name ... (Tampa: attorney, work, home)

[victim]

My cousin was just killed by a SELFISH and IGNORANT driver who, before running a 20-second old red light (she was the third in line making a LEGAL left turn), had been tailgating, weaving in and out of traffic and running 3 other drivers off the road at 70 miles an hour on a busy highway after work hours. She just wanted to stop in for a refreshment before going home (2 minutes away) after work -- and this driver -- who obviously was much more important in his own mind -- ended her life. Did I mention he was DUI too?

I read a few threads where professed tailgaters gave their "reasons" why they did what they did in a disgusting attempt to justify their actions ... and all I can say is: IT IS ILLEGAL. IT IS DANGEROUS. BACK OFF!

There is no good enough reason to BREAK THE LAW and come within a reasonable distance from the car ahead of you just to intimidate or "move ahead" a slower driver. No one has the right to endanger anyone, no matter how "right" you think you are.

Leave the slower drivers alone. If they go too slow for you -- drive somewhere else -- or how about this: Show a little consideration and patience, stay a safe distance behind, and get around them at the first legal opportunity. (What a concept!)

No one is more important than anyone else and if you tailgate, be in mind that WE have to put up with your displays of your self-possessed "superiority" and you expect US to give the road up for you.

I urge anyone reading this to: Obey the speed limits. Slow down and STOP at yellow/red lights (3 more minutes isn't going to kill you -- but you might kill someone else). Be courteous to ALL drivers -- even if they are doing something wrong. Unless you are a police officer, get away from them and report them if it makes you feel better.

Road rage is nothing more than a grown-up temper tantrum.

My cousin was a wonderful woman with a very large close-knit, loving family -- and this man completely shattered the lives of hundreds people in a split second. He took the life of an angel.

Thanks for listening and I hope that one or more professed tailgaters reads this and decides to give up his or her self-centered habit. What if it happened to one of "theirs" ??????????

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. This is a terrible story and all of us unfortunately witness this type of behavior every day of the week on the roads. I wish something could be done about these aggressive drivers. Right now I'm counting my blessings because my daughter was rear-ended last week, sitting at a stand still in traffic. She was plowed into by a drunk driver, a Tampa attorney in fact. Thankfully she wasn't killed.

[victim]

(To BeenAroundTheBlock) Thank you for your kind words, and as a mother of a 19-year old driver (daughter, too), I totally relate to what just happened to yours and I pray every time I watch her go out the door with her keys. That's a shame to hear that an attorney was the cause of an accident like that. I work for attorneys. I thought they were supposed to be examples to the public. I am much more aware, now, of the people around me as I commute into town, and already this morning I noticed two younger (in their 20's or 30's) individuals with cute little cars weaving in and out of traffic, no consideration, no blinkers -- just into themselves and trying to get somewhere first and fast. This is the mentality that we have to try to ignore (by this I mean not retaliate against or escalate) and compensate for (as safe drivers), and hopefully bring to the attention of our police officers and legislators. I hope this message keeps moving.

[BeenAroundTheBlock]

There needs to be a mentality re-adjustment. These people think "nothing will happen to me". Point in case... an attorney? She is a young 29 yr old with her future ahead of her and does something like this? I'm very glad there were police nearby and that she was arrested on the spot. She also had open containers in her car.

Do you work for an attorney in Tampa? I know where she works because I saw her mugshot on the Hillsbough County website.

[victim]

There you go. Young, free, successful, mostly affluent (and high and/or drunk on things they can afford) -- pretty much the MO of most (not all) of the tailgaters who are so inconsiderate of the real world they don't think they live in. I do work for a law firm in Tampa, but I won't mention any names. I can say, however, that this woman attorney does not work here in our office. I am sorry for her firm because this will most definitely cast a dark mark against them and their ability to hire reputable people to defend the public. I hope she gets the harshest sentence and/or fine and I hope she will be a reformed driver when it's all over.

[SunKrist]

Victim, this is a tragic story. Every time I see someone driving recklessly, whether it be taligating, weaving, not using signals, coming too close to cars, speeding, not stopping at stop signs, etc. I think how they could have just killed dozens of people, and it's only by God's grace that they didn't.

I am very sorry for the loss of your cousin. I pray others read this thread and wake-up and realize there is a good reason why traffic laws exist, and it's just common sense to follow them - for everyone's safety, including your own. Not to mention the fact that it is your legal responsibilty to keep these laws if you want to keep the privilege (it's not a right) of driving.

Also, just a note to those who tailgate for the reasons Victim mentioned: I happen to know there are a lot of people who purposely go slower when you tailgate them - so just back off! You're not going to get anywhere faster by tailgating and speeding - that's a fact. At the most you will save 30 seconds, but you're wasting gas and risking everyone's lives.

[chiva95]

I'm very sorry for your loss but it wasn't tailgating or running red lights that killed her it was drunk driving. That is the underlying problem here, not aggressive driving.

[chiva95]

Originally Posted by SunshineBaby

Also, just a note to those who tailgate for the reasons Victim mentioned: I happen to know there are a lot of people who purposely go slower when you tailgate them - so just back off! You're not going to get anywhere faster by tailgating and speeding - that's a fact. At the most you will save 30 seconds, but you're wasting gas and risking everyone's lives.

This is what causes road rage. If someone is tailgating you, obviously they are aggressive people, why would you want to antagonize them. Either ignore them or get out of the way if possible.

[SunKrist]

Originally Posted by chiva95

This is what causes road rage. If someone is tailgating you, obviously they are aggressive people, why would you want to antagonize them. Either ignore them or get out of the way if possible.

I agree with you on this. However, I was trying to get the point across to those who think they are going to cause those they tailgate to go faster that it isn't always the case. Once they see that they aren't affecting the person's speed, they should back off to a safe distance.

Personally, I avoid aggressive drivers and I do not want to put myself in a close proximity to them, therefore I would either speed up (to a certain degree) or let them pass if possible. But if I'm already going 5 over I'm not going to speed up and get a ticket so the person behind me can go 15 over. It's unsafe, illegal, completely pointless and you don't gain a thing.

Some tailgaters, however, have no intention of passing me. All lanes can be free and clear for them to pass whenever they want and they will still tailgate you. I guess some people just think it's the thing to do.

[victim]

I believe that aggressive people shouldn't drive. Period. They put too many other people at risk. And yes, driving is a "privilege" not a "right." Intimidation is childish and there is no place for it on the roadways. If everyone just obeys the laws that were enacted to protect everyone, we would be fine. But, for those people who have, what I call, "exempt" licenses (I guess there are licenses issued that have no restrictions to follow any rules or laws), then just stay away from the rest of us.

I saw a poor man pushing his stalled car around a corner yesterday in Downtown Tampa -- by himself -- and this ignorant man in a shiny black Ford F-150 was honking his horn at the guy to speed up (how ironic) -- and then when he wasn't able to push the car up the upgrade fast enough for this guy, he sped around him, sped up to the next intersection, sped around the corner and ended up sitting for another minute or two at a red light. Boy, THAT made a big difference. How about this: Stop and HELP the poor guy with the stalled car!