Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Florida > Tampa Bay
 [Register]
Tampa Bay Tampa - St. Petersburg - Clearwater
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 05-23-2013, 12:41 PM
BBI
 
490 posts, read 936,386 times
Reputation: 370

Advertisements

Quote:
Originally Posted by City__Datarer View Post
My feeling is "plausible" includes rare events as well as everyday ones (over a lifetime, the rare things can sometimes happen to you), and so therefore it is always possible you may need to brake suddenly.

A car up ahead of you has a blow-out, something falls out of the back of a truck and takes some bounces so that out of nowhere your lane is suddenly blocked, the driver ahead of you goes into cardiac arrest and their car goes out of control...I can think of a couple of other scenarios, too (but that would be longer/more involved to describe), that were "once in a lifetime" (hopefully!), but that I did witness myself and could easily have gotten into a wreck because of.

Edit: A few other quick posts appeared above mine and so for clarity, I'm not addressing the tapping of brakes topic that has been discussed on this thread, I'm replying to the poster a few posts back who implied that there are appropriate and inappropriate times to tailgate depending on whether it's "plausible" that one may need to brake.
If there's someone ahead of the person I'm following, and the person I'm following is maintaining the same speed, it'd be inappropriate to tailgate. That person doesn't need a reminder, they're keeping up. And, if there's a loaded truck two cars ahead in my lane, I'm probably getting out of that lane so as to not follow the truck.

Meanwhile, I'm a risk-averse person, but I'm not going to avoid the risk that the person ahead of me might go into cardiac arrest and jam on the brakes, or some other scenario that's so unlikely it's difficult to describe. Risks with a 0.000001% chance of realizing aren't worth worrying about. It's possible that a terrorist will attack my home tomorrow, but I'm not buying an assault rifle today. It's possible that a car will go out of control and hit me when I'm walking on the sidewalk, but that doesn't mean I move off the sidewalk and away from the road when I'm walking the dog.

Iif you only tailgate when someone in front of you needs a reminder to get over, you almost never tailgate. And if you're polite about getting out of people's way, you almost never get tailgated. I would assume anyone so frequently tailgated as to feel the need to post about it online is a very rude driver.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 05-23-2013, 01:18 PM
 
Location: Myrtle Beach
3,381 posts, read 9,085,110 times
Reputation: 2943
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBI View Post
Iif you only tailgate when someone in front of you needs a reminder to get over, you almost never tailgate. And if you're polite about getting out of people's way, you almost never get tailgated. I would assume anyone so frequently tailgated as to feel the need to post about it online is a very rude driver.

BRAVO!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 02:38 PM
 
517 posts, read 1,085,702 times
Reputation: 1468
Quote:
Originally Posted by BBI View Post

Iif you only tailgate when someone in front of you needs a reminder to get over, you almost never tailgate. And if you're polite about getting out of people's way, you almost never get tailgated. I would assume anyone so frequently tailgated as to feel the need to post about it online is a very rude driver.[excerpt, not full post quoted]
In my case, my feeling the need to post is not the frequency of something happening to me but the dangerousness of the practice.

I personally, as a driver, get the impression people appreciate how I drive rather than considering me rude: I don't put them in danger, I get out of their way when I can safely when they're in more of a hurry than me, I look out for them and help when they're trying to do something (I slow down so someone can change lanes or merge, I pull up further at a red light if I notice in my mirror the car behind me needs me to to get into a left turn lane, etc.).

At the end of the day, none of us can be prepared for all possibilities, and people decide the level of risk they're comfortable with for themselves. It's when they feel entitled to decide it for everyone else (such as when driving on shared roads) that I have a problem.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 02:52 PM
 
Location: Arizona
1,818 posts, read 1,522,929 times
Reputation: 1419
I have driven in probably 45+ states and there are horrible drivers everywhere but I have to say that the tailgating here is a lot worse than average. A lot of people just drive that way - I don't think they are intending to drive aggressively - they are just ignorant of the danger. Often on 275 I will have some beat up old car right on my tail when I have no ability to go any faster due to traffic. It can be in either the right or left lane.
I tend to be a bit of a lead foot myself and often on the north end of 275 where the speed limit is 70 I will go 80 - I may be in the right lane and I will have some fool so close I cannot see the front of their car. I don't really see the need to go 90+ on the 275......
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 03:21 PM
 
2,729 posts, read 5,176,334 times
Reputation: 2357
Quote:
Originally Posted by Garson View Post
I have driven in probably 45+ states and there are horrible drivers everywhere but I have to say that the tailgating here is a lot worse than average. A lot of people just drive that way - I don't think they are intending to drive aggressively - they are just ignorant of the danger. Often on 275 I will have some beat up old car right on my tail when I have no ability to go any faster due to traffic. It can be in either the right or left lane.
I tend to be a bit of a lead foot myself and often on the north end of 275 where the speed limit is 70 I will go 80 - I may be in the right lane and I will have some fool so close I cannot see the front of their car. I don't really see the need to go 90+ on the 275......
Some people are just like that and never change.

I have a 2 or 3 mile stretch road in my daily commute that at one point becomes one lane at 45mph. I usually cruise 50mph on it if I have nobody in front of me. But if there are people in the front I give enough space and just follow the traffic that's usually 50 to 55mph. I get a kick out of observing some drivers in front of me trying to run over the person in fornt of them even though they can't pass them, it is one lane .

Once I count 22 brake light from the car in front me going through chain reaction of brakes before them. I didn't need to touch my brake even once in that 2 mile stretch and I am right behind them. I wonder how often these people change their brake pads and get a brake work done, not a cheap stuff for my car. By just giving them enough space and following the traffic, I prolong my brake life and save on fuel too
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 03:39 PM
 
6,441 posts, read 5,231,497 times
Reputation: 13564
Quote:
Originally Posted by City__Datarer View Post
In my case, my feeling the need to post is not the frequency of something happening to me but the dangerousness of the practice.

I personally, as a driver, get the impression people appreciate how I drive rather than considering me rude: I don't put them in danger, I get out of their way when I can safely when they're in more of a hurry than me, I look out for them and help when they're trying to do something (I slow down so someone can change lanes or merge, I pull up further at a red light if I notice in my mirror the car behind me needs me to to get into a left turn lane, etc.).

At the end of the day, none of us can be prepared for all possibilities, and people decide the level of risk they're comfortable with for themselves. It's when they feel entitled to decide it for everyone else (such as when driving on shared roads) that I have a problem.
I make every effort to drive the way you have described. Since I've been in this area and visiting this forum, I've seen lots of comments about elderly people being bad drivers. Until recently, my experience with bad drivers here had been with anyone except the elderly - young guys swerving lane to lane, princesses thinking they have every right to run down anyone in a parking lot, guys who look anywhere from 30 - 50 all ticked off about something ..... I was seeing it all but no elderly people doing those things. I thought a few of you were being overly critical about us oldies (I'm 67). But then ........... I posted this earlier this month in the Other forum but since it's mine, I'll copy/paste here instead of giving the link. For all of you complaining about scary elderly drivers, I believe! I believe!

***
I've mentioned my 91 year old neighbor who fell down in March and I was doing her shopping and whatever needed to be done. A few days ago she was feeling good enough to drive herself to the store. I spent time with her over the weekend and she told me she would be going to her "job" today. Once a week (before her fall) her routine was to drive to a large 55+ high rise senior community, fit people for clothing alterations, take the stuff home and alter and take them back the next week.

She told me how there are screens she sets as a dressing room (it was sounding kinda heavy and cumbersome) and she always kneels on the floor to pin pants legs. She shouldn't be doing any of that so she asked me to go with her. This is getting too long so to shorten the story, I went with her and she drove (silly me). On the way out of the gate where we live, to go left we have to turn right and then cross three lanes to get into the divider to make a U turn. She was talking and began to pull out in front of two cars, one in right lane and one in center lane very close to us. I said, "Good grief! Wait!" She braked but then kept going to center lane, still talking. The nearest car was swerving around her to left and I had to yell "Stay in your lane!" as she was also pulling left and nearly hit the car.

She was still talking and I interrupted to say that was a very dangerous thing she just did pulling out in front of those cars. Don't ever do that again, I said. All you have to do is wait until it's clear. "Yes, ma'am," she said making a face.

That's exactly the kind of driving that people here complain about. I don't care how perky that old girl gets to feel, I will never get in a car with her again. Giving myself lots of these. I know she'll want me to go with her next week and I will but she can ride with me or I will follow her ..... and watch the mayhem.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 04:53 PM
 
Location: Native of Any Beach/FL
35,357 posts, read 20,722,137 times
Reputation: 14124
I see silver alerts weekly--- sad and scary but why do these folks get keys? I see news of elders running into blds, ... I dont care if you are 90... know your limitations and if you are NOT safe to drive you are a hazard. I feel sad but angry when I hear stories of the 90 yr old guy who fell at Publix, and was so injured that he could NOt get out of his car and died in it-- (family coming from the north)... I guess i was raised different, I took my dads keys away n sold his car... becasue I loved HIM.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-23-2013, 07:52 PM
 
Location: Florida & Arizona
5,908 posts, read 7,241,767 times
Reputation: 7484
I have a FIL who is in his mid 80s and nearly blind in one eye. He just did his license renewal and we were all sure that he would fail.

Not!

I simply don't see how he could had possibly passed the test, but he did. Now my MIL has "lost" the keys to his car. It's the only way we can keep him and the rest of us safe.

RM
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2013, 09:55 AM
 
Location: Tampa, FL
27,798 posts, read 32,234,143 times
Reputation: 14611
In Europe, older folks can rely on the mass transit system - not the case here.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 05-24-2013, 11:21 AM
 
164 posts, read 265,390 times
Reputation: 261
Quote:
Originally Posted by Garson View Post
I have driven in probably 45+ states and there are horrible drivers everywhere but I have to say that the tailgating here is a lot worse than average. A lot of people just drive that way - I don't think they are intending to drive aggressively - they are just ignorant of the danger. Often on 275 I will have some beat up old car right on my tail when I have no ability to go any faster due to traffic. It can be in either the right or left lane.
I tend to be a bit of a lead foot myself and often on the north end of 275 where the speed limit is 70 I will go 80 - I may be in the right lane and I will have some fool so close I cannot see the front of their car. I don't really see the need to go 90+ on the 275......
Thank you for saving me the need to type that. Now that I think about it...I have rarely had a newer/high performance car right on my tail. Not saying they don't do it, but I haven't experienced it.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.

Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Settings
X
Data:
Loading data...
Based on 2000-2020 data
Loading data...

123
Hide US histogram


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > U.S. Forums > Florida > Tampa Bay

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top