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It's a good chunk of the reason why one person can get 30mpg out of a car than another only gets 20. Every time you brake you turn all that purchased momentum into useless heat at the brake pads.
I fully believe that many drivers have little to no depth perception ability. They appear unable to mentally measure the distance between two items. They tailgate regularly. They overshoot the white lines behind which your vehicle is meant to stop at intersections. They can't look several vehicles ahead to notice that one is slowing down or driving slower than those behind, leading to last minute lane changes rather than being prepared.
Maybe a no-fault test of depth perception should be offered, not to eliminate drivers licensing, but to make such drivers aware of their limitations. This is not age related per se, but older drivers may have inadvertantly learned their limitations and have somewhat adjusted for it, while today's younger drivers may have no clue. I say "today's" because this is one trait we explored in our drivers ed classroom back in the old days of learning to drive at the highschool. Learning to drive today is a hodge podge of techniques outside of the educational classroom/field setting.
The idiot who tailgates likely has never passed High School Physics, let alone Physics 102 at the university level (physics requiring calculus, not physics for lit majors).
How do the laws of physics relate to tailgating? I took university level physics courses that required calculus, so I will understand the explanation.
She wasn't, she was drafting the car in front............
I'm old enough to remember when the original 36 hp VW Beetles first hit the American roads. In a good state of tune, they could barely get up to the speed limit on the Interstates.
One trick they sometimes used was to follow closely behind (tailgate) 18-wheelers to get in their “draft†and be sucked along. This would increase their speed a little bit and their MPG a lot.
Following too close, that is why it is impacting you so much.
Have to agree. If you find yourself frustrated by the behavior of the driver ahead, back off, switch lanes, and let distance buffer more of the effects of their stupidity. Once it does, it will also diffuse more of your anger. IME works like a charm. Meanwhile, remind yourself you can't control other people's behavior, only how you react to it. If you want to ruin your day churning your brain over something as trivial as another driver's acceleration, be my guest. It's your BP!
I'm not sure what the OP is talking about. I, for one, get annoyed when someone hits the brakes (and often) when there's no observable reason to do so; some people feel more comfortable or have idiosyncrasies to tap the brake every couple of seconds instead of keeping a steady pace with the accelerator. I leave plenty of space so I just need to modulate the accelerator instead of pressing the brake pedal myself, and/or I choose to pass them so their driving behavior is no longer and issue for me. However, if they are braking because there is traffic is slowing down ahead, early braking is doing everyone a favor since they are alerting everyone behind them that speeds are reducing and they'll be running out of space. Imagine if folks late-braked instead of early-braked? You'd have skid marks and rear-ends aplenty. Why? Because reaction time and distanced between vehicles require space. Couple that the wide disparity of various vehicles braking distances and you'll have disaster.
It should also be noted that following 3 seconds behind an other vehicle at highway speeds assumes the vehicle cannot out-brake you and will brake naturally. If the vehicle you're pursuing comes to a complete dead-stop instantly a la smacking into a stopped vehicle in front of it, you have no space and will be into their rear bumper as well. Leaving space, giving yourself time, and driving in a predictable fashion is about the best thing you do for the drivers around you. Your brake pads, rotors, and tires will thank you. Erratic driving, being late, and leaving no space is about the worst.
Take a deep breath before you drive to your destination and understand there will be bad drivers.
- the tailgaters who are in a hurry. Some drivers just slow down and go the speed limit to **** off tailgaters.
- the speed demons who want to use the right lane for slow cars ad drive fast. ~ So dumb to do that. Don't do that.
- the drivers who drive at or below the speed limit and brake too much in the fast lane. ~ really annoying. Maybe they're listening to GPS directions or talking to their passengers.
- the driver at night who uses high beams in your rear view mirror. ~ just adjust your rear view mirror so there's no glaring reflection, listen to soothing soft rock or classic 70s soul music and say "serenity now".
While that is likely true, I think it's also true that most chronic tailgaters don't even seem to realize that they are tailgating. I had a now-deceased friend who used to tailgate other cars at a ridiculously close distance, and I quickly learned that riding in her little SUV was not safe because of her driving behaviors.
The very last time that I rode in her vehicle, she was tailgating a Mazda Miata so closely that I was able to see that car's instrument panel clearly from my vantage point in the front passenger seat. Trying to be diplomatic, I said, "Carol... perhaps you should leave a little more distance between your car and the one in front of us". I never used the word "tailgate", but she began screaming, "I'm NOT tailgating" several times.
After that, it was so just so much easier--and safer--to say, "Let's take my car, Carol".
Luckily, she always agreed.
Yeah, I leave plenty of room from me to the car in front of me - I don't like being stressed out while driving and I sure don't want any part of a pileup at interstate speeds.
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How do the laws of physics relate to tailgating? I took university level physics courses that required calculus, so I will understand the explanation.
