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Old 05-07-2010, 11:20 AM
 
33 posts, read 139,624 times
Reputation: 27

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How you drive on a LA freeway and not tailgate is beyond me (3 second rule..where?)

Anyways, the fine is high. Any advice on how to beat it or have them reduce the fine?

Thanks!
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Old 05-07-2010, 12:58 PM
 
Location: CITY OF ANGELS AND CONSTANT DANGER
5,408 posts, read 12,664,460 times
Reputation: 2270
its very easy. leave enough space between you and the car in front of you. isnt it 3 to 5 car lengths?

ive NEVER recieved a tailgating ticket, nor do i know anyone who has.
its best to lay back and not be in such a hurry. and watch when you change lanes. thats usually when you come closest to cars.

Quote:
Originally Posted by werewolf34 View Post
How you drive on a LA freeway and not tailgate is beyond me (3 second rule..where?)

Anyways, the fine is high. Any advice on how to beat it or have them reduce the fine?

Thanks!
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Old 05-07-2010, 01:10 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles......So. Calif. an Island on the Land
736 posts, read 2,295,456 times
Reputation: 484
Quote:
Originally Posted by werewolf34 View Post
How you drive on a LA freeway and not tailgate is beyond me (3 second rule..where?)

Anyways, the fine is high. Any advice on how to beat it or have them reduce the fine?

Thanks!

The fine is high for a reason. If you hit someone either you or they could get hurt. And the damage caused would certainly cost more than $212.

I once got a $300 ticket for temporarily parking in a handicapped space...I was escorting an elderly lady to her apartment. I paid the fine. I have a hard time feeling ANY sympathy for your situation.
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Old 05-07-2010, 01:13 PM
 
282 posts, read 382,344 times
Reputation: 178
I just got a $446 dollar from a traffic camera while making a right turn on red. Apparently I did not come to a complete stop even though I slowed to about 1MPH before turning @ 6 AM with nobody around. This is the biggest scam going, why would the fine be the same as going full speed through a red?
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Old 05-07-2010, 01:14 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,449,173 times
Reputation: 7586
The 3 second rule at freeway speed is a lot more than 3-5 car lengths. Its actually 288' at 65mph which is 19 car lengths based on a typical 15' car. Should you actually attempt to leave 3 seconds between you and the car in front of you, several cars would instantly fill the gap. If you attempted to slow down enough to recreate that 3 second gap, you'd wind up going so slow that you'd get a ticket for obstructing the flow of traffic. Welcome to the broke state.
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Old 05-07-2010, 02:19 PM
 
Location: Declezville, CA
16,806 posts, read 39,942,396 times
Reputation: 17694
OP, how fast were you going?
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Old 05-07-2010, 02:32 PM
 
283 posts, read 652,829 times
Reputation: 242
Tailgating is far far more dangerous than speeding. Frankly, it is extremely stupid. You do not get to where you are going any faster and if the car in front of you stops suddenly, you are in an accident. Even if the road is crowded, there is no reason to be on someones butt. You might even tailgate someone like me. I first tap my brakes so that my taillights go on. If this does not work, I start to slow down until you get the message. I really wish that police would enforce the law and write more tailgating tickets. Sorry, but this is something I feel very strongly about. You guys are a real menace and cause those 6 car pileups we read about. When you get into the habit of tailgating, you even do it in snowstorms or in fog so bad that visibility is almost zero. Stop doing it, that ticket may someday save your life or the life of your loved ones.
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Old 05-07-2010, 02:51 PM
 
Location: Mission Viejo, CA / San Rafael, CA
2,352 posts, read 5,253,010 times
Reputation: 539
You probably deserved it. Stop putting your car up another car's butt. Pay the fine.
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Old 05-07-2010, 03:14 PM
 
Location: West Hollywood
245 posts, read 712,508 times
Reputation: 193
I intentionally slow down and annoy the car behind me if it's tailgating me and there's no other lane to move to. I even turn on my rear fog lamps to hopefully blind the one behind me if it gets to close for a prolonged amount of time. I don't think what I'm doing is legal either, but it's all I can do if slowing down doesn't work and there's no where else to go.
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Old 05-07-2010, 04:04 PM
 
Location: Whittier
3,004 posts, read 6,274,070 times
Reputation: 3082
Quote:
Originally Posted by EscapeCalifornia View Post
The 3 second rule at freeway speed is a lot more than 3-5 car lengths. Its actually 288' at 65mph which is 19 car lengths based on a typical 15' car. Should you actually attempt to leave 3 seconds between you and the car in front of you, several cars would instantly fill the gap. If you attempted to slow down enough to recreate that 3 second gap, you'd wind up going so slow that you'd get a ticket for obstructing the flow of traffic. Welcome to the broke state.

I don't think any reasonable person would disagree with you. However I don't think the OP is a victim of this situation.

I try to leave at least a couple of car lengths. There have been times where that buffer has really saved my bacon.

I've never tailgated, but always get tailgated; and I drive slightly above the speed limit too.

In these situations I'll maintain my speed or switch lanes. (I used to brake check, but the point is to AVOID a collision, right?)

In any case, to the OP, it is quite possible to NOT tailgate in L.A. And you shouldn't. It's amazing people who are inches away from another's bumper; who have amazing skills or faith that they can react in any situation.

I'm personally glad that this law exists. The intention of the government in this case isn't big brother saving me from myself, it's saving me from others.
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