Following too closely leads to auto accidents
As I am going back and forth on the road, I am frustrated by the number of vehicles that are right on my back bumper. I gently tap my brakes to give them the hint to back off, mostly with no effect.
There is nothing more frustrating than to have someone follow you too closely. Most of these drivers are young teenage girls. It is our duty as parents to teach our children not to do this.
So, parents, please teach your kids while they are riding in your car that following a car too closely is dangerous. If that vehicle has to stop suddenly, they are going to hit it. Teaching them this would create fewer wrecks and prevent someone from being hurt and unnecessary damage to vehicles. If you have ever been hit in the rear end, you understand where I am coming from.
So, the next time you are in your car and your children are along with you, let them know how important this issue is, and most of all, show them by example.
Katherine Gray
Stokesdale
Comments (4)
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Ms. Gray, I agree that following to closely (tailgating) is dangerous. What I have found are drivers in the fast lane driving well under the posted speed limit. I have also found the same in the slow land.
And for those wondering, often times, the drivers are senior citizens (of both genders). So, who will teach senior citizens how to drive properly at the posted speed limits?
Remember, driving under the posted limit will cause people tailgate; hoping for the slower vehicle to either speed up or move allowing the backed-up traffic to proceed.
Shalom
Posted on August 5, 2007 7:34 AM
You are right Katherine Gray about tailgaters. I do not believe this is a gender issue. I've been tailgated by as many girls, boys, elderly and every cosmedically different human as there exist. And, Darryl, the elderly are no more to blame. I'm 60 years old. If the speed limit is 35 that's what I do. If it's 50, that's what I do. It is the posted and established law. On the interstate, I drive 55 MPH in the far right lane. I've been doing that since I was in my teens. And, I will slow down even lower if the weather conditions or road construction hazzards make the existing posted speed limits dangerous. That's a judgement call I make on myself. As silly as it sounds, I keep my hands on the steering wheel at 10:00 and 2:00. I will not talk on a cell phone and, get this, I always signal a turn at least a few hundred feet before I turn. Yeah, yeah, yeah..I know, I'm boring to ride with. The result is, I've probabily saved a gob of dollars in traffic fines and court cost. And, I hope my insurance are as low as I can get them. And, I've never injured or killed anyone. This has been another rant from the Dog. The Dog's outa here.
Crimedog
Posted on August 5, 2007 11:12 AM
i was under the impression that once you lived in n.carolina you became entitled to tailgate, use no turn signals (and you don't believe anyone who uses them either)and were allowed to throw trash out of your moving vehicle. i think maybe it's even a state law (tongue in cheek).....
"driving under the posted limit will cause people tailgate"......... you must have a new car that 'causes' it to tailgate. my 94 ford has a gas pedal, a brake pedal and the driver (me) has reasoning power - if my car were to tailgate - "I" would be the cause, not the speed limit sign.
dog i'm also 60ish and i'm on the same page as you - except i generally drive 5-7 mph over posted limit and i still get tailgated (and i drive in the prescribed lanes)- some here believe that if you tailgate someone they will move over - it causes me to slow down to the posted limit and often even slower than the posted limit, hoping this knucklehead will back off ( which never happens) or pass me, only to get held up by the car that was in front of me. in my estimation those who tailgate(then pass) only get to the stopsign/lite sooner and get to sit a little longer than those they passed. as a note of interest, the female gender by far are the ones who tailgate, at least in the area where i live.
follow the two or three second rule and tailgating will cease !
Posted on August 6, 2007 9:07 AM
My most precious cargo rides in the backseat. One is in preschool, the other in junior high.
If I have to slam on brakes, the person tailgating me is likely going to kill or seriously injure my children.
Think about that when you drive.
Posted on August 6, 2007 11:04 AM