I can’t think of anyone who’s a fan of being tailgated. It’s not just the passive aggression that bugs me — small following distances are dangerous and horribly inefficient.
It’s common sense that following too close to the car in front of you lowers your stopping distance. You’re less likely to stop in time in an emergency if you’re tailgating a slower driver. But what you may not realize is that you’re also LITERALLY CAUSING TRAFFIC JAMS.
Have you ever been sitting in a traffic jam for no apparent reason, wondering if some slowpoke at the front of the line is holding it up for everyone else? Well, research shows the more likely culprit is a domino effect of narrow and unequal following distances. When you’re following someone too closely in traffic, you’re forced to break whenever they do rather than slowly letting off the gas. That’s right, your incessant need to be two seconds ahead of other vehicles is ruining the road for everyone.
I feel zero shame when I keep a large following distance. If the person behind me doesn’t realize you can go the same speed as other cars while keeping a gap, they’re a lost cause. I also feel no sympathy for tailgaters! You snooze, you lose. Next time leave before rush hour if you want the road to yourself.
