Are you a tailgater
 

I don't think as myself as a bumper humper ;-)

I guess daily drivers drive differently than *weekend* drivers.
We tend to stay a little closer to the car in front, etc cause we got places to go.....and we know that all the cars behind us have places to go too....

Last night, I exit the parkway on my way home. So the driver in front of me is brake-checking me and I never -backed off- as I felt that I was more than adequate distance from her. I was brake checked 4 times before we reached a stoplight. We get to a stop sign and I stop relatively close to her bumper.....but that's just how I drive in general as there are other drivers behind me and I'd rather give a extra space so another driver can make the light...so to speak.

The driver in front must have gone physco cause at the stoplight....they did not move for 45+ seconds....and I did not have enough room to maneuver around.

Maybe I am a tailgater...or is that just subjective to the driver.

When I drive the X, I tend to err to the right of my lane if possible to give the smaller sedans/coupes a chance to see how the traffic is doing 4-6 car lengths past me...

Tailgater is subjective. Depends upon conditions also. If it's the commute to work grind, heavier traffic, I keep it tight. You have too. Especially in those spots where people tend to take you at the last minute to get off a busy exit or if I'm next to an exit only lane, you know how that goes. It's defensive driving really. I don't give morons room to do something stupid. I also will keep right in the lane in stop and go to allow the guy behind me to see the distance between, especially if the guy in front of me happens to be brake happy. Lighter traffic and higher speeds I keep more distance.

Weekend warriors are different than daily commuters. They just don't get it. I try and keep away from them.

you sound like the definition of tail gater. if the person in front of you is uncomfortable with the distance between the 2 of you, why not back off a bit? what are you trying to gain by riding so close?

+1

When you come to a stop, just make sure you can see the rear tires of the car in front of you, that seems like a fairly standard definition of a safe stopping distance.

I sometimes tailgate as well, so I am not trying to come off high and mighty here, but there is a difference between squeezing another car through a traffic light, and terrorizing the car in front.

+2

It is all fun and games till you smash in to the back of a car with kids in the back :confused:

Really for me it depends on the situation as well, I normally do not intend to tailgate someone, usually I'm not paying attention to the distance or about to merge, but I WILL intentionally tailgate if the person is in the fast lane and will not merge, typically with a flash of my high beams as well, NOTHING pisses me off more

I usually avoid tailgating in most circumstances, unless I really don't want someone to squeeze in front of me. Like if I see some idiot and/or teenager weaving around and I think he's about to change in front of me, I'll purposely try and close up the gap a bit, enough to shut him out but not too much to scare the person in front.

I was driving in the fast lane on the highway today, and I saw this old camry being agressive and trying to get into the left lane, but half way into the lane change he realized there was a car there, and swerved back. So, when I approached him, I floored it to make sure he didn't merge into me, but no, the bastard switched lanes right into me, so I yanked the car over into the left shoulder, leaned on the horn, and flashed my highbeams, but no, he didn't go back, he took my spot, while I was on the shoulder. He then floored it, and tried to speed away from me. We were doing about 85 at the time, so no doubt this 16 yo was doing 100+ in an old Camry. Idiots.
[/rant over]

edit: I should probably answer the question. No, I don't usually tailgate, unless you are a truck in the left lane, in which case, I am a bit ticked off. Here, the left lane isn't really used as a "passing" lane, just more of a really fast lane. Out in the boondocks, when the highway opens up, the left lane is stictly for passing cars that are going 80mph, so you can continue at 90. :)

As far as I know the left lane (fast) is for passing. So if you're not passing anyone and I'm behind you, I will fill your mirrors after giving you a chance to move over. Other than that, I just take it easy in the other lanes and keep my distance. So I guess it's yes/no to the question.

it's time for a faster car!! ;) :nanana: