jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Not only is tailgating dangerous, it also causes traffic jams.

https://www.autoblog.com/2017/12/18/traffic-jam-tailgating-mit-research/

Charles 46277 Loc: Fulton County, KY

I slow down until they pass me. If that does not work, I signal and turn off to a driveway or business (or siding if there is one), then come back on. However, it seems almost everybody follows too close--and I have never known of anybody getting a ticket for it. Speed and proximity are equal dangers on the road. The radar used for checking speed ought to also indicate distance to car in front--then, given speed and distance, the fine can be appropriate.

In the city, tailgating leads to traffic jams because the car behind blocks cross traffic at lights after they change. In California, they do give tickets for pulling into an intersection when the road ahead is already full, but not around here.

But my favorite pet peeve is horns--they should by law be as loud inside the car as they are outside. And shopping carts in the supermarket need horns on them.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

From taking several safety courses, I learned that the general recommendation now is to stay 2 - 3 seconds behind the car in front, more under bad conditions. It used to be one car length for each 10 mph of speed, but that's impossible to calculate.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

Tailgating is my pet peeve, two yrs ago I hit a Deer because I was being tailgated then the guy behind me didn't even stop.And it cost me $500 co-pay to get my car fixed.

Its only impossible calculate if you can't judge distance.
Do the math, how many feet per second are you traveling at 60 mph. National Safety council stated in 1994 that it takes between 1/2 sec to 2 sec for the average person that is paying 100% attention to respond to things happening in front of them.
If I did the calculations correctly 60 mph = 88ft per sec.

Bob Smith Loc: Banjarmasin

There used to be a information video on TV over here which recommend that when the car in front passed a lamp post or stand out object you said slowly "Only a fool breaks the two second rule" if you reached the object before you stopped speaking you are too close. Works for me.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

I go along with Charles. I used to tap my brake but in the past 2 or more years I started to slow down when tailgated. I’m not a slow driver by any means so when I say “slow down” I mean to the speed limit. If that doesn’t work, I’ll slow down another 5 mph. This frustrates the tail-gater and then they want to get around me ASAP so they can tailgate someone else. Then I speed up to my usual 5-10 above.
I know. I’m a BAD driver.

Stephan G

As someone passes by me above the safe speed, I always comment "Another one rushing to his/her accident for the spot on TV's next Traffic News."

I always use the "Two Second" rule and always anticipate a sudden stoppage ahead. There is no excuse for driving too fast and/or too close. The few minutes difference does not warrant either.

Chain reaction wrecks are direct results of following too closely.

Npt Bob Loc: Newport, RI

I have been thinking of adding a push button switch on the dash that will light the brake lights. Hold it on without slowing down while the tailgater slams on the brakes.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

A woman got shot doing that here last week.
And another was badly beaten in the same time period.

Stephan G

A nice thought.

However, it can get you in trouble in several ways. The brake lights are part of the mandated safety equipment. Also, you may be actionable as a contributor to any accident that may occur as a result of your tampering with the brake lights.

I have considered putting a push button lighted sign on the back window "I do sue and my attorney's phone number is...."

There is that bumper sticker, "If you can read this, you're too damn close!!" Add the one that states "Smile, you are on Candid Camera!" (The last sticker may suggest a new UHH catagory.)

happy sailor Loc: Ontario, Canada

LOL Jerry, that recommendation is not new, it has been taught in defensive driving courses since the sixties, 2 seconds on dry roads, increase to 3 or more seconds for wet or snowy conditions. The phrase a previous poster said is good or just count out the seconds as one thousand and one, one thousand and two, it will take you a second to say each number.

I think the first time I saw this was in the Smith Defensive Driving Course taught to police officers in Ontario.

Tailgating causes many accidents, when I would be investigating an accident that was a rear ender I would ask the lead driver, ok you stopped and then they hit you, I will say stop and you tell me when they hit you. I would count out the seconds in my head and depending on what count I was at when then said they hit me was what the driver in the rear car got charged with, under 2 seconds, Follow to Close over 2 seconds, Careless Driving.

Stephan G

In Boston, the Irish cop comes to investigate a bumper crusher. The first car was driven by a Rabbi. The second car was driven by a Catholic priest.

Patty asks the priest, "An' father, how fast was the rabbi going when he backed into you?"

Author's note: I thought I forgot this one decades ago.

BobHartung Loc: Bettendorf, IA

Only real problem is that the most frequently researched topic for new car owners is how to turn off all the automatic driving gizmos as they are very annoying e.g. lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control, etc.

TonyBot

Some of the new safety measures create interesting situations: I am no slouch on the road, and usually ... mostly always ... am about 10 to 15 above the limit. The other day I was on NH101, where AM commute is usually about 75-80, when a new European luxury sedan - I think a Benz 500 - probably doing at least 15 more than I was, closed up really fast, quickly crowding me from behind - apparently until his automatic collision device engaged the brakes and he fell w-a-y behind me and continued to slow. It took several minutes before he caught up to me, staying a respectful two or three car lengths behind, and politely double-flashed me to pull over. On the other hand, it might have been the angry looking lady in the passenger seat ....

sathca Loc: Narragansett Rhode Island

If I can’t see the license plate of the car behind me I tap the brakes just enough to trigger the brake lights. They usually back off. I keep at least 2 car lengths, sometimes more, between me and the car in front of me. That way if the car in front comes to a quick stop and the one in back is too close I’ll have enough distance to travel for the moron in back of me to start paying attention! The theory in the link explains how the passing lane ( high speed lane to some of us!) comes to a complete stop every night on my way home.
I read a story about traffic that blamed it on two things. One is drivers not knowing how to merge ( use all the lanes available and join together like a zipper ( with kindergarten level fairness of one from this side then one from the other, instead of blocking the other car out by tailgating ) and the other is drivers inability to maintain a steady speed. They did an experiment where they blocked out the speedometer and most people can’t maintain one speed. I would imagine it contributes to the phantom traffic jams in the aforementioned theory!
One thing not mentioned is the person not passing ( going slow ) in the passing lane ( high speed lane ). Big problem! Move over!

Don’t complain about traffic! YOU are traffic!