Its a good way to get on numbah's bad side.

Hey you Idiot! get off my back, you are going no where fast!

Maybe this is a bit too heavy, but see my review here of WebLists >> Travel, Food, & Culture >> Miscellaneous (Travel, Food, & Culture) >> things americans HATE >> people who don't follow rules

function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); } class="Apple-style-span">I rate this the most insidious, or at least reckless everyday nonviolent act some people commit. It is the most flagrant display of ignorance on numerous levels. I know not everyone is physics genius, but it seems to me common sense should provide enough wisdom to instill in everyone that the cause of EVERY accident is the result of TWO or more objects attempting to occupy the SAME SPACE at the SAME TIME. No rocket science needed. The closer you are to an object, the fewer options you have in avoiding a collision with it should the object begin to come in contact with your path. The longer you remain in close proximity with the object the greater likelihood this will occur. Translation-- anyone who regularly tailgates is an idiot and should have his license taken away,function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); } class="Apple-style-span"> function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>A diver's view needs to be far enough ahead to see ALL the possible dangers ahead-- not just the rear-end of the car in front of him/her. In the time AFTER the car in front of you stops, there is lag time in even the fastest person's perception of the event, then additional time to respond. Then, depending how fast you were moving, there's the time for your car to come to a stop-- with poor tires or bad conditions this can be very long.function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>I will NEVER understand tailgaters. All safety issues aside-- why would anyone choose to fill their field of view with the ass-end of someone else's vehicle all the time they drive? Even speeders, I can sometimes relate with. I don't see them as necessarily moronic all the time (no-- I don't advocate speeding). Tailgating-- inexcusable and inherently slack-jawed idiotic. I think the law is WAY too lenient on this.function (match) { return match.toLowerCase(); }>

My dad used to do this and it was nerve racking. There were times when I thought we were going to ram the car in front of us. I make it a point to leave plenty of space between me and the car in front of me.

It's definitely not safe to do. If I have a tailgater behind me I'll usually tap my breaks several times because the idiot shouldn't be that close behind me.

Scares the crap out of me when I'm a passenger in the car of a tailgater. Why put your friends and family members at a risk like that?

If you can't afford it, don't tailgate it.

Like the little buchets that tail me, it's all I can think of.

Silly thing to do.

I tend to do this if people are going really slow without blinkers on. If they are near or at the speedlimit, I back off. My real problem is with those who tailgate even those who are speeding.

Tailgaters are the scourge of law-abiding drivers. As someone said, tailgating indicates a lack of respect for the other driver. It is one of the rudest things you can do on the road. The thing about it is that these people who get on your bumper don't actually shave much time off of their car ride, except for a second or two. I've lost count of the times that tailgaters have ridden my butt, finally passed, and ended up right next to me when the light up ahead turned red. Traffic laws are put in place for a reason: if we didn't have rules, we'd have chaos. They are for both your safety and mine. It is supreme arrogance to believe, consciously or not, that you are "exempt" from the speed limit. If I have to follow the traffic laws, so do you! And to all those drivers who claim that slow drivers are obstacles in the road, I say this: there wasn't a single problem until you began riding that person's *ss. Therefore, if the "slow driver" is going the speed limit, the problem must not be with them but with YOU. Slow down and have some respect for the other people on the road! NOBODY's agenda is more important than another's.

This habit is the most annoying to me because it shows a lack of respect, is very dangerous, causes road rage, is against the law and basically shows a serious lack of intelligence by the doer. I do the speed limit 99% of the time and constantly have someone right on my bumper. Whats up with that ? Sometimes you get the jerk that speeds up and gives you a dirty look, for no reason, just to tailgate the next car in front of you. Real smart driving there...NOT. I just flip my rear view mirror to night and that way I don't have to see the jerk behind me stressing out. If your late, oh well suffer the consequences but don't risk everyone elses life for your mistakes.

Very bad and dangerous habit. I can somewhat understand during rush hour where speeds are slower and alot of freeway merging takes place, but to do it on otherwise clear country road because you are in some kinda hurry, just shows a lack of driving skill and a disregard for safety. Leave earlier next time. Hell, I drive fast anyways, so most of the people who do this to me are usually just ego trippin, cause they gotta nice ride or something.

I say this is a 100% bad and dangerous habit. When someone is behind me, i dont know if they are paying attention or not. If i would brake, they could probably end up in my back seat. Motorcycle tailgators scare me. I usually slow down without braking so they could pass me. With vehicles, i tap on the brake to warn them to stay off of my ass!

This is not a bad habit, it's a dangerous habit. I hate being on the road with a neanderthal tailgating me. It'a an accident waiting to happen. Even worse are night tailgaters, sitting behind you with lights on high beam.

There's two meanings for this word, one is riding someone's bumper which I hate with a passion, especially when my husband drives because he practically gives me whiplash without warning me that he's doing a break check. The other is eating out of the back of your truck or van while at a sporting event which is also a bad habit in effect because you tend to eat extremely fattening but delicious food!!! I like the latter much better of course, and look forward to it.

i had this guy come flying up on me almost to my bumper and continued to tailgate me so i slowed down which pissed him right off cuz he comes up along side of me and starts to yell at me about how he has bad breaks etc.. well he was surprised when he realized im not easily intimidated as i informed him that only an idiot would tailgate someone that close whose car had bad breaks. this is the rated G version cuz i cant put it in the exact words that i used but he shut and drove away

Florida has become reknowned for poor drivers, specifically the panhandle (the Pensacola through Panama City region). Highway 98, often referred to as Bloody 98, is a source of wrecks and extremely bad drivers. At least six happen each day between the stretch of road I drive on between Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola. No less, but way more. Why? Tailgating's a big thing and I'm surprised more wrecks don't come because of it. Seeing these big-as-hell Ford F-250s closing in on you in the right-hand lane, right up to your back bumper, and hanging steady there for a while just makes me want to slam on my brakes, wait for the crash to end, get out and then ask them, What the hell were you thinking back there? Maybe they want to connect their car to mine like a train or something, but in any case it causes one to get a little fearful and upset about his surroundings. This doesn't happen just once, but many, many times on 98, especially during the two rush hour traffic jams (6:30-9:00 and 2:30-7:00, believe it or not it's backed up that much and that long). Driving this road is like walking thorough an African jungle; you can be killed at any moment-- and that's the road we high schoolers have to take to get to school!!!

I don't do it. But if they do it to me, I'll slam my brakes, so they can hit my car and I can find a reason/excuse to sue them.

I am not a slow driver. I am also not a speed demon. That is what really bothers me. When you get tailgated and you aren't even driving slow!! I have had to slam on my brakes a few times to get someone off my a** and the look on the tailgaters faces are just hilarious. And low and behold, at least in my experiences, they back off!!! My least favorite tailgaters are the ones that have a billion and one chances to pass you and they don't. Hello!! If you want to drive 80 in a 60 mph zone, be my guest and GO AROUND ME. I'm not going to risk my life or risk getting a ticket by driving faster just so you can get somewhere. Or what about the people that tailgate you, pass you and then when you come up to a stop light, who is in front of you but the person that doesn't know how to follow the rules of the road! Luckily once on the expressway there was someone tailgating everyone and cutting in and out and FINALLY FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE they got pulled over by the cops!! Serves them right.

absolutly unexceptable is what the officer told my girl friend.

I'm trying hard to break this habit, but it is so hard! Especially when people are doing BELOW THE DAMN SPEED LIMIT! I'm trying hard though. That's the important thing!

I don't like tailgating and I can't imagine anyone giving this more than one star. I don't like ANYTHING dangerous. However, something also needs to be done about people who go 10 mph below the speed limit on two-lane roads, forcing a long line of people behind them to be late for appointments. I live in a town of only 23,000 and nearly every road is just 2 lanes. Every single day, I get behind people who drive incredibly slow while talking on the phone, or talking to their rider, or goofing off in some other way, as if nobody in the world existed except for them. I hate to think what would happen if a woman in labor was being driven to the hospital and time was of the essence. She'd probably have her baby in the car if she lives in this town. Another thing that happens here every single day...you'll be going down the road minding your own business and someone from a side street will suddenly pull in front of you, making you have to slam on your brakes. Apparently, they didn't have time to wait for you to go by first, even though you had the right of way. But then they DO have all the time in the world to drive very slowly in front of you right after they pulled out. Courtesy is everything in driving. Tailgating is bad, but there are plenty of other bad manners on the road that we aren't asked to comment about.

This is about a 2.5 to me. yes it is annoying when I look in my rearview mirror and someone is riding my bumper. I especially if my kids are in the car. It can be dangerous if I had to make a quick stop and know I could be rear ended. but as car driving bad habits go, I can think of ones that annoy me even more. For example someone who pulls out ahead of me then putters and there is no way I can pass them. Or people who do not stop for red lights and go whizzing through. I live in a city of about 120,000 people and it is a big problem in our town, with those who think they can go through a red light very scary too.! So yes I am not fond of tailgaters but some driving habits are worse to me.People who drive when drunk is dangerous. {maybe rate itall can have a category for bad driving habits alone.

this one is not as bad as driving without paying attention, not using your turn signals, or driving too slowly.

It annoys me so much. I don't understand people who tailgate when I know they are not in a hurry to get somewhere. If someone suddenly tailgates someone else the tailgater needs to change lanes within 30 seconds or something. Seriously. I think people who stay tailgating someone for more than a minute are stupid. They are the ones who don't think straight because anyone could get pissed off about them tailgating and hit the brake all of a sudden on purpose so the tailgater can hit them. Tailgaters don't think about how pissed off someone else can get and what that person will do. It would be the tailgaters fault if they hit the person from the back. Seriously, police should start giving tickets out to people who tailgate.

i love being tailgated. it paid for my last car. you wanna ride my rear end, I hope you want to see my backseat, because thats where your gona end up when i slam my breaks. and thank you insurance company ahead of time for buying my new car.

Again I feel that this is a condition of bad manners in our society. Nobody really cares about anybody else. This is definitely the "me" generation. Not only is tailgating extremely dangerous, it is certainly a control issue. I live near a large city and I'm not joking, if you don't get out of these people's way, they will run you down. I am afraid when my husband drives because he is like your highschool driver ed teacher. He follows all the speed limits and rules of the road, and I'm nervous that someday soon he will be gunned down. The speed limit on the major highway here is 70 and if you go 70, God forbid, people will do anything they can to get by you like you're going 30 or something. If you think 70 isn't fast enough, hit a concrete wall going that fast, and I'm sure if you're not drinking applesauce thru a straw at the local old folks home, you might change your mind. Just a thought.

I think Solenoid said this better than anyone can. I live in a large city, and the drivers are just as bad as the people in small towns unfortunately.

No one should ever ever tailgate. Tailgating gets you nowhere fast and only causes accidents. I wish I could install a paintball cannon on the rear of my car and splatter ever car that gets on my ass.

STAY OUT OF MY WAY AND I WONT RAM MY TRUCK INTO YOUR ASS!

WTF IS TAILGATING?

You don't like the way I'm driving? Go around me!

I don't mind. . .I just slam on the brakes and they eventually go away or pass me.

I HATE this. Nothing makes me madder than for someone to get right on my rear. It's dangerous, because if I have to stop all of a sudden, you are going to be eating a portion of my tailgate. There is a two second rule on the road (and I hope most people know what this is), but most people don't follow it. I even tap my brakes a little to get their attention and try to get them to back up a little, but it doesn't always work. Now if I was a slow driver I might could live with it, but I'm not. I go right on the speed limit and sometimes one or two miles over it, so if you are right on my tail, YOU SHOULDN'T BE!

I admit, I've tailgated a few times, but it's not intentional, and as soon as I realized I was too close, I back off! So, for those who back off after a little bit, I forgive them, because they may have just not been paying attention and didn't mean to. It happens to the best of us, and I understand that. It's when I'm already going about ten miles over the speed limit, in the middle lane, there's no one in the lanes on either side of me, and someone comes up so close that they're probably not even half a car length's distance behind me, they flip on their highbeams and ride my bumper for five or so miles! I mean, come on, if you're in that much of a hurry, there is no other traffic as far as the eye can see, and the "slow" person isn't even in the fast lane, what's the deal? I do a lot of driving late at night when there's hardly anyone on the road, and this comes up on a fairly regular basis. If there's no excuse why he/she can't pass me, then I just flip up my rearview, ease on down to the speed limit, and merrily coast at 55mph until they decide to USE the left lane, then return to my normal speed. If changing lanes is just too much to handle, then you shouldn't drive!

Pretty bad. Tailgaiting is not only dangerous, its stupid. A very slow driver can be annoying; and it may be tempting to tail gate them, but its better to just drive around them.

Oh, God, tailgaters are definitely on my pet peeve list!!! I think it's only justified when you're going to pass in, say, five seconds. Otherwise, it's just so annoying when you look in your rearview mirror and can clearly make out the expression on the driver's face, what color their shirt is and what brand of sunglasses they happen to be wearing. How rude -- and dangerous!

Tailgating. What is the point? Do you really think it's going to get you where you're going faster? While it is true that being tailgated does intimidate some people, it only serves to make me more determined to stand my ground. And if you are so pompous as to flash your headlights at me, you will get a face full of brakelights. It's not that I try to be obnoxious, I just don't like people trying to push me around. If you don't like being behind me, TOO BAD! You should've left earlier. Perhaps if you weren't such a slacker you wouldn't have to be in such a hurry. Bet you're one of these a**holes who has a radar detector in your car too 'cause for some selfish reason you think you have a right or a need to go faster than everyone else. Get a grip. You're no better than the rest of us.

just stay out of the fastlane. and don't cut in from the slow lane in front of someone whose driving fast

i'm a defensive driver who's maybe too nervous, so the turkeys who do this scare me to death before i get the chance to get hacked off. when one gets off me, i always think "i should've let that idiot bump me", but i guess i usually don't even have time to stop and deal with the whole accident report thing, anyway. this is very dangerous and i hate it!!

Dear God, how I hate tailgaters. Usually, people who tailgate are those types of personalities that are in your face. You know what I do to those types? I push them away from me so I could have my space. I do the same thing with tailgaters. I push my brakes so they back off; it's a risky strategy, but then again, I've never been in an accident, so I'm not complaining!!

Tailgating is stupid and dangerous. People who tailgate have absolutely no patience, no foresight and obviously don't care about what they are doing. I particularly hate it when people tailgate you at night with their high-beams on.

I have a theory - these people are also control freaks, micro-managers and the ones who deny people their personal space by standing just inches in front of your face when talking to you. When caught tailgating they should all be pulled out of their cars and publicly flogged.