Kindly Back Off

Everybody talks about tailgating, and many do things about it – most of them all wrong, according to traffic safety specialists.

Some people slam on the brakes, to throw a scare into the bum about to climb into their back seat. Some drive erratically or slow way down to show their annoyance. Some flash their red parking lights or make an obscene hand gesture. One supposedly bright idea is to install a neon sign in the rear window that says “Kindly Slow Down” when the driver presses a button. Most of these tactics do no good and risk a mounting road-rage encounter that could end in a smashup or even a shooting. You can’t hope to re-educate all the bad drivers one at a time.

Tailgating is dangerous. It allows no time to stop or dodge if the car ahead encounters a moose or a child or another car. A national study of a seven-year period found that 218 people died and more than 12,600 were seriously injured because of aggressive driving including tailgating. And it’s against the law, Title 29A of Maine statutes, says: “An operator of a vehicle may not follow another vehicle more closely than is reasonable and prudent, having due regard for the speed of the vehicles, the traffic and the condition of the way.” The prescribed fine is $126.

But the law is tough to enforce. Trooper Brenda Coolen, of the Maine State Police Troop E in Orono, says, “When the blue cars are around everybody turns into angels.” When a tailgater crowds her personal vehicle, she hauls him over and tickets him. The AAA has found that only one driver in 10 reports a tailgater.

One study of the problem lists different types of tailgaters. The ignorant are oblivious to the need to leave a gap and may be yakking on a cell phone or shushing the kids in the back seat. The aggressives are trying to intimidate, so watch out for road rage. The impatient ones are in a hurry and may even have a true emergency. The deliberate ones are just getting into a position for a quick pass. And then there are the big trucks and buses, trying to keep to a schedule, and reluctant to slow down and lose time with their big loads. The question is how to tell which is the one behind you.

In South Africa, major highways have an occasional series of Vs painted on the pavement, with signs that warn motorists to be sure they can see at least three Vs between their car and the one ahead. Similarly, some Maine driving instructors say to watch for the car ahead to pass a utility pole and then count, “One thousand one, one thousand two,” to allow two seconds before passing that point. In both cases, the higher the speed the greater the gap between vehicles.

The main thing is hold your temper and watch your own driving.