🚀 go-pugleaf

barber@jazz.concert.net (Scott Barber) writes:

>For the most part, it is apparent that tailgaters do not view their
>behavior as life-threatening, to themselves OR their road-neighbors.  
>This is, in my mind, a dangerous, criminal, and, for that matter, 
>a relatively stupid position, considering the minor benefit gained, 
>relative to the potential cost of disaster.

The problem with most tailgaters is they do not tailgate properly.  If
you are not going to leave the safe following distance between you and
the car in front of you (8-10 car lengths at 60 mph) you should close
up to less than 2 feet behind the lead car.  Tailgating problems occur
when the tailgater is 2-4 car lengths behind.  In situations like
this, the lead car can slow so much that the tailgater hits with a
high relative speed.  If the tailgater is within 2 feet (even better
to be about 6 inches) then the relative speed will be very low.  

Furthermore, if the tailgater will close to within 2 feet, both cars
get the advantage of the draft effect, and will acheive greater gas
mileage.

--
David Phillips


  GOTCHA! ;-)
--
David Phillips  sasdvp@unx.sas.com  SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC
"They that can give up an essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety". -- Benjamin Franklin (1759)
"Gun control is being able to hit your target." -- Me.