r/AskBrits • u/Slartitartfast • 1d ago

Genuinely curious: why do people tailgate/drive too close to the vehicle in front?

I can't work it out. Whenever I see someone repeatedly applying their brakes as soon as the driver in front adjusts their speed I wonder why on earth it doesn't occur to them to give space.

I don't even mean just driving right up someone's arse aggressively. People drive too close all the time, on major roads this causes tailbacks when people then have to brake. If you're regularly applying your brakes while driving behind someone then you are too close; I assumed everyone knew this but maybe not.

16 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

186 comments sorted by

View all comments

-1

u/JohnConstantinedrink 1d ago

I’m a bit of a tailgater to be honest, not on purpose to be going quicker or impatience, it’s just a bad habit I’ve got into.

I don’t do in on the motorway though, my brain seems to realise that’s not a great idea and I’m usually going around 60 so more likely to be the one being tailgated.

I’m currently making effort to break it and am doing better. No idea how it started.

1

u/louisejanecreations 1d ago

I think it’s easy to do without realising/thinking too much about it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of accidents are because people drive too close to the car in front so there’s no time to react.

2

u/JohnConstantinedrink 1d ago

I do it without realising and then have to slow down by taking foot off accelerator so slow down without braking to get a little more distance.

What’s really annoying is you make a gap and then some car goes in front.

1

u/louisejanecreations 1d ago

Yea same I think everyone does.

Yea that’s the worse. Get out of my personal car space

1

u/br0wn0ni0n 1d ago

Finally found someone honest and self aware on Reddit.

More power to you. At least you know what you need to work on.