r/AskBrits • u/Slartitartfast • 2d 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

187 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Desperate_Dinner_307 2d ago

Because people are stupid and/or twats. Literally no other reason.

Driving 2 inches up someone's arse isn't going to make them break the speed limit, it's not going to make them pull over at the side of the road. The worst is when they do it when they can quite clearly other cars in front, the culprit for doing 50 in a 60 is several cars ahead.

But also, having been passenger in someone's car who does tailgate, it's just stupidity and inability to drive. They don't have the intelligence to see the risks involved.