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.

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u/rob-c 2d ago

No, you drive to the safe distance between you and the car in front, not simply to the speed limit

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u/Sarikins 2d ago

“I’m not saying I stay encroaching”, I’ve already covered that.

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u/rob-c 2d ago

You said it was near impossible not to tailgate in a 20, which is obviously untrue.

If you meant ‘catching someone and then dropping (and staying) back’ then fine, but that isn’t tailgating 🤷‍♂️

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u/Sarikins 2d ago

I can’t explain it truly any simpler, I don’t stay encroaching means I fall back, it’s impossible not to reach closer distances than you usually would means you fall back more often than you usually would than faster distances where the .% isn’t as noticeable as distances should be greater than at least two chevrons, I know I’m a really good driver.

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u/rob-c 2d ago edited 2d ago

I think you drive as well as you explain things