Jae Isa defines what tailgating is.

Legal Implications of Tailgating
"In class tailgating was defined as traveling less than the appropriate stopping distance necessary between two cars. More specifically, one car length for every 10 mph. In our Hawai`i State Driving Manual it is stated that the appropriate distance between cars be no less than two-second intervals. However, if asked to define tailgating, the majority of us would say something to the effect that tailgating is driving extremely close to the car in front. Which ever way you look at it, tailgating is unjustified. Legally, tailgating should not only be more strictly defined but also adamantly enforced to ensure the safety and well-beings of all citizens. I say this because tailgating touches upon several legal issues. First, it increases the probability of accidents which in turn leads to greater liability (to state and government) and law suits. Second, it raises the issue of harassment (to trouble, worry, or torment) because some drivers who are being tailgated may experience fear and anxiety. Lastly, tailgating infringes upon one's privacy because some drivers may feel as if their personal space have been invaded and/or violated. Perhaps if tailgating is considered, treated, and enforced as a serious offense, then maybe our roads would be safer and driving a pleasant, peaceful activity."

A theory in traffic psychology is that tailgating is the attempt to force your will over another driver.  I guess that forcing your will onto another driver can be done by making the other driver feel that they did something wrong and that you are punishing them.

     "It's actually kinda fun in the sense of the rush and the thrill. So anyway I still don't let up and am tight on is rear like white on bread at 75 MPH. He switches lanes, and I do too, still close as ever, he was not going to go unpunished!! He tries to lightly step on his brake pedal to scare me off and comes even closer to me, but I know that he won't run the risk of braking hard and hitting his brand new truck, so I don't back off, he tries to switch lanes two or three more times, but I'm still there! So finally he gets off at an off ramp and I am tempted to follow, but then I finally come to my senses and realize that all this is stupid and I could really be hurt or even die!"

My Reaction:
Wow, that was a really dangerous experience!  This is not a very uncommon situation though.  I have experienced this type of driving behavior a lot.  We have to realize that many times the other driver does not realize that they are doing this.  However, if they are doing it on purpose, then you might be doing something wrong.  In either situation, it is in your hands, what you do in reaction to what had happened.  We must realize that it we ourselves are making us angry.  It is all within us.  People don't make us mad, we make ourselves mad.  Other people can't control our thoughts and our feelings.  If we learn to control these responses then, and only then, can we control our actions.  It is like Alcoholics Annomonus, you have to realize that you have a problem to solve that problem.

My Reactions:
I think that it is true.  A police officer can only tag the person that he had gunned down (Radar or Laser) unless he is witnessed by an officer and paced.  But the police are making their adjustments.  Now the police have gotten smart.  They are starting to set speed traps in succession.  So more than one car can be cited at a time.  The Honda driver was probably doing it  for that reason.  I am shame to admit it, but I have to admit that I have done it a few times too (when I had to get someplace in a hurry.)

Observation 2 

    "My second observation was a compilation of my habits while driving longer routes up to 20 miles and shorter ones as little as 2 miles.  I wanted to see if distance I traveled made a difference on my tailgating behavior.  When making a short trip to the store, about a total trip of 2 miles, I noticed that I didn't tailgate very often but, I did stay within a car length of the driver  in front of me while traveling on the roadway.  When traveling on the freeway however, it was a different story.  If I were stuck in traffic, and on a long journey of 10 miles or more, I would tend to hug the car in front of me to prevent other people from trying to cut in from the left.  Also, when I was in a hurry, headed down the freeway, I would tend to avoid all cars in front of me so I could move at a higher rate of speed.  If I did get caught in a situation where I could not avoid slower cars I would tail them until the way was clear to pass them."

    "All in all, I gathered  that shorter journeys did not have a negative effect on my tailgating behaviors.  It may have been due to the fact that most residential and business roadways are single lanes thus, preventing me from taking advantage of pressuring  the driver in front of me to go faster.  For on the freeway, it is prevalent that tailing someone usually makes them move faster thus, enabling me to intimidate him or her to move as fast as I desire. Also, I noticed my tailgating behavior was really bad on the freeway especially at times of rush hour traffic.  I was usually cranky, impatient and selfish.  I noticed that  If I could gain a few car lengths by tailing one car to prevent the car on the side of me from merging between us, then by all means I was going to get that short yardage no matter how minute (very stupid I don't suggest doing it)."

My Reaction:
I think that most people have similar feelings as Mr. Silva.  I noticed that tailgating is situational.  There are many times when tailgating is more accepted and more tollerable.  Every morning when I am stuck in the morning traffic, I tend to follow the car infront of me more closely than normal.  Like Mr. Silva, I also try to keep other people from cutting in front of me.  I also have a greater tolerance for people tailgating me when I am stuck in traffic.  In fact, I don't consider it tailgating unless they are only a few inches away from my bumper (O.K. less than a foot.)
 

"Too Close"
"This topic brings me to my final idea under Traffic Psychology, the closeness of these drivers as they bring their car close to your rear. One day as I was heading up to my friends house towards the Pali Highway, I changed from the middle lane to the right lane so that I wouldn't aggravate anyone that day. As I was about to go off the Pali exit, I looked in my rear-view-mirror and notice a car that I didn't see a few minutes ago, tailgating me, not just close, real close. Guess what gender? It was a female in a white Acura Legend. Instantly, I just slammed on my brakes to let her know that she was too close to my car. Little do I know she followed me even more closely. When I changed lanes, I looked behind to see where I could fit in and there was enough distance between me and the next car, the white Acura wasn't even in the picture. She followed me up into Pacific Heights and it seemed that she was going to follow me to my friends house, so my next instinct was to call my friend to get ready for a fight because she coming that way. As soon as I hanged up, she went off onto Booth Road and I debated whether to turn around and follow her. As I got there, we all waited for a few minutes outside to see if she and her friends would drive up."

My Reaction:
That was almost a road rage story!  There were many times that I have gotten upset because someone was following me to closely.  In the past when someone tailgated me, I used to go more slow and more slow until they tried to pass me.  I also used the blocking in technique to piss the tailgater off even more.  The blocking in technique is when you block another driver behind you by using using the other car(s) that are next to you.  Another thing that I used to do was to pull on my hand break to slow down.  That way the tailgater is not expecting it.  I do not recommend it, you could easily lose control of your vehicle.  I also don't recommend theuse of the other examples.

My Reaction:
People who drive slow in the left lane, what more can I say?  That was one of the worst things that irrated me when driving.  Most people don't realize that the left lane is a passing lane.  Although, most people do realize that you are supposed to drive faster in the left lane.  I think, many people feel that because they are driving over the speed limit, that they have the right to stay in that lane; even though there are cars behind that want to go faster.  I feel that people have to be informed about the left lane and its purpose. 

My Reaction:
That is very funny,  "a negative and a negative equals a positive."  But there is also a saying, "Two wrongs don't make a right."  This is a good example of forcing your will onto others.  Mr. Furukawa tailgates to teach another person a lesson.  I also hate it when people cut me off when I am driving.  I guess, I feel that when I get cut off by a car, I am being threatened.  But it usually is not a threat, some people just don't know how to drive.  And some people think that driving is a like a game, but most of us know that it is not.

I told myself that I am going to be a better driver and that I won't let minor things bother me.  Through this course and through a Transpersonal Psychology course I learned to control my actions and learned how to to be mindful.  I learned to accept things as they are and to make the best out of every situation.

Nope, Never.  Tailgating is a reflection of how our society  forces our wishes onto others.  Tailgating is a very dangerous driving hazard.  It seems as though that is is the "norm," however, it is not normal to tailgate.  In my opinion Tailgating is a form of road rage and it must be stopped.  We all must work together to make our roads a safer place.  I feel that it is an infringement on the drivers rights to be put under stress from tailgating. We all have pretty much the same feelings when were being tailgated. Tailgaters are an annoyance to us because they are entering our private space and put us in a stressful mood.  Moral correctness and the ethical idea of common courtesy is missing in today's society.  I believe tailgating can be corrected if a driver is aware of their aggressive actions and who respects others and the capability to feel regretful of obvious wrong doing.