My Report 2
Tailgating Behavior: Fair or Unfair?

CLICKABLE TABLE OF CONTENTS

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/459f97/wilfredl/report2.html

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/459f98/kawamura/report1kawamura.html

5) Carlene Yee?s experience with a driving personality makeover: "We then came to the intersection Lusitania and Piikoi, where we wanted to make a left turn to get on to the on ramp for H1.  Instead of getting into the left lane which turns and heads straight on to the freeway, he stayed one lane to the right of that lane.  I asked him why he was doing that, and he said "So, I can cut in front of all these cars."  I asked him if he was in a rush, and he said "No,".  I asked him if he was doing it for fun, and then his brow crinkled and he smiled a little and said, "sort of, it also kinda is like a rush too".

http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/459f98/yee/report3yee.html

In Kris Burlem?s case, he felt irritated when another driver was going too slowly in front of him. He also feels body aches can synergize his irritability and lead him to be more aggressive on the road. In this case, he wishes to impose his definition of what is fast enough on the other driver.

In Wilfred Lee?s observation of his friend, he notices his friend rides closely behind other cars in certain instances such as making turns or coming to a stop. In this case, it would appear that Wilfred?s friend isn?t doing this behavior all the time, so it probably is unintentional. He probably isn?t thinking about what he?s doing when he?s doing it.

In Marshall Miyoshi?s case, his friend seems to be greatly in the mindset that other drivers on the road should be abiding by his definition of how to drive. Otherwise, I wouldn?t think he?d be mad at a moped rider going at the speed limit in front of him. This guy just seems to be quite aggressive behind the wheel, as he only thinks about his perspective as a driver and not that of other drivers.

In Craig Kawamura?s case, his observations of why he gets angry are quite insightful. He recognizes that he?s angry at something because it imposes on his ability to drive peacefully, but at the same time, he realizes he shouldn?t get mad when he can?t change what?s occurring, so he decides to just let the anger subside.

Carlene Yee?s situation points to her friend as being an aggressive driver who is more concerned with what he wants to do behind the wheel rather than what he is doing to impose on other drivers. He just seems not to be thinking of another driver?s perspective.

I think all of these instances match the definition of tailgating being the imposing of one?s will on another driver because whatever behaviors these drivers are engaging in affects other drivers. The drivers being affected can?t change what these drivers are doing. But I don?t think that in all of these cases the drivers are just aggressive and completely devoid of empathy for their fellow drivers. Only Marshall Miyoshi?s friend seems to exhibit this type of thinking, which is very bad.

4) Moral Implications of Tailgating

I don?t think tailgating is fair or ethical because it infringes upon the rights of other people driving on the road. I think proper and fair driving comes when drivers take into account how other drivers on the road are driving and then trying to be more understanding instead of trying to just impose your will on another driver by driving too close behind to scare him/her. Scare tactics or aggressive tactics meant to intimidate another driver are just wrong. It all comes down to treating others how you?d like them to treat you, and if your driving behavior committed against another driver is something you wouldn?t want done to you, you shouldn?t engage in that particular behavior.

I personally never try to tailgate another driver. I try to never follow too close or try to intimidate another driver when I?m driving, because if I do, I feel really terrible afterwards for having disrespected another human being. I?m not saying I?m perfect in this sense, but I try not to disrespect other drivers in the way that I drive. As for how I feel when I?m being tailgated, I don?t like it. I think it?s rude, irritating, and disrespectful to me.

When it comes to tailgating, I think many people unintentionally do things like follow another driver too closely or speed more than the rest of the drivers on the road. However, there is a great distinction between unintentional tailgating and intentionally engaging in a behavior to impose your will on another driver, to intimidate or scare another driver, and to make another driver know that "he can?t mess with you." Those types of behavior that stem from the intention of disrespecting another driver are all wrong and highly unethical. I?m only afraid that too many people nowadays aren?t as respectful or empathic with other drivers. I think the only way tailgating behaviors will be eliminated is if all drivers are aware of how they?re driving at all times and consciously make an effort to be understanding of other drivers and to be respectful and courteous to them.

In the future, the following generations can improve by being more aware of their own tailgating behaviors and trying to avoid doing such things. At the same time, students should be careful to define tailgating precisely so that the subject can be easily understood and discussed. Also, it would help if students keep track of their own driving behaviors, keeping tabs on what they?re thinking and feeling as they do what they do. Finally, don?t procrastinate! Do your reports as soon as you can.

In the writing of this report, I found myself learning and reinforcing my feelings about the rights and wrongs of tailgating. In terms of my feelings and goals in approaching my own handling of tailgating, I am more against tailgating another driver now than I was before because I really think tailgating is just so disrespectful towards another driver. So I will try my best to avoid doing that. My thoughts and knowledge about tailgating are reinforced in the sense that I feel we shouldn?t judge people too harshly when they are unintentionally doing something that we don?t like. But at the same time, I feel that people who intentionally disrespect other drivers on the road should be aware that they?re behavior is not acceptable. Maybe they should be required to undergo driver education if a police officer catches them in the act. Finally, I think that in terms of the sensorimotor domain of driving, drivers should be more attentive towards what they are physically doing as they drive so that they c an avoid engaging in tailgating behaviors.