What's in this report......
My observations of tailgating
Legal implications
Moral implications
Spiritual implications
To the top of my lab report file
My obsevations of tailgating.
It's really quite easy to observe someone who's tailing you, mostly because you can see their ugly mug in your rearview mirror. For my definition of tailgating link here. My obsevations of my own tailgating behavior... I tend to tailgate people who are going UNDER the speed limit in the fast lane. In my opinion, these people should be mailed driving handbooks, or shot. Okay, not really shot, but they should be made aware of the plight of other drivers who really want to get somewhere.
I also find myself tailgating others when I'm in a hurry. I detest lateness, and feel compelled to be obscenely early to everything. I leave fourty-five minutes early to get to work (which should take 10 min. but often takes a half an hour) so I can be ready for traffic situations. This may sound silly, but we're talking about Hawaii. Traffic gets heavy when the weather is cloudy. People are so lolo (link for definition)when it comes to driving in anything but sunshine.
Tailgating can be dangerous and costly. If you hit someone from behind because you are tailing them (or for any reason) you will get a ticket, most likely have to pay for damages to their vehicle, and experience a sharp increase in your already costly vehicle insurance. I say "most likey have to pay" because my vehicle has been rear-ended twice, and in both instances the driver at fault has gotten away without paying. In fact, one time MY insurance went up. I think this is a serious fault with my *&%#$% insurance company, but I cannot afford to change policies now. I know, it's a personal problem...
Anyhow, just watch yourselves on the road, okay? Be real careful around red Sentras with the LDYBUG license--cuz that's me!!!!!!!!
Moral implications of tailgating are GOING TO HELL!!!!!!! Okay, maybe not. Morality is a personal issue. If the tailgator does not feel that tailgating is morally wrong, then there's technically nothing wrong with doing it. The feelings of the other person (the tailgatee) have no effect, because the tailgator is not aware of those feelings. Now, if a program was enlisted where tailgatees could send a letter to their tailgator outlining thier feelings of fear, trepidation, and guilt for going the speed limit (or any unacceptable speed) perhaps tailgating would be more of a moral issue.
Hey, wouldn't it be weird to get a note like that in the mail? That program, however, would be totally out of the question, though, because the DMV or police or whomever aren't allowed to give out that kind of information. I have, however, seen letters in the Honolulu Star Bulletin under the KOKUA section with the headline AUWE, repremanding a discourteous driver. Whether or not that driver reads the complaint or not is indeterminable, but I'm sure the writing process is quite therapeutic for the disgruntled driver.
Ugh, spiritually, you get what you make for yourself. If you feel bad about it, then it's bad. If not, tough tamales for the other guy.