Tailgater Video; who's at fault?

[upbarleyboy]

Jackass move by the lead vehicle for sure, but the fault lies with the tailgater. Whether you like what the car in front of you is doing or not is irrelevant. She was following too close, which caused her to lose control. If she wan't right up the other cars tailpipe, she would have been able to brake safely. Pretty simple. Fortunately she didn't take anybody else out with her.

 

[mezz]

I see fault on both parties, however, I agree the tailgater was the greater at-fault. The tailgater was clearly breathing heavy on the lead vehicle. She was gaining on the lead vehicle as they passed the semi & continued to press on. IMO, the lead vehicle should have just put the hammer down & pulled away & merged right at an appropriate time. Perhaps a quick tap of the brake to send a message might have been better than a 2 second press of the brake pedal , nonetheless, the tailgater was clearly the greater at-fault due to her actions. Luckily, her actions as well as her failure to properly react did not result in a much more serious accident.-Mezz

 

[timo]

the tailgater got what she deserved 100%. what if it would of been a rabbit, dog, deer whatever that jumped out and the natural reaction of the lead driver would be to tap-pump brakes and with that stupid bafoon lady in his trunk would of had the same results.
I can guarantee you she'll think long and hard about getting in someone els's trunk.

 

[buddah2]

the tailgater got what she deserved 100%. what if it would of been a rabbit, dog, deer whatever that jumped out and the natural reaction of the lead driver would be to tap-pump brakes and with that stupid bafoon lady in his trunk would of had the same results.
I can guarantee you she'll think long and hard about getting in someone els's trunk.

I was going to stay out of this thread but I just couldn't restrain myself........

You are correct. The people that lay blame on the lead driver are quite simply wrong. I don't care if he/she tapped the brakes for a perceived red-headed piss-ant crossing the road the ONLY ticket that would have been issued was for "failure to maintain an assured clear distance" or quite possibly including reckless operation......and you'll notice I said "perceived".

 

[jmvette427]

video made Good Morning America this am. Kinda wonder about the girl maybe talking to passenger , switching radio, or worse checking phone? definitely over reacted and "just one of them racing deals" Thank God no one was hurt

 

[srt20]

See, this is the mentality that causes cars to stack up and get people hot under the collar to do stupid things.

JUST LET THEM GO. END OF STORY.

People need to learn to control their emotions/temper as well as their cars. Just because someone does something another doesn't like, gives no reason LEGALLY for the unhappy person to became violent.
Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid.

 

[xcr440]

People need to learn to control their emotions/temper as well as their cars. Just because someone does something another doesn't like, gives no reason LEGALLY for the unhappy person to became violent.
Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid.

You are absolutely correct. So why instigate it? Just let the other car go.

Not condoning tailgating by any means, just saying there's an easy and a smart way to keep an incident from escalating or from even becoming an incident in the first place.

 

[frnash]

… All I try to do there is provide a bit of a gap between me and the guy in front of me so it is only a 2 car crash versus a 3.

My usual reaction to having a "tailgater" on my azz, if changing lanes is not an option (particularly in heavy traffic) is in fact to slow down, allowing for more stopping distance between my vehicle and the one ahead. Alternately, if cranking up my speed a bit will enable me to safely reach a viable merge point a short distance ahead, that'll work as well; that would also provide a greater buffer for the tailgater.

However, from time to time I have contemplated a "hi-tech" solution to "tailgating", something out of "Mythbusters", perhaps: A switch triggered "special effects" feature that would simultaneously:

1. Switch the "brake lights" on, with perhaps greater brightness/intensity than normal.
2. Apply an electro-mechanical adjustment to my vehicle's suspension, pitching the nose down/raising the tail, simulating the inertial effect of heavy braking.
3. Emitting a credible amount of "smoke" from the vicinity of the tires/brakes as might be seen in an abrupt heavy braking effort.
4. Emitting corresponding "extreme braking sounds" from concealed speakers at the rear of my vehicle.

… all without touching my brake pedal — in fact while accelerating away from the tailgating jackwagon! (He/she would be far too busy reacting to the perceived "imminent collision" to realize that I was in fact accelerating ahead, believing that the increasing gap was all due to his/her own braking.)

But alas, as delightful a "Mythbusters" technological concept that might be, it would have too great a chance of instigating some severe carnage — mostly behind my vehicle — but perhaps including mine! So, sadly, no thanks!

 

[snobuilder]

[QUOTELife is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid.][/QUOTE]

SRT20 said.....LOL

 

[gogebic_sledder]

If the tailgater wasn't driving like a jackass this wouldn't of happened. Drive reckless, bad things happen.

 

[jmvette427]

frnash: i have at times when a jackwagon is on my bumper, either turned my parklamps or 4ways on watching the eyeballs get big in my mirror . i am very aware of who is behind me especially when in the left lane passing . if i get someone running up on me i accelerate and get over to right. let em go!

 

[Grant Hoar]

In my poorer college days, I drove a Datsun that had a bad valve. If a guy tailgated me, I would floor it for for a second or two (it was a Datsun so it's not like you pulled away from the tailgater!), and then let off the gas. The resultant backfire sounded like a 30.06, and would spit a flame about two feet out the tailpipe. Saw tire smoke a couple times when folks locked up the brakes to slow down.

 

[Tracker]

tailgaters fault driving too close for conditions...heres the worse case scenario of why you don't want to tailgate

 

[sweeperguy]

WHOA!! Holy crap.

 

[mrbb]

I think the guy in the wrong lane is WAY more at fault here, BUT, even the lead vehicle got hit, no time to move right!!

as I said, lots of BAD drivers out there

driving in a vehicle is one of the most dangerous thing anyone ever does, its a fact, everyone in an average life span will be in ONE car crash, either driving or passenger,
and only takes about 7 mph for things to be fatal
never mind at hi way speeds!!

 

[sjb]

Tracker - that is just bad stuff. Brought back all sorts of memories on a head on collision I had when the lady eating her subway sandwich was more concerned about that then staying in her lane. Luckily for me and my family, we were only doing 45 and the car I was in did exactly what it was suppose to and crumpled so we were not killed. My neck will be screwed up for life due to her carelessness.

 

[frnash]

… the worse case scenario of why you don't want to tailgate …

Ouch!

---

It has been primarily the tailgater that has got the short & dirty end of the stick in most of this thread, so just for a change of pace, here's the "rest-of-the-story", er… "other side of the story":

(click →) Impatient SUV brake checks semi truck (Traveling along I-80 and about to cross into WY from NE. Trucker made a pass around a slow truck and ended up with a case of impatient road rage from a 4 wheeler... Trucker then gave the Wyoming Highway Patrol a call and they had a trooper waiting to greet the SUV when he crossed into Wyoming. Trooper pulled the SUV over and issued 3 "souvenirs", about $600 worth, according to the trooper.)

Brake check a trucker, will ya!