Interesting that you ask this question. Just yesterday I was being tailgated by an F150. I was in my 300D right lane of I-40 here in OKC in a left hand curve we call the Tinker diagonal. He was so close all I could see was grill. I was doing 60, speed limit was 50, left lane was doing maybe 5mph faster than me. I let off the gas and slowed to 50. I just new trouble was coming. He whipped into the left lane, got halfway past me, then started changing lanes right into me. While there is a shoulder there it was covered with salt and sand from our last freeze. I just knew if I got on that I would slide right into the concrete barrier, and he would drive off and I would be left with a totaled car that I only carry liability insurance on. I stayed in my lane and got on the breaks (abs seems to work just fine), but he was still going to hit me unless I headed for the barrier. Well I held my lane. His right rear clipped my front left.
Two people stopped and left me names and numbers. The highway patrolman called them and the both said pretty much what I had already told the officer, but one of them did say she was in the left lane and the truck could not have been more than 2 feet off my bumper. Now I am going to have to find a new left front finder, turn signal, and headlight. He on the other hand is going to have to replace his totaled truck, and pay about $400 in tickets, and probably higher insurance premiums. He ended up on the shoulder and slide right into that concrete barrier. So no, I do not think it is ever acceptable to tailgate. That being said I have done it, and plan to give myself a timeout if I ever do it again!!! On 1/30/08, Zoltan Finks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Simple question: If a car in front of you is going slower than you want to > go, do you consider it your right to tailgate them? > Not a trick question. I just want input as the the current mindset out > there. It may help me understand. > > It used to be that, in my circle of friends and acquaintances, tailgating > was a sign of aggression. People got into fistfights and sometimes shot > for > it. But now it seems as I'm tailgated every single time I drive, it isn't > personal. The times I've been able to confront someone for doing it, most > of > them have seemed genuinely clueless why I was mad at them. > > To answer the next logical question: I don't drive all that slowly - just > in > a sane fashion somewhere around the speed limit, or maybe 5 above or 5 > below > depending on conditions. (talking about in-town here). > > And I also do not accelerate that fast because of: Fuel costs, > Environmental > Issues, Wear and tear on vehicle, and just generally not wishing to be a > pedal-mashing, non-thinking idiot that stabs the accelerator by default. > > What say all? > > Brian > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ > For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > -- OK Richard 1987 300D 193k with miles and miles to go!!! Midwest City, Oklahoma _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
