Comments on: Coming Soon – Tickets for Tailgating!

By: Tom Moore

Tom Moore — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 17:54:25 +0000

I am prepared to pay for a system for my car that detects how far behind me the next car is, translates my speed into a minimum separation, then flashes my center brake light (and my dashboard flasher lights) if the next car gets closer that that, continuing until he drops back. Tailgaters would be free to ignore my flasher, but then they would have no call to be upset if and when they are pulled over by the police.

Earlier version of my thinking on this included spraying wiper fluid onto the car behind me, or worse, but I finally realized that the third brake light is perfect for getting the point across in a considerate way, and automated actuation saves me from being overly distracted by a tailgater.

By: LKeegan

LKeegan — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:55:18 +0000

The dangers of tailgating should not be underestimated. There is another article detailing the physics and motivations of tailgating at http://www.drivers.com/article/1126/

By: Rhoody

Rhoody — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 04:08:16 +0000

I think the minimum distance between vehicles on the Autobahn is a knd of 50% of your speed. Meaning you drive 100km/h the minimum distance is 50 meters. The police in germany is using since 15 years a radar/video combination on many bridges in germany. There are lines painted on the Autobahn and they know exactly your speed and distance to the car in front of you… at least they knew mine.
Watching that Video cost me 200 Marks and the generous offer to leave my driving-license with them for 6 weeks…

cheers

Rhoody

By: TheDane

TheDane — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 03:54:55 +0000

Sounds like a good idea to me, I hate when a car is too close to you on the freeway…

Kim:)

By: mike

mike — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 02:28:29 +0000

I got here by googling tailgating enforcement. I swear I’m a small govt supporter, but tailgating needs to be enforced. Maybe you should be doing it for more than an instant, but tailgaters are the cause of traffic jams (due to the reactions of motorists behind them).
I know my sentences really didn’t work out very well for me, but I bet if people didn’t tailgate, you wouldn’t have as many traffic jams. People should also be ticketed for driving slowly.

By: Terry

Terry — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 06:01:18 +0000

Actually there are speed limits on most of the Autobahn now but the majority of enforcement is on safety enforcement. The biggest differences are the designs of the system and the awareness of the drivers. They have installed some pretty cool technology such as dynamic signs that detect conjested traffic and adjust speed limits.

Some of the things you mentioned about car equipment are tested and if your tires, for example, aren’t rated high enough your car has a decal that equates to the top speed you can go.

I would rather efforts be made to improve safe driving behavior than pull someone over for going 7 miles over the speed limit on an empty road.

By: The Man

The Man — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 01:00:30 +0000

There is one huge difference between US roads and the Authbahn… speed limits!

On the Autobahn the only thing they can enforce is driving distance, and it is entirely appropriate. But in the US what’s next? Tire tread depth detectors? Washer fluid reservoir level detection? Windshield wiper degredation detection? Bug splatter visibility impediment detection?

It reminds me of the movie iRobot. In one scene Viki, the maniacal computer, decides that the only way to keep humans safe is to enslave them. Sonny, the good robot, says “Your logic is perfect. But it just seems too heartless.”

By: Terry

Terry — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 23:42:52 +0000

As a safety measure, enforcement of proper driving distances is far more effective than enforcing speed limits. On the Autobahn they have unmarked cars, cameras, and motorcycles with cameras looking to enforce these types violations. It requires a different mentality than what most drivers have in the US but I would rather see more money spent on enforcing these laws than speed limits. By the way, on the Autobahn tailgating of less than 30% of the recommended distance (about 1/2 second) with speeds over 100km/hr can result in the loss of ones liscense for 1-3 months.