Tailgating is the practice of driving on a road too closely behind another vehicle, such as less than the
travel distance in two seconds or equivalently, one vehicle-length for every 8
km/h (5 mph) of the current speed. In most
cases this is done out of frustration toward, or in order to help get past, a slower moving vehicle which is supposedly, but not
always, impeding the progress of the vehicle behind it. Some slower vehicles will not speed up or pull over when the situation
arises; this is seen as selfish behaviour by tailgaters, and may also be illegal in some jurisdictions due to its increased
potential for causing a car accident. On the other hand, tailgating could also be seen as
not only selfish, but unnecessarily risky, as it could cause the vehicle directly in front of the tailgater to crash. Tailgating
is also illegal in some jurisdictions due to increased risks of causing an accident.
Causes
There can be several reasons for tailgating:
- a driver travelling at a higher speed reaches a car traveling in the same direction at a lower speed, and the faster driver
may tailgate while awaiting the first opportunity to overtake. Such expressions of impatience
may be conscious, unconscious, or dangerous.
- in its worst form, it can be a particularly virulent form of road rage and a form of
intimidation. This is where the tailgating driver (the driver in the following vehicle) can
threaten damage to the leading vehicle and its occupants by driving aggressively (perhaps also with use of headlights and horn)
to encourage the leading vehicle's driver to do something to placate the tailgater (often illegal, like increasing speed beyond
the speed limit or changing lanes without due regard for safety). However, it can also be
dangerous to the tailgater as well, especially if he or she is driving closely behind a large vehicle (such as a tractor-trailer, or gas tanker). If the leading vehicle decelerates suddenly (such as when
encountering a traffic jam, avoiding pedestrians, etc.), the tailgater has a high risk of causing a rear-end collision.
- Tailgating can also occur because of a lack of perceived risk in so doing (for example, where nobody has taught the tailgater
to leave a two-second gap between traveling vehicles). Thus, it is done unconsciously or negligently, very often by people who
consider themselves safe drivers and generally obey the other rules of the road. Approximately one third of rear-end collisions
involve tailgating.[1]
- a form of deliberate tailgating known as "draft-assisted forced stop" or "draft-assisted forced auto stop" (D-FAS) is a
technique which has been used by people known as hypermilers to
achieve greater fuel economy. D-FAS involves turning off the engine and gliding in neutral while tailgating a larger vehicle, in
order to take advantage of the reduced wind resistance in its immediate wake.[2] Note that this practice is highly dangerous: while tailgating itself is
inherently risky, the danger of collision is increased with D-FAS as power for power brakes can be
lost after a few applications of the brake pedal and, with older cars, the pressure that causes power steering to function can be lost as well.[3]
Cyclist tailgating in a keirin.
- There are cycling disciplines in which the cyclist pedals around the velodrome track tailgating a motorbike that removes air resistance, enabling much higher speeds than in normal
cycling. The most popular discipline is Japanese keirin.
Other uses
Finance
In finance, tailgating means the action of a broker or adviser purchasing or selling a
security for his or her client(s) and then immediately making the same transaction in
his or her own account. This is not illegal like front running, but it is not looked upon
favorably because the broker is most likely placing a trade for his or her own account based on what the client knows (like
inside information).
Building security
In the context of building security, the term "tailgating" is used to describe the situation where one or more people follow
an authorized person through a secured door or other entrance when the authorized person opens the door legitimately. This can be
either with or without the authorized person's knowledge and/or consent. A "tailgater" can be an unauthorized intruder, but can
also be a normally-authorized person who has forgotten or lost their access key, pass or token. High-security buildings typically
use secure revolving doors in order to prevent tailgating. Such doors may have smaller
segment space between the door leaves, and can also be fitted with electronic sensors which cause the door's powered rotation to
reverse if more than one person is detected in a segment space.
External links
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