shelleys_man_06

Clicking on shigginsrx8's links leads to more hilarity .

NomisR

Haven't really had any problems of people tailgating me because I either get out of the way or simply drive faster than them so no such problems occur. Only time I see a big *** grill in my rear view mirror is when I'm stuck in traffic but luckily, I don't get to drive in traffic with my Rx8 as much anymore.

dboys44

The thing is you can't really get mad at somebody for wanting a pick-up truck with a 340 hp V8. Two reasons for that.

#1 A lot of people like to tow large campers around. They are very heavy, and you need a truck with a lot of ***** to tow them around. Especially long distances which is something a lot of people do. My parents own a large 5th wheel camper that weighs about 11,000 pounds. Luckily my dad owns a Dodge Ram 2500 with a Hemi in it. Which is able to tow it around.

#2 A light sportscar such as the RX-8 doesn't need 230 horsepower. It could get around fine without it. The fact is people want nice sports cars, that are fast and handle well. Just as much as some people want large pick-up trucks with big V8's. Just for the heck of it.

Now I don't condone tailgating by anybody. That's for sure. Some drivers are ********, and some aren't. There are a lot of people with pick-ups and SUV's around here. Most aren't bad, but some can be jackasses.

Hornet

I'm sorry but my experience is that a lot of SUV/Pickup drivers seem to tailgate regardless of traffic situations. There have been times that there was no 1/2 mile of open road ahead of me, nothing but cars moving at a steady pace, and I can watch an SUV almost touch my rear spoiler through the mirror. I know they can see all the cars ahead of me and I haven't cut them off at any point in time! SUV/Pickups should require a different class license. As far as the flashing people so they move, different states have different laws and I have heard that it is no longer advisable in NY unless you are a law enforcement type (for those who don't understand expect a ticket if the cops catch you doing it).

shigginsrx8

Well then that is fine, if you tow big loads with your truck its all good.

Its the botoxed 40 year old with 2 kids and a little mut making the trip down to the grocery store to pick up some glacier water to soak her feet with in her 2 wheel drive, leather seat, sport utility vehicle that the engine is wasted on.

Was that a run on sentence?? I think so.

Rupes

And what does your wife say about people who buy powerful sports cars?

-Rupes

04MazdaRX8

What part of vegas do you live in? I live in NW vegas next to the 215 and there are Semi's and work trucks everywhere. I was tailing a semi and it shot up a little rock at my car and clipped the front right side fender and left a deep scratch. It has been long taken care of but damn I'm still paranoid when it comes to tailing semi's or suv's.

DOMINION

Man we opened up a can of worms. This SUV/truck thing is like a epidemic LOL!!!

DOMINION

04MazdaRX8, I live on the west side by the lakes. The same thing happend to me on my right front fender man. AIM my MYRX8YOU... Later man.

Rotor_Newbie

I hate tailgaters more than anyone. I've done it in the past in a little crx and seen what it can do. So i quite doing it. Its not nice and serves no purpose. Now-a-days, if someone tailgates me, I change lane, let them pass and do that same **** back to them.

I've gotten bad and good results from that. Recently I did that to a volvo, and he tried to get away from me but couldn't (obviously.. flying bricks vs rx8... hah).. so he let me pass him. When he got on my tail this time, he didn't tailgate me.

The other time didn't work too well though. He got off his truck and went into my face. Needless to say, I wasn't prepared.. doh... but people behind me was ready to call the cops on him though...

Californian drivers are not the gracious.. Personal experiences....

Photic

This tailgating thread reminds me of two instances which are both dangerous and one is very illegal. On my way to Vegas I was in the fast lane and this Taurus was about 50 yards in front of me, this idiot in a 3000gt pulls up behind him to the point of looking like a leg-humping dog, the driver of the Taurus hits his breaks lightly enough to light them up and then weaves right-to-left fairly quickly, but controlled. The 3000gt looked like he crapped himself and darted into the slow lane (which was dead empty). I laughed very heartily after seeing this.
The other instance was an ex-roommate of mine, he was being harassed by some guys in a big pickup truck, then pulled up next to him at stop light, then started shouting derogatory terms at him, my ex-roommate then reached under his passenger seat and pulled out a paintball gun that looked like a very large pistol. When someone has this pointed at them, they don't question whether it is real or not. They ended up freaking out and running the light. My ex-roommate thought this was hysterical, I thought it was foolish and bone-headed but I had to admit it was effective. Although if there was a cop around, I doubt he would have found it as amusing as my ex-roommate.

Hornet

Here is a thought or maybe even question! With the law cracking down on "aggressive driving", do they only include speeding and/or weaving in and out of traffic or is tailgating included? If it isn't they need to take a harder look at this because it does provoke dangerous situations!

FLYN8

I think a lot of the stupid/ dangerous things people do in large vehicles is out of distraction or disregard for what’s right. I mean they aren't being aggressive (in most cases) towards you that's just how they do it.

My favorite truck to hate is the dually. That damn thing has 6 wheels. Why on Gods green earth would you want 6 wheels. If it doesn't have a gooseneck attach point in the bed then the only reason to drive it is to stroke ones own ego.

shigginsrx8

I really think they need to crack down harder on non speeding offences.

Leap frogging, tail gating, driving slow in the left lane, talking on cell phones, rubber necking, eating, doing makeup, waiting to merge until the very end of the lane, etc.... I think these offences are just as dangerous as speeding, if not more. Plus, they contribute to the god damned traffic jams.

Hornet

In reality if that is the case then the same should apply to speeding! I know every now and then I am running late getting to work and will exceed the posted speed limit. In no way are my intentions to hurt any other drivers on the road but I am trying to avoid getting in trouble at work.


Here is another example of bad driving etiquette. As I am on my way to work one morning there is an overturned vehicle that causes the police to shut down the whole northbound side of the freeway (at least 4 lanes into 1). I have a full plate at work. I have to relieve a previous shift, and give a briefing to my higher ups, and it turned out I was the only one scheduled to be in out of 4 people (6 if you count 2 of my bosses within the workcenter) so I pick up some of their responsibility too. Anyway, during this incident I see an exit that can give me access to an alternate route. I turn on my indicator and a lady in a pickup finds it in her heart to speed up to block me in even though traffic is not really moving very much. I finally find a way through and get to work (amazingly on time). That lady did not exit the freeway

ezrider55

In Houston it has been a few months since the last shootout on loop 610 but is does happen and its all because of agressive driving. I do not want to pick on our younger drivers but I do think to many of them learned to drive on a computer game. In games no one gets killed and your busted up car is magicaly new for the next race. This is not the real world.
The 18 wheeler drivers were the best and most curtious drivers when I was young but look out for them now.

Mag66

Well, that would depend on what other behaviour patterns the sports car owners demonstrated while driving. Please note, its not about owning SUVs or Large trucks thats the issue.. It's the way some people drive them (ie tail gating or other intimidating driving patterns) and the reasoning behind it... that are the real indicators she is refering to.

However, on a very generalistic level.. a sports car is probably bought and used by some... as an ego booster! (My own opinion.. not her professsional one :D )

Mag66

For those that haven't seen this yet.. here is a link to a video showing a recent news story about NINE VW drivers and a bad case of weaving.. well worth a view and a damn good belly laugh after you hear one of the drivers deny all knowledge until the State Troopers find out one of his passengers had been videoing the whole thing........

http://boston.mirror-image.com/newsv..._worcester.wmv


(Thanks to BluesNews.com as always, for bringing this great little story to the fore)

bgreene

One thing about tailgating in Cali, though.

Tailgating to a minor extent is almost a required part of "defensive driving" in the heavily populated parts of this state, since leaving so much as a car-length + 1 foot in front of you will almost gaurantee that someone will merge into that space (especially in traffic).

Also, not to defend the SUV's (I pretty much consider them to be "mobile" obstacles to reasonable progress on the road), but they can seem much closer in the rear-view of an 8, since our mirror level is about even with their headlights (about the only reason that I sometimes miss my old Tacoma).

RX8GUY73

All I can say is 9 out of 10 times they're WHITE TRASH compensators!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MTLbroker

I brought my 8 to the dealer for service and he loaned me an almost new Mazda Tribute for the day. I've also driven my parent's late model minivan on occasion. When behind the wheel of those vehicles, I can definitely say that they are not confidence inspiring. I find that in a small car, you can start, stop, accelerate, change lanes, whatever. In an SUV, I am acutely aware of the size, weight of the vehicle. A quick lane change is the definition of body roll, hard braking is the definition of nose dive, you get the idea. Personally, I'd be scared to tailgate in one of those vehicles. Tailgating drivers must have more guts than brains.

One advantage they do have is the view. From a high vantagepoint, they have a better view of traffic ahead. Maybe that gives them a false sense of security? Pro truckers have to take additional testing to graduate to bigger trucks. Motorcyclists have to start with small displacement engines and graduate to larger displacement engines.

But here we are, handing keys to a 5000 lb mass of metal, glass and plastic over to anyone who passes drivers ed. You know how large trucks are not allowed in the left lane on some highways, we should exclude suv and vans from those lanes as well. (if only............)

beachdog

One thing that most SUV/Pickup drivers don't know is that the tires that they are driving on do not have very high speed ratings. The Explorer/Firestone debacle was partly manufacturing defect, partly owner neglect (low tire pressure) and lots of high speed driving that the tires were never designed for.

The manufacturers should govern the top speed of SUVs and pickups to a speed comensurate with the quality of the tires that are being installed. How many H2's or Expeditions are going to get sold if they have a top speed of 65mph?

shigginsrx8

Sounds like a good idea to me. Go ahead and put a 65mph limit on my suv, I would be happy, because there would be less pretenders on the road

RotaMotion

There is hope.

Paris Considers SUV Ban

Just have to move to France

shigginsrx8

What the hell is up with france lately. They are showing some *****. I dont agree with everything they are doing politically but they are certainly doing it there way.

As for the SUV's, that sounds like a good idea to me, GO FRANCE. I cant believe I just said that .

Personally, I would like to see SUV's have to meet car pollution standards rather than truck. Especially the ones based on cars.

The poll they have up is suprising too. Majority want them banned from city centres.