Tailgating

 We all agree that one of the worst things you can do while driving is follow the car in front of you too closely - and that we all do it, except me. I don't tailgate, unless of course I'm in an extreme hurry, which I try never to be.

At least 95% of all American drivers are bad about this, and it may be as high as 99%.
Surely it is the leading cause of accidents. How can it not be?  Nobody ever owns up to it. Everybody I talk to says the same thing: "I don't tailgate". Yet, out there in the jungle, I rarely see anyone, other than myself, who doesn't tailgate.

And precisely what do we think we're accomplishing, other than enriching our lives with threats to our survival? Self expression and the fulfillment of emotional needs? Quite possibly.

American culture is self centered and competitive.Our senseless way of driving cars is a direct reflection of this cultural competition and aggression. Or at least, it certainly seems that way. Anyone wanting to write a post for this blog defending Americans as humble and cooperative, safe and courteous drivers, is free to do so. We keep telling ourselves that America is the greatest country in the world, and we actually, amazingly begin to believe this shameless, arrogant trash. The new American attitude should be the same as any high school football team in August: we have a chance to be good, if we work hard. That's a better America, not this arrogant bragging, tailgating crap...