From: un027713@wvnvms.wvnet.edu
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Date: 29 Sep 92 09:15:41 GMT
Organization: West Virginia Network for Educational Telecomputing

In article <BvAKwE.Fow@news.cso.uiuc.edu>, tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
> 
> In article <lc7dc6INNpeq@jethro.Corp.Sun.COM> geoffm@purplehaze.Corp.Sun.COM (Geoff Miller) writes:
>>
>>
>>I wrote:
>>
>>>>It's a trade-off.  I happen to feel that the odds of being rear-ended
>>>>are low enough, and the possibility of screwing up traffic flow by wasting 
>>>>space are high enough, that leaving excessive space in traffic light queues
>>>>is a poor practice.  
>>
>>
>>In article <1992Sep20.154344.27872@mongrel.UUCP> amdunn@mongrel.UUCP 
>>(Andrew M. Dunn) writes:
>>
>>>WASTING SPACE?
>>
>>Yes!
>>
>>
>>>What extra does it cost to use the space?   Nothing.  
>>
>>Not to you, maybe, but what about the people behind you?  That may be
>>a different story.  See below.
> 
> This "wasting space" argument reminds me of the guy who was complaining
> about people who leave their turn signals flashing while they sit at a
> red light. It may be your personal pet peeve, but your attempts to
> rationalize it as some kind of universal injustice fall flat.
> 
>>I've seen this habit justified -- or possibly, rationalized -- with the
>>assertion that it would prevent a secondary impact with the car ahead in 
>>the event of a rear-end collision.  I'm somewhat impatient with that 
>>justification, simply because the possibility of a rear-ender occurring 
>>in the first place is so remote.  Wasting space at a red light in case of 
>>a rear-ender is like refusing to go outdoors without a crash helmet, as a
>>precaution against meteorites.

[Stepping on soapbox]

Let's look at this from the perspective of the driver you are pulling up
behind.  You are making a decision that could affect his car if you *ARE*
rear-ended.  Not only that, you are making this decision without his
consent.  I personally dislike when someone pulls up within inches of my
car.  You don't have the right to risk *IN ANY WAY* someone else's property
no matter how slight you feel the risk to be.  This should extend to all
aspects of driving.  If you can always guarantee 100% that your actions will
not harm anyone or their property, then fine.  But I don't think that you can,
and I personally don't give you or anybody else the right to make those
decisions about me or my property.

[Stepping off soapbox]

> 
> Let's see: I've bee[Bn rear ended at stoplights three times in the last 8
> years or so, but I've never been hit by a meteorite. Oh, but of course,
> my personal experience has no effect on the CHANCES. OK, let's compare
> the total number of rear end collisions per year in America to the total
> number of incidents where a meteorite strikes a vehicle in that same
> year. You're trying to tell me that these two probabilities are equal?
> OK, I'll keep an open mind. Where are your facts to back up your claim?
> 
> This kind of hyperbole does nothing to make me want to give up the space
> cushion practice. Absolutely nothing. You'll have to be a little more
> convincing than that, Geoff.
> 
> Wail all you want, but there is a valid reason for maintaining that space
> cushion, and people are going to do it whether you like it or not.