A question for out American friends as they seem to be the only people fixated by enough to have invented a name for it.

Tailgating

How close does a vehicle have to be to be considered to be tailgating and why is it a thing? OK two questions but…

Surely a driver of the vehicle considered effected by this should be concentrating on the road in front and not fixated by the vehicle behind, who themselves are concentrating on the vehicle in front of them.

I some cases apparently this results in another American thing call Brake Checking. The combination of these two can occasionally result in road rage.

Who decides how close is too close and how close it that?

Just curious as I have never lived in the US.

Not American but it seems pretty obvious as not maintaining a safe stopping distance. This article addresses it and tries to give some examples.

https://bcdrivinglawyers.com/how-close-is-tailgating-what-is-the-following-too-closely-offence/

Use to be rule of thumb, one car length for every 10 mph. Though very hard to maintain at times, most times in traffic or on highway. Common sense should prevail, and most know how long it will take to stop their car at speeds. Placing their trust in other's driving ability isn't the wisest move, and sh!t does happen.

Tailgating here. TH, is silly at times, and when someone is on my butt, I simply wait till I can move over and let them pass. Also means, if in traffic, I will actually slow down, and allow more space between myself and car in front of me. Oh well, patience is a virtue.

In the UK we are taught "2 seconds"

6 minutes ago, JBChiangRai said:

In the UK we are taught "2 seconds"

Only a fool breaks the two second rule 😄

15 hours ago, KhunLA said:

when someone is on my butt,

Yes I understand but maybe "Objects in the mirror are closer than they look" or something of that nature? But then again that is the opposite of what you see?

I'm just curious that it seems , at least to me, that it is an American thing as they are the ones who invented a word for it.

Maybe it is an effect of "left-lane" hoggers. People who hog the passing lane as they feel they have some ordained right to be there. I don't know.

Just now, VocalNeal said:

Yes I understand but maybe "Objects in the mirror are closer than they look" or something of that nature? But then again that is the opposite of what you see?

I'm just curious that it seems , at least to me, that it is an American thing as they are the ones who invented a word for it.

Maybe it is an effect of "left-lane" hoggers. People who hog the passing lane as they feel they have some ordained right to be there. I don't know.

If I can't see their front license plate, I'd say they are pretty damn close.

If I'm doing the speed limit, or even a wee bit more in the left lane, passing, slower traffic, is there really a need to be on my A$$.

I won't be going any faster or moving to the right, especially if another vehicle in front of me. Nothing justifies some of the silly tailgating I see here.

Aside from being extremely F'g stupid & dangerous, it's illegal, as I'm usually doing the speed limit or more.

Most, if not all accidents are from idiots driving too fast for conditions. Do you not see all the signs on highways, stating ...

... "don't tailgate, you F'g idiot" ...

16 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Surely a driver of the vehicle considered effected by this should be concentrating on the road in front and not fixated by the vehicle behind, who themselves are concentrating on the vehicle in front of them.

Absolutely correct. Ignore the idiot in the rear and pay attention to the side lanes and the front.

16 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

A question for out American friends as they seem to be the only people fixated by enough to have invented a name for it.

It’s a matter of safety, tailgating is pretty stupid by doing so believing it makes traffic go faster and trying to save or gain a car length in order to get nowhere fast to no avail.

16 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Who decides how close is too close and how close it that?

Is this question a joke, or is prudence really that lacking?

23 minutes ago, novacova said:

Is this question a joke, or is prudence really that lacking?

No. Is it the driver behind who decides how close or the driver in front who should be looking forward at potentially the car in front of them ?

47 minutes ago, novacova said:

Absolutely correct. Ignore the idiot in the rear and pay attention to the side lanes and the front.

It’s a matter of safety, tailgating is pretty stupid by doing so believing it makes traffic go faster and trying to save or gain a car length in order to get nowhere fast to no avail.

Is this question a joke, or is prudence really that lacking?

Yep, ignore is pretty much what I do, and if doing anything, as stated earlier for safety, I'll slow down. Kind of defeats the idiot's whole idea of tailgating will actually accomplish something, except raise their own BP.

Unlike TH, get spotted tailgating in USA, and you will get cited for doing so. Same with the even sillier, brake checking, and could be a couple citations, resulting in loss of license, if not criminal charges, if results was an accident. And definitely a well deserved civil law suit.

1 car length for every 10 MPH....

Tailgating is a cause for a high percentage of accidents....

Road/weather conditions also play into the equation.....

I've read that tailgaters can also get mesmerized by following a vehicle too close and lose situational awareness, semi asleep at the wheel....

9 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

No. Is it the driver behind who decides how close or the driver in front who should be looking forward at potentially the car in front of them ?

The driver in the front should not attempt to control the driver in the rear, therefore it’s the responsibility of the driver in the rear to gauge a safe distance from the vehicle in the front as with the driver in the front.

8 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Unlike TH, get spotted tailgating in USA, and you will get cited for doing so.

The state/county/city cops would cite any minor infraction in the state where I lived most my adult life, like a delayed indication of a turn signal in a turn. Here, it’s like the Wild West right in front of the lazy cops, nothing to be concerned about until it’s too late.

On 2/8/2026 at 5:41 AM, VocalNeal said:

How close does a vehicle have to be to be considered to be tailgating and why is it a thing? OK two questions but

Two seconds is the proper distance.

If a vehicle is tailgating you at 70 mph, it is dangerous. If you need to brake suddenly, they will rear-end you.

10 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Yes I understand but maybe "Objects in the mirror are closer than they look" or something of that nature? But then again that is the opposite of what you see?

This is an issue with the passenger side mirror. Do you even drive?

18 hours ago, TedG said:

This is an issue with the passenger side mirror. Do you even drive?

Think about what you just posted? 🤔

4 hours ago, VocalNeal said:

Think about what you just posted? 🤔

Think about the dumb questions you asked.

13 hours ago, TedG said:

Think about the dumb questions you asked.

Please elucidate @TedG your attempt at the one-line wisecrack is failing.

Just now, VocalNeal said:

Please elucidate @TedG your attempt at the one-line wisecrack is failing.

Have you ever been in the driver's seat of a vehicle?

it is important to me that i can make my own decisions while driving so i can arrive safely. this includes my speed, overtaking, my driving style, looking ahead, and reacting early to dangers. these points, plus a bit of luck in some situations, help me drive over 40 years without any accidents in many different countries and continents ...

however, tailgating here in thailand puts me in a situation where i feel like "coercion" to me and where i and my family are "forced" into unnecessary danger cause of a brainless idiot tailgating us! when it is possible, i pull over to the side and let the reckless tailgater pass ...

9 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

brainless idiot tailgating us

Hence my question How close is Tailgating.

14 minutes ago, TedG said:

Have you ever been in the driver's seat of a vehicle?

No I usually drive from the passenger seat. How thick are you?

14 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Hence my question How close is Tailgating.

tailgating is when a driver follows another vehicle too closely and doesn't leave enough room to stop safely if the car in front hits the brakes ... my simple rule: stay at least 2 seconds behind!

46 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

Hence my question How close is Tailgating.

the following distance in meters for the 2-second rule depends on the vehicle's speed.

at 50 km/h, you should maintain a gap of 27.78 m ... this corresponds to approximately 6 car lengths!

at 100 km/h, the gap increases to 55.56 m ... this corresponds to approximately 12 car lengths!

at 120 km/h, it reaches 66.67 m ... this corresponds to approximately 15 car lengths!

38 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

tailgating is when a driver follows another vehicle too closely and doesn't leave enough room to stop safely if the car in front hits the brakes ... my simple rule: stay at least 2 seconds behind!

How do you measure 2 seconds ?

11 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

How do you measure 2 seconds ?

to measure the two-second rule, pick a stationary object (like a sign or a tree) and ensure that at least two seconds pass from the moment the car ahead passes it until your own vehicle reaches the same spot ...

very simple ... and in rainy or difficult conditions, use the 4 second rule!

2 minutes ago, motdaeng said:

to measure the two-second rule, pick a stationary object (like a sign or a tree) and ensure that at least two seconds pass from the moment the car ahead passes it until your own vehicle reaches the same spot ...

Sounds like a very flawed methodology.

8 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

Sounds like a very flawed methodology.

you call it flawed methodology?

i call it an easy way to avoid a dangerous and frequent cause of rear-end collisions!!!

Low value post removed

@Ralf001

On 2/8/2026 at 10:13 PM, VocalNeal said:

Yes I understand but maybe "Objects in the mirror are closer than they look" or something of that nature?

This only applies to the side mirrors no ?

I was taught similar to @KhunLA 1 car length for every 10km/h .....Canadian version.

On 2/10/2026 at 8:50 PM, VocalNeal said:

No I usually drive from the passenger seat. How thick are you?

Thus you have never drive a car