Following Too Closely
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Following too closely is another serious problem for many drivers in the North Carolina area as well as abroad in the United States. Recently, on a trip to visit my grandmother, my aunt was also visiting her for the weekend. During the day, we decided to run a few errands around town, for which my aunt volunteered to drive. However, I quickly realized that I probably should have been the one to volunteer to drive us because my aunt’s driving made me incredibly nervous.
Normally, I am not that nervous of a passenger. However, in my aunt’s case, her driving was less than optimal. It turns out that she not only speeds, but she follows other people WAY too closely. I counted at least seven times while we were out where, had I not been wearing my seat belt, I am almost too sure that I would’ve been projected through the windshield. She apologized each time she slammed on the brakes, and I couldn’t help but think, ?If you weren’t following other people so closely, you wouldn’t have to apply your brakes with such force or quite as often.? However, I decided that it was best to keep my mouth shut. I secretly sat in my seat and with my sunglasses on, I kept my eyes closed for most of our trip.
My aunt isn’t the only person who follows others too closely, however. In fact, I have been witness to hundreds of people doing this day in and day out over the course of just a week. It’s as if people never paid attention during their driver’s education classes. After all, don’t they know how incredibly dangerous it is to follow someone too closely and the consequences that can result from doing so?
Once, I was in a vehicle with one of my friends when she was following the car in front of us too closely. I wanted to say something to alert her that I was extremely uncomfortable with how she was driving. However, I decided against it. At the next stoplight, the person in front of us stopped somewhat abruptly, and my friend wound up rear ending the person in front of her. Now, who was at fault here? She quickly got out of the car and apologized to the young man who was driving the car in front of us. At the time, she had a sport utility vehicle. Therefore, she didn’t really sustain any sort of damage to her car. However, for the unfortunate gentleman in front of us, the entire back end of his vehicle was almost completely totaled.
In my boyfriend’s case, he is an extremely nervous passenger and will almost never hesitate to tell whoever is driving that he feels uncomfortable with how they are driving. In one way, I guess that it is good to alert the driver that something they are doing is making you uncomfortable, but at the same time you also don’t want to pass too much judgment and distract them more with such a comment.