> You people are all dorks. The correct answer to tailgating is to change lanes and allow the tailgater to pass you. At least, I feel this is the case for a freeway/highway type of situation. I get that there is some big moral imperitave to show those tailgaters who's boss, but I generally drive with the thought of, "It's not my job to tell other people on the road how fast they should be going."
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> But maybe that's just because I always want to be doing 80 MPH... ;P
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> Stephen

The answer to this thread didn't come to me until I saw Stephen's name attached to a post in it and wondered with joyful anticipation what he had written. He didn't write what I predicted, so I will.

If you're that terrified of driving, stay off the road. Frightened, indecisive, hesitant drivers are just as likely to cause accidents as impatient, reckless, aggressive ones. Good drivers know where they are, where they're going, and how they're going to get there. More than that, they are comfortable enough in their own role as driver that they can focus some amount of attention on others around them and anticipate what those people might do.

Being overly cautious is just as dangerous not using caution at all. Driving defensively is not just a class you go to to get out of a ticket, nor is it letting everyone else in their cars do what they want to do before you do what you want to do. It's knowing who has the right of way in what situation -- and taking it, if it's you. It's seeing a driver look in his rearview mirror and anticipating that means he's probably going to get over in front of you -- and allowing him room, if appropriate, or passing him, if appropriate. It's knowing when to yield the right of way, even if rightfully, it should be yours, because the other driver is obviously in more of a hurry than you.

An 80 mile an hour driver is most likely to hurt or kill himself by crashing into some immobile object. A 40 mile an hour driver is most likely to get in a resonable driver's way, and cause them both to get hurt and killed.

Mou"driving for over half my life now"sie