Tailgating

Discussion in 'MINI' started by Rastoff, Jul 27, 2016.

  1. Rastoff

    Rastoff New Member

    Jul 13, 2016
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    I'm a relatively new Mini owner so, I'm still learning some of the uniqueness that is Mini. One thing that I've seen in these short two weeks is how many people tailgate me.

    I live in CA and tailgating is not uncommon. The "proper" safe following distance is 2 seconds. That is rarely followed here. It's usually more like .5 seconds. However, when I say tailgating, I can't even see the headlights of the car behind me. I mean, they're so close I can count their teeth in my rear view mirror. :eek6:

    This is happening regularly. I've had at least one of these people trying to climb in my trunk every day. Am I alone in this or is it a common phenomena due to the Mini's size?
     
  2. Dave.0

    Dave.0 Helix & RMW Powered
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    No that's a Cali thing.
     
  3. Rainman768

    Rainman768 Active Member

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    I noticed the same thing when I first got the hardtop. But after a while I marked it down to perception. With our Accord and Civic (sedans) there was about two feet or more of trunk beyond the rear window. Whereas with the MINI there's only a few inches beyond the rear window. So vehicles appeared to be "farther" away when in the sedans and "closer" in the MINI.
     
  4. Friskie

    Friskie Well-Known Member

    Jul 20, 2009
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    Maybe this bumper sticker will help.
     

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  5. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    Jul 31, 2009
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    I live in Memphis it's common here. I don't put up with it because I know my mini can out stop them if traffic comes to a stop. If I can't get out of their way I will slow down slowly till they get the hint or I feel I am at a safe speed for the tailgater.
     
  6. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    It happens everywhere, but I see it a lot more in the LA area. I'm always in rental cars in LA, some smaller than others. It doesn't seem to matter.

    CD
     
  7. whaap

    whaap New Member

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    The driver of the car behind you has developed his habit of how close to follow the car in front of him depending on speed and other considerations just like you have. The only thing that has changed is you are closer to the rear bumper of your car than you're used to being and that results in his car being closer to you than you're comfortable with. His distance from the rear of your car is the same as it would be if you were driving a Cadillac.

    If it feels funny when you're driving your MINI, you should spend most of your life riding motorcycles.
     
  8. Zapski

    Zapski Well-Known Member

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    There's a kit you can get that will flash the third brake light when you tap it, it's pretty alarming so perhaps people will back off if they see that.

    Me, I rigged my rear fogs into the brakes, so you KNOW when I've hit the brakes. It has cut down on tailgating a lot.
     
  9. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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  10. beken

    beken Well-Known Member
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    I was being tailgated the other night on the highway and I just touched my brake pedal and the kid driving that corolla slammed on his brakes and just about spun off the highway. I have a blinky brake light. :D

    1) because of the lack of a trunk, most cars seem to be tailgating so it is something MINI drivers eventually get used to.

    2) People really do tailgate MINIs and don't realize it. It's like they are so busy admiring our MINIs they totally lose awareness of the traffic around them.
     
  11. CHKMINI

    CHKMINI Club Coordinator
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    If you drive really fast all the time no one can tailgate you!
     
  12. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    Except the guy with the Motorola radio. :wink:
     
  13. Rastoff

    Rastoff New Member

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    I have spent a good chunk of my life on motorcycles. I've logged over 300K on bikes. This is one reason why I know it's not just a perception issue on my part. Yes, I understand the Mini is a lot shorter in the rear than other cars, but when I say tailgating, I mean right on top of me. If I were to tap the brakes, they'd hit me.

    Thanks for the replies. It seems I'm not alone. I do believe that the car's small size throws some drivers off and they don't realize how close they are.
     
  14. whaap

    whaap New Member

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    I agree there are definitely people that tail gate but unless you're involved in a road rage incident it's a safe bet the guy behind you tail gates everyone and not just smaller cars.
     
  15. Gil-galad

    Gil-galad Club Coordinator

    May 19, 2009
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    Do a left-foot tap of the brake pedal without coming off the accelerator with your right foot, just enough to close the brake light switch. Keep one eye on the tailgater in the RVM just to confirm that they are paying attention. After they've performed a couple of panicked decelerations in response, they typically get the message. The end result is that they back off some or get annoyed and pass.

    But actually I prefer CHKMINI's solution. :devil:
     
  16. whaap

    whaap New Member

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    Rather than tap the brake pedal I always feel a little safer just turning on my headlight switch which actuates the tail lights.
     
  17. dchernikoff

    dchernikoff New Member

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    I haven't noticed people tailgating me more (I'm in California too), but most of my commuting is on a motorcycle so maybe that's why. I do suspect it is the perception issue others have raised.

    Related to this perception issue -- do you have the same trouble I do parallel parking? Not that it's hard -- it's dead easy in this tiny car -- but I find that I leave WAY too much room behind me. I think I'm right up against the car behind me, then when I get out I'm like 5 feet away. I keep doing that even though I know intellectually that I need to get closer than I think...

    -Dan
     
  18. Rainman768

    Rainman768 Active Member

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    I do the same.
     

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