Unsafe driving ticket

You know...all this "holier than thou" stuff is kinda silly....no one including myself thinks like that. I'm human , I make mistakes every day , but when I state my view/s on a subject like the one that the OP brought into question , views that are based on over 3 decades of experience I get called out....thats OK by me . Because of one simple fact. After all those years , and all those miles , I can say that I never was involved in a single accident...now the couple of drivers 1 who is still a student and the other with 0-1 year of experience are the one making the most noise...they make the claim that I'm saying I'm perfect no I'm not ....not even close...but my driving record IS perfect....granted I may go out and get killed an a car wreck today...entirely possible...but it won't be because I'm driving in a reckless manner or tailgating.

I was only trying to let the OP know just how bad tailgating is and how HE made the choice to do it..sometimes you can't keep a good following distance between your vehicle and someone that cuts in front of you..its impossible to do all the time...but when it does happen you do have options , like slowing down , or moving over to another lane. You don't have to continue driving right up on another vehicle. Also the comment was made...that in order to facilitate the movement of traffic tailgating was necessary....here is the quote...{i only get speeding tickets, never been ticketed for tailgating.. do i do it??? i guess you can say i do it. alot of the times it's necessary to facilitate traffic flow. people get into the left lane and just sit there with no intentions to overtake the next vehicle. people get into their own little zone and forget that there's hundreds of other vehicles trying to get somewhere (hospital, school). usually as soon as you get behind them they zone back to the road and move along.}
You guys take that for what it's worth..made by a driver with less than a years experience...And I get called out for trying to be the voice of reason.....

 

It's closer to 7 for a combination vehicle. Heh, with a 4 second following distance you'll get the road zombies coming over from a pass only to find out the truck in front of you is going the same speed and they need to move back over.

 

If people cut in front of you, then you let off the fuel. Don't ride their bumper like white on rice.

That being said, I think there's more to this ticket than what the OP is saying. Careless driving can be used in many circumstances, depending on the state and LEO. In other words, I think the OP was doing more than tailgating.

Because anyone who takes their profession seriously is 'God', and/or 'holier than thou'. I think this gives you an idea why I won't reveal personal information on here (if you remember the PM I sent you a while back).

 

Yep , I remember. And I agree with you. Driving a CMV is all about being a responsible person....anybody can be trained/taught how to do it , doesn't take that much gray matter. But in order to be what most would consider a professional you have to have the right mind-set. If you go into it with an I got this under control attitude , I don't have to listen , or give any credence to advise/criticism given to me for free by others with much more experience , well then the law of averages will soon catch up with you....I guess maybe I did come off as somewhat judgmental...BUT once the OP had admittedly been ticketed for tail-gating , the time for holding his hand had passed...he made a bad choice got caught and then ...IMO ( and maybe others) wanted someone on this site to tell him its OK don't worry about it we all do it....No wrong..... thats whats wrong with people today..they're worried about hurting someones feelings....well when it comes to driving a CMV in such a stupid way then I'm not worried about his feelings being hurt...I'm worried about the body count that he'll be responsible for if he doesn't wise up.......If hitting him in the face with reality is wrong....I'm guilty as charged. I'm sure Ghost Ryder that you and a few others will understand and agree with my stance on this.

 

there ya go, i fixed my experience for ya, now maybe my opinions will carry more weight in your eyes.

so much for my speeding tickets, you said you have received your fair share also so i'm not sure if that's supposed to be an issue or not.

on to me facilitating traffic flow, if you can honestly, and truthfully sit on the opposite side of that monitor of yours and say you've never observed a vehicle holding up traffic (while the following car was fifty yards behind) only to move out of the way once that gap closed, then there's nothing i can do but shrug my shoulders.

 

It's only a 'mistake' when you get caught. I wonder how many habitual offenders we have here that haven't been caught yet, because what was said earlier is correct. From my observations, the most dangerous drivers aren't 4-wheelers. They are truck drivers.

 

Who is making a stink about what you said? I made a stink about how you worded it, thats it. The way you worded it made you come across as Mr. Perfect-Never-Done-Wrong. Yes Im a student and will always be a student, I learn something new every day, contrary to what you believe (stated in a previous post).

 

I can honestly sit here and say that yes I've seen/observed a car/truck hold up traffic before...of course I have many, many times. But I have never taken it upon myself to push/ tail-gate/ or facilitate that cars actions....That is not only the wrong thing to do it's illegal...hence the OP's post. Have I been forced to be closer to the rear of the traffic in front of me...yes again...it happens. You can't make it not happen...but you can take steps to avoid it...by paying attention to traffic patterns that are constantly developing in front of you , and then adjusting not only your speed , but your own lane position if you can do so safely.

I'm not trying to argue with you mitchtazz , or come off like a know it all...I'm really not. But you do have a lot to learn about how to be a defensive driver....you may think not...at 28 I was the same way...most young guys are..no fault of your own...you just haven't been exposed to as many situations as folks with as many years as myself....I was only trying to make the OP understand just how important that driving safely is , not only him , but to all the other folks he shares the roads with....you included. I may have had the right message , but the wrong delivery....and that can be debated..but the end result should be for every driver that reads this thread...tail-gating is 1st illegal , 2nd very dangerous. Your idea of maybe getting someone back in the zone or making someone aware that they are holding up traffic by lolly-gagging along in the fast is wrong , and dangerous...it may work sometimes...but it can also back-fire on you if that person decides to be an as s and slam on their brakes to get you off their bumper....that's a situation of 2 wrongs not making a right and putting lots of other folks into a really dangerous predicament when you run all over the idiot that slammed on his brakes....you see what I'm getting at...we all have to deal with stupid drivers , idiots that don't care if they hold up a whole line of traffic , and a host of other things...but its the way that we as professionals deal with all of these things that makes the difference.

I'm no teacher , nor am I a trainer....but I do consider my self a professional. I don't let someone driving a vehicle in front , behind , or beside of me , get the best of me and cause me to loose my temper or my good judgment. It is always best to not even make eye contact with those sort of folks , because they're just looking for trouble....I just make the adjustments needed to safely continue on my way , knowing that I have probably just saved a life or 2 in the process.

like I said I'm not trying to argue or be a know it all...I'm just in a small way trying to pass on what kept me safe for a long , long time and alot of miles. I really hope that your career in trucking is as safe and satisfying as mine was. Happy trails....T

 

This thread is a lost cause...

 

This is how your first post should have gone, remember, you catch a lot more bees with honey than you do with vinegar.