Tailgating is dangerous: we learned the lesson early

One of my pet peeves with drivers is following too closely. That is easy to remedy and would eliminate one of the most dangerous driving habits on the roads. When I was in school, several times the local officials would do a demonstration on a side street to show how long it took to stop a car. They would take three different students and tell them to floor the car, then slam on the brakes when a paint gun fired as the car reached a prescribed speed; then they would measure how long it took to stop. If I remember correctly, the speeds used were 25, 35 and 45 miles per hour. It was pretty impressive, because it took a lot longer than one might think. Plus, those students were entirely focused on stopping, so the real-life reaction times would be considerably longer. DON'T TAILGATE!