Personal Space

Last week I had occasion to drive to work three times, instead of taking the bus, thanks to doctors' appointments. I noticed something Ive occasionally seen before, but for some reason it happened to me every damn day.

And that is drivers who leave inordinate space between them and the driver in front of them. I don't like tailgating, but leaving 20 car lengths is equally annoying. I even got behind one young woman Wednesday who left about a quarter mile in front of her on the road -- people were cutting into this gaping space by the dozens, causing her to brake on the freeway -- but she also left six or seven car lengths at stop lights.

What is up with that? She wasnt driving a valuable car.

Why do you find it annoying when someone leaves what you consider too much space between her and the car in front of her? How would you benefit if she closed up the space?

Now, leaving six car lengths at a stop light is just silly. But does it cause you a problem?

I would much rather have too much space between me and the car in front - and especially a lot of space between me and the car behind me.

Why?

1. The silly cow kept braking on the freeway, causing a 3-mile traffic jam behind her
2.  The moronic baboon caused me to miss three green lights before I could pull around her
3.  There was absolutely no reason -- none -- for her leaving enough room for a fully-loaded coal train between her and the car in front of her
4. The idea of "personal space" on a public road is antithetical