This week's "Boyleing Points"....Tailgaters?

In this week's Boyleing Points, our local editor attempts tackle the issue of tailgaters.

Kevin Boyle proffers a solution to this problem by suggesting that we avoid a "fast and furious" response to these drivers who appear to be trying to become overly intimate with your vehicle's rear while travelling at 60 mph down a highway and deal with them in a "slow and annoying" manner instead.

In and of itself, Editor Boyle's solution appears both logical and viable with one exception.

In his column Kevin states:

"...those obnoxious drivers who basically crawl up your butt as they ride your bumper. Sometimes there’s a car right in front of you and there’s no place to go. Doesn’t stop the idiot behind you though."

"Sometimes there's a car right in front of you..."  

Doesn't that mean that you are tailgating also? 

"...and there's no place to go..."?  

Could that mean that perhaps you have been intentionally blocked in via the very method you describe in your column?  

One can ponder Mr. Boyle's weekly musings endlessly until you simply posit that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one - you know - Occams Razor and the like.  

If the guy behind you  riding your bumper is a tailgater then the fact that you are riding the bumper of the vehicle in front of you (for whatever reason) makes you a tailgater also!

In any event, and without further discussion, this week's Boyleing Points.....

The Passive Aggressive Exception

By Kevin Boyle

Last week’s column, which really should’ve been called Random Acts of Selfishness, addressed some passive aggressive behavior too many of us engage in. Passive aggressive behavior is usually nothing to brag about but, hey, some exceptions are awesome.

I was reminded by a friend about payback to tailgaters, those obnoxious drivers who basically crawl up your butt as they ride your bumper. Sometimes there’s a car right in front of you and there’s no place to go. Doesn’t stop the idiot behind you though.

You can tap on your brakes continually to drive them insane. I’m all for that. But the best way to pay back a tailgater is to move to the right and let him pass. And then speed up so you go the same speed as the car that’s in front of him. The tailgater can’t past either of you now. You box him in for as long as you can. Preferably for miles.

Another friend told me of the time he did it for about ten miles on I-95. He snuck glances in the mirror to make sure the tailgater was apoplectic and foaming at the mouth.

And then when there was an opening and he knew the tailgater was going to pass and vent his frustration he ordered everyone in the car to avoid all eye contact. Look straight ahead! Don’t even glance at the guy. The tailgater zoomed past, slowed to scream and curse, but my friend and everyone in the car stared blankly ahead, frustrating the tailgater one last time — not even allowing him the satisfaction of a curse-out.

Now that is passive aggressiveness well played.

**Boyleing Points: Pete Mahon delivers the West 12th Road Block Association News blog. As far as I can tell it has nothing to do with road blocks – though I’m sure he reports on them when they happen. He provides some of the best locally-relevant news and links you’ll find anywhere (check out: w12thrd.blogspot.com).

He gets a further endorsement because he promotes Boyleing Points though he isn’t above throwing an occasional jab. Come to think of it, even his compliments make me duck. Of last week’s column he wrote: (Kevin Boyle) manages to produce this weekly column that is not unlike a mini-skirt.... long enough to cover everything but short enough to make it interesting.

I hope you didn’t read that as quickly as I did. I thought he said I wrote the column in a mini-skirt. Sorry for the visual.