Too close for comfort: an L-driver’s nightmare

FOLLOWING Ronnie Plant’s letter (September 3) about people driving about in clear conditions with their foglights fully on, I wish to highlight another example of bad driving — tailgating.

As a learner driver I have a hard enough time trying to concentrate on what I am doing and the last thing I need is a tailgater so close I can identify the brand of mobile phone he is chatting on.

Recently I was driving home from a friend’s house with a fully licensed driver of 30 years in the front passenger seat when someone I know came up behind me, leaving about a foot of ‘thinking time’ between us.

As you can imagine, this was infuriating and very dangerous, so I pulled over and let him pass.

The L-plate is meant to show other road-users that the driver deserves to be given some room. But no, this just seems to make already dangerous drivers just that little bit more so and results in the learner being able to see the white of their eyes in the rear view.

Still, tailgating is not an offence in this country unless it results in an accident. I hope the Road Safety Authority will act against it with something more than the silly ‘Only a fool breaks the two-second rule’ ad that simply doesn’t work.

Shea Connell

Derryconnell

Schull

Co Cork