Why Are East Texas Drivers Riding Bumpers Like This?

(KNUE-FM) Why do people drive like this in East Texas? Why do some people roam the Earth as if it were theirs alone and seem to completely disregard the lives of other humans just trying to get where they're going?

Why Are East Texas Drivers Riding Bumpers Like This?

It seems I've been seeing more of this lately. Many others have told me they've noticed the same thing. It just so happens this is my biggest pet peeve about some East Texas drivers. You know how it goes, you're driving down Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler, for example, and people are going the speed limit in both lanes. (Some people are going 5 or 10 miles over the speed limit, but that's not the point of this story.)

Tailgating in Tyler: An Increasingly Dangerous Trend

Up comes someone who feels entitled to "bully" other drivers on the road by driving as close as possible behind another vehicle to try and intimidate them to...what? Crash into the person in the other lane so that Mr./Ms. Sassy Pants can get to Taco Bell faster?

Come on, y'all.

Read More: Passing on the Right in Texas: Legal or Not?

The “Sassy Pants Lane-Switch Shuffle”

Even worse is when they switch lanes and then back again, driving as if they're trying to swat at pests with their car or truck. So why do some drivers in East Texas ride the bumpers of the cars in front of them?

Why Do Drivers Tailgate in East Texas?

Some say it usually comes down to impatience, stress, or just plain old entitlement. Perhaps these drivers believe that tailgating will prompt the driver in front of them to speed up. Spoiler alert: it honestly just makes the road more dangerous.

Stoplight Irony: The Great Equalizer

And isn't it funny? Despite their dangerous maneuvering, these drivers often end up next to the people they were trying to pass at the stoplight. Awkward.

And what if the driver in front of them has to slam on their brakes to avoid an accident? Isn't there a good chance the tailgater will be blamed for the wreck?

The Real Risk of Riding Too Close

Of course, there are situations where someone has a medical emergency and genuinely needs to get there as soon as possible. However, causing an accident wouldn't help even in those heartbreaking situations.

Yes, Emergencies Happen… But Still

Sure, I could share many pet peeves about drivers in Tyler or Longview. However, this one is just so incredibly unsafe, not to mention rude, and could seriously injure someone. Stop. Just stop. You'll get to your destination. Make sure you leave others and yourself in one piece.

Driving Pet Peeves in Tyler & Longview: What’s Yours?

Is it tailgating?
Not using turn signals?
The mysterious “slow roll through a green light?" What are your biggest pet peeves when driving in East Texas? Email us at tara.holley@townsquaremedia.com.