When I was a kid, my parents owned a Toyota Tercel, very small but sedan style. I learned to drive on this vehicle and I honestly don't remember this happening.

Decades since then, I've never driven anything as small as The Honda Fit. The Fit is the first subcompact (since the Tercel) and the first hatchback.

At first I thought it was my imagination and/or paranoia. But now after months of ownership I just think it is a reality. People seem to tailgate me more driving The Fit, and it has nothing to do with my speed.

I think people see the "small" look of The Fit and assume I'm going slow, so they must tailgate me. Last night I was coming home from work in a residential area that is speed posted as 25mph. I was going 30+. Which is actually a little dangerous, but even going over 30, this guy in an SUV was right on my @ss. I look in my rearview mirror as we approached a red light and I watch him bounce as he hits his brakes.

Now maybe you would think this is just an isolated incident, one person who was just being an @sshole, or in a hurry? But it seems to happen so much more than I ever remember with any other vehicle I've driven.

I'm NOT a slow driver. Infact admittedly I tend to be too agressive if anything. I'm not unhappy with the Fits acceleration capabilities and I usual am at least at the speed limit or above it. But still like a magnet it seems I attract or create hostility in the driver following me, that seem to think they must go faster than the "fast" I am going.

I really do think it's just the fact that it is a small, economical looking hatchback, and evidently that causes problems for some people on the outside, as I never had this problem before.

Any feedback? Has anyone else seemed to notice this phenomenon?

 

Wait till a Yukon hugs up behind you!!

I don't think it's a phenomena, but more your perspective, though I had a chevy pickmeup tailing me a few days ago. Sort of guy who just doesn't like a small Japanese car in front of them was my take.

 

happens to me ALL THE TIME...thats when i slow down

 

no one tailgates my Fit. im too quick of a driver.

 

The fact that the hatchback window is right at the back of the car gives the illusion that cars are closer than they actually are.

 

How do you usually deal with them?

If there are at least 2 lanes, slow down by 5 mph and they will usually change lanes. If not, change lanes yourself, especially if you know you're in the fast lane. If they still follow you after that, then they are just being an asshole. That's when you put on your emergency lights and act as though you are towing them and people will wonder how the hell that little car is hauling a Yukon.

 

I know the reason

The back of the fit is like a cute womans as s, you just want to follow it around

 

well last night i was behind a GMC Sierra who had a brand new Civic in front with a couple in the 50's the guy in the sierra would'nt stop revving is engine to intimidate the couple in the civic, he did this for about 1 mile since we were all going to take the highway... the guy was a real douche... these type of people are really annoying, but what i hate the most is that they might end up hurting someone else... but that's what you get with people that need to compensate

 

I had an 18 wheel gravel hauler literally inches of of the rear bumper of my wife's Forester so it's not just the Fit... I take the slow lane and still get tailgated while doing the speed limit but not as badly as when running at 90 in the fast lane on I35... It pisses people off that I follow at a safe distance and have to increase it to avoid being rear ended by them if I have to stop quickly.... It is not a problem to leave them far behind and at times I will but it is more fun to wait until they finally go around me and pass them and the line of tailgaters they are stuck behind.

 

That is just as bad as the tailgaters. Just ignore them and let them go, but don't impede the flow of traffic.

 

Driving the speed limit and giving the car in front of me a 3 second lead is not impeding the flow of traffic and if anything it allows the person behind me room to pull back into the lane after passing, something he couldn't do if I was riding someones ass... On 2 lane U.S. and state highways with a shoulder I will often pull over and let people pass when I am driving at the minimum speed limit.... Giving a slow moving car a lead allows me to accelerate to a safe passing speed before crossing the center line when it is permissible to pass. I have survived over 45 years of riding motorcycles, don't drive under but often over the speed limit and certainly do not impede the flow of traffic.

 

I consider it tailgating, if I'm going 40 mph and I can't see your headlights behind me when they're playing hide and seek with my hatch... or worse, on the highway going 70.

Before I got the Fit, I was driving a Nissan Pathfinder, it's windows are also at the end of the car (SUV).

For most vehicles, I don't rely on just the view from one mirror to determine if they're "too close." I check ALL my mirrors and sometimes do my count when passing stationary objects.

 

Get a bumper sticker that says:

“Watch out for the idiot behind me!”

 

Here's what I do

 

It astounds me that people will tailgate large trucks in heavy freeway traffic so closely they can't possibly see their brake lights and are continuously having to hit their brakes hard to avoid rear ending them.... I watched people do that from one side of Austin to the other and I might have lightly used my brakes six or eight times when traffic would be close to coming to a stop.... Am I the only one that has noticed that tailgating has gotten worse since NASCAR has become popular and televised?

 

That would get you shot down here. Even little old ladies and librarians love their guns.... You ought to see how well my little 100lb wife is with a .357 magnum target pistol.... She packs a S&W .38 model 38 Airweight.

 

driving slow FTW!! with a little brake tapping so you annoy them back hah (:

 

TOO FUNNY, LMAO!!

 

A very typical situation but I never let a forceful tailgater dictate my driving LOL goodluck tailgating... don't let my rear hit you

 

i haven't really noticed being tailgated much where I am....usually people who are that close to me pass me pretty quick :X