There is a pretty disturbing sense of entitlement that is often attached to tailgating.
Not only is it dangerous, but more often than not, the driver in front is simply exercising their right to overtake slower traffic on a clogged freeway.
There is a stereotype that BMW drivers are the biggest instigators, but it should be fair to say that they have considerable competition from drivers of other makes on our roads these days.
Nevertheless, tailgating is illegal in most parts of the world, and believe it or not, in some countries the consequences can amount to an eye-watering fine.
The driver of a BMW 5 Series in Switzerland recently found that out the hard way when his tailgating antics landed him with a fine amounting to 108,500 Swiss Francs, which equates to R2.27 million.
While that might seem extreme, fines in Switzerland are linked to a driver’s personal income, and authorities found that he had a taxable income of 1.67 million Francs, or R35 million.
The 48-year-old driver contested the fine in the country’s High Court, arguing that the authorities calculated his following distance inaccurately using video. He also accused police of not reading him his rights before they questioned him.
Although his claims were dismissed, the BMW driver did manage to get the bulk of the fine suspended, subject to a two-year probationary period, meaning that if he manages to behave, the total amount will be a far more palatable 10,000 Francs, or R210,000.
That’s still a great deal of money to pay for a tailgating transgression, but it raised a very interesting debate.
Should drivers in South Africa be fined in accordance with their incomes? This could of course apply to a wide range of driving transgressions, including reckless driving, excessive speeding and drunk driving.
It makes sense on many levels, as the current universal fine amounts are surely not a deterrent to high income earners.
As for those tailgating antics, “following too closely” is currently listed as an offence under the AARTO Act, attracting a fine of R1,000.
Incidentally, failing to use indicators can theoretically lead to a R500 fine, and we’re not mentioning that to take a dig at BMW drivers. Or are we?
IOL Motoring