As most decent to good drivers know, that there are a lot of aggressive drivers on the road that tailgate, as they get angry if anyone is impeding their travel. But, what is not recognized by the majority of tailgaters is that we're pack animals. There is always a hierarchy within the pack.
The majority of tailgaters do it because they're lonesome. They need to be close to others, to be with a crowd, and to be recognized. These people, the majority of drivers on the road, need companionship, a friend and that it's merely a manifestation of their insecurity and inferiority complex. They drive in packs like wolves. When one of these drivers see cars up ahead, he must catch up to them so he can be part of a crowd to soothe his loneliness.
The middle group of cars is driven by people who are just satisfied to be part of the pack. They at least feel that they belong.
The cars in the rear are driven by followers. Those that don't have a lot of self-confidence, but, at least, feel that they are part of the crowd; therefore, at least, feel a sense of being accepted.
The mature driver, on the other hand, drives between the packs. It is done without conscious thought. He just knows, subconsciously, that he is comfortable by himself. Even on a busy highway, I find myself most often driving by myself. I can see a dozen or more cars a thousand feet ahead of me and the same pack of cars far behind me. One time, I drove from Hartford, CT to Philadelphia, PA through NYC on Thanksgiving and didn't encounter more than a dozen cars.
