Miata Mailing List: January 1994, Message #167
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   From: GOZUMM@JEFLIN.TJU.EDU
Subject: Toooooooooooooo Close
   Date: Thu, 20 Jan 1994 18:28:17 -0500

I sympathize with all Miata owners who have fears of
tailgaters.

I agree with the last thread on the line:  compared
to most of the cars that have tailgated me, I have
more to loose that the tailgater, if he decides to
go berzerk on me.  For the most part, I let them
pass, if they continue to follow me ( and their car
looks like then can ) I slow way down, if its a
big rig, I usually check the radar detector and zoom
away until he's out of line of sight then repeat
this technique if I see him again.

All I want to do is enjoy the road with the top down
and I do find it unusual that some poeple do tail the
miata (and not when I'm driving my winter-stead general
workhorse 1985 civic ) so I do think most drivers are
in some way interested in the car itself (good or bad
intentions) so intimidation is always possible and good
to keep in mind.

During the early years (1991-2) I got so much attention
driving the miata to toronto from philly, strangers waving
at me, women honking their horns and screaming through
the windows, rigs and ten wheelers honking their horns ( and
tailgating!), comments from all the toll booth personnel
it was both flattering and of some concern, because I thought
with all this attention, I'm bound to get someone's attnetion
with not so good intentions ... but the appeal on the road
has died down a bit ... so it isn't so much an issue these
days ....
BTW, Toronto is a Miatatown.  I've never seen so many in
one place ... on a given sunny day, even close to winter at
30-40F, you'll always run into a miata somewhere on any
road ... but their most lilkely not going to wave or
wink with the headhlights.

Marvin
 this thi