Modern Vespa

This never happens. Someone drives terribly, even very dangerously and generally that someone gets away with it

Well not today!

I was on my morning adventure and a Porsche was tailgating me, I changed lanes...and so did the Porsche, tailgating me again. Then, since I was in a good mood, I thought, I'd just turn down a different street and take a different route to my favorite coffee shop, so I did and so did the Porsche, who still tailgated me, then this guy goes around me (within mere feet of my tail) at about 70 miles an hour in a 35 -- and blew through a crosswalk (persons getting ready to cross) near the airport, running the red light. Well, this fancy idiot person got nailed by a cop who was watching the whole thing on a motorcycle.

How funny though, the same fancy idiot person pulls out in front of my favorite coffee shop right as I am getting ready to re-saddle and take off for my grocery run after meeting friends for a nice 20 minute coffee stop.

We made eye contact but I didn't smile, smirk or even acknowledge this bonehead. Im pretty sure he got the ticket by the demeanor of this self-important man.

It's aggravating when you're approached by vehicles like this. Im never speeding or in a hurry but I at least go the speed limit and when someone tailgates, I don't get angry, I just get out of their way best I can to avoid them, yet this guy seemed to have a thing against scooters or something, it was really weird.

I like your attitude, and it's nice when things work the way they're supposed to.

He was going too Espresso, and so was done by an Americano.
Was the Porsche flat white?

You did the right thing. Back in the day, riding Harleys, I used to keep a variety of nuts and bolts in my left jacket pocket. Insurance for times when nuts and bolts shook loose and dropped off. Also for people like this. Worked well when a handful were launched over my left shoulder in the air. Like I said, you did the right thing.

Riding bikes for most of my life, you learn to just get out of the way if possible of an idiot like this. It really comes down to basic math - your machine is under 500 pounds and the car is maybe at 3,000, so the bike will lose every time in a confrontation. Yes, you can out brake, maneuver and maybe out accelerate, but you mostly lose. Let the fool have the road if he thinks it belongs to him. I'll be on the sidewalk, like you, cheering on the traffic cop.

Just returned from a drive...read your post.
10mins ago a new Dodge big engine snarled past my Silverado w/cap, over double yellows in town....because I'd left the light at 35 mph.

3 days ago exact same thing. 35mph, double yellows, residential. This time diesel p-up snarled past doing the coaling thing w/exhaust.

Example of why I ride my scooter before these clowns get out of bed.

I'd love to get a bumper sticker that says. "That's not the minimum permissible speed, stupid."
O.S.

What is the speed limit there? Just curious...

Is worrying about tailgating a uniquely American thing? Will members from other countries tell me if they have a word for it in their own language.

Drängeln

Interesting question. There is no single word for this in Finnish language.

Over here, driving too close to the car at front is a problem.

Still, this seems to be very different from the 'tailgating' described by OP.
I've never heard that someone would actually follow you, on purpose. That would feel very, very weird.

Driving too close over here is just lack of driving skills. Folks may take a call (hands-free), talk to the passanger etc. and drive within a distance that would be way too short for any kind of reaction if the person in front would suddenly break. They don't pay any special attention to the vehicle in front of them, certainly don't 'follow' them.

Years ago in driver ed we were taught to leave one car length for every 10 mph. Do they no longer teach that?

Could the amount of tailgating be a reflection of people's anxiety? (Which seems to be high and growing)

And why are cars and trucks made to be so fast? Will manufacturers ever build them less powerful, smaller, lighter—resulting in less dangerous, more fuel efficient and less expensive vehicles? (especially w a fuel crisis on the not too distant horizon)

Hope this post doesn't derail the thread.

35mph posted, "residential"
I was less than 2 blocks away from leaving the stop light...when I'd pissed him off enough by driving 35 ...to light up his tires and cross the dble yellows, at night. Sounded like he had a 'hemi' under the hood.
O.S.

those plastic pouches of BB's work great, just slam one to the ground when riding and they bounce all over the place.

My guess is that the Porsche guy was envious of the fact that the cost of his ride was 10 times more than the cost of your scoot. You made him look very foolish!
Then he proved he really wasn't very smart.
Kind of like when a diesel truck driver passes a Prius and feels he just has to
"roll coal". Ebay is getting sued for selling the device that creates excess fuel to the motor and produces all that smoke and pollution. A bit of justice there too.

Sledge, Thank you!

The OP showed way more restraint than I would have shown at the coffee shop. That pretty much demonstrates that the OP is way smarter than I am.

If you can afford the Porsche you can afford the ticket. That's part of the problem. If traffic tickets were calculated on a sliding-scale it'd be less affordable for a guy like that to act like a douchebag.