[Vocabulary] tailgating

[Marian Torres]

What is tailgating?

 

[SoothingDave]

Tailgating is holding a party in the parking lot (originally on the tailgate of a truck) prior to an event like a rock concert or an (American) football game.

This can range from as simple as a few chairs, some beer and some sandwiches and chips to as complicated as people who have RVs with satellite TVs and barbecue grills that are so large they have to be hauled as a trailer behind your truck.

 

[Barb_D]

The other meaning of the phrase is to follow the car in front of you on the road very closely -- not maintaining a safe distance between you.

 

[Raymott]

Barb's definition is quite common here, but I haven't heard Dave's before - interesting. I guess it's because we don't play American football here (though we do have rock concerts).

 

[BobK]

Here's another one: for New Orleans trombonists, who need more space when doing a long glissando - from very low to very high - do it on the back of a truck in a procession.

b

 

[BobSmith]

Barb's definition is quite common here, but I haven't heard Dave's before - interesting.

:shock:!!

 

[SoothingDave]

Barb's definition is quite common here, but I haven't heard Dave's before - interesting. I guess it's because we don't play American football here (though we do have rock concerts).

So if you go to a event, do you just park the car and go inside the venue? Do you know how much they charge for beer in there? ;-)

In my city, parking lots open up 5 hours before a football game.

 

[Raymott]

So if you go to a event, do you just park the car and go inside the venue? Do you know how much they charge for beer in there? ;-)

In my city, parking lots open up 5 hours before a football game.

I'm not saying that people don't have parties in the back of their cars (although I usually don't). It's quite common to have champagne lunches on the lawn beside your car, eg. at horse races, like the Melbourne Cup.
I was merely saying that I haven't heard this called "tailgating" before.

 

[BobSmith]

champagne lunches on the lawn beside your car, eg. at horse races, like the Melbourne Cup"

!!

Boy are YOU not an American tailgater. ;-)

 

[billmcd]

I'm not saying that people don't have parties in the back of their cars (although I usually don't). It's quite common to have champagne lunches on the lawn beside your car, eg. at horse races, like the Melbourne Cup.
I was merely saying that I haven't heard this called "tailgating" before.

I don't think you will find any champagne among Am tailgaters. Although the Miller Brewing Company claims that their products are the "Champagne of Bottled Beer".

 

[JMurray]

Fortunately, many of the venues at which I've watched football over the years, mostly rugby union and Australian rules, are accessible by public transport and are blessed with one or two (or more) pubs in the immediate vicinity. No tailgating has been required, although, depending on the result, a certain amount of tail-wagging or tail-dragging may have occurred later in the day.

 

[5jj]

Fortunately, many of the venues at which I've watched football over the years, mostly rugby union and Australian rules, are accessible by public transport ...

This is true of many (most?) events in Europe, which almost certainly accounts for our not having encountered the word, or the situation.