Rubbernecking is a derogatory term primarily used to refer to bystanders staring at accidents. More generally, it can refer to anyone staring at something of everyday interest compulsively (especially tourists). The term rubbernecking derives from the neck´s appearance while trying to get a better view, that is, craning one´s neck.
Rubberneck is associated with morbid curiosity. It is often the cause of traffic jams, sometimes referred to as "gapers´ block" or "gapers´ delay", as drivers slow down to see what happened in a crash. Rubberneck is considered as of 2007 unconventional English or slang.
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