Vector Rig Translation Control

The translation data for the rig is controlled using a script on Cntrl groups above the main tailControls. In essence, each frame, two vectors are calculated based on the lead control's position in the last frame and its position in the current frame. Those are used to calculate the magnitude of change, which is then used to calculate where each of the tailControls should be placed.
Here is a sample of the code:

float $distance = 3;
int $time = `currentTime -q`;
vector $oldPos = `getAttr -time ($time -3) leadObject.translate`;
vector $newPos = `getAttr leadObject.translate`;
vector $vector = $oldPos - $newPos;
float $vectorMag = mag ($oldPos - $newPos);
if ($time == 0)
{
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateX = $distance * -1;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateY = 0;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateZ = 0;
string $zeroTime = "time is at zero";
//print ($zeroTime + "\n");
}
else if ($newPos == $oldPos)
{
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateX = trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateX;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateY = trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateY;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateZ = trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateZ;
string $vectorDistance = "the new vector equals the distance";
//print ($vectorDistance + "\n");
}
else
{
while ($time > 0)
{
$newPos = `getAttr -time $time leadObject.translate`;
$oldPos = `getAttr -time ($time -1) leadObject.translate`;
$vector = $oldPos - $newPos;
$vectorMag = mag ($oldPos - $newPos);
if ($vectorMag >= $distance)
{
float $vectorScalePercent = $distance / $vectorMag;
vector $vectorScale = $vector * $vectorScalePercent;
vector $newVector = $vectorScale + $newPos;
float $placement[] = $newVector;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateX = $placement[0];
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateY = $placement[1];
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateZ = $placement[2];
string $setFrameMessage = "vector was set using vector from frame ";
//print ($setFrameMessage + $time + "\n");
break;
}
else
{
$distance = $distance - $vectorMag;
$time --;
//print ("vector too small, moving back a frame" + "\n");
//print ("new distance is " + $distance + "\n");
//print ("time being calculated is" + $time +"\n");
}
}
if ($time == 0)
{
$newPos = `getAttr -time 1 leadObject.translate`;
$oldPos = `getAttr -time 0 leadObject.translate`;
$vector = $oldPos - $newPos;
$vectorMag = mag ($oldPos - $newPos);
float $vectorScalePercent = $distance / $vectorMag;
vector $vectorScale = $vector * $vectorScalePercent;
vector $newVector = $vectorScale + $newPos;
float $placement[] = $newVector;
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateX = $placement[0];
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateY = $placement[1];
trailObject_01_cntrlGrp.translateZ = $placement[2];
}
}

This method keeps the rig from squashing and stretching when the lead control moves faster or slower; which would happen if the tail controls were just placed at the lead controls location, minus the desired amount of frames.