Mind the gap

[E270 Owner]

Leaving such a gap will entice others to fill it...

+1

The amount of times this happens isn't funny especially in wet road conditions.

Even when the 2 chevrons are marked out on the road surface drivers are within half a chevron tailgating at 70-80mph
what chance do you have of being able to leave a correct safety gap for your self with ignorant kamikaze
drivers in anything from a Coach to a 4.5 ton Lorry performing these maneuvers.

Ah well............

 

[Pitts Pilot]

One of the biggest challenges for sensible drivers nowadays is that we share the roads with drivers who are arrogant or stupid or both, bend the rules, or sometimes are just downright dangerous.

In that kind of environment one often needs the patience of a saint to maintain courteous driving and to continue to drive defensively, without rising to the 'bait'.

Lowering one's expectations of other peoples driving is a good way to start.


Don't expect to get thanked for letting someone in. Don't expect to get thanked for virtually 'parking' your car so that someone can pass you in a narrow road. We have all done it and watched in astonishment when the other driver drives off oblivious to our politeness.


Anger is sometimes described as "Unmet expectations", so lower your expectations of everyone on the road and you are less likely to be angered by the idiots out there.


As a former DSA examiner we used to teach the "Two Second Rule" or four second rule if it’s raining (someone has already raised this in another post). The mantra we taught was to say out loud: "Only a fool breaks the two second rule", as its takes 2 seconds to say it. (Say it twice in the rain).

The problem in practice, as already posted, is that someone moves from lane 2 to lane 3 to fill the gap in front of you. Or more taxing (of your patience), they overtake on the inside and move into the gap. Illegal but common practice.

I have sat there on a busy motorway trying to maintain a 2 second gap only to find myself 6 cars back from the van I was previously behind, because people have barged in front of me.


IMO, expectations and anger management are important issues for the modern driver on Britain's busy roads.


Before I sound like a model driver, I'm not. I HAVE managed to lower my expectations and nowadays drive in a calmer frame of mind (as my wife will attest), but when I'm overwhelmed and about to 'lose it' (we are all human after all...) I recite the mantra: "There are more donkey's ars*holes in the world than there are donkeys" (!). It helps me ‘vent’ and thus relax, try it!

So I don't expect to marry theory with practice all the time. People will fill your 2 second gap. They will tailgate, and they will continue to treat their indicators as a factory fitted optional extra, like a sunroof. Expecting it helps, as does my DVR car cam that quietly records everything in front of me! (And soon a second to record what’s behind me).

Cheers,
Robert

 

[Pitts Pilot]

Other way round, I think, though I may be misunderstanding your argument? Even if the car in front is rapidly decelerating it is still moving away from you quicker than a brick wall would! So if you are 315 feet away at the moment of the incident you will still have a longer distance in which to stop?

True, right up until it's a jack-knifed lorry, or a big tail back. Same as a brick wall, you suddenly have a stationary 'problem' in front of you!

Cheers
Robert

 

[boxbrownie]

One of the biggest challenges for sensible drivers nowadays is that we share the roads with drivers who are arrogant or stupid or both, bend the rules, or sometimes are just downright dangerous.

So true, and when both my children were learning to drive (and before) I tried to drum into them you have to drive as if every else on the road is an idiot.

Diligent defensive driving is essential nowadays unfortunately, years ago you could sometimes relax, not any more it seems!

 

[c_200k]

I always try to leave a safe gap and there's always an idiot to fill it.

On my last car I had Distronic and that made daily driving much more relaxed knowing I could set the preferred distance from the car infront.

One of the best options I miss from the Merc.

 

[Pitts Pilot]

Speeding, safety, and home-made "facts" we've adopted

I read this and was very surprised, even shocked:


Two vehicles are travelling along the Motorway, one in lane two and one in lane three.

The vehicle in lane two is travelling at 70 mph

The vehicle in lane three is travelling at 100mph


At a given point the vehicles are alongside one another.
At this point they both do an emergency stop because of an obstruction ahead.

The vehicle in lane 2 screeches to a stop from 70mph mere inches from the obstruction.

Question:

At what speed is the vehicle in lane three still travelling at when it hits the obstruction?


I was thinking generally of 'Totally Gutted' who had a Non-fault accident yesterday. (His photos):

Answer: The vehicle in lane three will still be travelling at 71mph!

Sobering thought isn't it?

100mph = 147ft per sec. On impact it all ends in less than half a second?


Cheers,
Robert

PS. Condolences to TG
At Least you were unharmed by someone else's stupidity .

 

[markjay]

...and they will continue to treat their indicators as a factory fitted optional extra...

At the western end of St John's Wood Road where it meets Edgware Road, it's T junction and there's one lane where the road marking is an arrow with split head pointing both tight and left, i.e. cars can turn either way (any way but straight ahead - it's a T junction)

About 80% of the car's stopped in that lane when the traffic light is red, do not have their indicators on. It is anybody's guess if they intend to turn left or right when the light turns green.

I am now very cautious when in the parallel lane, and only drive off after the other car started moving and I can tell its intentions.

 

[poormansporsche]

Nowadays I pretty much only drive in the inside lane (I cant be ****d with overtaking) and I find proportionally the bigger the gap you leave in front of you the smaller the gap behind you becomes - so you are buggered all ways !

 

[Wheelsnuts]

Answer: The vehicle in lane three will still be travelling at 71mph!

Sobering thought isn't it?

100mph = 147ft per sec. On impact it all ends in less than half a second

That really is a sobering thought and one worth drumming into the head of any driver, tailgater or not.:

 

[renault12ts]

Other way round, I think, though I may be misunderstanding your argument? Even if the car in front is rapidly decelerating it is still moving away from you quicker than a brick wall would! So if you are 315 feet away at the moment of the incident you will still have a longer distance in which to stop?

Indeed, that's what I meant,...should have said longer, not shorter.