Posted on 11/27/2017 1:44:30 PM PST by sparklite2
The inspiration for the research first came to Boreyko when he was sitting in traffic one day. Noticing that cars had to wait for the car in front of them to regain a safe spacing before they could start moving again, he hypothesized that, contrary to popular opinion, it might actually be better for cars to stop farther apart from each other when idling at a traffic light.
Analysis showed that the time required for all cars to pass through remained relatively fixed, give or take about one second, for spacing distances up to 25 feet.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencedaily.com ...
The study also doesn’t take into account the amount of gridlock that would be created when there are sequential intersections with lights.
Then you have to wait for the idiot in front to realize the light has changed and to stop texting.
Last January, I was sitting about 20 feet from the car in front of me at a stoplight when an old lady blithely plowed into my ass at 40mph.
She didn’t even hit the brake and after my car lurched forward, she continued to ram me a second time.
$3000 damage to the rear and frame.
Imagine the amount if I’d hit the car in front of me, too.
I’ll take that buffer, every time because it also gives me room to move if I see something dangerous coming up on me again.
On the Harley, I’m watching my rear mirror all the time, at a light.
Old joke ...
A nanosecond is the amount of time it takes from the
light turning green until the guy behind you honks.
A reasonable rule is to stop just far enough behind the car ahead of you that you are able to see the bottom of their rear wheels. Anything more invites some other jack@$$ to try and fill in the gap. Anything less invites a bumper touch when traffic gets moving again.
We were taught that in case you were rear ended at a light. It lessens the chance you will then hit the car in fron of you.
No, the article pointed out that it takes the same number of seconds for the same line to move through the light, whether the cars are more closely parked or further away. I’d get a little closer than 25 feet, but I still leave enough space (partly in case I need to exit the line for some reason).
And if somebody wants to get in there, let them. Or I guess you’ve never been trapped in the wrong lane? I figure what goes around comes around, and if you let people in, give enough space, etc. It all comes out the same in the end. And there’s less chance of an accident really ruining your day.
Eh. As long as you can see pavement behind the car in front of you, your good. If you can’t see pavement behind the next car up then you are too close.
Q: What is 0.13 seconds?
A: The time period between the light turning green and the first horn honk.
I’ll try that.
Big spaces between waiting cars also cut off access to right and left turn lanes that begin closer to the intersection, causing even more gridlock.
I typically leave a buffer between me and the car in front of me...as a defense tactic against carjacking (I also try to stop in either the far left or far right lane for the same reason). Lived in So Cal when that was in style several years ago -- don't know if it's still the rage there that it was in the early 90s or not.
What you're supposed to do at a red light is to leave enough space so that you can see the rear tires of the car in front of you. That way, if someone rear ends you, it's unlikely to cause a chain reaction collision with the car in front of you...
I also practice keeping my wheels aligned straight ahead when waiting to execute a left turn across oncoming traffic. If someone slams into my rear, I won’t go sailing into the path of the oncoming vehicles.
I always leave a couple feet in case the car ahead of me stalls out or becomes otherwise immobile (like a driver dreaming of Planet Mongo as the light changes), enough room to turn into the next lane and go around. I don’t tailgate and tailgaters riding my @$$ are subject to random brake testing.
“Big spaces between waiting cars also cut off access to right and left turn lanes that begin closer to the intersection, causing even more gridlock.”
This is the one that usually bites me at an intersection.
A good point.
I agree... but for a different 'dangerous reason'. It might be that the person who's panhandling next to the car is actually someone who decides to do a hold up just before the light turns green. In that case, one wants to have plenty of flexibility which isn't there if boxed in by traffic front and back.
I’ve pulled into those ‘empty’ spaces myself. Even crossing into the other side of the road to do it. I see someone 25 feet back I must assume they are texting and don’t wish to be stuck behind them.
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