[sparklite2]

What they don't take into account is that while you slow to a stop 25 feet away from the car in front of you, three cars from lanes beside you will pull into the space you created.

[lurk]

I always leave a car length or two in front of me. If there’s any event, I want room for options.

[arthurus]

Drivers here seem to fear my motorcycle, a big bad Nighthawk 250. When I am first to stop at a red light the following car stops forty to fifty feet behind me. At some lights that is a problem. My scoot does not trigger the electronic grid in the street and the light doesn't change. Just this morning that happened and the light would not turn green on my side but was letting traffic across coming toward me. I waved at the fellow behind to move up but he just rolled up his window. I turned my motor off and just sat there to see how long he would wait. It was at least ten minutes and cars were stacking up behind him and blowing their horns. Finally a little car passed from way back and pulled in behind me and the light changed. This happens pretty often but usually when oncoming pulls up to the light both sides change.

[dragnet2]

Not if ya know how to do it. ☺

[dragnet2]

A big reason why ya don’t want to sit directly behind the vehicle in front of you at a stop light, is because if any of those vehicles in front of you stall/breakdown, everyone following behind don’t have enough room to changes lanes to pull around them.

Watch the cops, they seldom ever pull up right behind the car stopped in front of them. There is good reason for this.

[dragnet2]

A big reason why ya don’t want to sit directly behind the vehicle in front of you at a stop light, is because if any of those vehicles in front of you stall/breakdown, everyone following behind don’t have enough room to changes lanes to pull around them.

Watch the cops, they seldom ever pull up right behind the car stopped in front of them. There is good reason for this.

[catnipman]

“it might actually be better for cars to stop farther apart from each other when idling at a traffic light.”

yeah, good luck with that when stacking lanes for turns are already multiple times too short in numerous high-traffic venues.

['smith]

Here in Albuquerque we leave enough space to jump the curb and avoid the car-jacker until we can get our own gun out.

[Howie66]

At a traffic stop, I ALWAYS leave enough space where I can see pavement under the rear bumper (if present) of the vehicle in front of me. Plenty of room to maneuver in an emergency, yet not enough room for a line cutter.

[Figment]

I hate when two or three cars are pulling this crap and keeping cars from getting to the left turn lane

[Haiku Guy]

I drive into a blighted urban area every day. I always leave a couple of car lengths so I can move up to avoid panhandlers or get the Hell out of Dodge if things go sideways.

I made the mistake of leaving no room once in East New York. A man chased his wife out the front door of a house immediately to my right and was waving a nickel plated .45 around. I was completely hemmed in. All I could do was wait for the light to turn.

I’ve never done that again.

[redfreedom]

“- - - - three cars from lanes beside you will pull into the space you created.”

Same scenario on ice. On icy roads, you gotta keep a greater distance between vehicles. Whenever I pull back 50 or so feet, other cars will skid, slide and do a few loop-de-loops just to fill in that space. It’s safer to drive in the ditch.

[trebb]

I usually slow down early and leave extra space until I know the car behind me has it under control. Then I move to about 8 feet from the car ahead of me.

Doesn't help if everyone is on each other's bumpers as it just increases the accordion effect as things start moving and everyone speeds up/slows down/speeds up.

Also almost always armed so if someone decided to try to squeeze in, I just let them do it - life is too short and precious to get all bent out of shape because idiots inhabit the road with me and it isn't worth "defending my honor" by doing something that might escalate into something serious.

[SamAdams76]

What they don't take into account is that while you slow to a stop 25 feet away from the car in front of you, three cars from lanes beside you will pull into the space you created.

Not to mention that the people behind you will lean on their horns and make obscene gestures at you.