Distance between vehicles at a red light

buckeyefarmer · Jul 28, 2015

thought about this thread this morning as I watched the car ahead of me following the car in front of it 1 car length at 70MPH
.

Jstpssng · Jul 28, 2015

buckeyefarmer said:
thought about this thread this morning as I watched the car ahead of me following the car in front of it 1 car length at 70MPH
.

I used to see that a lot on the Vermont Thruway while traveling back from New York; a car would come flying up from behind and get on my bumper like a State Trooper, with their bright lights on before swerving out around me at the last second. I didn't even need to see thief plates to know what state they were from... Always from Massachusetts.

Yet a resident from there once directed me to a site sponsored by insurance companies which indicated they are the safest drivers in the nation.

Bedlam · Jul 28, 2015

Mace Canute said:
I like to leave enough room to be able to, without having to back up, turn out around the vehicle in front of me if it happens to break down just at that time or as happens much more often, if they decide to put their signal light on after they've stopped.

OR> They might exit the vehicle to 'speak'' with you.. Always leave a way to speed away.

4570Man · Jul 28, 2015

Everybody has already made up their mind, don't confuse them with the facts.

MossRoad · Jul 28, 2015

buckeyefarmer said:
thought about this thread this morning as I watched the car ahead of me following the car in front of it 1 car length at 70MPH
.

Me too! We drove up to the Botanical Gardens north of Chicago yesterday from Indiana. An hour on the Dan Ryan is about all my white knuckles can take! You leave just one car length and someone else pops in. Kinda like being in the pack in a NASCAR race.
:shocked:

jimmyj · Jul 31, 2015

Buggs67 said:
I think this is the most reasonable answer. I was taught to be able to see their license plate, which back then was usually below the bumper.

I agree that Mace Canute has a good idea there. I am another "see the tires" guy. I hate tailgaters, even when we are at a light. It just doesn't leave any room in case of an emergency.

Gafn · Jul 31, 2015

Jstpssng said:
A coworker keeps telling me "You should be able to see the tires of the vehicle in front of you when you are stopped.

Sorry if this is a re-post did not read all of the pages of posts...

This actually comes from a personal defense/car jacking perspective. If you can see the tires of the car in front of you, then you have room to pull out and go around. This has been taught for many years, so if some idiot tries to get into your car you still have an exit available to you. If you are up close to the other car - you cant pull out without hitting it.

Of course if you are an armed citizen, and a thug opens your door to car jack you - discharge your firearm in his general direction = problem solved and you can use less space at the lights...

foreman Etexas · Jul 31, 2015

They teach the stop far enough where can see car tires in front of you at light in Smith Driving at my work I have to go threw yearly. I think if you think about the space it would allow everyone to take off at the same time instead of the chain reaction of one then other go of how it is. It would never work thou with folks coming in from side roads would try pull in half way and cause longer waits so can get all the way straight and go. It's kinda like the bottle necks if they would stager flow would go fine but who Wont's to wait on the other guyso everyone crams not letting the other in and actually slows everything down.