Safe Speed Forums

The little rhyme 'only a fool breaks the 2 second rule'.
Wasn't this 3 seconds a few years ago?
With that in mind & there now being a lot more vehicles who brought us a 3rd closer?

I Do "2 Seconds" on Normal roads. 3 at motorway speeds (longer if wet/cold)

I generally *Avoid* motorways in bad weather (Pileups are predominatly a "bad weather" Phenomina! and on motorways there are *no* escape routes! )

I also like to keep 4 secs (Min) visible (both carrageways) on single carrageway roads! Try it some time You would be *surprised* how much slower you drive on windy roads than you may be used to obaying this particular rule. But it *does* matter cos you have to give time for the *other* guy to stop too!

I would like to say I have been "Accedent free" but I did back into somebodys car once (And on another occasion a "Youf" in shiny trousers drove into my nearside while I was attempting a left turn into a customers driveway! And yes I was signaling! )

But in 400,000 mile of driving I dont think this is *too* bad a safety record!

Didnt stop me getting pinged though! 36 on an urban DC, No adjacent driveways! Central barrier to prevent pedestrians crossing IE Pointless limit, (Should have been 40, as was the SC that led into it!) appart from for cash converter purposes that is!

And *That* is what makes me Mad!

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"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

Been around a while.. I think I recall this advert about the two second rule back in the 70s - shown again when ITV did that Highway Code Special back couple of years ago.

Good advert .. showed exactly how to work out the two seconds

But like Dusty - I leave more distance than this most of the time and more so if weather is bad.

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Unless I'm in heavy slow moving traffic... I tend to keep a massive gap in front... Doing the same speed as the car in front usually... Although if they're going slowly I tend to keep around the 2 seconds... I like having the gap, can't have too much thinking/stopping time in my opinion... On the motorway I don't actually have to think of the 2 second rule that often, nor on any national speed limit road, unless there's a slow vehicle in front... One side effect of being stuck at 45 constantly... It's quite amazing how much time you have to think on a motorawy doing that speed...

Am I not making full use of the road space, leaving such a big gap?

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Mike

Not acording to the Sales reps on the M6- their specialy modified vehicles have instantaneous braking ( 95- 0 in 5 yards) and an ability to scream up L2 and fit into a very small space in L3,without causing any problems to following traffic, and then jump into L2 to look for the next gap in L3



(TAKING P MODE OFF)

Seriously at 45 - i find that a large gap is needed , to prevent prat in front braking at last minute, especially when it's a van (even in a transit -forward vision in poor behind a Sprinter)

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lets bring sanity back to speed limits.
Drivers are like donkeys -they respond best to a carrot, not a stick .Road safety experts are like Asses - best kept covered up ,or sat on

I try to keep as large a distance as possible, but I prefer to close up gaps to match those of everyone else when driving my daily drive into work on NSL SC (which moves at around 40mph in dense rush hour traffic).

In heavy traffic what kept happening (and still does, but to others now) was that people waiting to enter the road just go when they see a gap larger than usual (whether or not it is big enough is irrelevant).

I got thoroughly annoyed on several occassions, but on in particular stands out as memorable.

Approaching a T-junction (enters the main road from my left), the SC widens to accomodate a middle lane for turning right from the opposite direction. A car is waiting to turn right. I am in the amongst heavy traffic in front and behind on the main road.
A queue is waiting to pull out from the left. Stupid me left 2-3 seconds rather than everyone else's 1 second gap.

What happened? As the car in front of me passed the junction not one but TWO of the b*st*rds pulled out. With zero chance of stopping and no escape route left (it would have written my car off going through a large fence and down into a field - they would have f*cked off and I'd have been left to pay for everything ) so I went right. Far right. Around the car waiting to turn right!

As another car approached from the other direction I had to pull sharply back into my original lane, which inconvenienced the guy who tried to kill me causing him to flash his lights and beep his horn.


He's lucky he's still alive. I was ready to follow him to his destination and kick his head in, but fortunately calmed down eventually.

Now I leave minimal gaps in heavy traffic on the basis that I'd rather have a lightish shunt than the sort of collision that these pricks would inflict on me.

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<Devils Advocate mode=ON>

Why not leave a bigger gap so joining traffic actually has a chance to do so safely?! (instead of being "Forced" to either take risks or wait untill the rush hour is over before continuing their journey!)

<Devils Advocate mode=OFF>

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"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

I would do that Dusty as I feel it would make driving a more pleasant experience but for one thing:

No-one else does it.



It's something else I've tried when trying to drive economically. All that happens then is that EVERYONE waiting to join the road pulls out in front of you. When you pass 2-3 dozen junctions this becomes quite tiresome as everyone ahead of you makes reasonable progress yet you are the mug you gets shafted by all-and-sundry pulling out.

Another matter is that it's never just one car which wants out. If there is a space big enough to avoid a collision, everyone who can get out, will get out right up until the last person chickens out because you're only a matter of yards away.

I find the net result is severly hampered progress, drastically increased fuel consumption and a queue of thoroughly pissed off drivers following because you're the muppet who keeps bringing the main road to a grinding halt by letting too many cars from side roads out.


I admit that it's a very selfish policy, but so long as everyone else is equally selfish I feel I must be too in order to avoid being walked all over.



Obviously in even slightly lighter traffic I am far more courteous and am frequently the one to back off a little to flash people out

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Good old game theory again...

I tend to leave very large gaps when driving in congestion and rush hour type traffic and I don't seem to have these problems. Of course I always avoid rush hour because it's too annoying to do regularly. But I have done it. And I have driven in London.

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Andrew.

This might be a rather anal question, but I've always wondered whether the two second / three second gap is supposed to be between the front of your car and the back bumper of the car in front or from the same point to the same point (e.g. his back wheel to your back wheel)

I don't suppose it makes much difference really, just wondered!