Drivers leaving huge gaps between them and Car infront at traffic lights (air bag, idle)

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Lamplight

The fact of the huge gap was never what annoyed me when I drove, it was when they left a huge gap and then for the duration of the red light gradually inched forward, until there was a huge gap in front of me and I looked like the guy who left a huge gap.

That's exactly what I was going to say. However, thanks to this thread I might go ahead and leave a bigger gap. I'll bet that's not what the OP wants to hear though.

[parfleche]

I drive standards and never play the slowly inching up game.The cluch is my friend and the jerk beeping behind me aint.

[KaaBoom]

Originally Posted by ocnjgirl

I was tailgated by a cop a few weeks ago, while I was going 50-52mph on a 50mph road. I hated every second he was behind me, as I felt he was pressuring me to go faster than the speed limit, but I was also afraid it was a trap, and if I went too much faster he could give me a ticket. There were several opportunities where he could have passed me very easily but didn't and I felt very intimidated.

That has happened to me a few times. I'm driving along maybe 5 - 10 mph over the speed limit. I see a car gaining on me fast in my rear view mirror. I think maybe I'm going a bit slow, so I give a tap on the accelerator. The second I do that, the flashing red and blue lights come on, on the car behind me. I've gotten to the point that, whenever a see a car coming up behind me fast, I start slowing down.

[us66]

My favorite thing to do when a cop follows me is to turn on the cruise control.

[Engineer_Guy]

Originally Posted by KaaBoom

That has happened to me a few times. I'm driving along maybe 5 - 10 mph over the speed limit. I see a car gaining on me fast in my rear view mirror. I think maybe I'm going a bit slow, so I give a tap on the accelerator. The second I do that, the flashing red and blue lights come on, on the car behind me. I've gotten to the point that, whenever a see a car coming up behind me fast, I start slowing down.

lol sounds like he was already in the process of pulling you over guessing you were going closer to 10mph over

[mustangman66]

Originally Posted by slowlane3

Sometimes at a four-way signaled intersection, I'm the second car stopped in line at a signal (in the inner lane), and I notice that the first car (in front of me) has carelessly pulled up actually, even slightly beyond, the marked stop-line on the pavement, and not left any comfort zone in front of them for good measure.

In this situation, I won't pull up on his tail, but will leave a few feet of room behind him, in case he needs to back-up a few feet after he suddenly sees that cars turning across in front of him, hardly have room to turn without clipping the left-front of his car.

Then too, it depends on the situation. In the tight grid-pattern of a very congested, gridlocked downtown city at rush-hour, with traffic barely moving, one would be selfish to occupy too much room and deprive others behind you of the space. (Plus, someone from the adjacent lane would take advantage and weasle in, in front of you).

You are a better person than me. I purposely get right on someones bumper when they have pulled to far up. I let them know that they need to pay more attention when they drive and then maybe they wont do it again. I like them in that uncomfortable zone where they know they are at fault with all the dirty looks and horn blowing

[Engineer_Guy]

Originally Posted by mustangman66

You are a better person than me. I purposely get right on someones bumper when they have pulled to far up. I let them know that they need to pay more attention when they drive and then maybe they wont do it again. I like them in that uncomfortable zone where they know they are at fault with all the dirty looks and horn blowing

Until the day someone panics, doesn't check their mirror, and backs into your car

[Merc63]

Originally Posted by vmaxnc

If the space you're referring to would be filled with cars, wouldn't the turning drivers still be blocked, even moreso? I don't see how having more cars in the same space would improve the situation.

This is as silly as saying that it doesn't matter if one person is taking up two parking spots, as if there were two people in those spots you still couldn't park there. It's still inconsiderate of others around you.

[NoJiveMan]

Originally Posted by Galaxyman

Another disease I've seen which is spreading like the bubonic plague is drivers leaving gaps well over a car-length between them and the car infront when stopped at an intersection. It's surprisingly common and often the gaps some of these plonkers leave are so large you could easily fit 2 cars. It's especially frustrating when you want to turn into a slip lane but you can't because the donkey in his Yaris is a bloody football field behind the car infront I cannot for the life of me fathom why it's so impossible to drive right up to the vehicle infront.

If anyone has ever taken a good driver education course, one thing people learn, is to leave yourself an out,

Originally Posted by hensleya1

Hi Galaxyman--

Four very valid reasons why I leave a gap between myself and the car in front.

1) If the car in front dies
2) If the car in front explodes
3) If the idiot behind me rear-ends me
4) If I'm being carjacked I can lay some rubber and leave them in the dust.

As an above post said, if you run into the car in front, regardless of reason (including another car rear-ending you), then the fault is likely to be apportioned to you - and your insurance rates will hit the roof.

#1 has happened several times, and although #4 hasn't happened exactly, I have left some aggressive panhandlers behind.

as one of our City-Data members has pointed out in the early part of the thread, over a car length is excessive though, but patience behind the wheel for people who leave over a car length is a requirement.

[MissNM]

Originally Posted by Galaxyman

Another disease I've seen which is spreading like the bubonic plague is drivers leaving gaps well over a car-length between them and the car infront when stopped at an intersection. It's surprisingly common and often the gaps some of these plonkers leave are so large you could easily fit 2 cars. It's especially frustrating when you want to turn into a slip lane but you can't because the donkey in his Yaris is a bloody football field behind the car infront I cannot for the life of me fathom why it's so impossible to drive right up to the vehicle infront.

Hey - my Yaris passes more cars on the freeway per pound than any gas hogging truck or muscle car!

And because I am in a little bitty car, I don't like big vehicles up on my rear bumper towering over me. I also like to keep a little distance between me and the car in front - just in case the jerk behind me creeps up too close.