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What driving concept you feel that most drivers don't understand? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

260 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I’ll start. Stopping distance.

My commute is 95 miles one way to work, so I see a lot of the highway, in the rural part of the US. This means traveling at 70+ mph (112km/h) for almost the entirety of the drive. The amount of other drivers on the road who follow behind someone else with less than a car’s length in front of them because they want to go 20+ over the speed limit is ridiculous. The only time you ever follow someone that close is if you have complete and absolute trust in them, and also understand that it may not even be enough.

For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed to accurately avoid hitting the brakes. This doesn’t even take into account the lack of understanding of engine braking…

What concepts do you all think of when it comes to driving that you feel are not well understood by the public at large?

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[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 year ago (2 children)

The problem with following distance is that it becomes room for other cars to insert themselves into your buffer zone with the car that was in front of you.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You're kinda restating what OP was pointing out. People don't understand following distance, so they will merge in anyplace there is physically room to do so, regardless of whether they are leaving adequate following distance.

I agree, it's infuriating when you're just trying to maintain a safe distance in a line of cars passing in the left lane, and some dipshit comes flying up in the right lane and squeezes into the buffer of you. But that's on them for being an entitled prick who doesn't get (or doesn't care) how safe driving works.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Sometimes they merge in place where they don't even have physically room to do so. Just because I'm small doesn't give Mr lifted giant truck the right to push me out of the way -or play monster truck car crush- because I'm not riding the ass of the car in front. I actually want stopping distance.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

So? Is this your commute or a race?

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Well, then you need to give even more buffer. Also, some cars treat my buffer zone as their chance to pass on the right and then slip into a spot in the left lane.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

I think the person you're replying to is suggesting you have a competitive mind set about it - still evident here.

Someone you dont know getting to somewhere 17 seconds earlier than they would - at a destination you won't ever know about - shouldn't be something to feel anything about.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Yes, you will need to give additional buffer. That's not going to noticeably affect your commute time.