Only a fool breaks the two second rule ...

[diy_fun_uk]

... in a downpour make it four.

Do you broadly adhere to this?

I sometimes sit at mum's kitchen window (she's in a high rise) watching vehicles go along a pretty busy A road with 30mph limit. Firstly it's surprising (well not really) the number of vehicles that are evidently going along a fair bit over 30, easily 40+ with a few idiots 50+.

It's also surprising how close many vehicles drive to each other. I sometimes say the above rule when watching them and with many I get nowhere near the end of the saying, as in nowhere near.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I imagine it's the major cause, of most insurance claims, and I find it very intimidating - it takes some of my attention away from what's ahead, plus it makes me wary of applying the brakes when do need to, too hard.

I also wonder why they do it, do they think their reactions are quicker than most of the population, or is it that they get lonesome with too much space ahead of them. I'm no sluggard, I like to make progress, but not at the expense of breathing down another driver neck. Sit back relax, maintain a decent space, and likely save yourself a lot of fuel. I only close up, when I intend to overtake quite soon, during which time my attention is very tightly focused. The rest of the time, I hang way back, and relax, nothing to gain, nothing to lose by being closer.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

I imagine it's the major cause, of most insurance claims, and I find it very intimidating - it takes some of my attention away from what's ahead, plus it makes me wary of applying the brakes when do need to, too hard.

I also wonder why they do it, do they think their reactions are quicker than most of the population, or is it that they get lonesome with too much space ahead of them. I'm no sluggard, I like to make progress, but not at the expense of breathing down another driver neck. Sit back relax, maintain a decent space, and likely save yourself a lot of fuel. I only close up, when I intend to overtake quite soon, during which time my attention is very tightly focused. The rest of the time, I hang way back, and relax, nothing to gain, nothing to lose by being closer.

Yeah agreed. Happened to me last night when driving home. Cars in front so I couldn't go any faster even if I wanted to. Transit behind me decided to settle a few feet from my rear bumper. Nice to have their headlights so close ...

 

[Diver Fred]

Having been re-ended (Transit van pushed me into a Jag XJ - front of 2 police officers) in the past I get very nervous about people getting too close behind.
Drove several VW's with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) in the past - you could set the distance* between yourself and the car in front by the control - ranging from around one second to just over 2 seconds. I was always amazed at the number of drivers who would drop in to the 1 second gap between me and the car that was in front! The VW's of that era (2010-2014) did, from memory, slow down gradually. Present car with ACC has a tendency to brake sharply when other drivers pull in to the gap even at 1.2 second interval when travelling at motorway speeds. It's become so unnerving that we/I dealt rarely use the ACC in the car; in fact we have asked can the Adaptive feature be disabled without much luck.

*Time actually - faster you travelled at the greater the gap to the car in front.

And the number of drivers who completely ignore the '2 Chevrons' guidance on some motorways.

 

[motorbiking]

The primary rules is always ensure you can stop safely in the distance you can see is clear.

On a single track road you need to allow for the guy coming the other way.

In a built up 30 limit. It’s not really going to be the car in front but the cyclist, pedestrian etc. you have to watch.

2 second rule is more appropriate for roads without other hazards

 

[transam]

You drive any sort of sports type car and you generally get tail gated

We work for a bloke who makes / designs high end exhausts for top niche manus if he takes one out on a test you generally get the boy racers tail gateing him

 

[robinbanks]

I also wonder why they do it

Probably because most people have never been in an accident and don't really have an effective handle on just how quickly the bumper in front fills their windscreen if the lead car comes to a dead stop

I've long wondered whether a windscreen washer system, filled with vegetable oil, would be an effective deterrent to tailgaters.. one quick button push and when they hit the wipers their windscreen will just smear...
Either that or a system that will inject a bit of old engine oil into the exhaust just after the cat..

 

[ReganAndCarter]

If some Audi/Beemer/Merc fills my rear view mirror I ease off on the gas and drive slower.

 

[noseall]

If some Audi/Beemer/Merc fills my rear view mirror I ease off on the gas and drive slower.

My bruvva (company car), fiddles with his mirror, so that the tailgater is looking up at his hands, then tests his brakes.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

The primary rules is always ensure you can stop safely in the distance you can see is clear.

On a single track road you need to allow for the guy coming the other way.

In a built up 30 limit. It’s not really going to be the car in front but the cyclist, pedestrian etc. you have to watch.

2 second rule is more appropriate for roads without other hazards

I'm going to slightly disagree although I get your point. Someone can be driving along say a 30 limit A road with nothing in front of them. If they need to slam their brakes on for whatever reason real or otherwise (e.g. they think they see a dog run out on the road) if there's a vehicle tailgating them, the end result is going to be a collision.

I'd say regardless of how clear the road ahead looks, don't tailgate. Simple.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Probably because most people have never been in an accident and don't really have an effective handle on just how quickly the bumper in front fills their windscreen if the lead car comes to a dead stop

I've long wondered whether a windscreen washer system, filled with vegetable oil, would be an effective deterrent to tailgaters.. one quick button push and when they hit the wipers their windscreen will just smear...
Either that or a system that will inject a bit of old engine oil into the exhaust just after the cat..

This is undoubtedly true. The way you see all sorts of folk dart around e.g. in town, driving up the backside of the vehicle in front etc, they'd get the fright of their life if it suddenly came to a halt and wouldn't know what the heck to do. Like those who don't adapt when driving in extreme rain.

As Harry said, why can't folk just chill a bit and slow down a bit, leaving more of a gap. Ain't going to happen, if anything things are getting worse.

Maybe at some point tech will ensure no tailgating. Would be a welcome day for me.

 

[kingandy2nd]

You drive any sort of sports type car and you generally get tail gated

We work for a bloke who makes / designs high end exhausts for top niche manus if he takes one out on a test you generally get the boy racers tail gateing him

Exactly what I find in the Trevor, I usually get chav in a polo or a corsa stuck to my bumper. Not sure if they want to race me or just to see if I’ll give them a show and floor it.

 

[Brigadier]

, driving up the backside of the vehicle in front etc, they'd get the fright of their life if it suddenly came to a halt and wouldn't know what the heck to do

It's not that simple.

I've probably posted this before - happened years ago - but I'll post it again.

Hot day, all windows open, and doing my usual 30 on wide but urban road through Dudley.

Daft cow was so close, I couldn't see her bonnet lip, let alone plate.
So I lit the brakes.
She smoked all four tyres slamming on, then proceeding to ride my bumper again.

Not in an aggressive way, but a incompetent and not really appreciating safe driving way (she was a middle-aged, non-shouty woman).

So, I lit up again.

Same again, then back on the bumper.

When we stopped at the lights, you could see she was shaking, and looking between about to vomit, soil herself, or perhaps both.

Didn't stop her riding my bumper though.

I was glad when I cut off through Tipton (not said before, by anyone, ever), and was rid of her.

Some just don't get it.

 

[motorbiking]

Did you forget you were giving her a tow.

 

[motorbiking]

I'm going to slightly disagree although I get your point. Someone can be driving along say a 30 limit A road with nothing in front of them. If they need to slam their brakes on for whatever reason real or otherwise (e.g. they think they see a dog run out on the road) if there's a vehicle tailgating them, the end result is going to be a collision.

I'd say regardless of how clear the road ahead looks, don't tailgate. Simple.

But you’re not disagreeing- you are confirming that with an empty road and 2 second rule complied with. It’s other factors that govern your speed.