Following Distance - Free Stuff That Just Keeps Giving

**rastuscat** · 3rd September 2017, 19:45

Following distance really is the gift that just keeps giving.

4 metres for each 10 kmh you are travelling at. If you follow this you are complying with the law. Its less than the 2 second rule gives you, but its about twice that which most people apply.

But even better, if you keep a decent following distance, more people will see you, as you are out of the blind spot behind the vehicle ahead.

Remember, people who see you are less likely to kill you.

Better still, you get more of a view of what's up ahead.

Even more, you will be far less likely to need your awesome braking skills, when the numpty ahead of you drops his cellphone, panics and stuffs his foot on the brake.

Yup, following distance is the gift that just keeps giving.

And it's free.

You're welcome.

**nzspokes** · 3rd September 2017, 21:07

It will never catch on.....

**HEsch** · 3rd September 2017, 21:19

I played with this today on my ride. If I gave the car in front a LOT of space, the car behind me tended to give me a lot of space.
If I closed up up, the car behind me was generally RIGHT there, too.

I'm not sure cars take any notice of L plates, tbh, and you can never tell if the car driver is truly a learner or just the car owner ie mum/dad, but I stayed behind a L car driver for a while. Could have overtaken him but figured I'd be better off watching him get it wrong than being the one he ploughed into due to inexperience.

**rastuscat** · 3rd September 2017, 22:08

Originally Posted by HEsch

I played with this today on my ride. If I gave the car in front a LOT of space, the car behind me tended to give me a lot of space.
If I closed up up, the car behind me was generally RIGHT there, too.

I'm not sure cars take any notice of L plates, tbh, and you can never tell if the car driver is truly a learner or just the car owner ie mum/dad, but I stayed behind a L car driver for a while. Could have overtaken him but figured I'd be better off watching him get it wrong than being the one he ploughed into due to inexperience.

Well done you. Amazing what a bit of restraint can do.

**Viking01** · 3rd September 2017, 22:16

Rastus,
A serious question. While I'm fine with the concept of 4m per 10km/hr speed,
how do you judge say 20 metre separation at 50km/hr ? Is the typical car
about 4m in lenth, so we say 5 car lengths at that speed ?

That's why I thought the two second rule came about, so as to make it much
simpler for people to open up an adequate separation distance from the vehicle
in front.

Cheers,
Viking

**flashg** · 3rd September 2017, 22:25

If I remember correctly, when the speeds were in mph, 30mph = 3 car lengths. 40mph = 4 car lengths etc etc

**AllanB** · 3rd September 2017, 22:28

There is always a catch when someone gives you free stuff.

Just look at all the free stuff the politicians are presently offering ......

**Berries** · 3rd September 2017, 23:11

Originally Posted by Viking01

While I'm fine with the concept of 4m per 10km/hr speed,
how do you judge say 20 metre separation at 50km/hr ? Is the typical car
about 4m in lenth, so we say 5 car lengths at that speed ?

What is a typical car? If you know that the white line is 3m long and the gap to the next one is 7m then estimating 20m is easy.

Or just count two hippopotami.

**caspernz** · 4th September 2017, 01:05

Originally Posted by nzspokes

It will never catch on.....

Lead by example, you might be surprised at the results...as per below

Originally Posted by HEsch

I played with this today on my ride. If I gave the car in front a LOT of space, the car behind me tended to give me a lot of space.
If I closed up up, the car behind me was generally RIGHT there, too.

Yes, this isn't surprising. Ride/drive in a sensible manner, and a good portion of other road users around you will behave in a similar fashion. Of course, if one always rides like a squid, then one will only be familiar with squidly responses

The comment from Berries, about the 10 metre trick on centerlines is worth remembering. From the start of one white line, to the start of the next, should be 10 metres. No points for guessing the average commuter is merely a nose to tail accident waiting to happen

**awayatc** · 4th September 2017, 07:09

Originally Posted by HEsch

I played with this today on my ride. If I gave the car in front a LOT of space, the car behind me tended to give me a lot of space.
If I closed up up, the car behind me was generally RIGHT there, too.

I'm not sure cars take any notice of L plates, tbh, and you can never tell if the car driver is truly a learner or just the car owner ie mum/dad, but I stayed behind a L car driver for a while. Could have overtaken him but figured I'd be better off watching him get it wrong than being the one he ploughed into due to inexperience.

Did the car driver behind you see you ?
Or did he see "through" you?
I.e. are you right in front of the car driver behind you..?
Because if you are not right in front of that driver ,they tend to not see you but just the car in front of you and thus close up...

**HEsch** · 4th September 2017, 07:17

Originally Posted by awayatc

Did the car driver behind you see you ?
Or did he see "through" you?
I.e. are you right in front of the car driver behind you..?
Because if you are not right in front of that driver ,they tend to not see you but just the car in front of you and thus close up...

Maybe I was just in front of several inordinately polite car drivers during my ride.

**Scuba_Steve** · 4th September 2017, 08:10

Next you can teach people about how that gap trucks leave in-front of them is left there for a reason... Fuck me the amount of cunts that pull in last second

**Akzle** · 4th September 2017, 08:46

Originally Posted by Scuba_Steve

Next you can teach people about how that gap trucks leave in-front of them is left there for a reason... Fuck me the amount of cunts that pull in last second

the gap in front of me is there for a reason, too.

rule 4: identify your target beyond all doubt.

had a passenger, some cunt pulled in front of me, (unneccissarily close because it was an aucklander)
and they were liek "well you did leave a gap for them", so i sais: "no, i left a gap for ME"

thanks rastarse, but your probably preaching to the choir. that, and the one that most needs good advice is immune to it.

**James Deuce** · 4th September 2017, 09:27

It took me twenty years to develop the mindset that I wasn't going to follow the people home and set fire to their house with them in it after having my following distance filled up by someone objecting to me leaving following distance.

If I'm in the car, I'll extend and let another dummy in. They generally aren't travelling faster than me anyway and usually get overtaken the next time there's a hill with a passing lane. If I'm on the bike, we all know if the road gets twisty then I'm going to catch and overtake them pretty bloody quickly. The different perspective is a lot less aggravating.