Safe following distance?

[Katman]

I don’t believe articulated trucks should be able to pull across the entire road, meters the other side of a blind spot.
There should be a law requiring them to pull out to the left only on country roads.

Do you understand the concept of being able to stop within the distance visible in front of you?

[CB ARGH]

I learnt the hard way about following distances. Was riding along waiting to pass a slow vehicle, I was tailgating, as we came around a corner all of a sudden a beer bottle appears from under the car, I have no time to react and hit it directly, thank god I wasn't leaned over.

A few KM's down the road the steering gets super heavy, and I pull off to the side of the road. Flat front tyre. Cycletreads wouldn't repair it due to legal reasons (apparently it is illegal to repair a front tyre), so I had to replace it.

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I stick about 3 or 4 bike lengths behind the vehicle infront. That's enough for me.

[R6_kid:Me]

Although Katman is right in theory about the 'being able to stop in the visible distance' could we please reserve this thread for the 'following distance' debate only.

[R6_kid:Me]

I stick about 3 or 4 bike lengths behind the vehicle infront. That's enough for me.

At what speed? That may be ok at 50kmh but at 100kmh would you still stop in time?

I tend to use the '2 second rule' and will admit to at times even counting it out after the vehicle in front passes a road side object. Over time i've built up a pretty good judgement of what that distance is at different speeds and I keep the appropriate distance for the speed I am doing.

[Katman]

Although Katman is right in theory about the 'being able to stop in the visible distance' could we please reserve this thread for the 'following distance' debate only.

I thought that was exactly what I was talking about.

[Ixion]

Although Katman is right in theory about the 'being able to stop in the visible distance' could we please reserve this thread for the 'following distance' debate only.

Uh, what is the difference? Surely the safe following distance is that which enables one to stop in the clear road ahead.

And the lack of visibility over blind hill tops - might that be why the Road Code has some words of wisdom to say about speed over said hill tops? As well as round blind bends.

The greatest single fault of the NZ motorist. The insistent notion that someone is responsible for ensuring that there will never be an obstruction on the far side of that hill or bend.

It's all in the Road Code. It works. He who runs may rede. And ride.

[smoky]

Do you understand the concept of being able to stop within the distance visible in front of you?

Do you understand the concept of decency?

This topic can be discussed without you, or anyone else making ignorant comments about an accident they have no knowledge about, other than their own troglodyte self righteous, up their own arse opinion.
Wanker

[McDuck]

I got told a while ago that you should be able to have the car in frount stop dead and you be able to slow enough that you hare happy to hit it. Or avoid it etc. I think a shade (but bugger all) under the 2 second rule fits well.

[Highlander]

I tend to use the '2 second rule' and will admit to at times even counting it out after the vehicle in front passes a road side object. Over time i've built up a pretty good judgement of what that distance is at different speeds and I keep the appropriate distance for the speed I am doing.

I count it out often. I make it at least 2 seconds (3 is better still) behind the vehicle in front of me (bike, car, what ever) even if riding staggered in a group. That makes it 2 seconds behind the bike in front no matter where in the lane he is.

[sinned]

2 Seconds is a basic rule for 4 wheeled vehicles and it is a reasonable allowance for reaction time. However while on a bike I consider 2 seconds not enough for a number of reasons: 1) I can't be covering the front brake all the time and don't, 2) a car can stop quicker than a bike and with ABS any idiot can out brake a bike, 3) no need to follow close as a bike has excellent acceleration making passing so wonderfully easy.

Riding in groups is high risk. It is easy to become complacent and get sucked along with the group (following the tail) - when someone stops quickly that 2 second gap disappears in a blink. I still go on group rides but am aware of the risks. 4 Seconds is a minimum for group rides even though this spreads the group out.

Allowing 3 to 4 seconds and not sitting directly behind the vehicle in front so the bike can slip past instead on being sandwiched seems right to me.

[stormerUK]

Generally the 2 second rule at 100kph should apply...unless you have a chelsea tractor behind you! A modern day bike will stop on dry roads in about 1/2 the distance of one of them beasts due to weight difference so to avoid becoming a meat sandwich go for twice x 2sec. Obviously moving up to the overtake position when the road plan allows is different.

[Brian d marge]

Hes right you know , to stop within the visible distance ....and one does have to wonder.......

There was a few years back on KB an unfortunate fella who was killed by I think a truly unfortunate means ...the road dipped BUT looked flat , he thought it was safe.... pulled out and a car appeared .... ( but even then if you dot pull into the on comming lane there is plenty of room for a bike on the centre line ,,,

my rule of thumb ...if I cant get CLEAR ROAD in front of me then its 2 seconds from the car in front positioning either to the far left or far right ,,preferably to the right ... and in the car in fronts rear wing mirror ,,,so if he looks I am all he /she can see... And my reaction point is 5 to 8 cars ahead of the one I am following ...there are no surprises


My first accident on a suzuki a 100 yes back then ,,,after the triumph terrier ...was up the arse of a car , because I was watching a bird with not a lot on ,,,,,,nice tits too ...

had gonads the size of watermellons for weeks afterwards ....Kama its a biyatch


Now the last scary moment driving ANY thing was possibly 10 years ago ..and I am struggling to remember what it was ..... Comming down Fuji san in the middle of winter , ice an inch thick over the road ...other than that cant remember that includes people pulling out , running reds ,,, being beamed down from the star ship enterprise , ,,,Cows ...now that did happen ,,, a cow jumped a fence and into the road ,,, thats was about 12 or more years ago ......

Operator error , is the main cause of all my wee excurtions ...and before anyone shouts holier than thou ..... I have in my day wriiten off a mini ..by using a cb 360 . high sided a rgv at 140 kph , wearing jeans , a jacket and ,,,gasp an open face ... ruined a good jacket that did , been run over by a double decker bus ( try that one for size then ! ) Owned and rode a BSA bantam at 85 mph on the Finsbury park road While spliiting lanes /////.... it takes a super tanker less distance to stop than the Bantam ( great bikes )

So the soap box isnt out on parade here ,,,But ...there are some big no nos on a bike ....following behind a car , and crossing the nicely painted line in the middle of the road... what ever the color ! and not being able to stop in the didtance that is clear ahead ...

and that does mean the rocket powered car at the junction that can magically go from zero to 8 meters 1 sec in the time it takes a bike to travel 30 meters.

Finally Katman , you know what happens when you start questioning the locals driving skills , they are all good ruders , it was the unexpected that caught them out thats all....

Stephen

[PrincessBandit]

Had to have words with number one son yesterday while riding back from Hamilton. I let him lead, me behind him and (because we had all headed down on different days) husband and daughter were in car behind me.

As ripperroo rides my ginny I decided to let him set the pace, being on the least grunty machine. We both had words with him regarding his following distance (or lack thereof). His riding would have been fine - doing everything well EXCEPT that he had a weird attraction to the rear of any vehicle in front of him. Rik and myself carefully explained (again) why this is a huge no-no, but it was disappointing to see that he still has to be spoken to about it.

But, we will keep doing our best to instruct him and hope that he doesn't ever have to learn the hard way.

It is an easy habit to form, counting off your following distance, as is doing a circuit mirror check. BUT it is a habit that needs to be cultivated and practiced. With all the drilling into us of "the following driver being at fault" in the event of a nose to tail etc or coming unexpectedly upon a road blockage of any type (i.e. being able to stop even in the event of the unexpected) it is hard to believe there are still so many incidents of this nature.

[Richi]

from my understanding the 2 second rul allows enough distance for you to react and stop before hitting the car/bike in front when they emergency brake. If they had a head-on collision i imagine they would almost instantaneously come to a stand stall. I doubt 2 seconds would save u there so good on ya for trying to blame the guys "following too close"

I usually sit reasonable close to the car in front on his right shoulder ready to pass cause hes doing 80 in a 180kmph zone less than half the speed requirement!

[spookytooth]

they must have alot higher speed limet down south than up here 180kph ?