4 ms·

[deleted due to factual error]

LAC-Tech 4y ago
I always just count the seconds. When I was a kid in NZ we had a great public service campaign by an Australian racing legend, who told us "Arnly a fewel braiks the tew second rewel"
- gghffguhvc 4y ago
  I guess my point is the safe driving distance is based on something that can’t stop in 0 feet. If something falls off a truck I’m behind I’m not going to come to a complete stop.
- fennecfoxy 4y ago
  I grew up in NZ & moved to the UK. There's similar rules here as well, 2s normally, 4 seconds in the rain, 8-10 seconds in the snow.
CamperBob2 4y ago
Stopping distance at 65mph -> 525 feet Probably want to get those brakes checked. Stopping distance from 65 MPH should be no more than about 150 feet. Reaction time at 100 feet/second will probably be another 100-150 feet.
- gghffguhvc 4y ago
  Ugh. Google preview result for “stopping distance at 65mph” is for some obscure vehicle.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- dragonwriter 4y ago
  The non-metric rule of thumb [0] gives 490ft for 65mph; same ballpark. This incorporates reaction and actual braking, not just the latter. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braking_distance https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braking_distance
  - CamperBob2 4y ago
    Regardless of what Wikipedia says, if you take almost 1/10 mile to stop at 65 MPH, either you or your car is doing something wrong.
    - skrtskrt 4y ago
      It would be foolish to assume your tires and brakes and reaction time are all functioning at peak capability all the time.
      - bobthepanda 4y ago
        Also, if you need to get into another lane, that in the immediate moment it is safe to merge into it. Plus, it helps give more leeway to avoid stop and go, which is the cause of phantom traffic jams.
    - hluska 4y ago
      Between perception and reaction time, you’re already at approximately 1.5 seconds. At 65 mph, that’s roughly 140 feet. (Source - my Dad investigated hundreds of accidents. He taught me how to drive and we covered this math in detail.)
      - Natsu 4y ago
        It wouldn't work for everything, but you can cut that time by preemptively reacting to conditions. Say you're going around a blind corner, you can start slowing just because your visibility is lower and you don't know what's over there. Or you can see cars who intend to move over several lanes at once and kamikaze into the lane ahead of you and slow down because you know that all the people in front of you are likely to brake due to this. There are quite a few scenarios where I spot trouble before it happens and have an effectively negative reaction time with respect to whatever is causing people ahead of me to brake.
      - CamperBob2 4y ago
        Yes, as I believe I said. 1/10 of a mile is a long distance. If you need that long to stop, you need to slow down. Might also be time for a new car or at least a brake job.
- gerdesj 4y ago
  150 ft + 150 ft so 300' ... in perfect conditions? Are we straight and level? What conditions are the tyres in? Wet/dry/oil slick. Brakes in good order? Vehicle size? I recall driving a fully laden 7.5T box van for my diabetic brother (diabetic, hence he couldn't drive the van) moving house. I followed along the A40 (Oxfordshire), UK) behind him and then he cut off down to a roundabout on a slip road - my lorry wallowed quite dramatically as I followed suit and came to a shuddering stop behind him. Luckily I had six large tyres. If it had been wet, I would have shunted him into a busy roundabout. I would have tried to hit a barrier instead but who knows? As someone else said: "2 second rule". When you are my age you can even see it!

I always just count the seconds. When I was a kid in NZ we had a great public service campaign by an Australian racing legend, who told us "Arnly a fewel braiks the tew second rewel"

gghffguhvc 4y ago
I guess my point is the safe driving distance is based on something that can’t stop in 0 feet. If something falls off a truck I’m behind I’m not going to come to a complete stop.
fennecfoxy 4y ago
I grew up in NZ & moved to the UK. There's similar rules here as well, 2s normally, 4 seconds in the rain, 8-10 seconds in the snow.

CamperBob2 4y ago

Stopping distance at 65mph -> 525 feet Probably want to get those brakes checked. Stopping distance from 65 MPH should be no more than about 150 feet. Reaction time at 100 feet/second will probably be another 100-150 feet.

gghffguhvc 4y ago
Ugh. Google preview result for “stopping distance at 65mph” is for some obscure vehicle.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
dragonwriter 4y ago
The non-metric rule of thumb [0] gives 490ft for 65mph; same ballpark. This incorporates reaction and actual braking, not just the latter. [0] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braking_distance https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Braking_distance
- CamperBob2 4y ago
  Regardless of what Wikipedia says, if you take almost 1/10 mile to stop at 65 MPH, either you or your car is doing something wrong.
  - skrtskrt 4y ago
    It would be foolish to assume your tires and brakes and reaction time are all functioning at peak capability all the time.
    - bobthepanda 4y ago
      Also, if you need to get into another lane, that in the immediate moment it is safe to merge into it. Plus, it helps give more leeway to avoid stop and go, which is the cause of phantom traffic jams.
  - hluska 4y ago
    Between perception and reaction time, you’re already at approximately 1.5 seconds. At 65 mph, that’s roughly 140 feet. (Source - my Dad investigated hundreds of accidents. He taught me how to drive and we covered this math in detail.)
    - Natsu 4y ago
      It wouldn't work for everything, but you can cut that time by preemptively reacting to conditions. Say you're going around a blind corner, you can start slowing just because your visibility is lower and you don't know what's over there. Or you can see cars who intend to move over several lanes at once and kamikaze into the lane ahead of you and slow down because you know that all the people in front of you are likely to brake due to this. There are quite a few scenarios where I spot trouble before it happens and have an effectively negative reaction time with respect to whatever is causing people ahead of me to brake.
    - CamperBob2 4y ago
      Yes, as I believe I said. 1/10 of a mile is a long distance. If you need that long to stop, you need to slow down. Might also be time for a new car or at least a brake job.
gerdesj 4y ago
150 ft + 150 ft so 300' ... in perfect conditions? Are we straight and level? What conditions are the tyres in? Wet/dry/oil slick. Brakes in good order? Vehicle size? I recall driving a fully laden 7.5T box van for my diabetic brother (diabetic, hence he couldn't drive the van) moving house. I followed along the A40 (Oxfordshire), UK) behind him and then he cut off down to a roundabout on a slip road - my lorry wallowed quite dramatically as I followed suit and came to a shuddering stop behind him. Luckily I had six large tyres. If it had been wet, I would have shunted him into a busy roundabout. I would have tried to hit a barrier instead but who knows? As someone else said: "2 second rule". When you are my age you can even see it!