5 ms·

I couldn't watch the video so can't comment directly on this case but it boggles the mind how close people follow others on the road. The distance you have bet

I couldn't watch the video so can't comment directly on this case but it boggles the mind how close people follow others on the road. The distance you have between you and the car in front on you is one of the only safety zones you can control on the road. People should cherish it and let it blossom into wide open space. You often have no control over the left, right and rear. Why would you want to take away that front space as well?

maerF0x0 4y ago
aside, people drive somewhat close in the bay area, but also in my experience it's so much worse in both LA and in Austin, and in TX so many of them are 6000lb Ford F150s.
- godelski 4y ago
  In LA if you try to have distance someone will fill in the spot. I've experienced this in the Bay too. While I agree with many of these comments about people driving too close, I think it ends up being too simple and naive to real world conditions. This behavior tends to be true in any major city but not so outside.
  - maerF0x0 4y ago
    Yeah I understand the "fill the spot" issue all too well. This is a behavior that our police/legal system is failing to address adequately. The emergent behavior is not the safe, legal, or even optimal behavior for traffic flow/reduction (afaik). But as I've observed in America, it's more about getting 1 car ahead of others than it is about having optimal outcomes across a large proportion of all traffic.
    - godelski 4y ago
      I have a hypothesis that this is another emergent pattern. I drive a lot between WA, OR, and CA. One thing I notice is that in OR I can easily pass people AND that if I'm in the left lane approaching someone there's a fairly high likelihood that they move right. Maybe 1 in 10 people don't move. But once I hit California I end up zig zagging much more, passing people who are in the left lane going below the speed limit (especially in central California). But I don't think the probability changed, but rather the population. Oregon is easier to rive in than Washington which is easier to drive in than California. I'm pretty sure this is just a small number of bad actors who are a constant percentage and their effects scale (probably also providing a feedback loop). I try to slightly combat this by calling the left most lane the "passing lane" rather than the "fast lane." A lot of people treat the left lane like kids treat lightup shoes: they think it makes them go faster. And don't get me started on elephant racing. I frequently wonder the economic and environmental impact of just this singular type of event in central California.
Thlom 4y ago
Can remember there were campaigns in my country in the 90's to increase distance between cars. The rule was to count 1001 1002 1003, so basically you should have a 3 second gap to the car in front. Not sure if it worked, but apparently it made an impression on me, so I constantly count 1001 1002 1003 when driving on roads with a higher speed limit.
- yamtaddle 4y ago
  You basically can't, realistically, do that in dense city highway driving, which looks like what this is. Like, we still say the driver who hits the back is "at fault" in these kinds of pile-ups but it's entirely a "there, but for the grace of God, go I" situation. They were just unlucky. 99% of drivers on that road drive the same way they were, and the ones who don't are probably driving in a way that makes things less safe.
  - Symbiote 4y ago
    In several countries in Europe they occasionally paint markings on the road (chevrons or dots or similar) with a sign like "Keep apart 2 chevrons". Some places have electronic speed limit signs to reduce the maximum speed in heavy traffic, which reduces risk and improves flow. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-keep-apart-2-chevrons-motorway-road-sign-and-markings-m56-northwest-19455956.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-keep-apart-2-chevrons-moto... (Obviously we can't tell the speed of the cars in the photo, but if it's the standard speed many drivers are still ignoring it.)
    - bejd 4y ago
      That's a UK motorway, so assuming the national speed limit applies they'll be travelling at around 70 mp/h.
      - Symbiote 4y ago
        There is very heavy traffic on both sides, so it wouldn't be unusual for the actual speed to be 50mph, 40mph or even less. The second nearest car is braking, and there's a "Queues Likely" sign a little further -- I found the place: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3015568,-2.722796,3a,75y,235.08h,88.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sP-ISaoeVZpbC9dvPMBC3fQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3015568,-2.722796,3a,75y,235... StreetView gives a much better impression of the chevrons; the Alamy photo has an unusual choice of lens. The "M56 B 45.0" [km] milepost is way ahead of the chevron sign.
josefresco 4y ago
When you leave adequate space (especially) in city driving, another driver will always occupy that space. You back off to create more space, another drive enters that space. Rinse, repeat. Source: Boston driver.
- jjwiseman 4y ago
  Often true. And that's OK!
  - akmarinov 4y ago
    But with enough cars, theoretically it’s possible that you’d never reach your destination, run out of fuel, stop suddenly and get hit from behind…
- kshacker 4y ago
  Source: South Bay driver. I was going to say that but was sure I will find a similar comment. I start my day by trying to be a safe driver but as they drive progresses and more and more people jumping in the free space in front of me, I eventually change the mode to not be risky but don't allow space for others.
ncr100 4y ago
Re not watching video: This is the most crowded road, after a downhill slope, in a major metropolitan, after a mile of bridge driving, reaching a reduced visibility tunnel, with one way traffic, and 5+ lanes. There's too much traffic. It backs up into the streets, before this bridge + tunnel regularly. The speed is already restricted.

maerF0x0 4y ago

aside, people drive somewhat close in the bay area, but also in my experience it's so much worse in both LA and in Austin, and in TX so many of them are 6000lb Ford F150s.

godelski 4y ago
In LA if you try to have distance someone will fill in the spot. I've experienced this in the Bay too. While I agree with many of these comments about people driving too close, I think it ends up being too simple and naive to real world conditions. This behavior tends to be true in any major city but not so outside.
- maerF0x0 4y ago
  Yeah I understand the "fill the spot" issue all too well. This is a behavior that our police/legal system is failing to address adequately. The emergent behavior is not the safe, legal, or even optimal behavior for traffic flow/reduction (afaik). But as I've observed in America, it's more about getting 1 car ahead of others than it is about having optimal outcomes across a large proportion of all traffic.
  - godelski 4y ago
    I have a hypothesis that this is another emergent pattern. I drive a lot between WA, OR, and CA. One thing I notice is that in OR I can easily pass people AND that if I'm in the left lane approaching someone there's a fairly high likelihood that they move right. Maybe 1 in 10 people don't move. But once I hit California I end up zig zagging much more, passing people who are in the left lane going below the speed limit (especially in central California). But I don't think the probability changed, but rather the population. Oregon is easier to rive in than Washington which is easier to drive in than California. I'm pretty sure this is just a small number of bad actors who are a constant percentage and their effects scale (probably also providing a feedback loop). I try to slightly combat this by calling the left most lane the "passing lane" rather than the "fast lane." A lot of people treat the left lane like kids treat lightup shoes: they think it makes them go faster. And don't get me started on elephant racing. I frequently wonder the economic and environmental impact of just this singular type of event in central California.

Thlom 4y ago

Can remember there were campaigns in my country in the 90's to increase distance between cars. The rule was to count 1001 1002 1003, so basically you should have a 3 second gap to the car in front. Not sure if it worked, but apparently it made an impression on me, so I constantly count 1001 1002 1003 when driving on roads with a higher speed limit.

yamtaddle 4y ago
You basically can't, realistically, do that in dense city highway driving, which looks like what this is. Like, we still say the driver who hits the back is "at fault" in these kinds of pile-ups but it's entirely a "there, but for the grace of God, go I" situation. They were just unlucky. 99% of drivers on that road drive the same way they were, and the ones who don't are probably driving in a way that makes things less safe.
- Symbiote 4y ago
  In several countries in Europe they occasionally paint markings on the road (chevrons or dots or similar) with a sign like "Keep apart 2 chevrons". Some places have electronic speed limit signs to reduce the maximum speed in heavy traffic, which reduces risk and improves flow. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-keep-apart-2-chevrons-motorway-road-sign-and-markings-m56-northwest-19455956.html https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-keep-apart-2-chevrons-moto... (Obviously we can't tell the speed of the cars in the photo, but if it's the standard speed many drivers are still ignoring it.)
  - bejd 4y ago
    That's a UK motorway, so assuming the national speed limit applies they'll be travelling at around 70 mp/h.
    - Symbiote 4y ago
      There is very heavy traffic on both sides, so it wouldn't be unusual for the actual speed to be 50mph, 40mph or even less. The second nearest car is braking, and there's a "Queues Likely" sign a little further -- I found the place: https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3015568,-2.722796,3a,75y,235.08h,88.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sP-ISaoeVZpbC9dvPMBC3fQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 https://www.google.com/maps/@53.3015568,-2.722796,3a,75y,235... StreetView gives a much better impression of the chevrons; the Alamy photo has an unusual choice of lens. The "M56 B 45.0" [km] milepost is way ahead of the chevron sign.

josefresco 4y ago

When you leave adequate space (especially) in city driving, another driver will always occupy that space. You back off to create more space, another drive enters that space. Rinse, repeat. Source: Boston driver.

jjwiseman 4y ago
Often true. And that's OK!
- akmarinov 4y ago
  But with enough cars, theoretically it’s possible that you’d never reach your destination, run out of fuel, stop suddenly and get hit from behind…
kshacker 4y ago
Source: South Bay driver. I was going to say that but was sure I will find a similar comment. I start my day by trying to be a safe driver but as they drive progresses and more and more people jumping in the free space in front of me, I eventually change the mode to not be risky but don't allow space for others.

ncr100 4y ago

Re not watching video: This is the most crowded road, after a downhill slope, in a major metropolitan, after a mile of bridge driving, reaching a reduced visibility tunnel, with one way traffic, and 5+ lanes. There's too much traffic. It backs up into the streets, before this bridge + tunnel regularly. The speed is already restricted.