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Following distances are just guidelines, assuming traffic is moving normally. The California Driver's Handbook says... > California’s “Basic Speed Law” means

Following distances are just guidelines, assuming traffic is moving normally. The California Driver's Handbook says... > California’s “Basic Speed Law” means that you may never drive faster than is safe for current conditions. > You must drive slower when there is heavy traffic or bad weather. However, if you block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic by driving too slowly, you may be cited. https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-handbook/laws-and-rules-of-the-road/ https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/california-driver-han... The Tesla, FSD or not, blocked the flow of traffic and was partially at fault. The vehicles behind the Tesla were driving too fast given the conditions and were also partially at fault. The handbook is structured to minimize the chance/danger of accidents even if other drivers aren't adhering to it.

dark-star 4y ago
I don't think that source is neither exhaustive nor authoritative. It doesn't tell you e.g. that you have to stop at red lights, which I'm pretty sure you're required to by law. I'm no expert in US law but I think there's probably at least a dozen separate laws on what is (il)legal, and I'd bet it's more than the 8 paragraphs in the source you linked to
mlyle 4y ago
You can cause an accident any time you want by diving in front of faster traffic and braking. You will start from a slower speed and have equivalent deceleration.
- omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
  You'll only cause an accident if the faster traffic is driving too fast for the conditions and/or not maintaining sufficient distance from other vehicles, especially your vehicle. You could ram the other vehicle. In that case no amount of safe/defensive driving would stop that. But a safe/defensive driver will go as slow as you do if you merge in front of them.
  - mlyle 4y ago
    You're saying that you never exceed the speed of traffic in the lane next to you, by even a little bit? If you exceed the traffic of the lane next to you, you will have low "following distance" to it, and a deceleration disadvantage. Plus, humans have reaction times.
    - omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
      I'm saying that if I exceed the speed of another vehicle and that vehicle merges into my lane or I merge into theirs, and I hit their vehicle from behind, I'm at least partially at fault. If their vehicle is fully in the lane, I'm almost certainly going to be completely at fault.
      - mlyle 4y ago
        I'm saying if you ever exceed the speed of a lane next to you, a vehicle in that lane can force you to crash.
        omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
        Yup. Relative speed doesn't matter. A vehicle in the lane next to you can force you to crash.

dark-star 4y ago

I don't think that source is neither exhaustive nor authoritative. It doesn't tell you e.g. that you have to stop at red lights, which I'm pretty sure you're required to by law. I'm no expert in US law but I think there's probably at least a dozen separate laws on what is (il)legal, and I'd bet it's more than the 8 paragraphs in the source you linked to

mlyle 4y ago

You can cause an accident any time you want by diving in front of faster traffic and braking. You will start from a slower speed and have equivalent deceleration.

omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
You'll only cause an accident if the faster traffic is driving too fast for the conditions and/or not maintaining sufficient distance from other vehicles, especially your vehicle. You could ram the other vehicle. In that case no amount of safe/defensive driving would stop that. But a safe/defensive driver will go as slow as you do if you merge in front of them.
- mlyle 4y ago
  You're saying that you never exceed the speed of traffic in the lane next to you, by even a little bit? If you exceed the traffic of the lane next to you, you will have low "following distance" to it, and a deceleration disadvantage. Plus, humans have reaction times.
  - omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
    I'm saying that if I exceed the speed of another vehicle and that vehicle merges into my lane or I merge into theirs, and I hit their vehicle from behind, I'm at least partially at fault. If their vehicle is fully in the lane, I'm almost certainly going to be completely at fault.
    - mlyle 4y ago
      I'm saying if you ever exceed the speed of a lane next to you, a vehicle in that lane can force you to crash.
      - omgwtfbyobbq 4y ago
        Yup. Relative speed doesn't matter. A vehicle in the lane next to you can force you to crash.