4 ms·

Besides the fact that you shouldn't just flat out stop on the highway, how are 8 drivers stupid enough to be close enough to not be able to stop in time? Is the

Besides the fact that you shouldn't just flat out stop on the highway, how are 8 drivers stupid enough to be close enough to not be able to stop in time? Is there no limit on how close people drive to the car in front of them in the US? Defensive driving was one of the first thing I learned, before even getting my drivers license, how come others seem to flat out ignore things like that, even for their own safety?

tyingq 4y ago
It is maddening, and puts the burden on people who do try to maintain a reasonable following distance. If you leave sufficient room, there's an endless line of cars that will pop into that space, and now you're adjusting again...in a loop.
- capableweb 4y ago
  So what? If you happen to go faster than the cars that go into the space between you and the one in front, change one lane to the left to pass them. If there is someone in front of you even in that lane, continue at the speed they are driving, leave space in front. Someone goes into the space? Adjust again. Are you seriously avoiding to leave any sort of space in front of you just because other cars might go into that space? Seems like a dangerous game to play not just for yourself, but for others too.
  - tyingq 4y ago
    Just making an observation about the group dynamics in play. I was not trying to rationalize anything about me personally.
MadQ 4y ago
This. And additionally, the tesla driver didn't seem to be aware what was going on with his car, if he is unable to react in the 5 - 6 Seconds it took his car to completely stop.
sixbrx 4y ago
It's a real problem. If you leave a gap for safety (I like a 2 sec gap at least), the cars behind will take that as evidence that you don't care about keeping up with the car in front of you. Then they'll often tailgate extremely (communicating "get out of my way") for a bit, and then sometimes try to quickly maneuver around you and in the process getting dangerously close to you and/or the car in front of you.
masswerk 4y ago
I guess, this is the vigilance problem cascading. Drivers just don't expect cars in a straight and clear lane in a tunnel to stop at random. (At least, not without warning lights and other signs of alarm.) It's not in the expected range of behavior and nobody is prepared for it, as they follow the dull and monotone flow of traffic.
- capableweb 4y ago
  > Drivers just don't expect cars in a straight and clear lane in a tunnel to stop at random That's just it, why not? I always have the expectation that some unexpected can happen around me in traffic, at any time, and position myself accordingly. If I'm too close to the one in front of me so I can't handle them braking suddenly, then that's telling me I'm too close. I've been close to a lot of accidents, but never actually in one. Being vigilant at all times when driving and taking breaks when I stop being vigilant, I'm sure have played a huge role in being able to avoid these accidents.
  - masswerk 4y ago
    > Being vigilant at all times when driving and taking breaks when I stop being vigilant I guess, you're not part of the target audience. :-) (More seriously, congratulations and many thanks for being a responsible adult.)

tyingq 4y ago

It is maddening, and puts the burden on people who do try to maintain a reasonable following distance. If you leave sufficient room, there's an endless line of cars that will pop into that space, and now you're adjusting again...in a loop.

capableweb 4y ago
So what? If you happen to go faster than the cars that go into the space between you and the one in front, change one lane to the left to pass them. If there is someone in front of you even in that lane, continue at the speed they are driving, leave space in front. Someone goes into the space? Adjust again. Are you seriously avoiding to leave any sort of space in front of you just because other cars might go into that space? Seems like a dangerous game to play not just for yourself, but for others too.
- tyingq 4y ago
  Just making an observation about the group dynamics in play. I was not trying to rationalize anything about me personally.

MadQ 4y ago

This. And additionally, the tesla driver didn't seem to be aware what was going on with his car, if he is unable to react in the 5 - 6 Seconds it took his car to completely stop.

sixbrx 4y ago

It's a real problem. If you leave a gap for safety (I like a 2 sec gap at least), the cars behind will take that as evidence that you don't care about keeping up with the car in front of you. Then they'll often tailgate extremely (communicating "get out of my way") for a bit, and then sometimes try to quickly maneuver around you and in the process getting dangerously close to you and/or the car in front of you.

masswerk 4y ago

I guess, this is the vigilance problem cascading. Drivers just don't expect cars in a straight and clear lane in a tunnel to stop at random. (At least, not without warning lights and other signs of alarm.) It's not in the expected range of behavior and nobody is prepared for it, as they follow the dull and monotone flow of traffic.

capableweb 4y ago
> Drivers just don't expect cars in a straight and clear lane in a tunnel to stop at random That's just it, why not? I always have the expectation that some unexpected can happen around me in traffic, at any time, and position myself accordingly. If I'm too close to the one in front of me so I can't handle them braking suddenly, then that's telling me I'm too close. I've been close to a lot of accidents, but never actually in one. Being vigilant at all times when driving and taking breaks when I stop being vigilant, I'm sure have played a huge role in being able to avoid these accidents.
- masswerk 4y ago
  > Being vigilant at all times when driving and taking breaks when I stop being vigilant I guess, you're not part of the target audience. :-) (More seriously, congratulations and many thanks for being a responsible adult.)