5 ms·
I can't think of a set of circumstances where either of those would happen, outside of bad driving.
by Gordonjcp 3y ago
I can't think of a set of circumstances where either of those would happen, outside of bad driving.
- ethbr0 3y agoTractor trailer merging into your lane because they didn't see you and someone's behind you.
- Gordonjcp 3y agoSo in that situation you'd accelerate into the side of the truck, and not brake to avoid it?
- ethbr0 3y agoSo you'd slam on your brakes with someone behind you? Instead of accelerating forward?
- Gordonjcp 3y agoYes, absolutely. You are never going to out-accelerate the truck in front of you. If someone hits the back of you, it's a them problem. If you prefer to end up driving into the side of a truck and getting squashed, then I guess that's your decision.
- ethbr0 3y agoI think you're misunderstanding the situation. It is a two lane (same direction) road. The tractor trailer is to your right. There is a car behind you. The tractor trailer begins to merge into your lane. What do you do?
- Gordonjcp 3y agoBrake, because if you accelerate you'll drive into the side of the truck. I don't get what's hard to understand about this. Have you ever driven a car? On public roads?
- jtbayly 3y agoWhen I was in drivers Ed they told us that the accelerator pedal is the most overlooked tool for preventing accidents. I guess now I know why. There are plenty of circumstances where you can accelerate out of danger. If you intend to continue driving you would do well to consider this fact. Start with low speed situations like parking lots, and move up from there.
- mlhpdx 3y agoPhysics. Increasing speed (rapidly) increases kinetic (impact) energy. Braking reduces it. Slow down to 35 and if the truck hits your car it will be damaged. Try to race ahead and hit the truck at 80 mph and you will die (or worse). Obviously things aren’t so clear cut but your argument is nonsense.
- jtbayly 3y agoPlease think about how long a semi truck is. If you are near the back, obviously it is safer to slow down. If you are near the front, it might well save your life to accelerate. Edit: I’m sure a bit of calculus on the physics of it would reveal the location on the truck where acceleration was more likely to prevent a crash.
- ethbr0 3y agoThis thread. >.< The kinetic energy in an accident between two vehicles is their relative speed, not their absolute speed. If you are doing 80 mph and hit a truck doing 70 mph, there's not 80 mph * vehicle mass worth of impact energy. And that's not even breaking things into directional vectors and calculating the fraction of velocity in the direction of impact.
- pfannkuchen 3y ago> You are never going to out-accelerate the truck in front of you. Trucks are quite slow though, if you have a reasonably fast car you can absolutely get ahead of them before they close out your lane. Especially if you are alongside them to start with and not behind them.