Don't know of any FL law stating a minimum nor maximum distance when stopped at a traffic light--or stopped anywhere for that matter.
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Rant: Stoplight Stopping Distance
- Thread starter AugieTN
- Start date
Don't know of any FL law stating a minimum nor maximum distance when stopped at a traffic light--or stopped anywhere for that matter.
GypsmJim
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This thread made me scratch my head....
I learned the "see tires on the pavement" idea in driver's ed and have followed that theme for 58 years. In my driving area all I see are people crowding the back bumper of the car ahead of them. I hardly ever see anyone stopping back.
Same with driving - tailgating is a huge problem. Especially with the young girls. (sorry)
I learned the "see tires on the pavement" idea in driver's ed and have followed that theme for 58 years. In my driving area all I see are people crowding the back bumper of the car ahead of them. I hardly ever see anyone stopping back.
Same with driving - tailgating is a huge problem. Especially with the young girls. (sorry)
I stay a distance behind for two reasons. escape and in case I'm rear ended
Doug M.
Member
I'll admit that I am not happy about people who do not observe what is going on around them and then are indecisive. I'll also admit that I am not terribly patient about it.
LVSteve
Member
Wasting space in the left turn lane causes issues in a couple of ways.
1) Those prevented from getting into the left turn lane may have to go through an extra cycle of the light. In this city, that can take a while. Worse, there is a morbid dread west of the Rockies of seeing more than one light cycle, so people are more likely to run a light.
2) Those who cannot get into the turn lane now block the left most travel lane with (hopefully) their turn signal running. If the lights are sequenced for the left turn arrow to be at the END of the sequence, those wanting to go straight will now try and get to another lane. This maneuver is often poorly made in frustration and leads to wrecks.
Even if people move up, the left turn lanes are often too short for the volume of traffic these days. We keep breeding, but the roads are the same size they ever were. I have an example of this in a forthcoming post.
1) Those prevented from getting into the left turn lane may have to go through an extra cycle of the light. In this city, that can take a while. Worse, there is a morbid dread west of the Rockies of seeing more than one light cycle, so people are more likely to run a light.
2) Those who cannot get into the turn lane now block the left most travel lane with (hopefully) their turn signal running. If the lights are sequenced for the left turn arrow to be at the END of the sequence, those wanting to go straight will now try and get to another lane. This maneuver is often poorly made in frustration and leads to wrecks.
Even if people move up, the left turn lanes are often too short for the volume of traffic these days. We keep breeding, but the roads are the same size they ever were. I have an example of this in a forthcoming post.
Around here if you leave half a car length somebody cuts in - especially in left turn lanes.
30-30remchester
Member
For me personally it is about safety. I have spent over 2 million miles on our roads and have learned a few things. Never pull up so close that with one turn you cannot escape. Two times in my life, I have been behind cars that have caught fire while parked and waiting. One of those occasions the car directly behind the car on fire was so close that that driver had to get out and run. Years ago, at the CIA main gate, workers were lined up waiting to go to work. They were nose to tail, when a terrorist exited his car and started shooting. Nobody could escape as they were trapped by their own actions.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
The “leave room to escape” thing only works if there is no one in the lane next to you. I pull up enough so I can just see the tires of the car in front. I have survived thus far.
rockquarry
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Looks like two distinct perspectives here stand out among the others...
severe paranoia on the part of those who don't want to get "trapped" between cars at a light because a violent situation might erupt and a road bully who delights in upsetting the driver ahead of him.
Is this really a worthwhile thread for anyone?
severe paranoia on the part of those who don't want to get "trapped" between cars at a light because a violent situation might erupt and a road bully who delights in upsetting the driver ahead of him.
Is this really a worthwhile thread for anyone?
venomballistics
Member
this .... and even if there were laws to this effect, unless your a cop, it's not your job to enforce it.
That inability to maintain ones lane has been at the core of some interesting stories out there.
venomballistics
Member
it gets into some uncomfortable subject matter.
Somewhere in here, theres room for a bit of discussion about mutual respect, and why one should extend some.
Something tells me the road bully becoming the tramp stamp of the car ahead would also express willingness to mag dump on someone doing the same to him. The unwell walk, and drive among us
According to the Federal Highway Administration there are well over 4 million intersections in the US.
We're gonna need to hire that many traffic cops with tape measures.
We're gonna need to hire that many traffic cops with tape measures.
LVSteve
Member
It depends where you live and what goes on there.
I like to be able to see at least the bumper of the vehicle ahead of me at an intersection. My wife is the world's best defensive driver I have ever ridden with, drives me crazy...she anticipates things I never give the slightest attention to. She is anything but smooth while she drives, but she has never had an at fault accident in over 50 years, I can't say that. She learned to drive in California.
I will say this about California as opposed to Washington, in California on the freeway if you put your turn signal on, they will give you just enough room to transition. If you do that in this town they will speed up to cut you off.
Part of the problem in this town is we are surrounded by rural communities, those folks come into town to see the doctor, go shopping whatever and come from an place where there may not be a traffic light or maybe one. That and the fact that in this state you only have to take the driver's test once in your lifetime. In California you have to take the test every four years, they know the laws.
I will say this about California as opposed to Washington, in California on the freeway if you put your turn signal on, they will give you just enough room to transition. If you do that in this town they will speed up to cut you off.
Part of the problem in this town is we are surrounded by rural communities, those folks come into town to see the doctor, go shopping whatever and come from an place where there may not be a traffic light or maybe one. That and the fact that in this state you only have to take the driver's test once in your lifetime. In California you have to take the test every four years, they know the laws.
rockquarry
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No; there is always room for good sense, courtesy, and decency regardless of where you live. There is no room for paranoia and bullying drivers nor should there be.
It may well be worthwhile for anyone who is capable of learning a better way of accommodating a person who has a slightly different but still reasonable point of view. IMO there are many such people on this forum.
There are probably also a few to whom this description does not apply.
I think that the answer is yes.
GypsmJim
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Seems to me that common sense, courtesy and decency have taken a back seat to it's all about me.
Last year I was behind a little old lady who was two car lengths back from the white stop line in a left turn lane. Far enough that the light did not detect a car in the lane and so would not trip on the turn arrow. After two light cycles, I got out of my car and went up to her and tapped on the window (much to my wife's chagrin) and politely told her that she had to move up to the line to make the turn arrow to come on, which she did. By then there were a half dozen or so cars backed up behind her. We were on our way the next cycle. There really is no sense in getting aggravated by other drivers on the road, especially to lower oneself to the same level of discourtesy because of a perceived slight.
Personally, I prefer to keep a car length back while sitting at a light because I don't want to get rammed into the car in front of me if someone plows into mine. I've seen it happen.
John
Experience speaking. When you're rearended, your foot is coming off the brake pedal. Odds are high you're hitting the vehicle in front of you regardless. Your vehicle is likely totaled either way.
NYPD doesn't seem busy. That should cover about half of the intersections.
