In the stop light line: how much space between cars?

[mike from st pete]

As stated several times above, I want to see the rubber meeting the road. I can see the rear tires on the pavement of the car in front of me I am good.
Sometimes with the top down I'll try for the shade so there may be a bit more of a gap.
And to the cabbie that was behind me two days ago, I don't care how close to my back bumper you get at a stop light, nor do I care how much you run your mouth this is where I stopped and when the light goes green then I'll move.

 

[vigil617]

...here there is an explanation...it's called Legal Weed...you know for sure when they are so mesmerized by the green light that they never move...

It is always good to hear from the Colorado contingent.

 

[sunnyd]

We dont have a single traffic light in the entire county where I live so it's not a problem here. I do make sure I can see the the whole rear tire of the tractors when stopped at a stop sign though.

 

[Doug M.]

^^^ Same garbage in WA. The percentage of drug based DUIs has increased a lot since that stupid law passed.

Space: Enough room, based on the surroundings, to evade a problem. When I was in LE, FTOs insisted on a lot more space that I was accustomed to leaving, bordering on 2 car lengths. I also remember the gang officers who went to LA remarking on how much space cops (and bangers) left behind the car in front of them. It stuck with me.

Attention to green: Most people have the SAOAFR and don't pay attention to much of anything; traffic lights are just another example. Cell phones have made it worse.

 

[UncleEd]

If you leave a bit more room you'll be able to start moving
sooner. If you are "locked" onto the guy's rear bumper
you'll still have to safely wait for him to get a little distance
ahead before you move.

But if you're a chronic tailgater, or just someone who has
no good sense, you'll end up paying out a lot for the
rear enders you cause.

Usually unimportant self-important yahoos always are
trying to push the others ahead of them to go faster
and faster.

 

[nachogrande]

GRIDLOCK ANYONE?

Off topic but related: I know the rules vary from locale to locale on doing this this, but one of my pet peeves when driving is people who are turning left at a light do not drive into the intersection and wait for the opportunity to turn left once oncoming traffic isn't a factor. At some lights it's the only way to get through before the light turns red. If people pay attention and drive into the intersection when they can, usually at least two cars can make the left turn. You don't do this if you're not certain you can continue on and clear the intersection once the light turns yellow or red and oncoming traffic stops.

I believe the law states to NOT enter the intersection unless it is clear. Creeping into the intersection waiting to make your left turn while the light is still green may not happen, leaving you in the center of the intersection where you will have to go left on red, or block the intersection. Both could get you a ticket/ gridlock the intersection/ or cause an accident. AGAIN, where's the fire? What is so earth shatteringly important that 1-2 minutes will matter? Leave a couple minutes earlier and arrive safely & less stressed. The other day I almost had to wait thru 2 lights, OMG.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

I tend to leave enough room so I can see the entire rear of the vehicle. Meaning not just the deck lid or something to that effect.

But, with that said if someone is on my tail so I cannot even see their grille I wait a moment before proceeding forward. My intention is to increase the following distance between myself and the vehicle in front of me. If the dude behind me gets mad then he can get stretched.

 

[steelslaver]

I leave enpouggh space to pull out of my lane if I have too. It has happened I was sitting at the first light on a 2 lane highway coming into a small town. I head the squeal of heavy brakes and saw a semi bearing down on me. Jumped out of the lane up on the curb just in time to miss out on a very large lawsuit against the trucking company as the truck almost got the car that was in front of me. It would have been a real squeeze job for my brother and I.

 

[vigil617]

Guess the only downside was that you and your insurance company had to pay for the damage to your vehicle that I'm sure resulted from hitting and jumping that curb. Not fair, but since the truck didn't strike you, there's no claim to be won against his insurance.

I'll admit, though, that it certainly beat being squished. Yikes.

 

[vigil617]

If you leave a bit more room you'll be able to start moving
sooner. If you are "locked" onto the guy's rear bumper
you'll still have to safely wait for him to get a little distance
ahead before you move.

But if you're a chronic tailgater, or just someone who has
no good sense, you'll end up paying out a lot for the
rear enders you cause.

Usually unimportant self-important yahoos always are
trying to push the others ahead of them to go faster
and faster.

Thanks, UncleEd, and just for the record, I don't read the "you" in your post to mean me. I don't do any of those things you mention and the only time I try to push others ahead of me to go faster is when I'm in the left lane on the interstate and someone has decided that driving less than the speed limit is the sensible thing to do there.

Just another thought based on some of the previous posts: I must not be as laid back as some of you fortunate folks are. I think I need to work on that.

 

[Kenneth07ex]

At a stop light, I only leave enough room to get around, in case of trouble. Maybe four to five feet. My issue is heavy, stop & go freeway traffic. There I will definitely leave a couple car lengths. Causing much anger behind me. My reasoning is purely selfish, since, in Texas, you are at fault for hitting anyone from behind. Doesn't matter why, it's still on you.

 

[eveled]

I like to be able to see the rear wheels of the vehicle in front of me touch the road. A minor impact shouldn't push me into the vehicle in front of me.

This is what my company expects from us.

 

[joeintexas]

If I can't see the license plate on the car in front of me I figure I am too close. Since we aren't really on the starting line and we can't move until the car in front of us moves, what's the rush. Far too much road rage these days over things that really don't amount to a hill of beans.

 

[Muley Gil]

That is acutually what they taught us 100 or so years ago, well they weren't thinking about terrorists, but if you had a Model A, Dillinger or the Barrows might ' jack it.

The Barrow gang preferred the Ford V8. Clyde even wrote Henry Ford a letter praising the cars!

 

[TX-Dennis]

There was a time I stopped within a foot or so of the car ahead at stop lights. That was before I was rear ended by a young lady in a Mustang which pushed me into the car ahead making it a 3 car accident rather than two.

Now I leave a bit more space just in case.

By the way, the dude in front of me that I got pushed into took off like a scalded hound. I told the cop who responded to the accident. He said the guy probably had warrants and didn't want to go to jail.

 

[bullmack]

2 car lengths minimum. Preferably in neutral if a standard transmission. And - this is the important part - let the car in front get a 1-2 length head start before slowing proceeding then accelerate through the yellow to red end of the light cycle.

 

[amazingflapjack]

This is a psychological phenomenon that is a result of the reputation earned by Fayettevile years ago when it was known as little Chicago. People wanted to leave themselves room to get out in case of trouble. Then, starting in WWII, Ft. Bragg, which is located in Fayetteville, became known as "The Home of the Airborne." Then when those same old "temporary" barracks were once again pressed into service for the Vietnam War, the downtown area became lined with airborne themed gin mills; real buckets of blood, and Fayetteville became known as "FayetteNam." And between the airborne trainees and the 'Nam returnees, the chances of getting your head raked in downtown Fayettevile went up another notch. And finally, when paratroopers line up to "stand in the door, and jump", they are very close to each other, and have, therefor, a natural dislike for being to close, regardless of the setting.

 

[7shooter]

I leave close to 2 car lengths . I was in the front of a 5 car pile up. The truck driver that caused the chain reaction was distracted. My car was the only one with no front end damage and no liability.

Pays to stay back.

 

[Engineer1911]

Like the explanations for long spaces

We have a special group of drivers here in Augusta. While merrily speeding down the beltway interstate or the busier urban main roads, the correct following distance is ONE car length or less regardless of vehicle speed of 45 MPH or 70 MPH in heavy traffic.

BUT WHEN they get on the off ramp or at a Stop light intersection the "following distance" is three car lengths approaching the traffic light. The left turn lane distance increases 3.5 car lengths.

 

[Tom S.]

On a open road in a safe area, i get a few feet behind the car in front. In a more potentially hostile area, I do my best to stay back far enough that I can pull around the vehicle in front of me if that action is needed. Too many years of living in the city I guess, its just part of my being aware! (AKA street creed)

This! When I worked in Detroit, I always left enough room between me and the car in front to allow an exit if needed. I never needed it, but that's besides the point. Kind of like carrying a firearm, if you never need it, that's great, but that doesn't stop you from carrying one.