Motorway 'safe' distance chevrons
Discussion
25NAD90TUL said:
I always leave a large gap from the vehicle in front and often find that the driver behind me will leave a similar gap in these circumstances, I don't hold other drivers up because of it, because if one comes too close for my liking I will just drop out of lane, get out of their way in other words, because I want that driver as far away from me as possible for the sake of my own safety.
As stated I have used the 2 seconds at 30, 5 seconds at 50 and 7 at 70 with a class 1 police onboard who thought it was an excellent safety margin, those people don't like techniques that upset the flow of traffic, so I'm good with it and will be sticking to it. The frequency of multi-car pile ups on motorways just goes to illustrate that the distances considered safe by some drivers is woefully inadequate.
The mantra 'always being able to stop in the distance that can be seen to be clear' springs to mind.
I'll often run a 4 second gap, I have also noticed that you can get a tailgater to back off a bit by opening your leading gap too, sometimes I think they just wake up and realise what they are doing.As stated I have used the 2 seconds at 30, 5 seconds at 50 and 7 at 70 with a class 1 police onboard who thought it was an excellent safety margin, those people don't like techniques that upset the flow of traffic, so I'm good with it and will be sticking to it. The frequency of multi-car pile ups on motorways just goes to illustrate that the distances considered safe by some drivers is woefully inadequate.
The mantra 'always being able to stop in the distance that can be seen to be clear' springs to mind.
Toltec said:
I'll often run a 4 second gap, I have also noticed that you can get a tailgater to back off a bit by opening your leading gap too, sometimes I think they just wake up and realise what they are doing.
Four seconds is twice as safe as two. Point 2, yes it's psychological that is, Tom Topper described that as 'maintaining a cocoon of safety for yourself' it amazes me, I'll point out to a passenger that the driver behind me is maintaining the same gap as I am from the car in front, it amazes them! I often find that other drivers are influenced by seeing a safe sensible drive unfold before them, and the reverse if they see bad driving they also seem to adopt that too. Must be something along the lines of leading by example, psychology again.
25NAD90TUL said:
Toltec said:
I'll often run a 4 second gap, I have also noticed that you can get a tailgater to back off a bit by opening your leading gap too, sometimes I think they just wake up and realise what they are doing.
Four seconds is twice as safe as two. Point 2, yes it's psychological that is, Tom Topper described that as 'maintaining a cocoon of safety for yourself' it amazes me, I'll point out to a passenger that the driver behind me is maintaining the same gap as I am from the car in front, it amazes them! I often find that other drivers are influenced by seeing a safe sensible drive unfold before them, and the reverse if they see bad driving they also seem to adopt that too. Must be something along the lines of leading by example, psychology again.
WinstonWolf said:
You live in cloud cuckoo land... More than two seconds opens you up to prosecution these days.
Prosecution? 
When was the last time you or anyone heard of someone getting done for even undue care or dangerous driving let alone using a mobile or minor transgressions? If it ain't speeding or caught on camera there are no prosecutions!
LordGrover said:
WinstonWolf said:
You live in cloud cuckoo land... More than two seconds opens you up to prosecution these days.
Prosecution? When was the last time you or anyone heard of someone getting done for even undue care or dangerous driving let alone using a mobile or minor transgressions? If it ain't speeding or caught on camera there are no prosecutions!
Vaux said:
Tonsko said:
Often thought it would be worth painting these on all the motorways. Not that the advice would be followed all of the time, but it's a decent 'always on' reminder.
Cost?watchnut said:
When in France they have a good system where the solid white line at the (off side for us) (near side for them) has a gap in it at the distance of the chevrons they put in the roads here. It is easy to check you have the correct distance from the vehicle in front.....but I never see any frogs obeying it!
The French system is ideal. The RUMBLESTRIP which is already painted on all our motorways, simply has gaps left in it that correspond to the chevrons, therefore NO ADDITIONAL COST - in fact over the M-way network the gaps would save paint!Their system has signs that say ONE for DANGER, then a second sign says TWO for SAFETY, and is clear and unambiguous.
Finally, the chevrons are driven over and need repainting regularly, while the rumblestrip lasts FAR longer.
What puzzles me is why government departments are so slow in learning what is GOOD in another country, and in adopting it here - be it road safety or economic practices!
SK425 said:
WinstonWolf said:
You live in cloud cuckoo land... More than two seconds opens you up to prosecution these days.
In what situation do you think, say, a 4 second following distance would put you at risk of prosecution? What offence?
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
WinstonWolf said:
SK425 said:
WinstonWolf said:
You live in cloud cuckoo land... More than two seconds opens you up to prosecution these days.
In what situation do you think, say, a 4 second following distance would put you at risk of prosecution? What offence?
WinstonWolf said:
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
Show me one where you'd fail. The main advice I'm aware of is the two second rule, which is a minimum following distance. You have not violated the rule if you leave a larger distance. Following too close might constitute careless driving, but that's the opposite of what you're saying.WinstonWolf said:
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
Nope, still can't see why 215m of space in front of me should be cause for concern?WinstonWolf said:
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
That's good advice, but how does it relate to your suggestion that a 7 second following distance might constitute careless driving?SK425 said:
WinstonWolf said:
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
Show me one where you'd fail. 
ked would the motorway network be if there was only 8 cars for every mile of every lane!?0000 said:
SK425 said:
WinstonWolf said:
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
Show me one where you'd fail. 
If you try to maintain a constant seven second gap in front of you on a UK motorway during the day you will end up stopping.What is important is looking much further ahead than the vehicle in front, he will only react to situations unfolding ahead of him or slow due to mechanical failure. He will never come to a sudden and instant stop.
WinstonWolf said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23713732
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
I cannot see anything in that article that says you will get prosecuted for being more than two seconds from another vehicle. Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
At what distance do you think this offence occurs?
Toltec said:
WinstonWolf said:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23713732
Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
I cannot see anything in that article that says you will get prosecuted for being more than two seconds from another vehicle. Show me one advanced driving course you would pass while maintaining a seven second gap at 70 MPH, which is what Mr NAD recommends.
1MPH =.44M/s = 30.8 metres per second at 70MPH. A seven second gap would leave a two hundred and fifteen METRE gap to the next car
There is no way anyone should be looking at the car in front on a motorway, the focus should be much further ahead...
At what distance do you think this offence occurs?
Do you think we should all be maintaining a 215 metre gap at 70MPH? That allows for a traffic density of less than fifteen vehicles per KM on a three lane road if all vehicles are travelling at the legal limit.
0000 said:
I wouldn't be surprised if there's one out there where you'd fail when you brake because someone pulls into your lane 150 metres or more in front.
I'm sure there is. Is that what we're talking about? I thought this was about choosing to follow someone at 7 seconds distance rather than, say, 2 seconds. If, every time someone pulls in front 150m ahead, you brake with some urgency to rapidly restore your 7 second gap, I can imagine that sort of thing catching the eye of plod and perhaps attracting one of these newfangled careless driving tickets. Although if you just lifted off a little to ease the gap back up to 7 seconds, I doubt that would be enough to get you pulled over, albeit it might attract negative comment/marks on an AD test.WinstonWolf said:
You would be better off asking a policeman.
Do you think we should all be maintaining a 215 metre gap at 70MPH? That allows for a traffic density of less than fifteen vehicles per KM on a three lane road if all vehicles are travelling at the legal limit.
I wasn't suggesting we should all do it. I was trying to understand how doing it could be an offence. 0000 suggested an example - it's not the scenario I thought we were talking about, but is it what you meant?Do you think we should all be maintaining a 215 metre gap at 70MPH? That allows for a traffic density of less than fifteen vehicles per KM on a three lane road if all vehicles are travelling at the legal limit.
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