2 second rule on motorways

I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

On Feb 13, 12:40*am, "Mr. Bean" wrote:
I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

The rule is, drive so that you can stop safely in the distance you can
see to be clear. Problem is, if you do, some prat will jump into the
gap. We all have to cope with the standard of the worst drivers on the
road. We don't have much choice.

I've just watched a piece in iPlayer where a motorist bounced off the
central barrier, risking the lives of all around him, just after
joining a motorway. His excuse? He hit lying water at 75mph and lost
it. "But at motorway speeds in the fast lane that you've just joined
you don't have a chance to react," he said.

Then bloody slow down, especially in rain, and when joining a motorway
don't jump straight into the overtaking lanes, you pillock!

Tone (Rant over. Of course, I am the perfect driver. Just the sort of
driver that I used to hate when I was young because i now always get
in the way at 55mph... except I don't wear a flat cap.)

"Mr. Bean" wrote in message
...
I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.


The problem with a rule of thumb is that is depends on the size of the
thumb, and its location. Driving conditions vary, and failure to adapt
driving behaviour accordingly is prima facie negligent.

On 13/02/2012 00:40, Mr. Bean wrote:
I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

Two seconds is a pessimistic estimate of the perception and reaction
time of the average driver and is intended to ensure that you don't
drive into the back of the vehicle in front before you realise it is
doing something other than continuing along the road at the same speed.
It is not intended as a stopping distance, which would actually be close
to a three second gap, using the Highway Code's average stopping
distance table (stopping distance from 70mph = 315 feet : 70mph = 102
feet per second).

If you prefer a larger gap, there is nothing to stop you leaving one.

Colin Bignell

In article ef05ab79-903e-4783-87eb-
,
says...
I've just watched a piece in iPlayer where a motorist bounced off the
central barrier, risking the lives of all around him, just after
joining a motorway. His excuse? He hit lying water at 75mph and lost
it. "But at motorway speeds in the fast lane that you've just joined
you don't have a chance to react," he said.

Then bloody slow down, especially in rain, and when joining a motorway
don't jump straight into the overtaking lanes, you pillock!


Depending on the circumstances, he might just have a point.

If the traffic on the motorway is travelling at that speed, then that's
the speed at which you have to travel /to get on/.

Once on, you can slow down gently to what you consider an appropriate
speed, but if the accident happens at that crucial moment when you don't
get to choose your speed because you have to move at the same speed as
the hole you're trying to fit into then you are kind of stuffed. It's
not as if it's any safer to travel to the end of the sliproad and then
stop because you've not managed to merge - seen that done too often and
it's nasty.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

On Feb 13, 2:26*am, Nightjar
wrote:
On 13/02/2012 00:40, Mr. Bean wrote:

I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

Two seconds is a pessimistic estimate of the perception and reaction
time of the average driver and is intended to ensure that you don't
drive into the back of the vehicle in front before you realise it is
doing something other than continuing along the road at the same speed.
It is not intended as a stopping distance, which would actually be close
to a three second gap, using the Highway Code's average stopping
distance table (stopping distance from 70mph = 315 feet : 70mph = 102
feet per second).

If you prefer a larger gap, there is nothing to stop you leaving one.

Except when your gap is taken by another impatient and dangerous
motorist.

-- .
World Carfree Network.
http://www.worldcarfree.net/
Help for your car-addicted friends in the U.K.

On Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:11:21 -0800 (PST)
Tony Haynes wrote:

I've just watched a piece in iPlayer where a motorist bounced off the
central barrier, risking the lives of all around him, just after
joining a motorway. His excuse? He hit lying water at 75mph and lost
it. "But at motorway speeds in the fast lane that you've just joined
you don't have a chance to react," he said.

Hmm, I recall coming on to the A45 dual carriageway and as I
rounded the bend seeing a sea of brake lights ahead, so I hit my brakes
(gently since I was doing about 80 on my slidecar chamine) and promptly
started slewing across the road, so I let go of the brakes and had little
trouble regaining control and slowing down more gently using the throttle.
I had plenty of time to react and get under control before running out
of lane width.

It turned out a lorry load of offal had been shedding just quickly
enough to spread all over the road for several miles.

--
Steve O'Hara-Smith | Directable Mirror Arrays
C:WIN | A better way to focus the sun
The computer obeys and wins. | licences available see
You lose and Bill collects. | http://www.sohara.org/

On 13/02/2012 06:20, Doug wrote:
On Feb 13, 2:26 am,
wrote:
On 13/02/2012 00:40, Mr. Bean wrote:

I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

Two seconds is a pessimistic estimate of the perception and reaction
time of the average driver and is intended to ensure that you don't
drive into the back of the vehicle in front before you realise it is
doing something other than continuing along the road at the same speed.
It is not intended as a stopping distance, which would actually be close
to a three second gap, using the Highway Code's average stopping
distance table (stopping distance from 70mph = 315 feet : 70mph = 102
feet per second).

If you prefer a larger gap, there is nothing to stop you leaving one.

Except when your gap is taken by another impatient and dangerous
motorist.

That will happen with a two second gap as well. You simply drop back and
leave the same gap behind that one. It doesn't make any significant
difference to the journey time.

Colin Bignell

Skipweasel spoke:

Then bloody slow down, especially in rain, and when joining a motorway
don't jump straight into the overtaking lanes, you pillock!


Depending on the circumstances, he might just have a point.

If the traffic on the motorway is travelling at that speed, then that's
the speed at which you have to travel /to get on/.

IME if traffic in the left hand lane is travelling at 70+ then there is
bugger all traffic on the motorway anyway.

Unless it was in Glasgow where the slip road from the A82 onto the M8
drops you into lane 3


--
Rab C. Nesbit
The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing.
If you can fake that, you've got it made

In message , Mr. Bean
writes
I feel that that at 70mph, the 2 sec rule between cars is an inadequate
time to avoid a pile up.I would say more like 4 secs.

And the rest!
--
Ian