drafting to save fuel

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

That and the fact that you need at least 1 full second to even start braking in your car (and that is if you are really good and had your foot on the brake pedal).

I learned that 3 seconds is safe and I can see why...

drafting seems like a good idea but if you really want to use it then I suggest trying to stay behind a 18 wheeler (cause they have monster drafting areas) and because even if a guy in a lorry stands on his brakes 1 full second before you touch yours. You still have a chance of stopping before you hit him.

is your brake pedal in the back seat ?? 1 second to reach the brakes ?? thats so friggin slow even by my dad's standards

[Rockefella]

is your brake pedal in the back seat ?? 1 second to reach the brakes ?? thats so friggin slow even by my dad's standards

Yeah.. I'd guess my braking reaction time on a normal day is around .3 seconds or so. It might be even quicker when I drive with two-feet. (Hey, it gets boring driving around doing deliveries so I keep myself entertained w/ left-foot braking )

[nota]

but the car in front isnt going to stop instantly

say he brakes as hard as possible, givin my 2 second distance and .5 second reaction time, i still have 1.5 seconds of raod in front of me, unless my x-0 speed is 1.5 seconds more than his i can safely stay in my lane, and if it isnt i can just go over to the hard shoulder

and when you're driving you look in front of the car directly infront of you to survey traffic conditions and adapt to it, 2 seconds is plenty safe

Your entirely hypothetical reaction time gives an again-hypothetical 1.5 seconds of safety margin - that's if you've been giving 100% concentration for every second of every minute of every hour of the journey - otherwise your "plenty safe" theory looks a bit weak. Even if you could guarrantee to accomplish this unlikey feat of uninterrupted concentration over such a sustained time period, giving oneself a theoretical maximum of only 1.5 seconds safety-margin between hero or zero status doesn't sound like relaxing motoring to me

I'd guess there'd be many common cars that can outbrake other vehicles by 1.5 seconds from 130+km/h

[Matra et Alpine]

it all depends on the place where you rest your foot and your level of attention.too many variables to calculate an exact average...

The "offical" numbers assume you right foot brake, so your foot is "resting" ON the accelerator
The point about AVERAGES is that take variables into account
The THEORETICAL numbers for the brain recognising and firing nerves and muslcles is 1/3 second IIRC
NOW, the UK numbers assuem the driver is driving properly and is appraising the road ahead for required inputs to maintain speed, direction and safety.
Perhaps where msot drivers run cruise control adn drink coffee while on teh mobile phone trygin to close a deal then the 2 second rule isn't safe. But, I'd prefer to see drivers like that have an infinity second rule as that woudl keep them off the streets where they are a danger not only to themselves

experience..... as he pointed out.

WHat did I miss ? I read he "learned" it, I wondered who was "teaching" numbers that are 50% HIGHER than the offiical governemnt driving standards agency recommendation adn research in the UK.

[PerfAdv]

On a freeway in dry conditions, with the normal amount of traffic, you'd be very lucky to be afforded any more than 1-1.5 seconds following distance. Next time you drive look for a marker, a distinguishing feature that the car in front passes (I use Botts dots), then count one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand-three... I usually just get to one-thousand-one, one-th.

If you can actually drive on a freeway at 60 MPH with 3 seconds gap it equates to 264 feet. One second is 88 feet at 60 MPH. 264 feet is almost the length of a Football field. Be honest, do you really need to follow cars with that much distance?

Personally, I don't react based on the brake lights of the car in front of me, I'm usually looking 5-8 cars ahead or further.

[Matra et Alpine]

Having driven in Atlanta, they have seconds and milliseconds all mixed up
If you leave a fender width between you and the car in front someone seems to want to take the space !!
Do US states have relative accident rates on highways ? The local rep didnt' seem too bothered at the number of fender-benders he gets involved in

Your point on distance highlights the common mistake made abotu stoppign distances in moving traffic. The car in front doesnt' stop instantly, so it's the relative speeds as both cars brake that makes the important point. And as you say, PA, a good driver is looking WELL ahead of the one in front to plan appropriate steps if required.

[Rockefella]

Having driven in Atlanta, they have seconds and milliseconds all mixed up
If you leave a fender width between you and the car in front someone seems to want to take the space !!
Do US states have relative accident rates on highways ? The local rep didnt' seem too bothered at the number of fender-benders he gets involved in

Matra, if you come to America again, take a nice road-trip in North-east New Jersey... it's infamous for our incredible drivers and safety. [/sarcasm]

[Matra et Alpine]

Matra, if you come to America again, take a nice road-trip in North-east New Jersey... it's infamous for our incredible drivers and safety. [/sarcasm]

Used to visit Bell Labs at Homldell regularly
Yeah, NJ takes it for aggression !!

[matek]

Ive read through the guy kept the 2 sec rule and logically as you go faster the gap increases and youre reaction time is less than a sec for sure and as it take the car in front time to slow down its not going to stop instantly, so that bit should be fine.

The Drafting part if it was a big enough truck then the car should still be effected by the air flow.

Theres some calculation that says if you put a bike carrier on the car or some storage box on the roof then the petrol you spend doubles when driving from Lands end to John Oh Groats. So it seems reasnable to accept that the guy driving behind the truck could save him quite a bit of petrol.

[Daz27]

How safe do you want to be though? I mean hell, its only your life hey? Personally, unless Im going to pass, I'll leave a hundred metres between me and the stooge front. Thats on the open road. 2 - 3 seconds around town is what I find is the norm for me. As long as I can see and reasonably anticipate whats going on. To each there own I guess, but if you run up the back of my car, expect some road rage.

[matek]

On a motorway 2 seconds is more than 100m

[Daz27]

yeah, but where Im from we dont have the congestion as you do.

[Daz27]

And on the Stuart Highway, in the NT where I grew up, 200kph+ isnt an odd thing, so 2 seconds would be a fair bit more than 100 metres. No speed limit, incase your unaware.

[matek]

??? either way whatever speed your travelling at the distance between will increase and motorways arent always conjested. And when they are two seconds still creates a big enough distance.

[Daz27]

yeah I agree, .4 second to see and acknowledge, another .4 to hit the anchors, if your paying attention, 2 seconds is plenty. If your not payin attention, then what the f**k you doin driving the car, thats the thing your MEANT to be doing after all.