this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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What driving concept you feel that most drivers don't understand? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 year ago by TeckFire@lemmy.world to c/cars@lemmy.world
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I’ll start. Stopping distance.

My commute is 95 miles one way to work, so I see a lot of the highway, in the rural part of the US. This means traveling at 70+ mph (112km/h) for almost the entirety of the drive. The amount of other drivers on the road who follow behind someone else with less than a car’s length in front of them because they want to go 20+ over the speed limit is ridiculous. The only time you ever follow someone that close is if you have complete and absolute trust in them, and also understand that it may not even be enough.

For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed to accurately avoid hitting the brakes. This doesn’t even take into account the lack of understanding of engine braking…

What concepts do you all think of when it comes to driving that you feel are not well understood by the public at large?

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[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This is a good practice in addition to not tailgating, but it falls apart in cases where you're behind an ugly SUV that blocks your view of what's ahead :(

[–] TeckFire@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

IMO that just means you aren’t following back enough. In my daily commute, my only braking is before the highway, after the highway, or when somebody in front absolutely slams it or a wreck happens. Otherwise, I never have to brake even when someone in front of me does and I have no time to anticipate that brake. I just let off the accelerator and slowly roll up closer to them and then let them speed up ahead of me

[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not talking about tailgating. I'm following at a reasonable distance given the traffic. I just can't see past the giant SUV because it's too tall. If I'm behind a sedan in the same areas, it's no problem at all.

If you're suggesting that I'm following too close until I can see the sedan in front of the giant SUV...I think I'd be maintaining a 1/4 mile following distance.

In general, I do agree with the principle of looking far ahead so you're ready to react.

[–] TeckFire@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I will say, I am speaking from experience of driving in very, very hilly, curvy hills of Tennessee. Sometimes I forget not everywhere is like that, and there will often be very little elevation changes. I guess I’m not used to that, I suppose, my bad

[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Fair enough! In turn, I'm speaking from experience of driving mostly in the Minneapolis area. The highways are probably a bit more constricted than what you're used to.

I have an easier time picturing what you're saying when I think about driving 50-200 miles away from the city. More hills, more curves, better visibility.

[–] TeckFire@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

Oh yeah, Minneapolis is much more “on rails” than the roads here. Even our interstate highways sometimes are pretty old and dry on the asphalt side. I’ve had plenty of times where I’ve seen a lane closed with police around it to fill in a pothole or other road damage out in a very rural area