Well, this was a fun experience

UofMz71 · October 3, 2019

26 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

I don't know where you learned to drive but 2 - 3 car lengths is 40 -60 ft.

I was taught to leave 1 car length (20ft) for every 10 mph. That's 160ft at 80 mph. I myself don't think that's enough space. At 80 mph you are traveling 117 ft. per second.

You can stop in 40 - 60 ft going 80? Or even slow down to 50? I doubt it.

Reality check please.

That's just dumb.

I wouldn't be any closer than 10 - 12 car lengths going 80.

Why does everyone need to ride each other's ass?

Where's the fire?

Dumb.

Anyone over 50 care to chime in?

I'm always at 2-3 car lengths (I'm also calculating 20ft per car - and leaning more to the three side) behind the person in front of me. 60ft is plenty and I have never rear ended anyone. Never had a problem stopping, but maybe my reaction time is quicker than yours. There is no way on God's green earth you would be able to keep 10-12 car lengths between you and the driver in front of you - that sir is NOT reality. You are basically stating you would keep three 18-wheelers space at all times? Please. I'm not riding anyone's ass at 2-3 car lengths, if you or anyone else thinks so, then move, create your football field space, betcha someone gets in between.

tmo · October 3, 2019

Guy is probably 23 or so and with an attitude like that and sheer ignorance you can bet his day will be coming....and humbling it will be for the lad!

Guess he is 23 or so since he didn’t deny it. I just turned 23 by the way, just fortunate enough to be raised by a level headed family. Karma is a bit** he will find that out eventually.

garagerog · October 3, 2019

In the interests of diffusing the "tension" on this thread, NCPGMC brought up a hazard no one can control, sneezes, nothing scares the hell out of me more than sneezing on a crowded roadway or going into a steep curve. Fortunately it has never caused me an accident, but I could see where it could cause one. When one sneezes it's an autonomic function that the eyes close.

aseibel · October 3, 2019

2 hours ago, UofMz71 said:

I'm always at 2-3 car lengths (I'm also calculating 20ft per car - and leaning more to the three side) behind the person in front of me. 60ft is plenty and I have never rear ended anyone.

wow, I hope you don't rear end someone in your newly repaired truck then. If you recall from driver's ed, I believe they recommend 3 seconds worth of space between vehicles, which is around 120' @ 80 mph like dieselfan1 said. I've followed closer than that when traffic is heavy and all lanes are full, but no way I'm driving that close for any extended time, it makes me uncomfortable. And if someone is close to my rear end, I will increase the distance in front of me proportionally.

You are leaving about 1 second of space in front of you. Do you ever look away for 1 second? Maybe you are quick to hit the brakes, but slowing down rapidly also invites the person behind you to test their reaction time. I don't feel like testing the drivers around me when I can see that most of them are looking at their phones when I go by.

dieselfan1 · October 3, 2019

13 minutes ago, aseibel said:

wow, I hope you don't rear end someone in your newly repaired truck then. If you recall from driver's ed, I believe they recommend 3 seconds worth of space between vehicles, which is around 120' @ 80 mph like dieselfan1 said. I've followed closer than that when traffic is heavy and all lanes are full, but no way I'm driving that close for any extended time, it makes me uncomfortable. And if someone is close to my rear end, I will increase the distance in front of me proportionally.

You are leaving about 1 second of space in front of you. Do you ever look away for 1 second? Maybe you are quick to hit the brakes, but slowing down rapidly also invites the person behind you to test their reaction time. I don't feel like testing the drivers around me when I can see that most of them are looking at their phones when I go by.

Exactly

He'll ass end someone soon with that attitude.

UofMz71 · October 3, 2019

9 minutes ago, aseibel said:

wow, I hope you don't rear end someone in your newly repaired truck then. If you recall from driver's ed, I believe they recommend 3 seconds worth of space between vehicles, which is around 120' @ 80 mph like dieselfan1 said. I've followed closer than that when traffic is heavy and all lanes are full, but no way I'm driving that close for any extended time, it makes me uncomfortable. And if someone is close to my rear end, I will increase the distance in front of me proportionally.

You are leaving about 1 second of space in front of you. Do you ever look away for 1 second? Maybe you are quick to hit the brakes, but slowing down rapidly also invites the person behind you to test their reaction time. I don't feel like testing the drivers around me when I can see that most of them are looking at their phones when I go by.

Geez guys, im not driving 80mph in bumper to bumper traffic all day. If im going 80mph in the fast lane, and approaching a car that is slower, I will leave 2-3 car lengths with caution. once they move over I continue my pace. I don't get behind them and crowd their space.

I took drivers ed, passed both written and driving test with perfect scores (its drivers ed - its easy). Spent some time on a road course, so Im very familiar with how to drive. whats comfortable to me, may not be for someone else.

Again, never been in an at-fault accident, in fact, this has been my only accident, and I had been eyeing her driving for at least 45 min prior.

I hate vehicles around me, and the reason I try to move faster. One could argue that's not proper, but it seems people who are slower cause more issues. IDK

I think we turned the tables on me somehow...

UofMz71 · October 3, 2019

7 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Exactly

He'll ass end someone soon with that attitude.

how many accidents have you been involved in?

aseibel · October 3, 2019

13 minutes ago, UofMz71 said:

I think we turned the tables on me somehow...

I understand. Being aware of your surroundings is the best thing you can do.

You just opened a can of worms when you admitted, "I'm always at 2-3 car lengths"

That is pretty close, and leads some of us to believe your driving behavior could have been a contributing factor, or might be someday in a different situation.

dieselfan1 · October 3, 2019

15 minutes ago, UofMz71 said:

how many accidents have you been involved in?

I'm 57 I've got 2.6 million miles under my belt almost all of these miles driving Chevy trucks.

I've never been in an accident ever.

2-3 car lengths is too close at 80 mph and that's a fact.

dieselfan1 · October 3, 2019

Here you go. At 80 mph they recommend 351ft. That's how far you go in three seconds.

Good luck.

Racindave · October 3, 2019

16 minutes ago, dieselfan1 said:

Here you go. At 80 mph they recommend 351ft. That's how far you go in three seconds.

Good luck.

So more than a foot ball field...... sure we all do that..... in reality that’s not happening. You make an opening that big 4 cars will fill it.

HeySkippyDog · October 3, 2019

Here you go. At 80 mph they recommend 351ft. That's how far you go in three seconds.
Good luck.

No. Here YOU go. Get your pencil out, take notes.

That car in front of you that is also going 80 mph does not instantly come to a stop.

Your total braking distance available is not just the space between you and the next car.

Your assumption is based on going 80 mph and stopping at a finite spot.

That car in front of you is ALSO covering distance while coming to a stop.

The space between you and the next car is to allow for your reaction time. You don't need 400 feet.

Motion is relative. Dumbass.

Now take your smug safety-briefing ass and go sit in the corner and think about what you did.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727A using Tapatalk

dieselfan1 · October 3, 2019

28 minutes ago, HeySkippyDog said:

No. Here YOU go. Get your pencil out, take notes.

That car in front of you that is also going 80 mph does not instantly come to a stop.

Your total braking distance available is not just the space between you and the next car.

Your assumption is based on going 80 mph and stopping at a finite spot.

That car in front of you is ALSO covering distance while coming to a stop.

The space between you and the next car is to allow for your reaction time. You don't need 400 feet.

Motion is relative. Dumbass.

Now take your smug safety-briefing ass and go sit in the corner and think about what you did.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727A using Tapatalk

Relax Dog

Hows the blood pressure medication working?

I never said to follow that far behind , I said around 10 -12 Car lengths.

I'm sure you could pretty much stop in that distance from 80 mph.

Why live on the edge anyway?

What if you look down to change stations or whatever, then the guy in front of you locks them up?

Don't call me a dumbass either. That's uncalled for.

dieselfan1 · October 3, 2019

I was just looking at the pics of the OP's smashed truck. Taillights don't look stock. Are they blacked out?

Also the seat on the bike in the back of the truck is blocking the third brake light.

If you had to hit your brakes, she probably didn't see your brake lights very well. You did say you slowed to 50 but never said if you hit your brakes.

Just throwing that out there.