Safe Speed Forums

and by "pussyfooting" the gas when getting back up to speed ?

Thoroughly agree with that. Many is the time I have had my foot on the brake slowing down well before the brake lights of the cars ahead start showing. Sometimes I find it quite frightening how myopic some drivers can be.

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CatsEye

That doesn't count if the driver made the effort to maintain a net steady time gap ahead, as opposed to dropping significantly further back so leaving a huge gap in front (which was what I was describing).

Try that on the M25/M3 (leaving a sufficient gap) and you will quickly find it filled with 5 cars.

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Prepare to be Judged

or the M6, M5 etc...

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

Not on the M3(M25) contraflow (which is what I said).
I gave this as an example because the effect from the ‘pussyfooters’ isn’t diluted by the lane changers you describe; the cause and effect of the stop/start wave are very visible.

If motorway drivers all left sufficient gaps, and looked further ahead than the bumper of the vehicle in front, then brakes should rarely be needed. I find I can almost always maintain adequate separation merely by anticipation and use of gears. Though this may seem a pedantic point, "what does it matter how the reduction in speed is achieved?", there are a couple of factors to consider: Firstly, it is the brake lights that shoot back up the queue at breakneck speed during a 'shockwave' event, eventually causing cars to come to a complete stop whilst more join the 'plug' from behind quicker than they clear from the front. Secondly, smoother driving gives less opportunity for the 'berk' behind to get a surprise and pile into the back of you!

Perfectly put. When I'm driving/riding on the motorway, I go out of my way NOT to use my brakes for that very reason. Looking ahead, and anticipating better, means I can be in the correct gear and I can slow down enough without touching my brakes thus not giving the aforementioned berk behind cause to put on his brakes and then the person behind him etc...

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

The bit I emphasised is what I would like to see on all roads.

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Prepare to be Judged

RobinXe is right the car's speed should be controlled using the interplay between gears, neutral, momentum and road gradient. The brakes are only there for fine trimming and of course emergencies. At my last MOT the brake pads were still good after 60.000 miles. However if you drive close behind you sacrifice the control of your car to the car ahead and will need to drive with your foot hovering over the brake. Why people do it beats me. It takes all the enjoyment out driving.

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CatsEye

Sorry Fella's, I'd completely lost you.....I knew I'd posted a reply, but didn't know where!

I start to back off after two or more cars in front. The more there are, the more I back off. If you don't allow say half a seconds unsightedness/distraction for every vehicle in front of you then you are very soon in deep Doo-Doo should some-one "up-front" anchor on!...... and the guy behind has a stopping distance equal to YOUR dashboard!

YOU may well be a good attentive driver........but if the vehicles in front haven't kept the correct distance and nor have you, that Dimmwit on your bumper is going to need a little more time to stop.....

Can YOU afford to give it to him?......




Or, Are YOU; ................. "The Dimmwit behind"?..........



Tailgating IMO gives: "Speed" a bad name...............

Many's the time I have needed to get off a motorway or DC but there's so much traffic in the inside lane I have to squeeze in, without cutting up.

They see what I'm trying to do and, illegally but very commonly, flash me to say 'yeah, your okay to pull in front' otherwise you'll miss your junction. I acknowledge their kindness with a raised hand or a couple of hazard light flashes and everyone's happy

You can't always see or know when you need to get off a road in heavy traffic, in an unfamiliar area, or when a line of HGVs the size of Big Ben are obscuring your view. And talking of HGVs, they would be done every day as they elephant past another elephant. If you make them pull over only when a safe distance is reached god knows when the rest of us will eventually get past!

So if this whole debate revolves around how to educate people to drive carefully how is it any different to other walks of life? Please indulge me...

If a burglar continues to be a burglar, despite a fine or education, he is usually taken out of society for a while at her majesty's pleasure. Now then, the people who tailgate and cause accidents will generally have to pay the price with their insurance. If insurance companies heavily load the culprit's premium for this particular fault you would effectively legislate them off the road, (I know it wouldn't work for the very wealthy but it's a start). So, in the same way as with a burglar, you will take the bad driver out of highway society.

The idea that you can educate everyone, or most, to drive better is fallacious IMHO, just like you will never educate people not to 'burglar' or drop litter.

Hope that made sense?

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The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.