accident situation - car slams on breaks to complete stop in 55mph zone

Tim923 wrote:
> If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
> complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
> how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
> Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a ticket
> for tailgating?

Depends how close you're following, and the stopping distance of the
car in front of you, and the braking ability of your car.

"Garth Almgren" > wrote in message
...
> Around 1/13/2005 11:50 AM, John David Galt wrote:
>
> > Tim923 wrote:
> >
> >> If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
> >> complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
> >> how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
> >> Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a ticket
> >> for tailgating?
> >
> >
> > No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would cut
> > in constantly,
>
> Amazingly, that doesn't happen much IME.
>
>
It almost never happens to me either. Well, unless I'm in the rightmost
lane, and then only if I've (gasp) "enabled" a merger who was positionally
ahead of me in the merge lane--instead of the SOP of MFFY drivers that floor
it and near-miss pass the merging driver just as the merge lane is ending.

Plus, I almost always follow at least 3 seconds behind the car in front of
me. And if traffic slows and I find that a late braker is following behind
me--as shown by their front end dipping sharply and/or their headlights are
almost lost below my rear windshield--I increase the following distance to
six seconds.

"Garth Almgren" > wrote in message
...
> Around 1/13/2005 11:50 AM, John David Galt wrote:
>
> > Tim923 wrote:
> >
> >> If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
> >> complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
> >> how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
> >> Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a ticket
> >> for tailgating?
> >
> >
> > No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would cut
> > in constantly,
>
> Amazingly, that doesn't happen much IME.
>
>
It almost never happens to me either. Well, unless I'm in the rightmost
lane, and then only if I've (gasp) "enabled" a merger who was positionally
ahead of me in the merge lane--instead of the SOP of MFFY drivers that floor
it and near-miss pass the merging driver just as the merge lane is ending.

Plus, I almost always follow at least 3 seconds behind the car in front of
me. And if traffic slows and I find that a late braker is following behind
me--as shown by their front end dipping sharply and/or their headlights are
almost lost below my rear windshield--I increase the following distance to
six seconds.

John David Galt wrote:
> Tim923 wrote:
> > If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
> > complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
> > how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
> > Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a
ticket > > for tailgating?

> No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would
cut
> in constantly,

Time is not the issue. For the past few years, I have left *extra
fowllowing distance*. I have made the mental adjustment that I am *not
being cut off* but allowing the *impatient crowd* to be in front of
me...not behind me.

>and everyone on the freeway would rightfully regard you as an
>asshole.

Do I really care??

> The law needs to be changed so people in the following car's
situation
> don't get blamed, at least on freeways. If the guy ahead
legitimately
> needed to stop,

My experience (in NJ) is that the local police usually *do not* give a
ticket for a rear ender. My stepson is has smacked at least 4 cars from
behind and did not get any tickets. He's just in the poor house.

John David Galt wrote:
> Tim923 wrote:
> > If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
> > complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
> > how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
> > Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a
ticket > > for tailgating?

> No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would
cut
> in constantly,

Time is not the issue. For the past few years, I have left *extra
fowllowing distance*. I have made the mental adjustment that I am *not
being cut off* but allowing the *impatient crowd* to be in front of
me...not behind me.

>and everyone on the freeway would rightfully regard you as an
>asshole.

Do I really care??

> The law needs to be changed so people in the following car's
situation
> don't get blamed, at least on freeways. If the guy ahead
legitimately
> needed to stop,

My experience (in NJ) is that the local police usually *do not* give a
ticket for a rear ender. My stepson is has smacked at least 4 cars from
behind and did not get any tickets. He's just in the poor house.

It DRIVES me crazy 2 wrote:
> John David Galt wrote:
>
>>Tim923 wrote:
>>
>>>If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
>>>complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
>>>how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
>>>Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a
>
> ticket > > for tailgating?
>
>
>>No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would
>
> cut
>
>>in constantly,
>
>
> Time is not the issue. For the past few years, I have left *extra
> fowllowing distance*. I have made the mental adjustment that I am *not
> being cut off* but allowing the *impatient crowd* to be in front of
> me...not behind me.
>
>
>>and everyone on the freeway would rightfully regard you as an
>>asshole.
>
>
> Do I really care??

If you don't, you need to be bashed off the road.

It DRIVES me crazy 2 wrote:
> John David Galt wrote:
>
>>Tim923 wrote:
>>
>>>If a car slams on the breaks in a 55mph zone unexpectedly to a
>>>complete stop (as quickly as possible, he missed his turn perhaps),
>>>how much reaction time does the car behind need to avoid collision.
>>>Would it be fair for the car hitting the stopping car to get a
>
> ticket > > for tailgating?
>
>
>>No. If you tried to leave enough space to avoid that, people would
>
> cut
>
>>in constantly,
>
>
> Time is not the issue. For the past few years, I have left *extra
> fowllowing distance*. I have made the mental adjustment that I am *not
> being cut off* but allowing the *impatient crowd* to be in front of
> me...not behind me.
>
>
>>and everyone on the freeway would rightfully regard you as an
>>asshole.
>
>
> Do I really care??

If you don't, you need to be bashed off the road.