“if you leave a 3 second gap, there will be enough space for others to safely merge into that space as they need to”
If you’re in traffic (i.e. if you are part of the traffic) and you leave a 3 second gap between you and the car in front of you, another car will drive into that gap. If you back off to create another 3 second gap, it will happen again. Even worse, if you hit the brakes to create that three second gap, even if it’s very lightly, you might cause an even worse traffic jam behind you.
iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 8 hours ago
merc@sh.itjust.works 8 hours ago
And after they do, there will no longer be a 3 second gap, and you’re now driving too close to the person in front of you.
9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world 8 hours ago
You don’t have to brake and maintain a hard 3 seconds between gap. Just let off the gas a bit let it slowly restore itself. That gap is there so cars can move in and out as freely as they need.
merc@sh.itjust.works 7 hours ago
Depends on how aggressively someone merges in front of you, and what they do once they’re in your lane. Some people will merge way too closely. Some people will merge then slow down suddenly. Sometimes you do need to brake.
Rhaedas@fedia.io 9 hours ago
If you're still moving with traffic, why do you care that someone got in front of you? If you're slowing so much that lots of people are getting in front at one time, then you're the obstacle. A 3 second gap changes with speed, if it's slow traffic that's less than a car length. And if some asshole muscles their way into a gap unsafely, let them. You'll still get to your destination far faster than if you hit each other or cause some road rage stupidity because of who is in front.
Driving brings out the worst in people for no gain at all.
merc@sh.itjust.works 8 hours ago
Because you no longer have a 3 second gap so you can no longer safely react to something happening in front of you.
That’s my point. If you keep trying to make a 3 second gap and it keeps being filled in, you’re going to cause a traffic problem.
Technically, sure. If you’re driving at less than 5 km/h and people on foot are passing you, then yes, you can have a 3 second gap with less than 1 car length. But, if you’re driving at less than 5 km/h are you really driving, or are you effectively stopped in traffic?
9tr6gyp3@lemmy.world 7 hours ago
If all these people are merging in front of you, then the adjacent lanes are moving a lot better, which is helpful for traffic. Less braking is the goal, and if 2 or more lanes aren’t braking as much because you left some space in front of you, then traffic should flow much better.