Drivers - what’s with the gap?

[tanstaafl]

For the first time in months, I’ve been out this morning at rush hour ( or what constitutes rush hour in this ruralish place I live ).

There it was , ‘the gap’.

Car in front waiting at lights. There’s a gap between the front of their car and the white line you could get an old mini into.

I was taught you pull up to the line imagining the bumper ( remember them!) just about above the white line.

Are drivers taught differently now?

I see it between cars queuing at lights too.
Is everyone being taught VIP protection techniques these days?

Yabu - times have moved on , keep up grandma
Yanbu - I too want to tap on their window and ‘offer suggestions’

Many lights are still triggered by weight sensors on the road shortly before the white line, and anyone who's leaving a whole car gap before the line is not triggering them, which is definitely wrong.

@Silvercatowner

Why are people whittering on about 'tyres and tarmac'? Read the OP - the the gap she's grumbling about is the gap between the car in front and the white line at the lights. There is no car in front of that.

Nope...

From the OP

I see it between cars queuing at lights too
Is everyone being taught VIP protection techniques these days?

Because if someone rear ends you (because they are too busy tutting at the gap you've left to brake in time) you won't be shunted into the car in front or into the traffic crossing in front of the junction.

My instructor said I should go all the way up to the line, because any lorry driver behind me would probably assume I would, and so if I stopped short they might go into me.

Tarmac and tyres 20 years ago. Lots of good reasons why listed on this post.

Inductive loops (that control traffic lights) are about 1m back from the white lines. It’s not great to park metres back from a white line. But you don’t need to be right up to it to trigger it.

My instructor said I should go all the way up to the line, because any lorry driver behind me would probably assume I would, and so if I stopped short they might go into me

Huh? That’s some odd logic right there.

^ ThePants999

Many lights are still triggered by weight sensors on the road shortly before the white line, and anyone who's leaving a whole car gap before the line is not triggering them, which is definitely wrong ^

Yes, I have twice been stuck at lights for a prolonged period behind someone doing this, each time another driver did have to tap on the window of the person at the front for them to realise, driver moved forward and the lights changed within seconds!

Yeah but @ianthanum presumably thats only valid if you have a lorry behind you? Most of the time you will have a car, in which case it doesnt really matter

Yeah but @ianthanum presumably thats only valid if you have a lorry behind you?

A lorry being driven by an utterly shit driver who’s both completely unobservant and travelling far to close to the vehicle in front.

What do you mean @PenelopePitstop49, Ive never been in a stopped traffic jam with massive gaps.

Gaps in moving traffic are normal, it keeps the traffic flowing, enables people to merge on etc.

The closer you are to the car in front the louder your horn sounds 😏

@Silvercatowner

Why are people whittering on about 'tyres and tarmac'? Read the OP - the the gap she's grumbling about is the gap between the car in front and the white line at the lights. There is no car in front of that.

But that is the equivalent, for the car at the front. There are still good reasons to leave a space, which have already been enumerated on the thread.

Perhaps the OP was looking at the Advanced Stop Line, which is for cyclists?

are u sure you dont mean the cyslist line?

anyway like others i was taught tyres and tarmac its not going to make a great deal of difference if your at the line or not

I've noticed with new traffic lights I can't see them if I pull right up to the line, so I have to stop slightly back. Not a car length though.

I was always told "tyres and tarmac" on my lessons.

It is funny when you see someone who can't manage to get their car to the line when at the front of a queue. They generally also can't manage to set off when the lights go green, they faff around for a few seconds first. Unprepared and slow drivers = a driver who isn't paying attention = a dangerous driver.

I like to just pull up alongside them and stop at the line, generally seeing a gap big enough that I could fit my car in front of theirs. Usually they are so embarrassed at this point, they pull forward to avoid looking stupid.

If blue lights are behind you it leaves room to get the fuck out of the way without blocking the view for the emergency responder AND if the lights cycle neither you nor the other direction are blocking the junction AND all the cars behind you then have space to pull out of the way too.

It's taught in defensive driving

What everyone else says but also at some junctions if you stop too far forward it's more difficult to see the traffic lights.

It is ridiculous not to leave a gap!

It's vehicle distancing because of covid

Cyclists?

Cyclists?

So many people misunderstanding the OP!

Yes, there should be a gap between cars to allow braking time but the OP is about leaving a gap at the front of a queue at a red light. That's just ridiculous.

Clearly they did it with the express purpose of aggravating you. 🙄