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’

[tanstaafl]

I was about to disagree then I thought ‘well you were thinking of going out tomorrow just to try and get a picture’!

You’re right, back to the garden with the Pimms.

[Wotsitsarecheesy]

"That is the fault of those blocking the road. They shouldn’t pull forward until they can see they won’t block the roundabout."

But those that know the roundabout know there is space for 2 cars. And strangers wouldn't expect to only let 1 car through a roundabout when the lights have only just changed to green. Locals also know that if they wait till the other car has pulled up to the lights, their own lights will have changed back to red and only 1 car will have got through before another 2 minute wait. Traffic can build up very quickly if only 1 car at a time gets through the lights, but if the first car would pull up to the line, like most cars do, it is less of a problem. Maybe this is just a particularly badly designed roundabout!

[CorianderLord]

Probably so they can see the light without craning their neck. Was always too high for my car

[cologne4711]

I hate a gap too, especially when you are stuck in traffic for ages. Pull up to the next fucking car, then there wouldnt be a gap

There are gaps and gaps. I agree in relation to small gaps, you don't need to leave a lot of space, pull up (obviously leaving enough to turn around or in case the car in front rolls back if it's hilly!)

But why oh why do people leave about 5 car lengths in a queue?

[cologne4711]

(though to be fair I will leave a bit of space if it "smooths" out the queue and stops lots of stopping and starting - I'd rather crawl along at walking pace than do 20 for a bit then stop completely for a bit)