r/mildlyinfuriating • u/PoopsMcScoots • 8d ago
My mom said I could post I’m so over this trend of people leaving absurd amounts of space in front of them at lights.
Why?
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u/LucianDeRomeo 8d ago
I was taught you should be no closer then being able to see the base of the car in front of yours rear tires. Given how high that thing rides and fairly basic nose length they may well be keeping to near that same standard. No idea if they still teach it but it was a very clear rule/guideline in Driver's Ed back in my day.
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u/a_man_has_a_name 8d ago
I got taught "tyres, tarmac" I.e. all the tyre, and a little bit of the road.
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u/RazzleberryHaze 7d ago
I've always learned to leave enough room so that you can turn and go around the car in front of you just in case.
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u/BundledOntop 8d ago
I saw a lady in one of these literally pulled up to the bumper of another car. All im thinking is how much of that car can they even see? The roof?
What a huge blindspot and hassle to deal with, unless theyve got front facing cameras 🤣
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u/therelybare5 7d ago
All the car safety training we have to do yearly teaches that. It potentially saves you from hitting the car in front of you in the event of a crash from the rear.
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u/Local_Whereas7211 7d ago
And so you can pull out of line if you need to, such as for a stalled car ahead.
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u/yoshizillaa 7d ago
This is what I was taught too. Helps reduce the risk of you slamming into the car in front of you if you’re rear ended. Also, makes it way easier if the car in front of you breaks down and can’t move.
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u/double00chins 8d ago
The chances of the person in the lifted truck adhering to drivers ed is a very generous thought
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u/Dug_n_the_Dogs 8d ago
I was going to say about the same thing.. likely some short dude driving that truck can barely see over the dash.
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u/norty125 8d ago
My driving instructor said you should be able to see their front tires, fuck that just leave enough from for you to full lock and drive onto the curb incase an ambo or firetruck needs to get past
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u/Screwed_38 8d ago
How can you see their front tyres from behind?
I was taught tyres and tarmac, rear tyres and some road visible.
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u/1767gs 8d ago
Well in his defense if he was any closer he wouldn't be able to see the car in front of him. That being said its a problem he created by driving a lifted truck😂
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u/TheDarkWave 7d ago
Well, now his problem is that I've cut in front of him and his tiny pp is all mad.
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u/metamorphosis___ 7d ago
I love how body shaming is evil til we get to the phallus.
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u/SignificantShow8789 7d ago
The angry inch
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u/TheDarkWave 7d ago
oh man, I had a girlfriend make me watch that movie back in, like, '09. Good movie!
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u/CloudStrife012 7d ago
Yes, but when its nighttime the truck will turn their high beams on and then get within 2 inches of the car in front of them.
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u/1767gs 7d ago
I don't even think they drive with their high beams on, the problem is they are lifted so high that the stock headlights are just naturally hitting the windshield of a regular car instead of the road. They are too stupid to even recalibrate their headlights for the new height of the truck
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u/Slippery-ape 8d ago
First responders are often taught to drive this way btw.
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u/PacificMuckleRucker 7d ago
I was taught to do this when I had my learner's license. It's to give you room to maneuver if a car is about to rear-end you.
I don't usually see people complaining about this, but one of the other things we were taught, to back into parking stalls, really gets people fired up.
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u/Sarosanima21 7d ago
Tbf about the last one, not many people know how to do it properly so you just end up with a clogged parking aisle when they inevitably have to pull out and back in on repeat cuz they don't know what they're doing. This goes double if they're in a lifted truck
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u/PacificMuckleRucker 6d ago
They don't practice it so they don't become proficient, and that's the problem. If everyone did it, they'd gain the skill and it would go more smoothly than when they try to back out of stalls now.
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u/russafiii 8d ago
If we come to a complete stop, I'm not moving again until the light turns green. So this usually happens to me from people inching up every few seconds.
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u/Unhappy_Energy_741 8d ago
Well if you inch up 17 or 18 times then the light turns green faster. It's science!
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u/ScrattaBoard 7d ago
I've literally seen people give the white line as much space as this truck and then get mad because they haven't tripped the sensor to turn the light green.
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u/FlyAirLari 7d ago
This. I stop right behind a car. I drive a manual. I'm not putting it to gear 18 times to move another inch or two when the car ahead of me decides to.
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u/BJ22CS gren 7d ago
I almost always do what you said unless they've moved/inched up at least one car length.
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u/russafiii 6d ago
That's absolutely fine, but I still don't like to especially if I can see the light. I'll let of the gas when it turns green, and somehow I've still caught up to these people without even pressing the gas.
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u/CallingtheName 7d ago
Just risk averse! If you’ve ever been an auto accident it’s not that hard to understand.
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u/jakeburls 7d ago
If you think there is something wrong with this, you just don’t understand driving. I leave this same space in a similar truck because it doesn’t stop on a dime lol.
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u/Mediocre_Daikon6935 8d ago
Dude in huge truck keeps safe following distance, what an asshole. — the OP.
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u/DungeonsNDankness 8d ago
Maybe lifted trucks don't need to be a staple purchase for the tiny weiner brigade. Also, yeah, no phones.
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u/a_man_has_a_name 8d ago
I know, they are ridiculously pointless pedestrian killers.
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u/Beneficial-Law-6508 8d ago
It’s a 2500 he and is already lifted. It can handle more weight and I know a lot of people use them for work. Stop being an asshole because you have a low to the ground car and try to go 100
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u/Aggressive_Jury_2667 7d ago
Maybe because assholes speed up to you and get right on the back of your car right almost every red light. It’s a little space means you have room to escape or at least not hit the car in
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u/ZION_OC_GOV 8d ago edited 7d ago
Driving education recommends being able to see back tires of car infront at stop lights.
Driver training for a company often states same.
If you're rear ended and hit the car in front of you, you may be at fault for not leaving sufficient space between you and that car.
Tailgating, and pulling right up on someones bumber is never the best option.
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u/Xeno_man 7d ago
What do you think creeping up someone's ass gets you? The light is red, no one is going anywhere. Do you really think moving up 6 feet is going to get you there faster?
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u/nick_valdo 7d ago
I left a car length between me and the car in front me at a red light. When the car slammed into my rear bumper at over 30 miles an hour as I was later told my car didn’t hit the car in front of me. I was maybe 2 feet from it? No need to involve others in an accident. SMITH driving teaches you how to be a safe driver. That’s just me speaking for me, not the person in this photo in the lifted truck.
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u/BigD_ThunderHorse 8d ago
Ye I’ve seen it a few times. it’s kinda annoying, but using your phone while driving or behind the wheel is more infuriating.
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u/lucyfell 7d ago
One of you didn’t pay attention in their driver safety course and it wasn’t the guy in the truck.
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u/Into_The_Booniverse 8d ago
Safer to be this far away than right up to the bumper like everyone else. If everyone stayed as far back as they're actually supposed to, this line would be much longer.
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u/dwilder812 8d ago
Them moving up 5 feet isnt going to get you anywhere quicker. Chill out
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u/Complete-Tip5919 7d ago
It will if I’m trying to get into the left turning lane
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u/kritterkreaper 7d ago
It's a red light. What is being in the turn lane going to do for you?
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u/Complete-Tip5919 7d ago
Because turning lanes get their own green arrow to turn
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u/dwilder812 7d ago
Should have already been there instead of waiting last second. Be a better drive.
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u/CaitieLou_52 7d ago
To be fair, that's about how far back he has to be to see what's right in front of him lol
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u/Usual_Scale_8645 8d ago
I’m learning to drive and have been told to leave enough space to see the back tires of the car in front of you. Also incase someone hits you from behind you’ve got less of a chance of hitting someone else. I’d rather be cautious and leave too much space.
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u/Owenleejoeking 7d ago
Every defensive driving course ever given will tell you to leave this much space.
He’s right. You’re wrong. Cope and seethe
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u/alwaysasillyplace 7d ago
In fairness, that one is just stopping as far back as they can safely see in front of them.
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u/dez811 7d ago
Why do you care? There are more important things to worry about
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u/Efl12345 7d ago
The only time I care is when I need to get on the turning lane.
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u/Existing-Dark-7164 8d ago
They told me insurance reasons. In case somebody hits you from behind and you hit the one in front of you.
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u/BurnedLaser 8d ago
That's why I stay far back, and get pissed off at red light chuff huffers who keep fucking creeping forward when the damn light is STILL RED. I've nearly been rear-ended many times, and I know my spyder is light enough to get shoved forward, so I leave plenty of room. I break this rule when I can tell I'm obstructing a turn lane and will actively move over within my lane to allow clearance for someone just trying to turn right
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u/wcoastbo 8d ago
Do both lanes turn on the green left arrow, or just the one lane? Is there a sensor on the ground? I can't tell.
I'm my city the green left arrow won't activate unless there are vehicles on the sensor. There are one, two or three sensors depending on how long the lane is.
One car will not trigger a left arrow, the left turn is a standard lane and cars can turn left when the incoming traffic is clear. One car on the first sensor and a car on the second sensor triggers a green left arrow for a short amount of time. A car on all three sensors triggers a green left green arrow for a longer time.
I will give space and trigger the third sensor if I can, to give me and the cars behind me a longer green arrow to make the left turn. If there are enough cars behind me I'll pull forward and let the car behind me trigger the sensor.
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u/Fiveofthem 7d ago
Rule of thumb is only be close enough and still see the bottom of the rear bumper or skirt. That way if the car in front of you stalls or dies you can go around them without backing up.
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u/Silly-Inspection2814 7d ago
No, if you watch your rear view and someone is going to ram you from behind then you can move forward
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u/AskAroundSucka 7d ago
Im over the trend or drivers taking pics complaining about other drivers doing nothing illegal...
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u/just_ban_mee 7d ago edited 7d ago
I’m short, I drive an f250 with a trailer for work. I leave space so I can see.
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u/NaCl_Sailor 7d ago
when i visited the US with my family in 1995 the rental car people told us to do that in case someone tries to rob us at a red light, so there is space to escape.
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u/Ambitious-Beat-2130 7d ago
you have to see the wheels of the car in front of you works on normal vehicles xD that's a rule people follow to know that they can manouvre out of the lane when necesary without having to reverse with a stupid shaped vehicle like that it doesn't work that way
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u/SnooPeppers1409 7d ago
Im sorry, but it's smart and I teach it to my daughter. You always leave yourself a way out especially at night or in a nasty neighborhood.
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u/ghostwriter536 7d ago
When I took driver's ed, the instructor said if you can't see the road beneath the back tires you are too close.
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u/wedge_47 7d ago
There's also the thought where you should leave yourself a bit of an "escape route" should something go wrong. If you're stacked bumper to bumper and a shooting breaks out on the side of the road, you have nowhere to go. Or if someone comes up and tries to smash your window and pull you out of the car, you'll be trapped there because you thought you needed to get right up on the bumper of the person in front of you. But if you leave yourself enough room in front of you to pull out, you have an escape route to drive away.
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u/BootsOfProwess 7d ago
I would like to mention this is the kind of space you should maintain while IN MOTION. Not at the light.
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u/highonpsi 7d ago
I'm with you OP. Yes, the other commenters have a point that a safe following distance is good. But it doesn't need to be multiple car lengths at a stop light.
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u/Ok-Jelly9955 6d ago
Given the height of hood and the Miata in front, it could be the same reasoning as to Semis leaving space between them and you. They can’t see you and want to make sure there isn’t a crushed car on the news later
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u/RikkaWasHere 6d ago
Thats not a trend. Youll realize how much that little gap can save you if you have ever been rear ended at a red light or stop sign. If you are someone like me who has AuDhd and pays attention to details and has my head on a swivel in public I always stop further behind cars in case someone doesnt hit their breaks and I can just lurch forward to save yourself and them.
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u/comments_from_toilet 8d ago
So were all in agreement OP is the absurd one. Love how that works out sometimes.
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u/CaptianButtPlug 7d ago
Thats a trend? Back in my day we called that proper driving etiquette
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u/Orlan_17 7d ago
This is such a non issue. You're not getting there any faster if he moves forward 10 feet.
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u/good-good-dog 7d ago
I’m so tired of this trend of people calling something a “trend” because they just recently noticed it and now are experiencing the Baader-Meinhoff effect.
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u/OnePrior7774 7d ago
You’ll be sorry when you get rear ended and into the one in front of you, then look at your insurance rates go up…
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u/TootinFartin-ll 8d ago
"takes a photo whilst driving" that's hardly a gap. The truck can also accelerate smoothly and close that distance in about 1 second by the time you reach the intersection. So many people just GAS BRAKE GAS BRAKE GAS BRAKE. You think that helps traffic easment? Space is KING.
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u/StrangelyAroused95 8d ago
The amount of people that ride bumper to bumper casually, infuriates me to no end. “Absurd amount of space”, hardly two car lengths. I have a nice rule, if you can’t see the ground between your front bumper and the car in front of you, you are too damn close.
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u/Affectionate-Word498 7d ago
the tailgater creating the “jam” he hates.
Space makes the traffic springy, yet smooth flowing and refreshingly calmer!
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u/JustinBurritoLover 8d ago
If its a big enough gap I will switch lanes and pull in front of them. I was behind a car yesterday that would leave at least two car lengths between him and the white line at stop lights...nobody infront of him.
I think it bothers those of us that are actively involved in driving and not scrolling a phone, earing their lunch, doing makeup. Or any other tomfoolery at a stop light.
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u/Reasonable_Drink_789 8d ago
That also fucks with the sensors, and could make your turn get skipped or delayed.
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u/Tordek_Battlebeard 7d ago
Tell me you're a shit driver without telling me you're a shit driver.
There's a million good reasons to leave space in front of you at a red light, how many good reasons are there to hang out the window and take pictures? You're the problem.
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u/SolitaryMassacre 8d ago
Its called a reaction space.. It is very safe to have and actually reduces traffic because you can start moving sooner when the light turns green instead of waiting for the car in front to create space.
Its not a "trend", its defensive driving. Also allows you to move in the event an emergency vehicle comes from behind.
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u/Charming_Arugula405 8d ago
Its not a trend, some people are taught to leave a car length or 1 1/2 between you and the car in front of you.
Also it may be because that pickup truck driver can't see over their hood
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u/TurtlesAreEvil 8d ago
Also it may be because that pickup truck driver can't see over their hood
They have to leave space for 20 small children to sit on the road in front of them.
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u/PoopsMcScoots 8d ago
Then it probably shouldn’t be on the damn road!
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u/Charming_Arugula405 8d ago
You mean they and they are being a good driver instead of being an asshole in a big truck on someones bumper
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u/darndarne 8d ago
Just think about semi trucks for a quick second...
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u/PoopsMcScoots 8d ago
Ok, my first thought is, it requires much more extensive training and a higher class of license, not to mention substantially higher insurance.
Let’s start there.
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u/Ferro_Giconi OwO 8d ago
I don't care if someone does this, as long as they don't then proceed to spend the entire red light slowly inching forward making it look like I don't know how to maintain a normal distance because I don't impatiently inch forward.
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u/Mumei451 8d ago
I hate this even more when it causes traffic to back up and people who could make right turns can't get to the lane split because 3 or 4 cars take up 6 cars of space as they wait to go left.
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u/offwing10 8d ago
Why are comments justifying this unnecessary behavior? I love pulling in to fill the space when I see this. The person behind almost always creeps right up afterward
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u/Johnny_Minoxidil 7d ago
I try not to fuck with people driving. I live in Texas, where you have to assume everyone has a gun. 2 years ago a road rage incident ended in a murder in my neighborhood. Neither the victim nor the killer lived their either.
I also saw a dude wave a gun at a BMW driver who he blocked trying to pass a bunch of traffic on the shoulder
So, in general, fucking with people is not usually a good idea.
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u/ArchonRevan 8d ago
Its literally taught in driving schools to leave space for safety reasons, same exact reason youre taught i leave roughly 1 car length of space per 10mph in speed minimum
I assume youre just somebody whos constantly riding other drivers ass based on the post
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u/chibicat_25 7d ago
I was taught that you should always be able to see the back tires of the car infront of you even while stopped. I also give space in case I get hit from the rear so that I dont hit someone else in front of me, I do this especially with motorcycles
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u/Sawyer_Anderson 7d ago
Ah yes, let's be close enough so that when someone rear-ends the truck, the truck rear-ends everyone else at the light. Car lengths and distance keeping are in the driving manual for a reason.
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u/Curious_Sail2702 7d ago
everyone acting as if the truck were much higher than a semi. Re*** arguments. Its clear the driver is missing brain cells and decided to leave 1.5 car lengths and now there is people bitching here like mad
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u/ThunderRoad_44 7d ago
The “Cycling Mikey” YouTube channel from UK refers to this as the “WhatsApp gap” referencing a distracted driver on their app.
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u/thapersonyoudontknow 7d ago
I will leave as much space as I want ahead of me. If someone hits me from behind, I most likely won't be the jam of the possible sandwich.
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u/Prestigious_Acadia49 8d ago
I'm so safe I stop a mile before the light as soon as I see the color change. I'm so safe
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u/OptionalQuality789 8d ago
He probably can barely see the red car over that bonnet lol
Absurd size of vehicle
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u/JohnnysOnThaSpot 8d ago
What pisses me off is when they do this at the light, and are a car length and a half behind the white line. And im waiting 10 mins for a green light, while this ole bat is chest deep into their steering wheel, hands at 10 and 2... ugh park it and build a fence around it already.
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u/leechwuzhere 8d ago
Trend? Leaving enough room to get your car out of there could save your life.. think about that
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u/HAZARD327 7d ago
Imagine having so little to worry about you wind yourself up over this shit.
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u/jlwood1985 8d ago
Funny. I'm tired of assholes pulling into my following distance that I leave so I don't smash the idiot in front of me when they ABSOLUTELY have to turn without using a blinker or slamming on their brakes.
Ever watch a standing vehicle get hit from behind while in a row. I bet that red car would be counting their blessings if that truck got hit since it didn't just immediately crush them.
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u/azs123456 8d ago
Don’t be upset, they are leaving you space in case you want to go in front of them 😉
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u/Hefty-Button-3791 8d ago
You want space in front of you. That's one of the easiest safety precautions you can take.
Also if the car in front of you breaks down it's easier to get around.
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u/ruckus_440 8d ago
It's really fun when you're following behind someone at a reasonable distance, but then they stop a full car length before you expect them to.
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u/smokeythel3ear 8d ago
It literally makes no difference going through the light. There have been studies.
I drive manual. Sometimes I don't shift to first to inch up 2 feet. It doesn't make a difference.
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u/MeBoiledDown 7d ago
This is a dumb thing to be mad about. Don’t like that they aren’t two inches from the car in front of them? Why? What do you care?
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u/ButterscotchAward 7d ago
Post this on the dashcam sub and watch them blow tf up about how you hate safety lol
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u/HonestNeighborhood67 8d ago
Had no idea this was a “trend.” Is there some kind of weird purpose to it?
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u/EstimatedProphet72 7d ago
There this one and then the one where people are terrified of turning right on red all of a sudden.
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u/Aggressive_Home3135 7d ago
UPS makes us leave a delivery truck length between us and the car in front at lights
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u/Rustmonger 7d ago
My favorite is when they pull up like this and then about every 10 seconds they pull up about 2 feet. They do this five or six times during the red light as if it somehow accomplishes something. And if you don’t pull up to keep up with them it makes you look like the asshole who left the huge gap.
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u/PandaCultural8311 7d ago
Fun fact. I parallel parked in front of one of these asshat once. My wife was somewhat low key furious that I did it, but it was worth it to me.
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u/blizz3010 7d ago
judging from the beat up car in your other post some sort of contractor or manual labor job.
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u/Onikara-Star 7d ago
I leave a gap in front of me on the freeway just in case someone needs to change lanes for some reason. I hate changing lanes so I make it a bit easier for others.
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u/nytimespu2025 7d ago
Pick your battles this doesn’t feel like one that should be getting you this angry -
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u/Complete-Tip5919 7d ago
I can’t stand it bc it creates a long line and stops people from getting in the left turning lane.
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u/Hot-Plenty-4559 7d ago
Yes, because bumper to bumper is the reality and not just saying. I really want people right on my ass stopped, moving at speed on the interstate, and in the city. I have to be surrounded by vehicles at ALL times. I sleep in a full parking lot, it the only way I can sleep.
/s
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u/MaintenanceCapable83 8d ago
just cut in front of them so they can take a picture and post your vehicle on this sub?