this post was submitted on 07 Jul 2025
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Mildly Infuriating

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So this has been annoying me lately; drivers leaving excessive spacing when stopped for a red light. I get it, you don't want to be right on the next guys bumper, you should leave space to escape if the guy in front stalls or somebody tries to carjack you. But 2-3 car lengths? It really bugs me when they do it in a left turn lane causing a back up to the travel lane resulting in overall congestion. Or, if they're first at the light, they don't pull up far enough to reach the road sensors that trigger a light change. I haven't been able to isolate to a specific demographic, seems to be young, old, black, white, you name it. Maybe they're just stoned at the wheel. I'm tempted to roll down my window and ask 'wtf'? I'm in the Northeast US. Has anybody else witnessed this?

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[–] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 49 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I got the advice once to make sure you can see the bottom of the tires in front of you. As a general rule, your turning radius tends to align with that. This falls apart with big trailers and snub nose trucks, but it's a good start.

[–] Evkob@lemmy.ca 23 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I think this advice made more sense when the majority drove reasonably-sized vehicles rather than the huge trucks and SUVs that pollute our roads now (at least in North America).

I wouldn't be surprised if this bit of advice contributes to the problem in OP.

[–] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

That's likely true. I drive a little car, so it still makes sense for me

[–] Evkob@lemmy.ca 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Thanks for not participating in the vehicular arms race!

[–] Tolookah@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 3 days ago

I would bike more for utility if there were places to park it safely (though I would have to add the rack back onto the bike, and it interferes with the tag-along)

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 25 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

You should just be able to see the ground under the back tires of the car in front of you. That’s the appropriate distance.

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago (4 children)

Usually this is the result of distracted driving. At a stop light? Perfect time to check your phone! Once the light turns green I give a solid three count then I honk. I'll probably end up shot dead sooner than later but fuck it and fuck those assholes on their phones.

[–] isVeryLoud@lemmy.ca 11 points 3 days ago

In case of armed road rage, remember that your car is a weapon. It's self-defense if a gun is drawn on you.

[–] zorb@piefed.social 5 points 3 days ago

Yup, I see this shit all the time. "The sooner I stop the faster I can stare at my fucking phone!" It's one thing I wish was actually policed, cause these people are a menace. It's one thing to risk your own life, but those dumb asses are making it dangerous for all of us around them. Throw in two or more and baby you've got a stew going.

[–] BussyCat@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago

I usually flash my high beams first as a more gentle “look up” and then do the horn if they don’t notice that one

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 days ago

Once the light turns green I give a solid three count then I honk

In Ottawa it's a customary 4 picoseconds.

[–] Lifecoach5000@lemmy.world 21 points 3 days ago (35 children)

I believe this happens everywhere. I think maybe some people lack correct depth perception or something and maybe they are overcompensating for it? It is highly annoying though, I would agree.

Also: TURN SIGNALS, PEOPLE!!! USE THEM EVERY SINGLE TIME FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. EVEN IF YOU THINK NO ONE IS LOOKING OR YOU’RE IN A TURN ONLY LANE. No excuses

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[–] AlphaOmega@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (3 children)

When I took my driving test. The correct spacing was taught as, if you can see their bottom back tires visible above your hood, then that's the correct distance.

[–] lime@feddit.nu 7 points 2 days ago

so with modern hood heights, that's... 30 meters?

[–] frosty@pawb.social 4 points 2 days ago

I still hear my driving instructor saying this, 30 years ago. Thanks. :D

[–] rollerbang@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

I don't know... People have wildly different positions in a car and this easily fluctuates for a few car lengths. Then again, people in general suck at estimating distances.

[–] i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I was taught this in driving school. If you’re the last car slowing down, leave a gap of a few car lengths so if a car behind you is going to hit you, it gives you some room to escape either to move up, or enough room to turn out of the lane.

That sounds like some kind of superhero fantasy to me. In what scenario am I about to be rear ended and have enough time to move my car safely?

I usually leave enough space that I could turn into another lane without having to reverse, so if the car in front of me stalls I can go around without too much fuss. That’s like half a car length at best.

[–] Mothra@mander.xyz 4 points 3 days ago

I agree it's highly unlikely. However, I've been rear-ended once, and my car got pushed forward the space of at least another car and a half, in spite of my panicked reflex of pressing the brakes as it happened. I didn't crash into anything because I was first on the lane, I got pushed into the intersection.

So yes, you can get rear-ended and the gap in front of you will save you in money and insurance claims bs time if you don't hit anyone in front as well as a result. It will make little difference regarding your ability to switch lanes though.

In saying that, I don't leave this massive space in front of me. I stick to the "see the next car's tyres" rule and if traffic is really packed (as during rush hour, when everyone crawls start stop) I sometimes reduce it to curb parking distance.

[–] SatansMaggotyCumFart@lemmy.world 6 points 3 days ago (1 children)

On the other hand I had a guy get out of his Jaguar the other day and yell at me a while because I stopped too close to his bumper.

[–] toomanypancakes@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I'd just be like "my bad dude" and pull a little bit closer after that. What a weenie.

I turned up my music and ignored him because historically nothing good happens when someone gets out of their car in traffic and you bet your sweet ass I made sure our bumpers were almost touching next red light.

[–] theunknownmuncher@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You should be able to see pavement under the rear tires of the car in front of you when stopped

[–] spankmonkey@lemmy.world 2 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

That works for small cars with hoods that slope to the ground like sedans and station wagons. It is outdated and useless advice for anyone in an SUV, pickup, or the vast majority of vehicles on the road today in the US.

It should be far enough back to be able to turn and move out if the car in front of you stalls, which should be easy to estimate for anyone who can parallel park.

Everyone should be able to parallel park, it is part of the driving test.

[–] undefined@lemmy.hogru.ch 4 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I’m experiencing this daily in Los Angeles. Also people don’t seem to scoot up onto the sensor so the light takes longer than necessary to change (though stupidly half of those sensors are in the crosswalk or even beyond it).

[–] Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone 3 points 3 days ago

Or worse, people who stop just past it, but not far enough to get the car behind it to actually touch the sensor

[–] LunarLoony@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 2 days ago

Tyres and tarmac!

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Enough that you can maneuver out of the lane in an emergency.

The correct answer

[–] possiblylinux127@lemmy.zip 3 points 3 days ago

I don't leave any space

I just ram them

[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 3 points 3 days ago (3 children)

Are 'road sensors that trigger a light change' a real thing? I thought lights are on a timed cycle.

[–] Peter_Arbeitsloser@feddit.org 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)

There sometimes are induction loops under the street for this purpose: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Induction_loop

[–] kinttach@lemmy.zip 4 points 3 days ago

Video, radar, and infrared are also common. In some places I’ve been, only older non-upgraded intersections have induction loops.

[–] XM34@feddit.org 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

In Germany almost every traffic light has them nowadays. It can sometimes be annoying when you're riding a bike made of carbon. But usually my phone and laptop seem to be enough to trigger them.

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