The WAL

I spend a lot of time in the car.  Not as much as I used to, but still a little more than an hour and a half every working day (or night).  Probably I post about driving too often, but this is the only place I do write about it.  This post, I’d like to make a couple of points about personal space while driving.

Point number one:  don’t get too close.

Remember the old Two-Second Rule?  If I pass something, you should pass it at least two seconds later or you’re too close to me.  The speeds at which the Two-Second Rule allows a distance of less than a metre are rarely encountered outside of a driveway.  Back off.

There’s a reason for the Two-Second Rule and it’s a simple one.  The average reaction time of someone behind the wheel is three-quarters of a second, and that assumes that you’re not talking on a cell phone, reading the newspaper, fixing your makeup, shaving, or doing any one of thousands of other things that remove your eyes and attention from the road.  During that 0.75 seconds, whatever is happening to make you react almost certainly continues to happen, shrinking the available time and distance in which your reaction can do any good.

Of course, you’re thinking, “But I’m a good driver,” and maybe that’s true.  So maybe your reaction time might be half a second instead of three-quarters.  Do you see a significant difference there?  A quarter of a second isn’t all that long.  And if the reason you’re that close is to tell me you’d like to pass, try going around.  Seems obvious, doesn’t it?  If you’re on my ass for too long, I’m quite likely to decide that you’re an idiot and ease up on the gas a bit so that I slow down to piss you off.  Use some brain cells.

Point number two: stay in your own damned lane.

Many roads have these beautiful white or yellow lines painted to define lanes.  The object is to keep your vehicle between a pair of these lines.  If a line is currently passing under your car, you should pick which lane you actually want to be in and go there.  If you start to drift when I’m near you, I reserve the right to honk and call you a rude name.

For roads without painted lines, it’s still very easy.  The half on your right is yours, the half on your left is mine.

Personal space.  Some for my car, some for yours.  Respect it.