Truckspotters

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

@alwaysFlOoReD that is more than assured space. At least in my mind.
Assured space is enough space between you and the person in front of you to where you can turn your wheel and avoid hitting that vehicle if you are plowed from behind.

 

[Ranger850]

I also saw this flare side, is what it says on the side of it. Is this a ranger too?
View attachment 125332

NOT a Ranger. It appears to be a FlareSide F-150 NITE. The Lightning Predecessor

Ford Nite Special Edition F150 and Bronco

1991 and 1992 Ford F-150 Nite special edition specs, information and photos. F150 and Bronco.

www.blueovaltech.com

 

[ShhhhhDougsHere]

@Ranger850 , Thank you for answering my question.
That FlareSide sure looked awful small to be an F-150.
But I don't see no reason for you to lie to me you even provided me with an article to read.
So I believe what you taught me.
And once again thank you for sharing your knowledge.

 

[Curious Hound]

@alwaysFlOoReD that is more than assured space. At least in my mind.
Assured space is enough space between you and the person in front of you to where you can turn your wheel and avoid hitting that vehicle if you are plowed from behind.

While I fully understand that idea, I refuse to do it at stop signs and traffic lights. What's the rule of thumb? 1 car length for every 10mph? So, if I'm traveling 0mph, 0mph X 1 car length = 0 following distance. I think 3 or 4 ft is fine at traffic lights.

If someone is going to plow into me from behind at a light or stop sign, chances are I won't be able to react fast enough anyway. My vehicle is going to be damaged and that driver owns the accident. If they hit me hard enough to move my vehicle 3 or 4 feet, they're really, really at fault and may as well pay for 2 other vehicles instead of just mine. Maybe I'm wrong. But, snug up the line instead of making it twice as long because of all the empty spaces.

I also don't understand people who leave 5 or 6 ft (or larger) gaps in the line at a cash register. Hey, buddy. Are you in line here or not? I will often ask them, hoping they get the hint and move up. Let's pay attention and keep things moving.

Am I turning into a grumpy old man?

 

[RobbieD]

Am I turning into a grumpy old man?

Yes.

Welcome to The Club!

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I agree with the being able to turn so I get out of the way of emergency vehicles. If I could trust the guy in front to move too I wouldn't be as worried.
I guess that's what a horn is for?

 

[sgtsandman]

I have noticed there are people that leave more than a car length between them and the car in front when stopped at a controlled intersection. I don't understand that. Is that assured space?

From an education aspect, when I went through Driver's Ed, we were taught to stop so you can see the tires contacting the ground of the vehicle ahead of you. Any closer, you are tailgating and risk being hit by them if it is a vehicle with a manual transmission and the driver is inexperienced. Granted, this is more important in hilly terrain and when manual transmission equipped vehicles were more common.

From a security aspect, leaving room between you and the vehicle in front of you gives you room to move. Say an ambulance, fire truck, or police vehicle is approaching the intersection, you have the theoretical ability to get out of the way and make room for the emergency vehicle to get through.

Another reason, more of an urban concern than a rural one, is if there is some kind of protest developing up ahead. You now have the ability to get out of the area instead of being stuck, as long as there isn't some kind of divider making that impossible.

There is also the case of if there is a case of an accident in the intersection that occurs while you are sitting there waiting for the light to cycle. You now have the ability to get out and find another route avoiding the accident scene.

I'm sure there are other reasons one could come up with, but those are the ones that come to mind off hand.

 

[sgtsandman]

While I fully understand that idea, I refuse to do it at stop signs and traffic lights. What's the rule of thumb? 1 car length for every 10mph? So, if I'm traveling 0mph, 0mph X 1 car length = 0 following distance. I think 3 or 4 ft is fine at traffic lights.

If someone is going to plow into me from behind at a light or stop sign, chances are I won't be able to react fast enough anyway. My vehicle is going to be damaged and that driver owns the accident. If they hit me hard enough to move my vehicle 3 or 4 feet, they're really, really at fault and may as well pay for 2 other vehicles instead of just mine. Maybe I'm wrong. But, snug up the line instead of making it twice as long because of all the empty spaces.

I also don't understand people who leave 5 or 6 ft (or larger) gaps in the line at a cash register. Hey, buddy. Are you in line here or not? I will often ask them, hoping they get the hint and move up. Let's pay attention and keep things moving.

Am I turning into a grumpy old man?

I was taught the 3 - 4 second rule. Pick a fixed object that the vehicle ahead of you just past, like a light pole, traffic sign, etc., and count until you come up to the fixed object. If it takes less that 3 seconds, you are too close and risk rear ending the person in front of you if they get into an accident or have to stop suddenly from something, like an animal crossing the road.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Am I turning into a grumpy old man?

Dude... that shipped sailed years ago.

Now get off my grass!

I like to leave enough room that I can go hard left or right and drive around them if I had to.

I also prefer bigger distance then the fool that crowds my space even a little. Been more then a couple times I've told a person in line to give me some room.

 

[Uncle Gump]

@sgtsandman

Looks like you're getting a new fighter jet to work on. Let's hope there is no tailgating with those.

 

[Curious Hound]

I was taught the 3 - 4 second rule. Pick a fixed object that the vehicle ahead of you just past, like a light pole, traffic sign, etc., and count until you come up to the fixed object. If it takes less that 3 seconds, you are too close and risk rear ending the person in front of you if they get into an accident or have to stop suddenly from something, like an animal crossing the road.

That only applies while moving. I use the 3-4 second rule while moving.

 

[Curious Hound]

I also prefer bigger distance then the fool that crowds my space even a little. Been more then a couple times I've told a person in line to give me some room.

I can't wait til we're standing in line checking into a campground or national park or something.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I can't wait til we're standing in line checking into a campground or national park or something.

Don't make me go all Smokey Bear on you...

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

The ones that I wonder about is the ones leaving well over a car length in between at a stop sign.

I've heard about the sightlines to the bottom of the tire, and maybe that's where its coming from. I will check how tall the driver is next time.

 

[sgtsandman]

@sgtsandman

Looks like you're getting a new fighter jet to work on. Let's hope there is no tailgating with those.

I might be being dense here... Fighter jet? We don't work on fighter jets.

As far as the tailgating with those, or any other aircraft, bad things happen when that happens. Uncontrolled roll overs, engines going out, flat spins. Not good.

That being said, the military does have minimum interval take offs (MITO). Like 9 seconds between aircraft in the cold war days. Now, I think it's 30 seconds. Wake turbulence from the aircraft ahead of the other being the limiting factor.