Driving advice: leaving a gap – only a fool breaks the two second rule?

I’m with edukator on this.

Driving attentively I can get better economy and more consistent speed without cruise control because I can see the inclines and the curves and the slower traffic and the gap four cars back in the middle lane that I’m going to move over into when that range rover thunders past in 20 seconds time. I can feather the throttle to make that 2mph speed difference that means not getting too close to the lorry in front without braking etc.

I’ve yet to drive a car that has cruise control that can cope with all that.

Also when very little else is being driven that consistently it can work against achieving good flow in the traffic.

When it is brilliant is coming home from a work dinner or a client at the wrong end of the country or miles of average speed checks in the depth of night. It makes sure I keep the speed safe and legal. Although given a choice I’d have a limiter over cruise control for that.

Something puzzles me about the ‘two chevrons’ stretches of motorway. The lanes have the same chevron spacing but speeds may be 56, 65 and >70.

The lanes have the same spacing because the speed limit is the same in each lane.

The speed of moving traffic may be different in each lane of course, but then you’d need adaptive chevrons adjusting to traffic situations in order to cope with that, a bit like the speed limits on “managed motorways.”

Something puzzles me about the ‘two chevrons’ stretches of motorway. The lanes have the same chevron spacing but speeds may be 56, 65 and >70.

“Oh no, I’ve left slightly too much space in front of me”

“Oh no, I’ve left slightly too much space in front of me”

Don’t worry three white vans , a rep mobile and a coach will cure that for you in 3,2,1 and the gap is gone. 😉

I can feather the throttle to make that 2mph speed difference that means not getting too close to the lorry in front without braking etc.
I’ve yet to drive a car that has cruise control that can cope with all that.

The last hire car I drove in the USA had a +/- button on the steering wheel so two presses of the minus button shaved off that 2mph when using cruise control. Easy.

That said I don’t miss it in UK road conditions. Quiet western USA roads? Great.

Driving posts always amaze me, but the ‘I close the gap to keep my family safe’ argument takes the biscuit.

The last hire car I drove in the USA had a +/- button on the steering wheel so two presses of the minus button shaved off that 2mph when using cruise control. Easy.

Yeah, mine does that. Or you can dab the brakes and then switch CC straight back on at the new speed.

TBF, CC isn’t much use for driving in traffic. On free-flowing motorways and places like SPECS-controlled roadworks it’s really handy.

“Oh no, I’ve left slightly too much space in front of me”

If that’s aimed at me, I’m the one in the left hand lane hoping to do about 55 (I have all day), with a 70-m or so gap in front of me. Meanwhile in a lane to my right there may well be three cars in that same space.

Better than the 2mm gap that a ASDA lorry decided to give my old man yesterday on the bike.

I looked back and its the first i’ve feared for someones life on the road in that moment.

That ASDA driver, #wankpuffin

Or you can dab the brakes and then switch CC straight back on at the new speed.

I dab the clutch instead – that way the guy behind you doesn’t get a fright from a flash of brake lights.

(Unless of course he’s driving up my arse in which case the brakes flashing might encourage him to back off a little)