Close That GAP
It’s wicked Wednesday on the Olympic corridor (what seems like the worst day for the drive home), and cars are all grid locked as usual. Then I noticed that cars are are as usual stopped in the intersections. What I realized is that these were ones that didn’t have a sign that said ‘Keep Intersection Clear‘ so I guess it was OK for people to just block it out. But what I also noticed was that some people don’t close the gap to the car in front. Must be some throwback to the 10mph == 1 Car Length for safety.
Where they are mistaken is that people don’t know that you should start counting from ZERO (Like indexes in all good computer languages). So if you are stopped you should effectively be touching the car in front. Talking on the cell phone does not give you a 1 to 2 car length bias, so suck up and CLOSE THAT GAP.
While I do not believe that if we all just drive 65mph we would end traffic, I do believe that if the distracted lazy eyed cell phone talking lumps would CLOSE THAT GAP I would help keep that set of looser drivers that get caught in the ‘Danger Zone’, and thus keep traffic flowing.
Would it eliminate traffic, no it is too congested on this street, but could it help? Yes.
Pay attention, drive tight, and stay off the roads when I need to travel. And what you will receive will be a heart felt thanks!
Sandy on 15 Feb 2008 at 8:37 pm #
I have been informed of an error in my rant -
In some places it is not
‘Keep Intersection Clear’
but
‘Do Not Block Intersection’
I stand corrected.
Sandy on 19 May 2008 at 4:05 pm #
Another new problem I’m encountering is the fear of ‘Batter Up’, people are to nervous days. I’m almost OK with being too aggressive since that is the nature of our traffic these days, but the guy that won’t step up to the plate is happening more and more. It’s just like base ball, and think of the intersection as Home Plate, get up, take a few swings and maybe you will get a base hit and enter the traffic stream. Just Movie it please.