this post was submitted on 15 Oct 2024
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The simplified distance rule we learn in europe is: half your speed (km/h) in meters or as an equation, v/2000. E.g. you drive 120km/h, keep 60m distance.
In the US, usually it's one car length per 10mph.
Probably not much more intuitive than yours, but less math required on the fly.
Tbh the math required is pretty similar, I just divide the speed by 2 and am done.
That's very reasonable if you're accustomed to operating in metric ... Which we all should be, but here we are.
We all should be?
Ah, that could be interpreted at least two different ways. I have a suspicion of how this conversation will go, but I'm interested to find out.
It's my opinion that the metric system is superior to the imperial, so we should all be primarily exposed to the superior system. Some may disagree and I won't claim that I'm objectively correct. No worries if you disagree - regardless of my opinion, the imperial system is what I've been exposed to and what I use.
Alternatively, the statement might be interpreted as "you should be familiar with the metric system even if you reside in a country where it's not the primary system." That's probably less true - while it might behoove one to be familiar with the metric system, I don't blame the individual for the limitations placed on them by the government, regardless of what's better.
If you have a third interpretation, it's probably not what I meant, but I would be interested in hearing it.
In France the way we learned is (for the highway at least)
I just leave enough room to come to a stop in the gap between us.
That's the underlying reason to keep distance ofc. The rule of thumb gives you an easy to calculate solution to how far that approximately is.
I don't need math for this. Once you have a feel for your car you can just visually gauge it in an instant.
Judging by how close people follow me on the Interstate, I have a feeling most drivers think this but only a small percentage can do it effectively.
And judging by how close 9 out of 10 pickup truck drivers ~~follow~~ tailgate me on the interstate even when I am doing 10-15 over, I have a feeling most don't care and would prefer to run me over in their lifted Rams and SuperDutys.
Some of us don't have LIDAR-eyes, cut us some slack
Do European cars come with distance measuring equipment??
No but humans typically do
Humans aren't actually that good at visually measuring distances.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/judging-distances-and-depth-perception-change-with-arm-length/
Only in cyberpunk literature.
I may not be good at giving it a number, but I can usually see how far apart two things are.
"In the year 2147, technology has given humans abilities beyond the natural senses, it has given them... eyes."
Eyes can't measure distance. You can only make rough estimations.
I like my distance estimates the way i like my toilet paper
rough
Many places have roads markers every 100m. Or you can count the seconds from any fixed point and figure it out.