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Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!amdcad!cae780!leadsv!stevew
From: stevew@leadsv.UUCP (Steve Wolff)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Obnoxious driver awards
Message-ID: <870@leadsv.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 21-Mar-86 21:56:17 EST
Article-I.D.: leadsv.870
Posted: Fri Mar 21 21:56:17 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 08:10:06 EST
References: <200@copper.UUCP> <224@gc49.UUCP> <478@codas.ATT.UUCP> <711@ttidcb.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: LMSC-LEADS, Sunnyvale, Ca.
Lines: 36

In article <711@ttidcb.UUCP>, svirsky@ttidcb.UUCP (William Svirsky) writes:
> In article <478@codas.ATT.UUCP> mikel@codas.ATT.UUCP (Mikel Manitius) writes:
> >> One car length for each "60" mph???  I defy anyone out there to stop
> >> a cycle going 60 mph in one car length (of course unless you run into
> >> the back of the car, that should stop you rather suddenly!)
> >
> >Actually, that works out pretty well, as long as you can brake equaly
> >or better then the guy in front of you (he can't go from a velocity
> >of 60mph to 0 in less than a couple of seconds!).
> >-- 
> According to the California Driver Handbook, at 55mph, it takes
> 168 feet to stop *once the brakes are applied* and 228 feet
> overall (due to reaction time).  So, once the person in front of
> you has applied the brakes, his car will stop in 168 feet.  You
> however will stop in 228 feet, a difference of 60 feet.
> Obviously, if you are following closer than 60 feet, you will
> hit.
> -- 

This assumes that you are staring only at the brake lights of the car
directly in front of you.  If I cannot see the road ahead of the car in
front of me through its windows (i.e. following a truck or van) I move
to one side of the lane so I *can* see.  Countless times I have begun
to slow down for some condition ahead and the car in front of me keeps
barrelling along, only to have to cram on the brakes at the last second
to avoid a situation that I have already anticipated.  The "ideal" speed
to travel is that speed which requires the minimum amount of braking
taking all factors into consideration.
-- 
  ========
		stevew  (Steve Wolff @ Lockheed, Sunnyvale)

		(( stevew@leadsv.UUCP ))
		(( ...{ihnp4,decwrl}!amdcad!cae780!leadsv!stevew  ))
  
  "The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up!!"