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Thread ID: 53359	2005-01-15 05:49:00	Kiwi Drivers...	manicminer (4219)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
314355	2005-01-17 09:08:00	You can "keep up with the flow" and still stay 2 seconds behind. 2 seconds is 2 seconds because that is to allow sufficient distance for you to avoid a collision should there be a sudden incident in front of you. I wouldn't call it a joke and a scam at all. What I was getting at is if violent carnage breaks out on the road in front of you then holding onto a 2 second manta isn’t going to save your bacon, The brain will most probably still be trying to comprehend what’s happening while that buffer is used up. Gauging the road and the behavior of the drivers ahead I quite regularly pull back much further then 2 seconds worth. That’s why I called it a joke, Not because it should be ignored in favour of tailgating but because to be safe you have to be smarter then blindly following a catchy phrase. And I y agree with you about people having the right to travel slower, But only within reason and they have to let traffic through, In my view if your too scared to travel at a constant 100km an hour then you shouldn't be on those roads.	Metla (12)
314356	2005-01-17 09:21:00	What I was getting at is if violent carnage breaks out on the road in front of you then holding onto a 2 second manta isn’t going to save your bacon, The brain will most probably still be trying to comprehend what’s happening while that buffer is used up. Gauging the road and the behavior of the drivers ahead I quite regularly pull back much further then 2 seconds worth. That’s why I called it a joke, Not because it should be ignored in favour of tailgating but because to be safe you have to be smarter then blindly following a catchy phrase. And I y agree with you about people having the right to travel slower, But only within reason and they have to let traffic through, In my view if your too scared to travel at a constant 100km an hour then you shouldn't be on those roads. yep well I see what you mean now. 2 seconds is and always has been the bare minimum. Hence why it's 4 seconds in the wet - and ideally more than 2 seconds for larger vehicles and vehicles towing loads (alot of drivers dont consider that extra weight will mean longer stopping distances). And you're right - just being 2 seconds behind and blindly staring at the rear bumper of the car behind is no guarantee. You actually have to be anticipating what's going on ahead of you in order to avoid potential carnage. :)	manicminer (4219)
314357	2005-01-17 21:49:00	What I was getting at is if violent carnage breaks out on the road in front of you then holding onto a 2 second manta isn’t going to save your bacon, The brain will most probably still be trying to comprehend what’s happening while that buffer is used up. Gauging the road and the behavior of the drivers ahead I quite regularly pull back much further then 2 seconds worth. That’s why I called it a joke, Not because it should be ignored in favour of tailgating but because to be safe you have to be smarter then blindly following a catchy phrase. I wholeheartedly agree with everything you say Metla. Too many drivers think that because the ads on TV say 2 seconds, then that is how far back they should be. It's incredible the number of drivers who don't seem to be able to look past the vehicle in front and actually appraise each situation. Terry, thanks for that link. I, along with probably 99% of people in NZ had no idea these rules were coming in, but it's good to see that (in theory) the "Keep Left" rule will be enforced. I often find myself in the position of having to use all 3 or 4 lanes on the motorway while travelling (all within the speed limit), because so many drivers (4-wheel drive owners :horrified ) insist on sitting in the right hand lane (fast lane) doing 75-80 when the limit is 100kph. We can only hope that the new rules are a) well publicised, and b) well enforced. I suspect, however, that cynical or not, manicminer is probably right in thinking that it will continue to be speeding that is concentrated on.	Miami Steve (2128)
314358	2005-01-17 22:32:00	Right, as manicminer said, the 2 second rule is an absolute minimum following distance, but this is better than the cars length distance you see between vehicles driving at 100kph, and in good conditions gives a reasonable distance within which to react to Metlas chaos up front. Road rules have to be dumbed down to the simplest possible. There is a difference between the legally written rules and the guidelines given in the Road Code. Some of the legal rules can be difficult to understand, and have to be read a few time to get the intended meaning un-ambiguously. A simple 2 second rule is obviously much easier to remember, to understand and apply than a list of speeds and following distances. I was a bit economic with the truth in a previous post about when the 2 second rule came in. In 1977, when I sat the theory paper, one had to remember the list of speeds and following distances, talking to the MOT officer about 2 second rules and a car's length for every 10kph, was not recognised as a valid answer. By the 1985 road code of which I have a copy, the list of distances is still the priority rule for following distance, but under 'Comment' , they are now talking about a cars length for every 10kph, and " A useful tip to remember is the defensive driving technique called the two second rule". By the time of the 1996 road code the first listed rule is the 2 second rule (method A), with the list of speed/distances table relegated as method B. The authorities have decided that the mandatory regulations will be written in terms of distances rather than time separation. That is why we will need laser, acoustic, or radar distance measuring devices, certified and calibrated, and connected to a black box which can be recovered from a crash, in our vehicles in order to comply :dogeye:	Terry Porritt (14)
314359	2005-01-17 22:40:00	I've just browsed through some more of those new rules and am delighted to see that fog lights will be banned (unless conditions dictate that they are necessary).	Miami Steve (2128)
314360	2005-01-17 22:43:00	Melbourne do those weird hook turn things. Animation: www.path.unimelb.edu.au Description: www.bbc.co.uk Gotta luv that black car coming thru the red light on the animation! LMAO	EX-WESTY (221)
314361	2005-01-18 03:34:00	exercise your right to complain if you see someone driving unsafely... www.police.govt.nz	Mary (6534)
314362	2005-01-18 03:38:00	exercise your right to complain if you see someone driving unsafely... www.police.govt.nz this site in the Favourites/Bookmarks of your browser, and your WiFi laptop handy on the passenger seat for real-time reporting. :rolleyes:	ninja (1671)
314363	2005-01-18 03:50:00	Keep this site in the Favourites/Bookmarks of your browser, and your WiFi laptop handy on the passenger seat for real-time reporting. :rolleyes: Better yet would be a video camera, although the Police have just taken me at my word and ticketed/charged one of two boy racers that failed to give way to me at a roundabout last year due to the fact that in a 50km zone he was infact going to fast to stop and giveway to me. Infact they were very keen to know if i had observed them before hand or could I estimate their speed or provide evidence of racing as they would have applied the boy racer legislation and confiscated the vehicles. Instead because we hadn't observed, instead merely having to use the ABS to avoid broadsiding him in a roundabout late at night, he was charged with failing to stop. Ha when caught up with he said that the vehicle was off the road and he was no where near here at the time. Hmmm both Registration numbers written down, call to *555 at the time, correct make and model of vehicle described and correct colour. Still it's tuff being a witness, still rather better than being an innocent victim but a camera or video is even more compelling...... damn i wish i had one installed/ recording for some of the crap I see every day, gee I could make a $1 for each one, i'd be rich!	EX-WESTY (221)
314364	2005-01-18 21:54:00	What makes a good driver ? A good level of attention Accurate observation Matching the vechicle's speed and direction to the situation Awareness of the risk's inherent in particular road and traffic situations Acting to keep identified risks to a minimum Awareness of their own limitations and those of the vehicle and the roads Skilful use of vehicle controls And the Golden rule.... Drive so that you are able to stop safely on your own side of the road in the distance you can see to be clear. Also Always drive within your competence, at a speed which is appropriate to the circumstances.	wmoore (6009)
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