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Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 8:58 am
by Horse
Triquet wrote:However, when there is heavy congestion and traffic grinds to a halt, the gaps close right up to a couple of feet, particularly in lane 1. How do you account for that? If people did leave decant gaps there would be a lane-changing circus.


Lane changing will happen whenever drivers think they can gain a car length.

However, I would expect that close following would be defined as something like 'within 1second separation, maintained for X seconds'.

How close, in time, do you think is acceptable for following in congested traffic? Serious Q.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2018 10:20 am
by Triquet
Horse wrote:
Triquet wrote:However, when there is heavy congestion and traffic grinds to a halt, the gaps close right up to a couple of feet, particularly in lane 1. How do you account for that? If people did leave decant gaps there would be a lane-changing circus.


Lane changing will happen whenever drivers think they can gain a car length.

However, I would expect that close following would be defined as something like 'within 1second separation, maintained for X seconds'.

How close, in time, do you think is acceptable for following in congested traffic? Serious Q.


It's a good question and all bound up with problems of reaction time and visibility of what is going on further up the queue. We all (I hope) react to brake lights well up the queue and don't suddenly react to brake lights on the vehicle in front. HGV drivers may well be following so closely that all the victim in front can only see chrome plating and OVLOV in the rear mirror, but HGV man is looking much further up the queue .... :soap:

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2018 6:00 pm
by vanman
Triquet wrote:However, when there is heavy congestion and traffic grinds to a halt, the gaps close right up to a couple of feet, particularly in lane 1. How do you account for that? If people did leave decant gaps there would be a lane-changing circus.

Welcome to the M23 Smart motorway works. Coco

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 11:00 am
by martine
Triquet wrote:An observation: if one is driving leaving a decent gap there is a high probability that the gap will suddenly get filled by somebody from an inner lane or even by being undertaken...

It's true it does happen but nothing like as often as you might imagine. I try and leave a larger gap than most on motorways and on a 90 minute journey to Birmingham I might get 3/4 cars 'pushing' in. does that affect my journey time? No - but it can be a little frustrating...I just try and chill in the knowledge they can have their collision somewhere else and not near me.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 7:46 pm
by Triquet
Diiferent dynamics on 2, 3 and 4 lane motorways and dual carriageways chaps.

Next month come and enjoy what happens on the A34 ...

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2018 8:48 pm
by Strangely Brown
The A34, in my experience, is a wonderful road. Fast, relatively empty (compared to M40/M25) and in good condition. A34 is my preferred route from Oxford heading south.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 8:46 am
by sussex2
TheInsanity1234 wrote:
jont- wrote:Must be easy enough to get a camera that can measure the gap and fine appropriately.

I think the problem with this is that if you get cut up by someone just as you're going through one of these enforcement cameras, then you could get fined for tailgating because of one brief moment where you were a bit close to someone else through no fault of your own?

Really, what we need is vastly more camera coverage, all monitoring following gaps etc, say every 250 yards or so, and if you've triggered the "following too close" thing on more than 2 or 3 cameras in a row, then you get your fine etc. The problem with this is the cost to install, plus there aren't any cameras for sale in the current market that could actually measure a gap between two cars (I think). I mean, there are cameras that could measure a gap, but you'd have to program it to recognise cars without the need for a plate etc.


Not more cameras please! A human eye is needed to assess the situation over a distance; we all at some time or for whatever reason follow too closesly if only briefly. It is doing so consistently that is wrong and many of the 'wrongdoers' may not be aware of their practice.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 8:48 am
by sussex2
Driving around in a bright yellow MX5 I seem to be tailgated a fair bit (the interior mirror magnifies which is also annoying) and wonder if this is 'yellow jacket syndrome' in that people are attracted to bright colours and likely to give them less clearance; or trust them more perhaps.
That's my theory anyhow and it is necessary to drive the little car as carefully as you would a motorbike as it simply doesn't get seen at times - being low I imagine.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 9:56 am
by Horse
sussex2 wrote:
TheInsanity1234 wrote:
jont- wrote:Must be easy enough to get a camera that can measure the gap and fine appropriately.

I think the problem with this is that if you get cut up by someone just as you're going through one of these enforcement cameras, then you could get fined for tailgating because of one brief moment where you were a bit close to someone else through no fault of your own?

Really, what we need is vastly more camera coverage, all monitoring following gaps etc, say every 250 yards or so, and if you've triggered the "following too close" thing on more than 2 or 3 cameras in a row, then you get your fine etc. The problem with this is the cost to install, plus there aren't any cameras for sale in the current market that could actually measure a gap between two cars (I think). I mean, there are cameras that could measure a gap, but you'd have to program it to recognise cars without the need for a plate etc.


Not more cameras please! A human eye is needed to assess the situation over a distance; we all at some time or for whatever reason follow too closesly if only briefly. It is doing so consistently that is wrong and many of the 'wrongdoers' may not be aware of their practice.


And although I have no insider knowledge of any plans for implementing systems, I know that previous (over the last decade or more) discussions have covered that enforcement is unlikely to be a 'spot' detection, instead needing to identify sustained close following.

Re: BBC News article - Highways England launches campaign to stop tailgating

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2018 10:05 am
by vanman
sussex2 wrote:Driving around in a bright yellow MX5 I seem to be tailgated a fair bit (the interior mirror magnifies which is also annoying) and wonder if this is 'yellow jacket syndrome' in that people are attracted to bright colours and likely to give them less clearance; or trust them more perhaps.
That's my theory anyhow and it is necessary to drive the little car as carefully as you would a motorbike as it simply doesn't get seen at times - being low I imagine.


Not at all surprised that your bright yellow MX is tailgated. I think a bright yellow whatever may be noticed more in the rear view mirror (little or not), therefore your average joe MIGHT:-
a. Be more aware than normal.
b. Maybe move over to let it pass.
So anyone following the said bright yellow whatever will get a clearer run through the traffic, then having done so, intimidate said yellow whatever to move over and proceed..... :twisted: