I’ll start. Stopping distance.

My commute is 95 miles one way to work, so I see a lot of the highway, in the rural part of the US. This means traveling at 70+ mph (112km/h) for almost the entirety of the drive. The amount of other drivers on the road who follow behind someone else with less than a car’s length in front of them because they want to go 20+ over the speed limit is ridiculous. The only time you ever follow someone that close is if you have complete and absolute trust in them, and also understand that it may not even be enough.

For a daily drive, you likely need 2-3 car lengths between you at minimum depending on your speed to accurately avoid hitting the brakes. This doesn’t even take into account the lack of understanding of engine braking…

What concepts do you all think of when it comes to driving that you feel are not well understood by the public at large?

  • mlg@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yield doesn’t mean stop

    It means go unless not clear (ie stop when not clear)

    If there’s no oncoming traffic, then you keep going. If there is then you have to stop to allow the traffic to pass before continuing (or enter safely before said traffic reaches you).

    This is fundamentally how roundabout entrances also work. You’re supposed enter when you have enough time to accelerate into an open slot. You don’t have to wait until it is completely clear, nor do you have to explicitly stop at an entrance.

    • Crisps@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      There are way too many stop signs in the US. Most should be yields in one direction and nothing in the other.

    • darcy@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      same with a stop sign. you gotta slow right down, but a complete stop isnt often needed

      • Ninjasftw@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Are you sure about that? Where I’m from stop means stop regardless of traffic. I’ve been warned about it after been pulled over but not from US

          • Couldbealeotard@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Am from Australia. You are legally required to come to a full stop. You will fail your driving test if you don’t, and police can fine you if they catch you.

            • darcy@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              driving test will fail you for basically anything. i personally rarely see anyone come to a full stop if there are no cars and its a known area. im not an expert on the law obv but i know its not the be all and end all

      • Senshi@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        In almost all jurisdictions of the world, a shield with the word “stop” instructs you to actually come to a stop. That’s why it says “stop”. It is not a recommendation, and it’s really dangerous that so many people don’t treat them as such. There always is a good reason for placing a stop instead of a yield sign. Their purpose is not to inconvenience you, but to save lives. Collisions caused by people ignoring stop signs are common, and they commonly have bad ( deadly) outcomes as well. All to save a single second.

        In addition, it’s totally fine to come to a full stop at a yield sign of you feel it’s necessary. If