Yet Another Chain Collision

[Russ]

ECP (Changi) at Marine Parade Exit Lane 1

9pm Friday 9/3/07

5 cars

 

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Chain accidents are so common in Singapore.

And over half of Singaporeans (based on my observation) don't keep a distance safe enough to stop in time if something happens.

 

And quite often, cars that stop in time are hit by the cars behind.

 

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I have driven here for about 20 years:

1) I have never been involved in a chain collision

2) I have never e-braked hard on an expressway

 

Why? I keep my distance. And if the car in front stops suddenly I brake moderately then release brake and then brake moderately again and then the last 2 lengths I brake gently. That way, even the idiot behind me who is only keeping 3 car lengthts at 80km/h has time to stop and not hit me.

 

Again:

1. I keep enought distance so that I will not hit the car in front

2. I add extra distance so that the car behind me won't hit me.

 

 

KEEP YOUR DISTANCE, OK???

[Lengendcf]

Bro, either you are driving as a snail or the distance you keep to the front of the car is super big gap.. Else, dun think, a car coming from behind and bang you but won't cause you to jump forward...

 

Like this sure no chain collision, but driving as a practical day thing....Touch your heart and think. Do you find that, no car will be following you for let say 10 or 20 lamp posts??

 

It is easy to brag, but if you drive normally, don't think you won't have any accident...

[Ecaf]

for myself, i keep a lookout for the traffic ahead of me other than the car directly in front of me. not to focus on the cars further in front, but i glance at their brake light. so when i see their brake light on, i ready my foot to brake gently. this, IMHO gives me an extra few seconds to react should the traffic in front of me stop.

 

and yea i also follow ur way of gradual braking and keeping my distance. i sometimes shudder when i see cars tailgating within a metre or less apart

[Gantan88]

I really agree with the threadstarter. I practise what he practise too. A good driver will know how to save himself from kissing the ass of the car in front as well as reducing the chance of the car behind him banging his own ass.

 

Because you cant order the driver behind you how to drive, establishing a comfortable safety distance in front of you allows u to do few times of moderate braking and then come to a stop if there is a need to. The moderate braking could alert the driver behind you and give him enough time to response too if he is following too closely to you.

 

What do u mean by driving normally? How normal is normal?

Edited March 9, 2007 by Gantan88

[Lengendcf]

Okok. What I mean normal, is the gap between his car and the car in front. The gap only allow a car to squeeze in. If more than 1 car can just come in and out from the gap infront of him, means he is leaving too big a gap..

[Gantan88]

Leaving one car length gap btw u and the car in front of you. This is your standard? No matter what speed you are driving still leave one car length gap?

 

Good luck to u dude!

[Lengendcf]

That's why we must anticipate the traffic conditions. See further than the car in front... Anyway thanks for ur concern.

 

BTW manys years with 50%NCD and also bought NCD protection.. If luck runs out, no problem. 1 free accident per year..Touch wood..

[Gantan88]

No problem, still the same sentence.

 

Gd luck to u!

[Boxster]

Haha he keeping 1 car distance apart at wat ever speed so that he can "anticipate the traffic conditions . See further than the car in front" mah

 

Maybe follow 1 car distance can see what happen in front "faster".

Follow 2 car distance take 2 times more the time to see what happen in front.

 

Super eyes and reactions can react faster than speed of light. Superman??

[DarkLord]

Sometimes it's just the simple matter of "it's not your day".

[Lengendcf]

It's how you drive..Anyway I prided myself for having max NCD and safe driving from TP. Not just by driving slow and leaving a huge gap, will be 100% no accident.

 

You suay suay, park stationary also will kena bang... Yet catch no culprit...Life's like that, live with it...

[Lorbinhoot]

I had been driving for 15 years

 

For the first 10 years I alwas follow very closely to the Car infront of me no matter at Highway or Normal Road.

 

For the next 5 years till now I kept a distance of around "Half the length distance between 2 lamp post"

Why? Because the traffic on the road nowsaday is much more heavier compared to 15 years ago.

Or maybe my age has already catch up with me

[Boxster]

It believe that play safe can help to reduce unnecessary incident but not necessary to zero. However that is the best we can do which is within our control[thumbsup]

 

Too bad I don't drive a super car or has the superman reaction as to keep 1 car distance at whatever speed.

Edited March 9, 2007 by Boxster

[Savagex111]

It is not that simple. It occurs to me when I was driving on CTE towards Ang Mo Kio and this motorbike hit the bumper on the car on the extreme right lane and fell into my centre lane. I had to e-brake and still hit the motorbike. No one is able to react to such an incident even if you are the safest driver on earth.

 

Luck plays a part in your safety for 20 years...

[Icekitten]

That I agree with you. In fact leaving huge gaps btw yourself and other vehicles is an invitation for faster drivers to overtake ard you, which is also a potentially dangerous situation. Unless you're driving at a speed such that you're able to leave huge and 'safe' gaps btw yourself and other vehicles and yet are not hogging the lane...

[Lorbinhoot]

That I agree with you. In fact leaving huge gaps btw yourself and other vehicles is an invitation for faster drivers to overtake ard you, which is also a potentially dangerous situation. Unless you're driving at a speed such that you're able to leave huge and 'safe' gaps btw yourself and other vehicles and yet are not hogging the lane... Lips Are Sealed

 

Forget to say that if someone try to overtake me because of the distance i'm leaving behind.

I will step on to my accelerator

[Icekitten]

I hope that you'll be able to observe him preparing or intending to overtake you from a distance away behind and step on your accelerator before he actually changes lanes to overtake you otherwise it still creates a potentially dangerous situation.

[Russ]

If I drive slow, I keep to the left lane (sometimes I do)

But normally, I don't drive slow. 90km/h is typical.

I don't repeat DON'T keep HUGE gaps, but only SAFE gaps.

Typically 2.5 seconds.

 

But that is not all, I sometimes reduce the gap to 1.5 seconds IF the car in front is also maintaining a decent gap of at least 1.5 seconds and the guy behind is also maintaining a decent gap of 1.5 seconds or so.

 

What I am trying to say is that the very common 0.5 seconds or less (2 car lengths at 90 km/h) is asking for trouble.

 

I drive a lot in Australia, UK, Japan etc. and they all keep decent gaps. In Singapore, generally drivers don't. I have NEVER witnessed a chain collision in those countries in all my driving there.

 

BTW, I switch OFF my handphone when driving and even ask my passengers not to talk when traffic is heavy.