Following distance

3cheeky_monkeys, Aug 25, 9:33pm
On the motorway at 92kms per hr, what is the following distance between you and the vehicle in front! Is it 2 second rule or 9 car lengths!
morrisman1, Aug 25, 9:39pm
Apparently you should follow by 2 seconds in good conditions or 4 seconds if the conditions are worse eg rain or gravel. I think you should follow at a comfortable distance, especially on the open road because by not bumper riding you will be less stressed and use less fuel
pauldw, Aug 25, 9:48pm
About the same if you use 1959 Cadillacs as a car length.
3cheeky_monkeys, Aug 25, 9:51pm
Mmm by the cops own admission I was at least 4 car lengths from the vehicle in front of me and I know I was more than 2 second rule behind but I was issued a $150 fine. Cop said I should have been 9 car lengths away. Weather was fine and it was not dark.
morrisman1, Aug 25, 9:57pm
9 cars works out about right at 100km/h. Remember its all perception, I cannot understand how a police officer can issue a fine for excessive acceleration because I find it damn impossible to determine acceleration visually. yea you can say it's accelerating quickly but you can never put a number on it, also the perception will be altered by the vehicle's noise size and surroundings. Look at a jet rolling down the runway, it doesn't look like its accelerating fast but it is. Lets hope I never have to argue that kind of charge
3cheeky_monkeys, Aug 25, 10:03pm
Haha see your point on car lengths, I was judging it on a mid sized saloon. In my opinion I thought I was 4 to 5 car lengths, and as far as I was aware the 2 second rule was law, Id never heard of 9 car lengths.
3cheeky_monkeys, Aug 25, 10:13pm
Actually just copy and pasted this from www.nzta.govt.nz.

The two-second rule

Under normal conditions, the two-second rule is an easy way to make sure you have allowed enough following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front, no matter what speed you're travelling at.

To check if you are travelling two seconds behind the vehicle in front:

* watch the vehicle in front of you pass a landmark ??
richardmayes, Aug 26, 5:44am
2 seconds should be the bare minimum. Just my 2c.
smac, Aug 26, 6:13am
Because if the car in front has a head-on their stopping distance is not governed by the surface conditions,whereas yours is.

OP the 2 second thing is not a rule, it's a guide suggested to help people who don't know what actual distances look like.

Over 90kph the minimum regulated distance is 36m, a distance I've seldom seen on an Auckland motorway! If you were more than that back, then defend the charge. If you were less than that, and the cop feels like pursuing it for whatever reason then they've got a case.
smac, Aug 26, 9:52am
Absolutely, that's why no distance is regulated for under 40kph, it falls back to the "must be able to stop".
leigh66, Aug 26, 10:11am
92 kms!I wouldn't be keeping a following distance . I'd be passing!lol
johnf_456, Aug 26, 6:21pm
Is 92 a crime that hurts too much painfully!
pollymay, Aug 26, 6:55pm
If you are just being in the way, yes. If you are over in the slow lane I couldn't care less, in fact if I want to do 92 in the slow lane out of others way stop tailgating me and use the other 3 farging lanes.
3cheeky_monkeys, Aug 26, 9:50pm
I was doing 92 in the middle lane, to keep safe following distance I had to do this speed because of the amount of traffic on the road. Personally I think they would be better off giving tickets to vehicles driving at 50-70kms on the motorway and frustrating other driver's.
dore2, Aug 27, 1:46pm
In the U.K.passing off side = overtaker. Passing near side = undertaker.
My pet gripe is slow vehicles STICKING in the outside lane instead of moving to the near side lane making things much safer to overtake off side only. Dodgems anyone!
studio1, Aug 28, 6:53am
Why worry about following distance! Few people seem to understand what the meaning of 'safe following distance' is anyway. I see so many people who tailgate and generally sit too close. I fail to understand why they don't realise that if the vehicle in front had to stop real quick, they don't have a sh*t show of pulling up short. Are people really this stupid or am I missing something here!
rpvr, Aug 28, 7:17am
Your first conclusion is correct.
fryan1962, Oct 1, 2:10pm
I have to say drivers in akl are way more polite than oz, if you leave to much of a gap in oz, other drivers cut in, I notice drivers here drive under the speed limit on motorways here