ROAD SAFETY
IN RESPONSE to Virginia Wright (The Examiner, June 25), I would like to point out that measuring multiples of car lengths relative to speed as a means of establishing a safe and efficient following distance is no longer the accepted norm. Experience has shown that drivers are very poor at judging multiples of car lengths relative to speed and hence there are far too many rear end crashes.
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The current and accepted method, as noted in the learner driver manual, is a gap of three seconds which provides for a minimum one second reaction time by the following driver and two seconds to take avoiding action. It should be noted that usually the first clue the following driver has that there is a problem is when the stop lights of the preceding vehicle come on which means that driver has already been through the reaction phase.
So how do you measure the time factor? When the rear of the vehicle you are following passes a fixed point, selected by you, you count out three seconds and if the front of your vehicle passes that point before you finish counting three seconds you are too close. The advantage of this system is that the gap is always relative to the speed. The slower you go the smaller the gap, the faster you go the larger the gap, but you always have three seconds to react and take avoiding action.
Barry Oliver, Newnham.
SPENDING
ARE the Liberals seriously giving $3.5 million to Devonport Golf Club and only $1 million to the Cradle Mountain redevelopment. Unbelievable.
Liz Hawke, Squeaking Point.
ELECTION LETTERS
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