Tyres Touching Tarmac

If you have done any advanced/defensive driver training, you will know what that title means and thank you for reading my tips and for being a safe driver.

If you have no idea what the title means then read on, as I hope this will spur you on to becoming an advanced driver.

If you look at the image you will see that the person driving the car from which the photo was taken (the photo was taken by a passenger whilst the car was stationery at a railway level crossing), can see the vehicle in front’s rear wheels touching the tarmac over the bonnet of their car.

By seeing the rear tyres touching the tarmac, you will have left sufficient gap in traffic queues. If you can’t see their tyres, then you are too close behind them. But why should you leave a gap, isn’t it just a waste of road space? No, it most definitely not. Leaving a gap has the following advantages:

1. If the vehicle ahead stalls their engine and are unable to restart it, you can manoeuvre around them.
2. If you are shunted from behind, you are less likely to run into the vehicle ahead.
3. You will not be breathing in all the vehicle ahead exhaust fumes which, if you are too close, will be pumped into the passenger compartment through your vehicle’s ventilation system.

If you have learnt from reading this or any of the other Driving Tips I have published, please think about doing some advanced/defensive driver training either on road or online.