[BigV]

*sigh*

I heard her describe two problems:

1 -- The distance between me and the car ahead.

2 -- The distance between me and the car behind.

She said the first problem is less trouble than the second problem. I strongly disagree. It's not just semantics.

I've already described the truth that I can only control the first one and can't control the second one. But if you like, let's break it down.

Imagine one car only on a long straight road. No collisions, because no other cars, likewise no before and after car so no distance.

Now imagine two cars traveling together down the road. There's a collision. Who's at fault? How can the lead car be culpable at all (leaving aside deliberate actions like dynamiting the brakes and trying to cause a collision)? What if the car has a failure, like a blowout or some mechanical thing, stops very quickly, then what? Still up to the driver following. Who among those two drivers can have any chance at reducing the likelihood of a collision? ONLY the follower, not the leader. After all, the chance that some magical bad mojo causing a car to screeeeeeeech to a halt could happen to either car, with equal chance, no? If it happens to the following car, no problem. If it happens to the lead car, *maybe* problem. Maybe if the distance (read reaction time) is too small to respond safely. The responsibility is on the following car to maximize that distance / time to allow for whatever might happen.

Now expand that logic to three cars, or four or N cars. Each car has a driver, and a follower and a leader, save the front and rear cars of the string. The

All crashes of this kind propagate backward through the flow of traffic. There is the first collision. The next collision happens behind that one. Had that third vehicle allowed a safe distance, it would never have happend. No chain reaction. But, if the distance isn't enough, then there's a second collision and the decision tree moves to the fourth car. Is there enough distance in front of that car for the driver to evade the trouble? If yes, then the reaction stops. If no, then add another collision and repeat the question. In fact, these kinds of pile ups ONLY stop when one motorist DOES have enough space IN FRONT of them to avoid adding to the carnage.

The way I see it, there is no distance behind, only distance ahead. Each frame of reference is zeroed on the driver of that vehicle. Bothering to consider how close the asshole behind me is following is like letting him drive *my* car. And that's a bad idea, since we already know he's an idiot.