James_Rose's Blog

A lot of people have written or called the Street Squad about Grand Prairie’s new tailgating technology.   Some were adamantly against cops giving tickets for following too closely while others thought it was a step in the right direction.  G.P.P.D. says following too closely causes crashes.  In 2006 they say 11% of all the accidents in the city were caused, in part, by following too closely. 

Following too closely is against the law and you can be ticketed for doing it.  Grand Prairie cops use laser technology that records the speed of two cars (one in front of the other) and then measures the distance between the two vehicles.   The sum of that data is what they use to determine if someone is following too closely. 

If you want to know if you are following a car at a safe distance you can use the “two second rule”…. It’s just that, “a rule” it’s not the law.  I learned this in Driver’s Education decades ago, and it still works today.   It’s just as rough way for you to determine if you have a safe stopping distance from the vehicle in front of you given the speed you are traveling.   The equation basically takes in consideration “your” reaction time vs. the speed you are traveling and the distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.   Cops tell me when you are driving 70 miles an hour you are traveling roughly 100 feet a second.   If you are say 50 feet from the rear of the car in front of you…you have a half a second to react… then do something like stop or swerve!  -- and that’s if your are paying attention!  Not talking on a cell phone or engaging in some other distraction type behavior.    

TWO THOUSAND RULE.  When the vehicle ahead of you passes a stationary object you count… one thousand one… one thousand two… and if you pass the stationary object before you finish counting, then you are following too closely.  I realize the way people drive... just when you feel like you have enough distance in front of you… some fool cuts in front of you… I get it. 

But after all isn’t it better to be safe than sorry??