Drivers Who Preempt Your Freeway Space

A young (presumably) woman wrote you confessing that she leaves a whole car length in front of her as she drives the Los Angeles freeways. This is so she can “stop my car without hitting the car in front of me.” I think I have seen her on the freeway.

I would have preferred to think she was joking, but I know she was deadly serious. She should know that she should leave one car length for each 10 m.p.h. she is traveling--probably six or seven car lengths in her case. At 60 m.p.h., her car travels one car length in about two-tenths of a second, about the time required for a quick blink.

I would suggest she be less concerned about smashing the license plate of some one ahead into their brain, and concern herself more about getting that license plate in her mouth.

R. BUTLER

Buena Park