Re:In-car touchscreens are dangerous
by xapata on Friday February 26, 2021 @06:10PM
(#26280944)
If you have distance-maintaining cruise control, you can safely ignore this phenomenon. Also, learn to ignore that little voice in your head that equates being in front of another car with having higher social status.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
"Also, learn to ignore that little voice in your head that equates being in front of another car with having higher social status."
It's not that. It's that following a bit closer is arguably less mental work then dealing with the unpredictable encroachments, merging cars pacing you exactly versus speeding up or slowing down to merge, etc.
I have distance-maintaining cruise control. But the quantums of distance go between clearly too close and uncomfortable (and I think there's one closer), or engraved invitation.
The problem with putting out the engraved invitation is it means never passing the big trucks. I don't like following directly behind big trucks because of visibility and fumes. But it you leave a big space, people will keep passing you on the right to get into that space, and then you may as well sit in the right lane behind the truck, because you're not going to pass it.
It's true that some brands have bad distance options. I use the one that's ridiculously far. So far back that I'm never in the stink zone or afraid the automatic brake isn't going to work in time. I'm frustrated when I drive a car without that option.