# The headache I have: Near-miss on roadway with idiot of the day. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2008, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164 "2008-05-21T22:38:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/21 "2008-05-24T04:34:12Z")
[QUOTE=plnnr] About a month ago I was rear ended at a stoplight by a woman who was talking on her cell phone. She even got out of her car, still talking on the phone, and ended the call by saying, “I’ve got to go - some asshole just stopped short in front of me and I think I hit him.” [/QUOTE] “Stopped short”, huh? Only a Fool Breaks the Two Second Rule Only a Fool Breaks the Two Second Rule in the Rain/Snow/Ice If you’re following the rule, people can “stop short” in front of you all they want. ---
**Author:** ![Duhkecco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8491ac/32.png) [@Duhkecco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duhkecco)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/22 "2008-05-24T14:12:20Z")
[QUOTE=bathsheba] If you’re following the rule, people can “stop short” in front of you all they want. [/QUOTE] You mean, like the OP? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/23 "2008-05-24T15:18:40Z")
[QUOTE=Duhkecco] :dubious: Was the Hummer in your lane, or in the lane next to you? If it was in your lane, and you ending up “almost kissing” it, then you were not keeping “a very good distance”, or you weren’t paying attention, or your car needs better brakes and tires. If the Hummer fishtailed into your lane, then that driver was not keeping a safe distance, or wasn’t paying attention, or is just a bad driver. Why were there “brakes screeching all around”? Were none of the drivers paying attention, or did the woman’s car drop from above onto the road? Just curious. [/QUOTE] To me, the fact that the OP was able to go from a legal 70 mph to a dead stop without impact suggests that the OP was actually doing a really good job of leaving sufficient space. ---
**Author:** ![bathsheba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@bathsheba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bathsheba)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/24 "2008-05-24T22:41:09Z")
[QUOTE=Duhkecco] You mean, like the OP? :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] The Two Second Rule doesn’t guarantee anything other than you stop without hitting the car in front. It’s no guarantee against being pissed off. OP didn’t actually hit the car in front, so maybe, yes? I await what the OP has to say. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2008, 10:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/25 "2008-05-25T10:39:04Z")
Our passer, who ain’t in t’other lane Tailgater be thy bane Thy distance none, thy leeway gone, and whiplash thy only gain. Give us this day our two second rule and forgive us our sudden stops, as we forgive those who stop suddenly ahead of us. Lead us not into traffic jams but deliver us from road rage. For thine are the brake pads, the drums and the friction, for safety and harmony, amen. ---
**Author:** ![Khampelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Khampelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khampelf)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164/26 "2008-06-01T23:55:36Z")
[QUOTE=maggenpye] Our passer, who ain’t in t’other lane Tailgater be thy bane Thy distance none, thy leeway gone, and whiplash thy only gain. Give us this day our two second rule and forgive us our sudden stops, as we forgive those who stop suddenly ahead of us. Lead us not into traffic jams but deliver us from road rage. For thine are the brake pads, the drums and the friction, for safety and harmony, amen. [/QUOTE] What is that??!!! The Ford’s prayer? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-headache-i-have-near-miss-on-roadway-with-idiot-of-the-day/450164.md?page=1)