Stopping distances

Kev · Post by **Kev** » Fri Nov 23, 07 12:41 am

Can't seem to find the stopping distance from 130mph in the Highway Code. Any ideas? I was seriously worried out on the Mile Straight when I couldn't stop where I wanted to. Makes you think, big time. I reckon I stopped from there in under 440yds(1320ft).............Is this close to where it should be? I didn't go mad on the braking and nothing locked up. Philth said he could smell the brakes as I sailed past............

the dodge · Post by **the dodge** » Fri Nov 23, 07 8:46 am

http://www.csgnetwork.com/stopdistcalc.html

try this it might help, but im sure dave have a spreadsheet to work stopping distances out

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Nov 23, 07 9:08 am

just for fun (as a driving instructor i DONT agree with driving at this sort of speed on the queens highway

) it would be somewhere near 910 feet of which 130 feet would be the thinking distance.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Fri Nov 23, 07 9:45 am

I think the stopping distances were originally worked out in the 1960s by testing for an average with the British cars of the time. I don't think they have changed since then. So basically if you can stop faster than a Ford Anglia or a Morris Minor then you are doing OK. If not then you should seriously think about a brake upgrade.

Remember these distances are NOT the law as I pointed out in court once when some clever highly paid brief tried to make a case against me. They are there to give you an idea of the sort of gaps you should try to make between yourself and the car in front.

Small chance of that anywhere within 100 miles of London....

Ivor · Post by **Ivor** » Fri Nov 23, 07 9:51 am

Dave wrote:Small chance of that anywhere within 100 miles of London....

So true Dave.

I now try and avoid the place as much as I can and have transferred all business meetings, product launches and functions out of town now, which is a sad reflection on what is supposed to be our capital city.

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Nov 23, 07 1:53 pm

[quote="Dave"]I think the stopping distances were originally worked out in the 1960s by testing for an average with the British cars of the time. I don't think they have changed since then. So basically if you can stop faster than a Ford Anglia or a Morris Minor then you are doing OK. If not then you should seriously think about a brake upgrade.[/quote]

Most modern cars will stop much much quicker than the 60's car's obviousley . But is it a good thing if your car has 4 wheel ABS and can stop on a dime but the Transit behind weighing in @ 2 ton plus can't stop and creams yez !

I hit a Volvo V40 about four years ago on the M62 I'd just changed lanes so half my attention was on the mirror. Must have been doing around the sixty mph mark before hitting the brake pedal I was still travelling at about 40 mph on impact and he was almost stationary

. My van was suposed to be fitted with ABS and airbag but the skid marks were 14 feet long and it pushed the Volvo 25 yards down the lane. And although the passenger quarter light broke on impact, the airbag didnt go off !! Mind you you should have seen the Volvo it was a complete mess..... And the dog didnt look too good either

(the driver had just manage to stop).

Police witnessed the lot . Had been trying to get these dogs off the motorway for 2 bleedin' hours. The first thing he asked me was " Didnt you see the animals in road slow signs ?" to which I replied " Yes but the traffic had started to move again and I thought we were clear of the hazzard !"

After taking my details he told me "Ive just dragged it out from underneath the back of the Volvo and noticed it's name tag and guess what it was called ?".......... Yeah you guessed it 'Lucky'

Then he assured me that I wasnt responsable for the accident and that no charges would be brought against me. And then he said he was gonna go and find the owner of Lucky and get them prosicuted!... Mind you, the Insurance company had a field day

There were 2 scouse painter decorators in the Volvo and although they were o.k at the scene they got some pretty good whiplash claims in

And my gaffer has to pay some pretty steep insurance premiums for me these day's. He wont tell me how much it is... Just starts crying when I've asked

Anonymous · Post by **Anonymous** » Fri Nov 23, 07 2:02 pm

I think it is worth mentioning that ABS is present to help you to retain the ability to steer under full braking (which you cannot do in a skid) as opposed to reduce your stopping distance.

Its a common misconception that ABS will pull you up quicker. The only thing that stops you quicker is disc size, ability to dissipate heat, size of braking materialsrvace on the disc, and the size of the rubber footprint (to a point) the car has on the surface it is travelling on (and of course its adhesion to it).

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Fri Nov 23, 07 2:26 pm

Ah yes Clive but if you skid you increase your braking distance. So you can brake harder and the system will stop you as quick as possible for the road conditions. So in effect you should be able to stop quicker than you normally would in a panic or emergency situation given that it is unlikely that you could manualy work the pedal perfectly in the circumstances.

latil · Post by **latil** » Fri Nov 23, 07 2:54 pm

Cadence braking.

Dave-R · Post by **Dave-R** » Fri Nov 23, 07 4:06 pm

If you say so?

mopar_mark · Post by **mopar_mark** » Fri Nov 23, 07 4:32 pm

I agree brakes, Tyre technology, etc have come on leaps & bounds since the 60's.

But the thinking distance remains the same.

latil · Post by **latil** » Fri Nov 23, 07 5:11 pm

promised Charlie that I would explain what 'Cadence' means, so here goes, first practice on an airstrip or some genuinely deserted area not on the roads, please. Get up to a reasonable speed, say 40MPH, slam the brakes on and skid to a halt, no faster or you will flat spot your tyres. Of course if you have an old set to swap over to, all to the better. Now go back and this time when braking take the "pressure" off and on the pedal SLIGHTLY and as QUICKLY as your foot allows, don't take your foot off the pedal and the movement should be only very small. This is what an ABS system does. After about 20 attempts you'll be pretty good at it, and after about 50 you'll be safe to try it the next time you really brake hard, it has to become a natural response not connivance. Done right it will save your or (more importantly) someone else's life, do it wrong and the reverse applies.

AllKiller · Post by **AllKiller** » Fri Nov 23, 07 5:12 pm

But what if you were at 70, and the car in front has ABS... our muscle cars are as good as "in the rear of them" even at that speed, in an emergency braking senario

latil · Post by **latil** » Fri Nov 23, 07 5:20 pm

Treat everything in front of you as having ABS and leave a big enough gap for your thinking time,min 2 seconds at 70.

latil · Post by **latil** » Fri Nov 23, 07 5:25 pm

Stopping Distances

Try using the 2 second rule.
Do not travel too close to the vehicle in front of you. Try using the 2 second rule when driving on a motorway. Watch when the vehicle in front passes an object beside the road then slowly count "one second, two seconds". If you pass the same object before you have finished counting you are travelling too close to the vehicle in front. If there are chevrons on the carriageway keep at least two of them between you and the vehicle in front.

http://www.highways.gov.uk/knowledge/15799.aspx