r/nova • u/verbal-guys-are-hot • 13h ago
why
i'm originally from california and i noticed virginia and maryland drivers leave the most insane spaces at red lights/between cars. we were always tough half a car length as a buffer, but this is just ridiculous and clogs up traffic behind. why???
361
u/penpig54 13h ago
"Student Driver. Please be patient." 🙏
84
u/Illustrious_Show5872 Maryland 13h ago
Whatever driving school allows students to drive luxury brand cars, please let me know so that I can learn from them. 🙏🏾
502
u/adjective_noun_23 Virginia 13h ago
52
211
u/cur10us_ge0rge 13h ago
This is a relatively new thing. I don't understand it. I can only guess it has to do with cell phone usage.
59
u/Turtle-Slow 12h ago
Driver’s Ed has started teaching to stop far enough back to see where the back tires of the car in front of you touch the pavement. Combine that with hoods that block your view in front of the car and this is what happens.
96
u/gnawtyone 12h ago
Started? That’s been a rule for 50 years
35
u/HaruKodama 12h ago
I was gonna say, my dad said that to me over 20 years ago, which means he probably heard it when he was learning to drive
16
→ More replies (1)9
u/GhostHin 11h ago
That's good advice when SUV isn't a thing back then.
Nowadays, everyone drive SUV the size of a tank. If the driver ride low on the seat, you easily need two, three car lengths to see the back tires.
They need to update that instruction.
26
233
u/WilltoBeGreart 13h ago
Honestly, with the way MD And VA drivers drive, this is probably the safest thing I’ve seen them do.
24
u/ApplianceHealer Former NoVA 11h ago
Fair point. If some distracted dipshit 5 cars back plows into the line at full speed, leaving more of a gap reduces the number of forcible rear-endings that ensue.
6
u/ReflexImprov 6h ago
I had someone about a foot behind my bumper on rainy Fairfax County tonight. I was going a bit over the speed limit and I was in the right lane. Please fucking stop that shit.
I will say that the stopping a car length stuff is bad when someone wants to get into the left lane to turn and there's a raised median.
→ More replies (1)•
u/Far-Seaworthiness-35 53m ago
exactly. what really clogs up traffic behind them at a light is an accident on the approach to the intersection
51
u/Craneteam Loudoun County 13h ago
Kinda related but remember when we had govt telework? The roads were so much clearer
6
→ More replies (1)2
116
u/Three3Jane 13h ago edited 7h ago
In shitty and dangerous areas, you keep the gap so you can peel out if someone tries to carjack you.
In this instance?
People don't wait to come to a full stop at a decent distance before jumping right back on their cell phones, so they leave a massive gap.
Bonus points if they creep forward a few inches here and there to give the impression that they're actually paying attention.
edit: Y'all misunderstanding me, I'm saying that's a tactic used in shitty and dangerous areas.
People are doing it in Tysons (and Chantilly and Falls Church and Fairfax and Ashburn and and) because they're heedless jackasses too addicted to their phones to pay attention to, y'know, driving their damn cars.
20
u/Dietdrpepperspray 12h ago
This. I was always taught to stay far enough back to see the other driver's back tires in case you need to cut the wheel and go in a hurry.
8
u/cyanpineapple 9h ago
And so that if someone rear-ends you, there's less chance of getting pushed into the car in front of you (and less damage if you do hit them)
2
3
u/hawkinsst7 7h ago
I mean, by the time you've been driving for a month, you should have a sense for how much room you really need to turn out from behind the car in front of you.
It's literally the "easy" part of parallel parking: the "i'm leaving" part, and even half-a-car-length is more than enough for that for most cars.
which really just points to the fact that people (not just around here, but in general) like to stop learning and improving once they are told "you know enough to meet the minimum requirement"
3
u/Psychological_Mix594 10h ago
Nope. No rush hour carjackings in NoVa. Sorry. Hope your technique helps you out sometime tho.
→ More replies (1)3
u/No_Importance3779 10h ago
You are not Jason Bourne, no one is out to get you. Fill in the space come on
16
47
u/CranberrySchnapps 13h ago
I’ve driven all over the country. This is almost exclusively a DMV thing, at least this pervasive. I’ve never been able to explain it… it’s like the DMV area collectively has depth perception issues.
6
u/bc10551 12h ago
Ironically it's very much a California thing too. Seen literal small bus size gaps at stop lights before
2
u/Own-Bee-6271 10h ago
When I’m on my motorcycle I guess people are scared they are gonna hit and kill me at a stop light so they leave about 2-3 miles of space between me and them
39
u/WaddlesJP13 Woodbridge 13h ago
Sometimes I feel tempted to slide into those spaces. Not that I would, or that I even need to, but it's just the fact car shaped car can fit in the car shaped hole that entices me.
BUT I will take advantage of people too distracted by their phones to move when the light changes when I actually need to get over and thought I missed by chance.
22
u/jaquatics 12h ago
I did this at a light because I knew the car wouldn't trigger the magnets for a green being so far behind the line. Dude absolutely lost his mind even though I'm the only reason we all got through that light.
17
u/WaddlesJP13 Woodbridge 12h ago edited 11h ago
People who get mad about a faster car moving into the space they're not using really shows how people just want to be mad at something. Some weeks ago I was on 95 and cut in front of a slower car cause I wanted to get around some even slower traffic that just merged on. Dude blew his horn then started tailgating me. Like NOW you wanna go fast?
8
u/hawkinsst7 6h ago
i drive relatively fast, but I love it when another car goes faster than me. I've never been mad at someone going faster than me, unless they're also being absurdly dangerous / aggressive about it.
I'll move over to the right and let them pass, if I'm not already in the middle or right.
They're my "minesweeper" for any issues ahead.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (1)5
u/SatoshiAR 12h ago
Really makes you wonder how these people managed to make it that far in life.
→ More replies (1)10
u/Friendly-Gur-6736 12h ago
I've done it a time or two. I assume people are zoned out on their phones so I don't feel any remorse for it.
7
u/DogsBaneBeetle 13h ago
I absolutely will if there’s enough room. A little weaving can work wonders to get you where youre going
14
u/Obvious_Company1349 13h ago
I like to roll up and parallel park in between them while we wait for the red.
5
2
3
u/Federal-Ad7806 12h ago
As a motorcyclist I am very happy when people leave a ton of space so I can “filter” through all the traffic and it saves a shit load of time. VA legalized lane splitting/filtering for motorcycles this year (I think, either way I’m choosing to believe it)
14
u/ACE415_ Fredericksburg 11h ago
That bill for splitting was quietly killed
10
u/06Wahoo 11h ago
Thank goodness. I have driven the highways of LA many times, but I can never get used to that, and the last thing we need in Virginia is more excuses for people to think they are legal in their recklessness.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (1)7
u/koogledoogle 9h ago
And it’s illegal in MD too- never have seen a motorcyclist following the rules though so what else is new
11
u/_WireChimera_ 10h ago
Currently, Lane splitting is illegal in VA, and can result in a reckless driving charge
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)2
u/hawkinsst7 6h ago
i drove a Vespa when i was overseas, and got so used to lane splitting, it was fantastic, but I knew that even if it were legal back here, people aren't used to it and it'd be way more dangerous.
That's the main reason I didn't bring it back here, nor pick up a motorcycle. I'd be too tempted to do things that are normal elsewhere but dangerous here.
1
u/Sensitive_Chest_3311 4h ago
Oh I go around them into the spaces every time. It’s what should be done.
•
u/evthingisawesomefine 1h ago
As a 15 year South Florida driver I will definitely slide in those spaces and question the rear car’s sanity.
→ More replies (1)•
u/Interesting-Case2526 41m ago
Sometimes I feel tempted to slide into those spaces. Not that I would, or that I even need to
Literally, there is nothing wrong with it. If the space is there, then its game. Why are you acting like its a gray area to do so??
25
u/Goodguybadd 12h ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/13NOiZ8JQhhcqY
Californian you say?
7
u/EvelynsWorstTimeline 10h ago
I regularly say “Uwuht er yewwww doing heer?!” When I find something out of place in my house.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (3)5
8
u/Judeau16 13h ago
If people would use their turn signals it would prompt all of these people to move up because they wouldn't want you cutting in line.
8
u/Affectionate_Body597 13h ago
They all have their heads up their arses. The most self indulgent, selfish people I have ever come across. The worst part is they think they are polite and considerate 😂 If someone in front of me does that, I just go in front of them. Some of them get soo pissed off. Usually the idiots driving pickups in urban Northern Virginia. Absolute 3 inch energy.
9
u/caps_rockthered 12h ago
I'm from here and this has gotten out of control in the last 3 years. I've literally been able to weave through stopped cars at a red light there is so much room. I don't understand why.
9
u/C9Prototype 11h ago
For the same reason people don't honk when the car in front of them doesn't accelerate after the light turns green. EVERYONE is on their phones.
3
u/Smileyrielly12 11h ago
So many people invested in their phones while driving.
5
u/C9Prototype 11h ago
The wife and I used to live right across from exit 47 off 495. We made an odd hobby out of watching traffic and counting who was vs wasn't using their phones. In medium/heavy traffic, exactly 1 in 4 drivers are. In standstill traffic, that number climbed to 1/2, upwards of 3/4. Grown ass adults, of all ages, can't sit still and resist an impulse for a single fucking second.
16
u/untimely_cranky_lad 13h ago
Well, I think there are two reasons. First, like others have said, being in a rush to pick up their mobile phone. Second, for those who have been around a long while in this area, it was a practice to create good amount of space between you and the car in front of you in an event of a terrorist attack to escape. There was a shooting at the CIA facility in 2021 and people couldn't escape because everyone was back to back instead of creating space between the cars.
13
u/Master_Boot6565 13h ago
I know someone who works there and they drill it into you to leave enough space in front of you to have an out if sh*t goes down.
4
u/OldSkooler1212 11h ago
That may be a practice at the CIA now after that attack which I do remember, but I doubt that’s the reason everyone else is doing it.
→ More replies (1)
17
u/StumpyOPepys 13h ago
They do this in CA now too. It’s phones.
2
u/Misterr_Chief 12h ago
Recently back from a trip back home to CA, and I noted the same. Fucking phones.
2
14
u/MosquitoFreezer 13h ago
If you look at the traffic in the other direction, it’s the exact opposite. The one thing you can count on with DMV drivers is inconsistency haha
7
13
u/40oz2freedom420 12h ago
Why are there so many people holding their phones up like walkie talkies? Nextel back in business? I know your Benz has Bluetooth. What the hell is going on?
13
u/ponch010 13h ago
they're probably expecting to get rear ended... or could just be the rain.
4
u/DogsBaneBeetle 13h ago
Oh, and forget it if it rains. Everyone loses their minds and drives 25.
→ More replies (1)9
10
u/Dashiell-Incredible 13h ago
The same exact people will crawl up your asshole as you approach a stale yellow or red light and then do this. Then when it turns green they sit there and do nothing and what baffles me is that clearly some of them are on their phone during that time and others - NOPE. No thoughts, just vibes.
The spacing thing is better when you’ve had a green light and you’re trying to clear the intersection and get out of traffic and there is PLENTY of room for you to be “in line” at the next light (say: waiting to take a left) but you can’t actually clear the intersection because the mouth breathers have 2.3 car lengths between each other.
I hate it here.
3
u/Hautbot 13h ago
Some of them will drive slow even when the light in front is green and will change soon only to speed up at yellow so you get stuck at red. Almost feels like they are doing a purpose. Most for lks have no consideration that a light can be three minutes and simply don’t care for the fellow drivers.
2
u/Dashiell-Incredible 12h ago
YES. This seems to happen more often than not. Then I feel rage, then I feel stupid for wasting my energy on that rage. But it’s so selfish.
9
u/joefromjerze 12h ago
Wait until you're driving a manual car and they spend the entire red light creeping forward as slowly as possible. Either you ride the clutch keeping up with them or you become the idiot who left a huge space in front of themselves.
5
u/bluntwhizurd 13h ago
They are driving vehicles that are too big for them and our current licensing standards do not account for anything smaller than a semi.
4
u/Ill_Tip3642 13h ago
Worse is people that stop then creep up 6 inches every 15 seconds at the red light.
→ More replies (1)
6
u/Worth_Vegetable_204 13h ago
VA drivers like scooting up slowly after leaving the large gap. I noticed in CA people don’t do this either and just sit there normally
4
u/SnowDucks1985 Fairfax County 12h ago
I hate when people do this so bad, unnecessary wear and tear and gives crazy drivers a chance to cut in
4
u/Nthepeanutgallery 12h ago
We're just gonna ignore the black SUV making a left from a right-turn-only lane?
12
u/alvi5150 7h ago
Because… they’re morons. I grew up here and hate driving here lol. Welcome…
→ More replies (3)
18
u/Tardislass 11h ago
Leaving space means that when you get rear ended you might not totally total your car as you hit the car in front.
3
u/Olderandwiser1 11h ago
Been there, done that. Was working in Crystal City and stopped at a light with one car in front of me. Two cars back, some idiot stepped on the gas rather than the brake. The car behind me was hit, pushed into my car and pushing my car into the car in front of me. This happens more times than you can imagine. I from NY state. We had snow every winter, sometimes a lot with an ice base below it. I know how to drive in snow. One snowy day, I was driving in Fairfax on a 4 lane road and stopped at a light. Next thing I knew was a car slamming into the rear of my car. That day there were lots of similar accidents. These are usually people who have no clue as how to drive on snow, let alone snow over ice. Driving here is like being in a demolition derby
5
u/JamboreeJunket 11h ago
This. Im gonna leave enough room to cushion a blow or escape. Im not getting stuck with higher insurance payments cuz dicksnot behind me rear ended me.
2
4
u/Cozy_Afternoon 10h ago
This is why I leave space. The closer someone is on my back the more space I leave in front.
5
u/No_Importance3779 10h ago
You probably haven't drive in NYC before. Every time you leave a space someone will cut in haha
11
u/BoPeepElGrande 13h ago
I absolutely cannot stand this shit. It completely screws other drivers behind them & causes turn lanes to back up.
5
u/Radicalized_Spite 12h ago
Yeah. It’s a thing and it drives me crazy. Taking three business days to get their assess through an intersection.
5
3
4
u/MechAegis City of Fairfax 8h ago
Mostly because todays drivers are not adjusting their seat accordingly to see over the dashboard...
4
12
u/BIGGERCat 13h ago
As a parent, I can tell you every driving class around here teaches you to leave a significant distance between you and the car ahead at a red light so that you can pull around if the car in front of you if they are disabled and also so you are not part of a pile up if someone runs into the back of you.
8
u/ShoddyCobbler West End 13h ago
They may have traffic jam assist on their car which is low-speed cruise control that will keep them at a certain set distance behind the car in front?
6
10
u/elisabethocean 9h ago
And they slam on their breaks too as soon as the light turns yellow just to do this
15
u/klugisnamemy 9h ago
because they can't wait to get the car stopped so they can get back to their phones
2
u/sixtysixlashes 9h ago
As opposed to people running the yellow light until it’s 3 seconds past red light /s
3
u/Swimming-Syrup8400 City of Fairfax 13h ago
It annoys the living hell out of me, too.
People do not know how to drive.
3
u/sunnypleaselie 13h ago
When I was new to this area I noticed this initially and thought nice drivers they leave lot of space for people to merge or change lanes.. nope they only do this at red lights and then start tailing aggressively on the move.
3
u/TGirIForeskinEnjoyer Herndon 12h ago
I've driven a bunch in the area when I did a field tech job. It's so people can inch up every few seconds to show they're paying attention while they bob their head up and down while looking at their phone.
3
u/Korgon213 City of Fairfax 12h ago
Busy on their phones. Or they don’t read the r/nova sub.
Plus they have these giant cars and they can’t see how far they have in front of them.
3
u/Planestruckscars_504 Sterling 11h ago
Because welcome to the DC, Virginia, Maryland area, where were so distracted on our phone that is how we stop at lights. Or our road behavior is bad and that is how we stop or were too scared of accidents. There's a ton of answers/reasons
3
3
u/OGConsuela 6h ago
My favorite is when I can’t get in the goddamn turn lane because 4 cars are taking up 11 car lengths of space and i miss the light because of it.
5
u/Trilobry 13h ago
They stop early to quickly jump on their phones while waiting at lights. Yeah it's lame
5
u/MamaBear5599 13h ago
Having been rear ended and shoved into the vehicle in front of me before, I understand leaving space. But if you are in a turn lane or blocking access to a turn lane, please please please be considerate and move up closer so others can enter the turn lane!
2
u/demeterite Virginia 12h ago
This. I've been rear-ended into the car in front of me and I was liable for the damage to the car in front! I leave some extra space now.
5
u/rpool179 12h ago edited 10h ago
I honk my horn whenever someone does that. You're not about to get me fucking stuck behind a light I should have passed.
12
u/little_bird_vagabond 13h ago
This is one of the main reasons traffic gets so congested. People slow crawling to stop has also been grinding my gears lately. Going 1mph for 100 yards to the stop light is ridiculous at best.
7
u/akidyne 13h ago
I drive stick and it makes me want to scream when people do this.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)7
u/mu_zuh_dell 12h ago
Also, they don't let go of the brake when the light turns green. They wait until the car in front of them is so far ahead that they accelerate relatively quickly. It pisses me off so much, and wastes so much time at lights.
When I was learning to drive, they taught us to let go of the brake when the light turns green and try to grow the following distance proportionally as you accelerate.
5
u/little_bird_vagabond 12h ago
I had to sit through two light cycles yesterday because of this - massive gaps backing traffic up and people either not going on green or accelerating so slow no one behind them could make it through.
5
u/girl6620 8h ago
Maryland Driver here. Is this supposed to be an example of what you’re talking about because it’s not a great one.
The road is wet so there should be some extra space between vehicles, and the vehicles in this picture all look like they’re moving or are about to move, not stopped.
I personally have never experienced people leaving big gaps while they’re sitting at a stoplight, or at the very least have not experienced it enough to remember it and I’ve been driving for over 40 years.
I have, however been annoyed by people who do this while everyone’s in motion when conditions didn’t seem to call for it.
I’m a pretty cautious driver and generally keep at least a car length - more depending on speed and conditions- from the person in front of me.
4
u/Far-Seaworthiness-35 7h ago
we were taught to be able to see over the hood to the tires of the car in front of you so you can pull out or so you have some cushion if you are rear ended
4
u/Fancy_Ad9867 7h ago
When stopped at a traffic light or stop sign, you should be able to see the tires of the person’s vehicle in front of you touching the ground.
2
u/InvestNorthWest 13h ago
I thought they were in motion at first, but if they are stopped - thats crazy (at least the Grey car).
2
2
u/mindfreeatlast 12h ago
"...we had to get them back to working.." "they weren't working ... They had second jobs..a lot of people have told me...right Vivek?"
2
2
2
u/bagggggins5 4h ago
To avoid hitting the car in front of you in case you get rear-ended, you're supposed to leave enough space between you and the car in front of you so that you can see the front car's rear tires. That's burned into my memory from the DMV driver's manual. Not sure if that's a full or half car length but as long as you can see the tires, you're good.
•
6
u/WhenD4594 13h ago
When you get rear ended at a red light by a Maryland driver, you will understand.
2
u/soggywaffles007 13h ago
Or when a Maryland driver slams on the breaks halfway through a green light
3
3
2
u/Call-Me-Mr-Speed 12h ago
The answer every time this comes up is phones. People are distracted by their phones.
Why isn’t this as common of an issue elsewhere? Are NOVA drivers the only ones on their phone?
4
3
u/Suitable-Garden-5356 11h ago
Because the amount of people that rear end others. You SHOULD leave enough space because the last thing you want to happen is to be pinned in-between cars.
6
u/currymuttonpizza 11h ago
Yeah to an extent but this picture is excessive. Too many people out there leaving two full car lengths.
3
u/Substantial_Alarm586 10h ago
That's waaaaaay more than enough space. Multiple car lengths aren't necessary.
2
u/IB_Linski 13h ago
I grew up near one of the top car jacking cities. I will always leave enough room so I can floor it and accelerate away.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
1
1
u/CptArchibaldHaddock 13h ago
And then you get behind them and they creep forward 5 inches every 5 seconds until the out goes green
1
1
u/Professional_Tea8850 12h ago
No literally, I hate that people think I’m insane for tail gating and cutting people off. I’d rather cut people off than stay behind a traffic light that will take me five more minutes.
1
u/mypoisontree 12h ago
I'm typically not a person who uses the car horn a lot, but it seems on almost every trip the past month or so, I'm honking at someone sitting still at a green light checking to see how many likes they have on their reddit Nova traffic report post. ;)
1
1
u/Friendly_Zucchini_91 11h ago
Are you surprised the dmv is full of incompetent drivers ? I see foolishness daily
1
u/SignificantCorgi4990 11h ago
Because stupid, no self awareness, selfish, thoughtless, on their phone NPC’s. I needed I will pull right in. Don’t like it? Pay attention and Move tf up. The slow grinding to a stop is a combo of stupid stop, start cars and people on their phones. If they maintain their crawl the stupid car stays on. Also I’ve noticed more ppl going down the road wrong way. Zero survival skills.
https://giphy.com/gifs/mpRZbC5izVeBv0eyUI
1
1
u/Proowgatts 11h ago
It’s because all of these cars have some version of smart cruise control. You can clearly see some are set to stop 2 car lengths behind the vehicle in front and some are set for 4 car lengths. It’s great, my cheapo little Hyundai has it and I don’t even have to touch the brakes to come to a stop, it does it all for me.
1
1
u/Psychological_Mix594 10h ago
They want to change lanes if their lane is not panning out. Scanning for the right opportunity to present itself.
Also the road is wet and anyone can slide. Some more prone than others, but some drivers don’t yet know that anyone can slide when it’s wet.
1
u/fritzg1988 10h ago
because they are texting and want to have maximum space in case they roll forward, OR, they are worried that someone behind them is texting and they don't want to roll into the car ahead when they get rear ended.
1
u/sp3ctrume 10h ago
Welcome to Tysons Corner, the unofficial center of the Virginia School of Shitty Driving.
1
u/phootosell 10h ago
I drive this stretch. I leave space because there is a LOT of lane changing going on here. There’s the metro and the next left turn into the mall. You also lose a right lane after International.
1
u/Secret_Poet7340 9h ago
If you cannot see the bottom of the rear tires of the car ahead of you - you are too close. Period.
1
u/ReaperOne 9h ago
I was taught to stay one car length away from the one in front of me, and that’s what I do. These guys are very far away
1
u/Big-Arm-4291 Fairfax County 9h ago
As someone who had lived in Virginia their whole life, honestly I have no clue. I don't drive, I haven't learned how to, but I did go to driver's Ed and I was taught that at least a half car or cars length as a buffer. These people are just silly
1
u/kermitcooper Loudoun County 9h ago
This is a picture of stopped cats and not cats on motion?
Edit: and the way I was taught is if driving keep a second for every 20 mph you are driving. So when a car drives past a post at 40 mph you should be 2 seconds behind that.
1
u/patrickhenrypdx 9h ago
That's where the invisible bus is, duh. Why else would the gap be bus-sized?
Seriously, wtf is up with the unreasonably large gaps. It makes no sense.
1
u/No_Whole9920 8h ago
It’s raining, people speed anyway, and drivers commuting from wherever are crazy.
1
1
1
1
u/Lost_Sentence7582 Arlington 7h ago
No this doesn’t happen in the cities this is outside of the beltway I bet. Ducking soccer moms
1
1
1
1
u/Idkidc121 6h ago
That’s annoying look at all the cars waiting to make that right turn but they want to leave so much space that they cause traffic instead smh
1
1
1
1
1
u/Informal_File_1646 3h ago
Mix of “Can’t wait to get on the phone” and “I want to stop short on the person behind me to stick it to them” with a sprinkle of “I have no idea what I am doing and am waiting for someone to take this away from me”
•
•
•
u/JensLekmanForever 2h ago
I’d rather the other drivers keep as far away from me as possible.
But yes, this is silly.
•
•
u/corbett252627 50m ago
BecAuse cars like Tesla have the auto drive on keeping a larger space between vehicles and they are the same people who are forever on their phones driving.
•
u/PhantomRoyce 19m ago
As a Maryland driver,we let our old people keep their licenses for way too long and almost everyone I know has been rear ended at a red light. We’ve got a ton of old people in my county and they all wanna drive so usually people leave space to get out of the way if you see one coming/wont rear end someone else
656
u/Chrono_Convoy 13h ago
Because everyone’s on their fucking phones