If you want to follow so closely, be ready to stop if they do. They can stop suddenly for any reason, and they did. You didn't.
And how do you not know it's your fault because you hit the other car? The other car did not back up and hit yours.
You didn't know to keep distance, and you didn't know it's your fault. What else you don't know?

Anonymous wrote:I'm 50, but when I learned to drive the "rule of thumb" was you need to allow a minimum of 1 car length in between for every 10 mph of speed. so minimum 4 car lengths for 40 mph... or 6 car lengths for 60 mph...

I'm 58 and I was taught the 3 second rule. Pick a spot on the side of the road, like a mile marker, a sign, a tree, etc. From when the rear bumper of the car in front of you passes that point until when your front bumper passes that point, should be 3 seconds or more. IF you are driving slower, you can drive closer. If you are driving faster, you should leave more room. 3 seconds is about the time you need to react when the car in front of you does something unexpected, like slams on the brakes for a person or animal, or veers because of an obstruction in the road, etc.

OP is driving like 1 second behind the car in front and trying to blame the car in front for her careless driving. If you choose to drive too close and do not give yourself enough reaction time to react to an unexpected action by the car in front, you are responsible for the accident that you create.

I don’t know why this is an endless argument. OP was at fault. End of discussion.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're lucky the middle driver is honest. He could have said you rear ended him, and pushed his car into the car in front. But yeah, you're at fault for hitting the car in front of you

Op here - Yes, he was really nice and honest. He even asked if I had medical injuries, and offered to pay for those. I told him I’m fine and not to worry about my bumper. I honestly didn’t know that it would be my fault, because I hit him after he hit someone, but now I understand. I’m really lucky he was honest.

But you are not. Why are you taking money for an accident that is your fault

Op here - I’m not taking money? I’m going to fix my own car and his car didn’t have damage.

We were the lead car in a situation like this and I endured endless calls from the insurance of the car that hit me and the insurance of the car that hit him trying to figure out if my car was hit once or twice (that is, did the rear car also bump the middle car into mine a second time thus leaving the rear car’s insurance on the hook for half the damage to my car). I don’t even remember how it ended up between them but the guy in the back was definitely considered to be responsible for something. Sorry, OP.

Anonymous wrote:I'm 50, but when I learned to drive the "rule of thumb" was you need to allow a minimum of 1 car length in between for every 10 mph of speed. so minimum 4 car lengths for 40 mph... or 6 car lengths for 60 mph...

How do you maintain so much space on crowded highways?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You were following too close. Hitting his car is your fault.

- btdt

Even if I hit him because he hit someone else first?

Yes!!!!

This happened to me merging into a roundabout. Car in front of me went into circle and I followed because it was clear and she suddenly slammed on brakes. I hit her. I was held responsible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're lucky the middle driver is honest. He could have said you rear ended him, and pushed his car into the car in front. But yeah, you're at fault for hitting the car in front of you

Op here - Yes, he was really nice and honest. He even asked if I had medical injuries, and offered to pay for those. I told him I’m fine and not to worry about my bumper. I honestly didn’t know that it would be my fault, because I hit him after he hit someone, but now I understand. I’m really lucky he was honest.

But you are not. Why are you taking money for an accident that is your fault

A few years back my ex (we were still married at the time) rear ended another car. She was angry that the police gave her a citation placing her at fault. When I told her she was at fault, she got angry with me and accused me of taking the side of the other driver and the police. She didn’t care it was the law. She went to court and advised her to bring copies of her driving record from VA and from FL. She didn’t heed my advice, and was surprised the police had both of those and that she was convicted and had to pay the fine.

Anonymous wrote:You're lucky the middle driver is honest. He could have said you rear ended him, and pushed his car into the car in front. But yeah, you're at fault for hitting the car in front of you

+2

I assume the middle guy has your insurance number?
Let the insurance companies deal with each other. Not dealing with the hassle is part of what you pay for.

Anonymous wrote:Op again - the car in front of me suddenly slammed on his breaks after hitting the car in front, and that’s why I hit him. I wasn’t following super close, probably less than a car length away though. I’m a DCUM poor and don’t want to call his insurance in case some how I’m found at fault. He’s not asking me for my insurance and said it’s his fault, but is it?

Irrelevant the law is simple to discourage tailgating. It is your fault. The law isn't always fair but that is what it is

Anonymous wrote:Op again - the car in front of me suddenly slammed on his breaks after hitting the car in front, and that’s why I hit him. I wasn’t following super close, probably less than a car length away though. I’m a DCUM poor and don’t want to call his insurance in case some how I’m found at fault. He’s not asking me for my insurance and said it’s his fault, but is it?

You are at fault for hitting the car in front of you. Period. End of discussion.

The circumstances don’t matter as to why the car in front of you came to such an abrupt stop - the only thing that matters is you hit it.

You were following too closely, and it’s your fault. Pay up.


The end.

Anonymous wrote:Why do people follow so closely? I leave a healthy distance to the car in front of me but the drivers in this area cram themselves up my ass.

Just terrible drivers around here. Yes, its your fault.

I learned to keep my car one car length behind the car in front of me for very 10 miles of speed. This leads to endless arguments with my wife. However, I’ve never rear ended anyone while she has done so three times.

I'm 50, but when I learned to drive the "rule of thumb" was you need to allow a minimum of 1 car length in between for every 10 mph of speed. so minimum 4 car lengths for 40 mph... or 6 car lengths for 60 mph...