From: Bod on
On 25/03/2010 10:47, Ian Jackson wrote:
> In message <810ratFgh5U2(a)mid.individual.net>, Bod
> <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> writes
>> On 25/03/2010 10:10, Mr Benn wrote:
>>> "Bod"<bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
>>> news:80vforFiahU1(a)mid.individual.net...
>>>
>>>> I amuse myself doing that sometimes on motorways. It's just astonishing
>>>> seeing brake lights going on and off constantly.
>>>
>>> I call it "comfort braking".
>>>
>>
>> Yeh and I would bet, that most of them don't realise they are doing it
>> unnecessarily and wearing out their brakes and stoplight bulbs, to boot.
>>
> It is possibly an over-application of the precautionary measure of
> 'covering your brakes', ie the anticipation of the possible need to
> brake, and moving your foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal.
>
> The fact that the brake lights of the car in front have come on probably
> doesn't mean that significant pressure has been applied to the pedal -
> but it can be very annoying all the same!
>
>

It all boils down to two elementary things though. They are not
leaving enough gap and they are not anticipating properly.

Bod
From: Ian Jackson on
In message <810tl7F1auU1(a)mid.individual.net>, Bod
<bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> writes
>On 25/03/2010 10:47, Ian Jackson wrote:
>> In message <810ratFgh5U2(a)mid.individual.net>, Bod
>> <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> writes
>>> On 25/03/2010 10:10, Mr Benn wrote:
>>>> "Bod"<bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message
>>>> news:80vforFiahU1(a)mid.individual.net...
>>>>
>>>>> I amuse myself doing that sometimes on motorways. It's just astonishing
>>>>> seeing brake lights going on and off constantly.
>>>>
>>>> I call it "comfort braking".
>>>>
>>>
>>> Yeh and I would bet, that most of them don't realise they are doing it
>>> unnecessarily and wearing out their brakes and stoplight bulbs, to boot.
>>>
>> It is possibly an over-application of the precautionary measure of
>> 'covering your brakes', ie the anticipation of the possible need to
>> brake, and moving your foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal.
>>
>> The fact that the brake lights of the car in front have come on probably
>> doesn't mean that significant pressure has been applied to the pedal -
>> but it can be very annoying all the same!
>>
>>
>
> It all boils down to two elementary things though. They are not
>leaving enough gap and they are not anticipating properly.
>
Yebbut...
From time to time, on a motorway, I've seen cars up ahead with
absolutely nothing in front of them - and suddenly their brake lights
come on. Weird! Why, oh why, oh why?
--
Ian
From: boltar2003 on
On Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:09:19 +0000
Ian Jackson <ianREMOVETHISjackson(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> From time to time, on a motorway, I've seen cars up ahead with
>absolutely nothing in front of them - and suddenly their brake lights
>come on. Weird! Why, oh why, oh why?

Idiots paranoid about not going over the speed limit who are apparently
unaware of engine braking.

B2003


From: Mortimer on
<boltar2003(a)boltar.world> wrote in message
news:hofgjt$afd$1(a)speranza.aioe.org...
> On Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:09:19 +0000
> Ian Jackson <ianREMOVETHISjackson(a)g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> From time to time, on a motorway, I've seen cars up ahead with
>>absolutely nothing in front of them - and suddenly their brake lights
>>come on. Weird! Why, oh why, oh why?
>
> Idiots paranoid about not going over the speed limit who are apparently
> unaware of engine braking.

It *may* be that the car was going at 70 mph and has come to a slight
downhill gradient (*) which engine braking alone (ie coming off the power)
is not sufficient to keep in check. In that case, gentle footbrake may be
needed if the driver sees that despite lifting his foot off the throttle the
speed is still creeping over 70.


(*) Although motorways are virtually level, there are slight gradients here
and there - and some significiant gradients on motorways such as the M62.

From: Brimstone on


"Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote in message
news:hofjv5$d20$2(a)news.eternal-september.org...

> (*) Although motorways are virtually level, there are slight gradients
> here and there - and some significiant gradients on motorways such as the
> M62.
You need to get out on to the motorways more.