Everything seems to have a three second rule now.
• Three second rule before leaving a stop sign or taking a right turn on red.
• Three second rule to create a safe following distance on dry pavement.
• Three second rule when dropping food on the floor
Although I believe the food on the floor rule has increased to 5 seconds for men, and still remains at 3 seconds for women (Just kidding…I have no brothers…so I really just made that up).
It appears that driving instructors are teaching new drivers to stop behind a crosswalk line and count three seconds before leaving a stop sign or taking a right turn at a red light. Although laws don’t indicate that the car needs to stop for a required amount of time, it actually indicates that your car has to “settle.” But, counting three seconds will insure that your car has settled. New drivers may not understand what it means for a car to “settle,” so, most driving instructors are teaching them to stop and count 3, 4, or even 5 seconds. Some teach them to just say “S.T.O.P.” But the majority of new drivers are being taught 3 seconds, which is better since other drivers are so impatient. 5 seconds may get you a honk or even a bit of road rage directed your way.
Creating a safe following distance or stopping distance has increased from a 2 second rule to a three second rule while driving on dry pavement. The method to do this is to begin counting 3 seconds once the vehicle in front of you is passing a stationary object like a tree, a mile marker or a dead deer (make sure it’s dead, though, if it gets up and walks away, it isn’t stationary). This rule should be doubled to a 6 second rule on wet pavement and tripled to a 9 second rule on icy or snowy pavement. So, the slicker the roadway, the more space you want to create between you and the car ahead.
And, as for dropping food on the floor, that is up to you. Although I have read that it doesn’t matter how long something is left on the floor, the contamination depends upon how much bacteria is actually on the floor. So, if you’re a risk-taker, and a rule breaker, just remember that it’s probably a super bad idea to eat something dropped on the floor of your jail cell.
Until next week…
Daun Thompson
Writer / Comedienne / Artist
Three Second Rule – Comedy Defensive Driving