DUBAI // The safe following distance for vehicles is measured as a three-second gap. Motorists are advised to select a fixed object on the road ahead such as a signpost or a tree. When the vehicle ahead passes the object, they should slowly count, “One one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand”.
If the motorist reaches the object before completing the count, he is too close to the vehicle in front. The three-second gap gives drivers the time and distance to react to trouble.
The safe gap between vehicles is a combination of thinking time and braking distance, since it depends on the driver’s attentiveness, road surface, weather conditions and the state of the vehicle, according to road safety codes published by the UK Department for Transport and Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.
At 80 kilometres an hour, the typical stopping distance would be about 53 metres, or 13 car lengths, and at 112kph it would go up to 96m, or 24 car lengths. An average car length is four metres.
The US department of transportation’s advice follows a similar path with the warning that if a vehicle is following another too closely, even if the driver following is attentive, he will not be able to avoid a collision if the driver in front brakes suddenly.
The tips prescribed are to keep a three-second gap or 74 metres for cars travelling at 55mph, or 88kph and 102m for cars at 121kph.
The three-second count doubles in case of bad weather, experts said. Those driving large vehicles should follow a four-second count to stay safe.
In the UAE, experts advise keeping to the three-second count in normal weather and to increase it to five seconds in conditions of low visibility.
Safe distance tips can be seen on www.roadsafetyuae.com
rtalwar@thenational.ae
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE
UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.
Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.
Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.
For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.
Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.
At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.
