When stopping behind another vehicle in traffic, what visual rule does the Oregon handbook give for how close to stop?
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A.
Far enough to see where the rear tires meet the road. Correct
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B.
Two seconds behind, the same as when following moving traffic.
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C.
One full car length, regardless of conditions.
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D.
Close enough to read the license plate.
The answer is "Far enough to see where the rear tires meet the road."
Make sure you can see where the rear tires of the vehicle in front meet the road. That distance gives you room to maneuver around the vehicle if it stalls, and clearance if it rolls back. After traffic starts to move, return to a safe following distance. The two-second following count from moving traffic tempts B, but the manual switches to the rear-tires sight-line rule the moment you come to a stop behind another vehicle.
The traps in the wrong answers
B. Two seconds behind, the same as when following moving traffic.
The two-second count measures following distance while traffic is moving; the manual gives a different, visual rule for where to stop behind a stopped vehicle. This answer misapplies the moving-traffic two-second following-distance count from the same section to a stopped position, where the manual switches to the rear-tires sight-line rule.
C. One full car length, regardless of conditions.
The manual gives a visual cue, not a fixed distance. This answer substitutes a fixed car-length measurement for the manual's sight-line rule about seeing the rear tires meet the road.
D. Close enough to read the license plate.
License-plate distance leaves no real gap and ignores the manual's sight-line rule. This answer treats the rule as a tight close-up reference instead of leaving enough gap to see the rear tires meet the road.
This question tests your knowledge of Defensive Driving in Oregon. Source: Oregon Driver Manual, "Following Distance," p.27..
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