How to Determine the Distance Behind the Car
3 Answers
Methods to determine the distance behind the car are: 1. When the rear car fully occupies the rearview mirror, the actual distance is about one meter; 2. When the rear car occupies about two-thirds of the rearview mirror, the actual distance ranges from three to five meters; 3. When the rear car occupies about half of the rearview mirror, the actual distance ranges from five to nine meters; 4. When the rear car occupies about one-third of the rearview mirror, the actual distance ranges from ten to twelve meters. Methods to determine the distance of the left vehicle are: 1. Use the protruding point of the left wiper as a reference—when the protruding point aligns with the ground marking line or an object, it indicates the position the wheel is about to travel; 2. If the lower left edge aligns with the marking line or an object, it means the distance between the vehicle and this position is about 60 centimeters.
When I first learned to drive, I always struggled with judging how far the rear of the car was from objects behind me. I found that adjusting the interior rearview mirror is crucial—when properly adjusted to show the entire rear window, obstacles appear in the lower half of the mirror when they're about one meter away. The side mirrors also help a lot, and turning my head to glance through the back window gives me a better sense of the distance. For practice, I would park in an open area, use a cardboard box as a target, and repeatedly back up to build spatial awareness. If your car has a rearview camera, always use the guide lines as reference. Remember, don’t rush—go slow and practice often to get the hang of it. This method helped me avoid several minor accidents, especially in tight parking lots, boosting my confidence. In short, learning from mistakes speeds up progress.
I find it quite convenient to use the built-in tech features in my car to judge the distance to the rear. The rearview camera automatically activates when I shift into reverse gear, and the display often shows colored grid lines. The red markers indicate that I'm very close, meaning I should stop when I'm about one meter away. The radar sensors also sound an alarm, with the beeping getting faster the closer I get to an obstacle. There's also a 360-degree camera that displays a full view around the car, making it easier to judge the exact position. Of course, technology isn't foolproof—on rainy days, the camera might get foggy and unclear, and the sensors occasionally give false alarms, so I never rely on them completely. Combining the visual feedback from the mirrors with careful observation of the surroundings for double-checking is the most reliable approach. I also make sure to regularly check these devices for any malfunctions to ensure they're working properly, which gives me much more peace of mind while driving.
