chapter 5 — see-think-do Choosing a safe gap driving tip You in the driver’s seat 75 The driver of the blue  car and the driver of the  station wagon may have a  problem if either of them  moves out of correct lane  position when they are  turning. In this situation,  time your turn so you  won’t have a space conflict  with the other driver. If  there’s any doubt about  who should go first, the  driver making the left turn  should yield.  Be careful not to underestimate the speed of approaching  motorcycles or bicycles. They are often travelling much faster  than they appear to be. Remember to add an extra two seconds for safety. Did you know that, in  ideal conditions, it takes  most vehicles stopped at  an intersection about:  You’re waiting at a stop sign. The traffic seems endless.  Just when you think it’s safe to cross the intersection,  another car comes into view.  What would you do?  The space you need to get across an intersection safely or to  merge into a line of traffic is called a gap. Deciding on whether  a gap is big enough to be safe isn’t always easy. You need to  consider several things:  • two seconds per lane  to go straight across  • five seconds to turn  right and get up to 50 km/h  • seven seconds to turn  left and get up to 50 km/h (allow extra  time if you need to  cross several lanes). • the speed of the traffic  • the time it will take to do your manoeuvre  • the time it will take your vehicle to accelerate to the speed of  the traffic flow. 