A
mnemonic device taught by my
high school driver's education instructor. Guides a driver in maintaining the correct
stopping distance behind another vehicle at an intersection. Basically, we were taught to
pull up until the top of the
hood of our car just appeared to touch the spot where the
rear tires of the car in front of us contacted the
pavement.
Of course, this was back in the day of boatlike American cars, before front-wheel drive, transverse-mount engines, and hoods that drop away to nothing. If I apply the tire concept today, I'm practically rear-ending the car in front of me.