Ep. 39 - The "Inching Epidemic" - Getting Nowhere Fast at Red Lights

We've all done it - sitting at a red light, slowly creeping forward inch by inch even though the light hasn't changed. But why do we inch forward when it doesn't get us anywhere faster? And what are the hidden consequences of this seemingly harmless habit?

In this episode, we dive deep into the psychology behind "inching" - that universal driving behavior that spreads from car to car like a contagious dance. From red lights to drive-thrus to school pickup lines, we explore why our brains trick us into thinking meaningless movement equals progress.

What You'll Learn

The Psychology of Inching:

• Why we feel compelled to move even when movement is meaningless
• How social influence makes inching spread from driver to driver
• The illusion of progress and our discomfort with stillness

Hidden Consequences You Never Considered:

• Reduced safety buffers and increased rear-end collision risk
• How inching creates jerky traffic flow and the "accordion effect"
• Unnecessary wear on your brakes, transmission, and fuel consumption

The Game-Changing Two-Tire Rule:

• Dr. Rick August's simple visual check that works everywhere
• Why you should always see both rear tires of the car ahead touching the pavement
• Real-world examples of how proper spacing saves lives

Building Better Habits:

• A simple action plan to break the inching cycle
• How fighting the urge to inch becomes a mindfulness exercise
• Why stillness is actually more relaxing and effective

Key Takeaways

• Inching creates an illusion of progress while actually making traffic flow worse
• Proper following distance isn't just about speed - it's about having space to react
• The two-tire rule works at any speed: if you can't see both rear tires touching the ground, you're too close
• Breaking the inching habit improves safety, reduces stress, and saves wear on your vehicle

Connect & Share

Have you caught yourself inching at red lights? Have you tried the two-tire rule? Share your experiences - your stories might be featured in a future episode!

Episode Length: ~7 minutes
Perfect for: Your commute, lunch break, or anytime you want to become a smarter, safer driver

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Chapters

• 0:00 Intro Teaser Story - Inching Forward at a Light
• 0:24 Episode 39 - Noticing Inching Behaviors
• 1:06 What is Inching?
• 1:47 The Psychological Reasons for Inching
• 2:50 Downsides to Inching: You're Getting Nowhere Literally!
• 4:06 Dr. Rick August's "Rule of 2 Tires"
• 5:22 Remember THIS Visual Check
• 5:46 Wrap-up/Call to Action
• 6:28 Share Your Story with Me

Transcript

Episode 39: The Inching Epidemic - 7-Minute Script

🎧 Cold Open

"You're at a red light. It's still red. You're not going anywhere… but somehow, your foot moves, and you creep forward another few inches. Why do we do that?"

🎵 [Intro Music]

🧲 Hook

We've all been there — stuck at an intersection, the light hasn't changed, and yet we find ourselves slowly inching forward. It doesn't get us anywhere faster, but it feels like progress.

I've been watching this behavior everywhere lately — including in myself and my wife. We'll be sitting at a light, having a perfectly normal conversation, and I'll notice we're both unconsciously creeping forward. It's like a contagious behavior that spreads from car to car.

Today, we're unpacking why we inch, what it really does to traffic flow, and how one simple rule from driving instructor Dr. Rick August can change the way you think about spacing forever.

🚦 Segment 1: What Is Inching? (And Why We ALL Do It)

Inching is that little creep forward when you're at a stop. It shows up at red lights, in bumper-to-bumper traffic, in school pickup lines, and even at fast food drive-thrus. It's such a small move, but it's a habit that almost every driver falls into.

Here's what I've observed: it's not just individual behavior — it's collective. You'll see an entire line of cars, all inching forward in unison, like some weird automotive dance. The first car moves six inches, then the second car follows, then the third, and before you know it, everyone has crept forward but no one is actually any closer to going through that intersection.

The question is — if it doesn't actually get us closer to our destination, why do we bother? And why is it so universal?

🧠 Segment 2: The Psychology of Inching (It's Deeper Than You Think)

There are several psychological forces at work here:

Illusion of Progress — We desperately want to feel like we're moving, even if the movement is meaningless. It's the same reason people hit elevator buttons multiple times or refresh web pages that are already loading.

Impatience — Stillness feels uncomfortable in our always-moving culture. Inching is a way to "do something" when doing nothing feels wrong.

Social Influence — When the car in front of us inches forward, we tend to follow automatically. It's like yawning — unconsciously contagious.

Control — Even though the traffic light controls when we can actually move, inching feels like we're still in control of something.

But here's what I find fascinating: we don't just inch when we're in a hurry. I've caught myself inching forward when I'm actually enjoying a song on the radio and not in any rush to get anywhere. It's become such an automatic behavior that we do it even when we consciously don't want to move.

Inching is basically our brain's way of tricking us into thinking we're not just waiting. But here's the thing — we ARE just waiting, and that's actually okay.

🚗 Segment 3: The Real Consequences of Inching (It's Not as Harmless as It Looks)

While inching feels harmless — it's just a few inches, right? — it actually has some hidden downsides that most people never consider:

Reduced Safety Buffer — The more you creep up, the less space you have to react if something unexpected happens. That cushion of space isn't wasted space — it's safety space.

Rear-End Risk — If the car behind you is distracted and doesn't notice traffic stopping, being too close to the car ahead means you have nowhere to go. You become the meat in a very expensive sandwich.

Jerky Starts — When the light finally turns green, uneven spacing causes hesitation and ripple effects through traffic. Ever notice how sometimes traffic accelerates smoothly, and other times it's stop-and-go right from the light? Or it can even change lane to lane?  Inching is often the culprit.

Wear and Tear — Those little brake-and-gas taps add up. You're burning fuel and stressing your transmission and brakes for literally zero benefit.

The Accordion Effect — In heavy traffic, inching creates this accordion pattern where cars bunch up unnecessarily, then have to brake harder when traffic actually moves.

So inching doesn't just fail to help you — it actively sets you up for trouble. And yet, we all keep doing it because it feels productive when it's actually counterproductive.

🛑 Segment 4: The Rule of Two Tires (Dr. Rick August's Game-Changer)

Here's where I want to bring in something really valuable — a principle taught by Dr. Rick August, who's trained drivers all over the world and has probably forgotten more about safe driving than most of us will ever learn.

He says: When you stop behind another vehicle, you should always be able to see the two rear tires of the car in front of you, fully visible on the pavement.

If you can't see those two tires touching the ground? You're too close. Period. No exceptions.

It doesn't matter whether you're moving at highway speed or sitting still at a red light. Following distance isn't just about speed — it's about space. And that space is your margin for safety.

Think about why this matters:

• If the car ahead of you stalls, breaks down, or gets rear-ended, you have enough room to pull around safely
• If traffic starts moving unexpectedly, you won't have to slam your brakes
• If someone behind you isn't paying attention, you have space to move forward instead of getting crushed
• When the light turns green, you can accelerate smoothly instead of jerking forward

Now I’ve got a perfect example of not enough space on a recent short I posted on Youtube, in the rain, 2 car lengths ahead of me, 3 cars piled up and I had no time to brake, simply swerved away to aoivdi being hit. 

It's such a simple visual check: Can I see both rear tires of the car in front of me touching the pavement? If not, back it up.

The brilliant thing about this rule is that it works everywhere — parking lots, drive-thrus, highway traffic, residential streets. Two tires visible on the ground. That's your line.

🌐 Segment 5: Why Stillness Works Better (And Feels Better Too)

Instead of constantly creeping forward, imagine this: you stop at the right distance — where you can see those two tires — and then you just... stay there. You're not just saving your brakes and transmission; you're giving yourself a margin of safety that could literally save your life.

But here's the unexpected benefit: it's actually more relaxing. When you give up the need to constantly inch forward, you can use those red light moments differently. Take a breath. Look around. Notice something beautiful. Have a real conversation with your passenger instead of focusing on creeping forward six inches.

✅ Segment 6: Building a Smarter Habit (Your Action Plan)

Next time you catch yourself about to creep forward, try this simple process:

First: Stop and check — can you see both rear tires of the car ahead, touching the ground?

If you can: You're at the right spot. Stay there.

If you can't: Give yourself a little more room until you can see them clearly.

Then — and this is the hard part: Let yourself be still. Use that pause as a reset moment. Take a breath, unclench your hands from the steering wheel, roll your shoulders back.

Here's what I've discovered: fighting the urge to inch forward is actually a great mindfulness exercise. It forces you to notice an automatic behavior and consciously choose something different.

Start paying attention to the inching behavior around you. You'll see it everywhere once you know to look for it. The school pickup line , The drive-thru , highway traffic jam where everyone inches forward even though clearly no one is going anywhere.

And here's a fun challenge: try to be the car that doesn't inch. Hold your space. You might notice that you're actually calmer, your car runs smoother, and when traffic does start moving, you're ready to go instead of having to jolt forward from being too close.

🔑 Wrap-Up / Call to Action

I'd love to hear from you: Have you caught yourself ? Do you inch at red lights? Have you ever seen it cause problems? Have you tried the two-tire rule? Share your stories with me — I read every message, and your experiences might end up in a future episode. Send me yours at Freewaytraffic experoskj

Until next time, keep that safe following distance, and I'll talk to you soon.

[End music]