A one line simple rule

I'm looking for a few good one liners that could be good rules for the less enlightened drivers out there. (to use on twitter)

Something like...

Try to put 5 seconds in between when you use the gas pedal and brake pedal.

And then a cost effectiveness number might even spur them to give it a try.

Obviously they would have to be very generalized statements but even if it doesn't apply to all situations that is perfectly fine.

Please feel free to post your own or tweak mine.

I don't mean to piss in anybody's potted plant, but it's not going to work.
Everybody thinks that they're (at least) an 'average' driver, and will presume that you're talking (tweeting) about everybody else.
This, despite the fact that Americans are generally abysmal drivers.

"If you can't see their rear tires...you're waaay too close!"

"put down the phone and concentrate on being a s*#ty driver"

Icarus

The classic rule for fuel economy is, "Drive as though you had no brakes".

I was thinking more along the lines of saying something very simple that everyone could do without a ton of effort. And then mentioning the cost savings of doing said thing. Money is the universal language. If you get someone's attention financially you have a much better chance of changing their habits.

How about!

I'm saving big Buck$ because I get a lot more MPGs than the rest of you F@#k$!

Sorry if I offended anyone, but it just popped into my head!!!

The answer is "3 seconds". (Now who can provide the question?)

Back off the Ga$!

Save The Planet,Kill Yourself

I like it...but I'm curious to know the answer now!

What should be the distance between you and the car in front of you?

The spacing between you and the car in front of you. I avoided one guaranteed crash because I was ensuring three seconds elapsed.

The most powerful demonstration is to have something big fall off the vehicle in front of you on the interstate (like a porta-potty). Most folks drive as if nothing like that can possibly happen in their lifetime. It will.

How about this one?

"Your vehicle will still operate even if you aren't using either pedal. Try going without either pedal for x number of seconds before every stop light. You might be able to save $y!"

Unsure what to put for x and y though. :/

" The answer comes from within"

DBCassidy

Maintain Safe Tire Pressure

Your tire pressures during the coldest part of the day should never be less than the numbers given on the door jamb.

Act, Don't React

Concentrate and anticipate so that you are aware of dangers and the need to speed up, slow down or change lanes long as soon as possible.

And then come Tony's suggestions ...

Drive a few hundred miles on a motorcycle,, the "drive like you are on a motorcycle!

Icarus

Silly me, I thought the 3 second rule was over 3 seconds was a lane violation in basketball.

I learned what you are talking about as a 2 second rule. Definitely depends on your brakes. I don't like my brakes that much on my prius, so I give myself a little more in this car. Often if you do 3 seconds people will fill the gap in front of you, and its tough to maintain. More is better, but not too much ..... If there isn't much traffic 3 seconds sounds better, but you aren't in those dangerous situations. I see many tailgators that use 1 seconds or less.

^ It was 2-seconds when I was in school, but I guess everything has gone up since then. I always maintain a 3++ second gap except when I'm driving in places where this is impractical (like SOCAL)....then I drive the length of the largest of the two cars on either side of me plus one coat of paint.
It's really quite amusing to see people reeeeeeeeeally want to get into that space between me and the car in front of me, but not quite have enough room (or testicular fortitude) to get into it.
The gap has saved my bacon more than once, AND despite having some VERY marginally engineered cars (like my '96 Geo) I've never EVER had to replace brakes before, like 100K++.
A previous poster (Icarus) is right. Make folks ride a motorcycle for a little while. That would probably help the tailgating and the brake-accelerate-brake-accelerate phenomenon that I see in urban areas.

To get back to the OP's question for just a moment, I'd steer clear of some of the more self-righteous or elitists tweets. Like I've said many times before......the Prius community has some (*ah....*) "ambassadors" who are struggling furiously to perpetuate some very unfortunate stereotypes....

I particularly like the "Answer: 3 seconds. What's the question?" idea.