On: Do drivers who keep gaps in stop-and-go traffic worsen it? (2012)

I must admit. People leaving wide gaps in city traffic drives me nuts. Why? Turn-lanes. People will leave huge gaps and slow well in advance of stop-lights, causing people behind them who want to turn into the left or right turn-lanes to miss the light. The worst are the people at a light, who, with cars to the left and right decide it's prudent to leave five car lengths between themselves and the car ahead of them at the expense of everyone behind who just wants to get into the turn lane so they can make the light.

The gaps really should be speed dependent. So when you're going 20mph, you will have a smaller gap than if you're going 60.

And that applies to stopping, where you should (IMO) have very little gap. For the exact reasons you mentioned.