Final answer:
Motorists should look at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead when driving on city roads to ensure they have enough time to react to road conditions and potential hazards. The exact time may vary based on traffic and road conditions, but a minimum of 12 seconds is a standard guideline.
Step-by-step explanation:
When driving on city roads, a motorist should look at least how many seconds ahead? This is a question of road safety and anticipation while driving. The recommended amount of time depends on the driving conditions and can vary. However, under typical urban driving conditions, a common guideline is to look at least 12 to 15 seconds ahead on the road. This allows enough time to react to potential hazards and changes in traffic conditions.
To put this into perspective with an example given in the question, if Bridget observed that cars take 3 seconds to travel between two poles that are 50 meters apart, this could serve as a reference for the speed of traffic. For safety, using the highest number within the given range, 15 seconds of travel time would be equivalent to five times the distance between those poles, meaning a motorist should be able to see at least 250 meters ahead for proper anticipation and reaction.
It is crucial for a driver to assess the situation correctly when determining if it is safe to cross the road in front of an approaching car. If a car is 28 meters away on a road where cars typically travel at 60 km/hr, as noted in another example, a pedestrian would need to ensure they have enough time to cross more than 4 meters to be safe, which translates to crossing at least 2 meters beyond the width of an approaching car (which is typically 2 meters).