As someone who's been walking, riding, driving, and otherwise engaging with crowded city traffic for my entire life, I've seen some things. And when I learned to drive cars, as well as to ride motorcycles, I learned about what's considered to be a safe following distance behind other traffic. And I'm sure that you probably did, too.
Now, each Department of Motor Vehicles (or whatever the same organization might be called in your part of the world) might have slightly different written requirements on this matter. That's something I fully acknowledge. But in the state of Illinois (where I learned to drive, and to ride), the Secretary of State publishes a Rules of the Road manual that everyone driving and riding here is meant to adhere to. In the 2025 edition of the Illinois Rules of the Road book, it states in no uncertain terms that you should "allow at least three to four seconds following distance when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver in an emergency."
The book then goes on to state that "in dry conditions, motorcycles can stop more quickly than a car," and that "a motorcyclist's ability to stop quickly may also depend on the rider's experience and training." The section directly after this talks about road conditions, and adds that "motorcycles react differently to traffic, weather, and road conditions than cars," and adds that "riders may respond in ways a vehicle driver does not expect."
