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Maybe they were just driving along and the car in front of them suddenly stopped, forcing them to stop in the intersection. I suspect that most people who complain about it, either just don't drive in heavy traffic, or it happens to them too. Also if you are driving in heavy traffic, have a green light, and suddenly see traffic slowing to a stop ahead, slamming on your brakes to stop before the intersection, might not be the smartest thing to do. The car behind you sees the green light and suddenly you are slamming on your brakes, because you don't want to stop in the intersection. The real fault for the problem belongs to traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights.
Nope. I watch it happen all the time (and the cops have set themselves up at one intersection where people do this frequently). It comes from not actually driving, paying attention to what's happening up ahead of you, and insisting you WILL make it through the light this time even if it means you have to sit in the middle of the intersection blocking traffic. And it is NOT the fault of traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights - the responsibility lies squarely on the driver, like it or not. (SO many drivers want to blame someone, anyone, other than themselves and foist the responsibility that is rightfully theirs on to someone else. Sure wish there was a way to test for that propensity when giving the driving test, and denying licenses to those who still have it.)
Yes, from time to time this happens which is why I will tap my horn rather than lay on it but I still honk.
I’ve been told that the expression, “New York minute”, describes the period of time in NYC,
between a light going to green, and the second driver in line at the light, hitting the horn.
Nope. I watch it happen all the time (and the cops have set themselves up at one intersection where people do this frequently). It comes from not actually driving, paying attention to what's happening up ahead of you, and insisting you WILL make it through the light this time even if it means you have to sit in the middle of the intersection blocking traffic. And it is NOT the fault of traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights - the responsibility lies squarely on the driver, like it or not. (SO many drivers want to blame someone, anyone, other than themselves and foist the responsibility that is rightfully theirs on to someone else. Sure wish there was a way to test for that propensity when giving the driving test, and denying licenses to those who still have it.)
People mature as they age and so do their driving habits. The driving test given at ~18 is never given again, yet people become more responsible drivers compared to teens. And it's not just about gaining experience, but in the case of getting stuck between lights, that can play a part too.
Nope. I watch it happen all the time (and the cops have set themselves up at one intersection where people do this frequently). It comes from not actually driving, paying attention to what's happening up ahead of you, and insisting you WILL make it through the light this time even if it means you have to sit in the middle of the intersection blocking traffic. And it is NOT the fault of traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights - the responsibility lies squarely on the driver, like it or not. (SO many drivers want to blame someone, anyone, other than themselves and foist the responsibility that is rightfully theirs on to someone else. Sure wish there was a way to test for that propensity when giving the driving test, and denying licenses to those who still have it.)
I'll try again. Let's say you are happily driving along at the speed limit and scanning the traffic well ahead. The light is green but you see brake lights ahead and it appears traffic might be coming to a stop. Because your #1 concern is not blocking the box, you immediately slam on your brakes and bring your car to a perfect stop right at the stop line. A truck driver traveling behind you sees you stopping and brakes hard, but because he has less stopping ability then you, he can't stop in time and plows into your car pushing you into the middle of the intersection. While you sit in severe pain from the crash, now blocking traffic in all directions, you notice that the traffic ahead hadn't actually stopped, but rather had just slowed up a little bit. You then realize that if you hadn't slammed on your brakes, you could have just slowed a bit and made it through the intersection with out a problem. You would feel a little foolish at that point, now wouldn't you?
If you are willing to take a chance on getting rear ended like that, then fine. But that is not a risk I'm willing to take. I'm going to first slow down and then stop wherever the traffic stops. If that is in the middle of the intersection, then that is not my problem. And in most places, as long as I enter the intersection while the light is green, I'm not breaking any law if I get stuck in the intersection. Even if there is a law against it, I could care less. Because my safety comes first.
Maybe they were just driving along and the car in front of them suddenly stopped, forcing them to stop in the intersection. I suspect that most people who complain about it, either just don't drive in heavy traffic, or it happens to them too. Also if you are driving in heavy traffic, have a green light, and suddenly see traffic slowing to a stop ahead, slamming on your brakes to stop before the intersection, might not be the smartest thing to do. The car behind you sees the green light and suddenly you are slamming on your brakes, because you don't want to stop in the intersection. The real fault for the problem belongs to traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights.
The area where I see this happening the most has signs at every light saying "DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTION". But I guess some people can't read. It is not a "once in a while" thing, it is expected in this area.
The area where I see this happening the most has signs at every light saying "DO NOT BLOCK INTERSECTION". But I guess some people can't read. It is not a "once in a while" thing, it is expected in this area.
We can all read the sign just fine. As I said, I just don't care about the sign. My safety is more important than the sign. Stopping abruptly on a green light is not smart, even if a stupid revenue sign tells you to. You should avoid stopping a green light at all costs. If traffic forces you to stop at a green light, you should gradually slow down, and stop no faster than is necessary to avoid the traffic in front of you. Stopping hard at the stop line while the light is green, is a recipe for an accident. Especially at a time when there is a good chance the driver behind you is distracted.
Let's face it -- we've all been "that idiot" from time to time. It's part of being a driver at all. Maybe we should all be a little more tolerant of each other?
Nope - I'm NOT that guy. You can see everyone looking down the whole time while at the light and I'll be d@mned if I wait any time at all before honking at THEM - might not even be just a little beep either!
Perhaps one day in the future, when all cars are networked together and autonomous driving is a thing, cars will be able to accelerate on their own so when a light turns green, even the 5th or 10th car back can begin to slowly accelerate almost immediately.
Seems like this could greatly increase traffic throughput.
There is one very good reason for hesitating at a green light.
Twice in the past year I have come within inches of being T boned by idiots running a red light. Both times I was well on my way into the intersection on a clearly green light that had been changed for at least 5 seconds if not more. Both times the morons were going much faster than the 45MPH limit, both times had they hit me it would have been very very bad.
there is really a lot more to be concerned about in life that having to wait thru another red light.
This is not a good reason for anyone except the very first vehicle in line. The first driver should scan perpendicular traffic for red light runners and then proceed, everyone directly behind should be moving nearly immediately, scan perpendicular traffic, but MOVE. Safety is not the issue here, it is attentiveness and courtesy to other motorists.
Yup, I agree, there are many more things that I am concerned about other than wasting time in traffic - I'd like to get to them ASAP and minimize my commute so lets MOVE things along, folks.
Such a thing never happens in our town. No one sits and fools around when the light changes.
Maybe that is because it is 45 miles to the first traffic light.
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I suspect that most people who complain about it, either just don't drive in heavy traffic, or it happens to them too. Also if you are driving in heavy traffic, have a green light, and suddenly see traffic slowing to a stop ahead, slamming on your brakes to stop before the intersection, might not be the smartest thing to do. The car behind you sees the green light and suddenly you are slamming on your brakes, because you don't want to stop in the intersection. The real fault for the problem belongs to traffic engineers and poorly timed traffic lights.
