I am always ready when the lights change to green, car in gear, handbrake off no messing about with gears etc, as I appreciate other drivers behind me maybe in a hurry.
You know that's not strictly a good idea, right?
If a car behind you is in such a hurry that they rear-end you, or another vehicle behind you, the fact that you've put the car in gear and released the handbrake means that you're far more likely to move forward into cross-traffic and be killed to death.
If a car behind you is in such a hurry that they rear-end you, or another vehicle behind you, the fact that you've put the car in gear and released the handbrake means that you're far more likely to move forward into cross-traffic and be killed to death.
however, its something we have all done or continue to do.
Shouldn't the thread be titled ' Why do hardly any motorists hang about at green?' because that is the case unless you are one one those impatiant buggers waiting at lights that is.
All I know is they drive me up the wall. I am always ready when the lights change to green, car in gear, handbrake off no messing about with gears etc, as I appreciate other drivers behind me maybe in a hurry.
You then are a menace and danger to other motorists plus pedestrians, your foot could easily slip off the clutch.
however, its something we have all done or continue to do.
Speak for yourself.
For me, the handbrake never comes off until I'm ready to move forward.
Doesn't waste any time because you do it as you're releasing the clutch and, IIRC, that's the way you should have been taught to drive, anyway, because it's how you avoid rolling back on hills without wearing out the clutch by slipping it.
As I've said before, I've been at the front of a huge motorway pile-up and the only reason I was at the front, rather than being in the middle was because I had the handbrake on and the wheels pointed away from the car in front of me and that prevented me from being shunted into the car in front.
That sort of thing certainly helps reinforce good practice. ;-)
As I've said before, I've been at the front of a huge motorway pile-up and the only reason I was at the front, rather than being in the middle was because I had the handbrake on and the wheels pointed away from the car in front of me and that prevented me from being shunted into the car in front.
That sort of thing certainly helps reinforce good practice. ;-)
Or it could have been you were at the front of the queue rather than the middle because earlier in your journey other drivers hadn't been tardy getting away from the lights and held you up.
Or it could have been you were at the front of the queue rather than the middle because earlier in your journey other drivers hadn't been tardy getting away from the lights and held you up.
I was stopped on a motorway at the time, in the middle of a big queue of traffic.
Maybe they have more sense than to assume that 'green means go'.
A sensible motorist knows that 'green means consider going' and therefore at least some of these motorists are probably assessing the junction before actually moving.
.
You can still check it's safe to move without causing a delay. I think some people only wake up and start to check once the lights have turned green, instead of watching and planning beforehand.
I really don't like it when people hang back to let drivers turn right, when the people turning right are supposed to give way to oncoming traffic.
I'm all for people checking the way is clear (as in no-one is about to crash into them when they enter the junction), but not to them taking it upon themselves to reverse the give way rules - holding up everyone else behind them. This is the most common reason for people dawdling on green lights around where I live, particluarly where there is a filter for people turning right. It might give the right turners a "head start" over the oncoming traffic for a few seconds, but if they miss that opportunity, they are supposed to wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic or until the oncoming traffic's lights are on red - just as if there were no filter. The amount of times people just sit there when the lights are on green, letting 5-6 cars turn right in front of them, while a massive queue is forming behind.... >:(
Maybe they have more sense than to assume that 'green means go'.
A sensible motorist knows that 'green means consider going' and therefore at least some of these motorists are probably assessing the junction before actually moving.
The layout of most junctions will allow your car to at least start moving forward well before you are going to be in the path of any vehicles jumping the lights.
Some people are just slow off the mark. But also, with some complicated junctions with 2-3 minutes to wait between green cycles, it's easy to switch off and let your attention wander (which is why I don't like being first in the queue).
Have you ever thought of starting your journeys five minutes earlier?
Yes, why don't we all start five hours earlier, then we can all walk or take the bus instead! This advice generally doesn't work: when you have to get from one appointment to another for example, where you don't have the choice of starting earlier, or you have already been unexpectedly delayed by more than five minutes.
Then it can be particularly exasperating having to wait at a red light when there's no traffic coming the other way. Being stuck behind someone who takes several seconds to register that a light has turned to green (= several extra vehicles that can make this cycle), before reluctantly starting to proceed in slow motion, is an additional boost to your blood pressure.
I mean, if you're ever sat at a set of lights by yourself, try counting slowly to 5 after the lights turn green before you move forward.
It seems like an eternity but it's just 5 seconds.
I guess some people don't pay attention to the flow of other traffic in order to pre-empt the lights by selecting a gear and placing their hand on the handbrake, ready to move away, and those people will always be slower away from the lights but, geez, it'll only be by a few seconds.
And, so what if you don't get through that set of lights because the person in front was tardy in pulling away?
You'll get through next time the lights go green, 2 minutes later.
Don't sweat the small stuff.
5 seconds makes for a frustrating wait when the lights are only on green for 10 seconds.
These dozy bastards really get on my nerves. Pay attention FFS!!!
I don't even use my handbrake at most traffic lights unless there's a long queue. Anyhow, at one set of traffic lights yesterday there were two lanes going straight on and I was in the right hand lane because I was turning right at the next roundabout which is not far from the traffic lights and the person in the left hand lane didn't move at all because, according to my older daughter, the driver was asleep.
There's an old guy (78) that I used to know, whom I've talked about in other motoring threads, and he'd regularly pull up to the lights on red, and then disappear into some sort of dreamworld. The lights would turn green and I'd nudge him and say, 'lights are green', and he'd come back down to earth with a jerk, fumble around and then set off, or sometimes he'd panic and stall the car.
If you knew me you would know it is not a silly claim to make.
Unless you have some sort of clamp mechanism to lock your foot to the pedal, or are driving an automatic so don't have a clutch pedal to slip off it is impossible to claim it will never ever happen.
Unless you have some sort of clamp mechanism to lock your foot to the pedal, or are driving an automatic so don't have a clutch pedal to slip off it is impossible to claim it will never ever happen.
I was driving through my local town yesterday. There was roadworks while approaching the town. I joined the que of traffic as traffic lights were red. In front of me was a car full of young girls aprox 17 years old. The lights turned green so the cars in front started to move, but the car full of youngsters were busy gabbing they didn't notice. I beeped my horn. So because of this the lights turned red. So finally the lights turned green, guess what the silly girl didn't notice for a second time! Talk about not paying attention!
Not really because the point was that you do it during your test so why stop once passed, it's barmy.
do you always, without fail, keep you hands at 10 to 2, meet your hands at top and bottom of steering wheel (depending on severity) when turning and manoeuvring, do msm every single time, even when driving off your own driveway. What am i saying, of course you do!
The one that makes me laugh/rage is when the lights turn green. They sit there. Sit there. Sit there. Lights turn red and they shoot off in a panic through the red light.
Comments
You know that's not strictly a good idea, right?
If a car behind you is in such a hurry that they rear-end you, or another vehicle behind you, the fact that you've put the car in gear and released the handbrake means that you're far more likely to move forward into cross-traffic and be killed to death.
however, its something we have all done or continue to do.
Speak for yourself.
For me, the handbrake never comes off until I'm ready to move forward.
Doesn't waste any time because you do it as you're releasing the clutch and, IIRC, that's the way you should have been taught to drive, anyway, because it's how you avoid rolling back on hills without wearing out the clutch by slipping it.
As I've said before, I've been at the front of a huge motorway pile-up and the only reason I was at the front, rather than being in the middle was because I had the handbrake on and the wheels pointed away from the car in front of me and that prevented me from being shunted into the car in front.
That sort of thing certainly helps reinforce good practice. ;-)
Or it could have been you were at the front of the queue rather than the middle because earlier in your journey other drivers hadn't been tardy getting away from the lights and held you up.
well, there's a surprise
that's the thing about these sorts of threads, it always brings out the perfect drivers.:p
I was stopped on a motorway at the time, in the middle of a big queue of traffic.
But, erm, yeah.
Same here and i wonder how many people would have done it during their driving test, if they had then they'd have got a fail that's for sure.
No way am I a menace to others, my foot would NEVER slip off the clutch I take to much care and value my life, drivers who faf about are the menace.
at a guess, of the ones that passed, nil.
bit of an odd point really.
as a more mature driver, i never take off the hand brake until its time to go. Bur I'm not so arrogant as to say that I've never done it before.
Not really because the point was that you do it during your test so why stop once passed, it's barmy.
Not arrogant at all, I never do it and never have done.
Geeze what a silly claim to make.
You can still check it's safe to move without causing a delay. I think some people only wake up and start to check once the lights have turned green, instead of watching and planning beforehand.
I really don't like it when people hang back to let drivers turn right, when the people turning right are supposed to give way to oncoming traffic.
I'm all for people checking the way is clear (as in no-one is about to crash into them when they enter the junction), but not to them taking it upon themselves to reverse the give way rules - holding up everyone else behind them. This is the most common reason for people dawdling on green lights around where I live, particluarly where there is a filter for people turning right. It might give the right turners a "head start" over the oncoming traffic for a few seconds, but if they miss that opportunity, they are supposed to wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic or until the oncoming traffic's lights are on red - just as if there were no filter. The amount of times people just sit there when the lights are on green, letting 5-6 cars turn right in front of them, while a massive queue is forming behind.... >:(
The layout of most junctions will allow your car to at least start moving forward well before you are going to be in the path of any vehicles jumping the lights.
Some people are just slow off the mark. But also, with some complicated junctions with 2-3 minutes to wait between green cycles, it's easy to switch off and let your attention wander (which is why I don't like being first in the queue).
Yes, why don't we all start five hours earlier, then we can all walk or take the bus instead! This advice generally doesn't work: when you have to get from one appointment to another for example, where you don't have the choice of starting earlier, or you have already been unexpectedly delayed by more than five minutes.
Then it can be particularly exasperating having to wait at a red light when there's no traffic coming the other way. Being stuck behind someone who takes several seconds to register that a light has turned to green (= several extra vehicles that can make this cycle), before reluctantly starting to proceed in slow motion, is an additional boost to your blood pressure.
5 seconds makes for a frustrating wait when the lights are only on green for 10 seconds.
These dozy bastards really get on my nerves. Pay attention FFS!!!
If you knew me you would know it is not a silly claim to make.
Unless you have some sort of clamp mechanism to lock your foot to the pedal, or are driving an automatic so don't have a clutch pedal to slip off it is impossible to claim it will never ever happen.
Correct.
do you always, without fail, keep you hands at 10 to 2, meet your hands at top and bottom of steering wheel (depending on severity) when turning and manoeuvring, do msm every single time, even when driving off your own driveway. What am i saying, of course you do!