If you're driving toward traffic lights and the lights turn orange, what thought goes through your head?

1. "I should slow down and prepare to stop."
2. "I need to speed up so I can get through before the lights turn red!"
3. Something else (specify).

(May 3, 2022 at 4:30 am)The Valkyrie Wrote: If you're driving toward traffic lights and the lights turn orange, what thought goes through your head?

1.  "I should slow down and prepare to stop."
2.  "I need to speed up so I can get through before the lights turn red!"
3.  Something else (specify).

#3 - 'Are there cops or cameras nearby?'

Boru

What's a red light? (I'm colour blind!)

'You said you knew how to drive - you said you watched me!'

'I watched you very carefully: Redlight - stop, green light - go, yellow light - go very fast.' - Karen Allen, Jeff Bridges in 'Starman'

Boru

Since living and commuting around the Dallas area, I get ready to stop and then check my rearview mirror to see if the car behind me is slowing down. In fact, since moving here, I watch the car behind me as much, or more, than the ones in front of beside me.

(May 3, 2022 at 4:30 am)The Valkyrie Wrote: If you're driving toward traffic lights and the lights turn orange, what thought goes through your head?

1.  "I should slow down and prepare to stop."
2.  "I need to speed up so I can get through before the lights turn red!"
3.  Something else (specify).

For me it comes down to many things.

Current speed. Am I zipping along at 80 Km/H and know I'm close enough that a quick acceleration will get me 'Over the line'?

Is it in a more residential area and every one's crawling along at 40 Km/H?

Has it been a really shitty day at work and it's "I simply don't have time for this bull-sheet. I'm going HOME!" sort of deal?

Usually... I'll slow down and prep for the change to red.

 

Not at work.

I try to watch the light and time it.  If I'm fairly sure it will turn red before I get there, I slow down and hope to still be rolling when it turns green again.  If it looks like I can make the light, I continue and set a point before which, if the light turns yellow, I stop, and after which, I floor it.  The general idea is to not waste fuel on a light that is going to stop me while rolling through all I can.

(May 3, 2022 at 5:41 am)arewethereyet Wrote: Since living and commuting around the Dallas area, I get ready to stop and then check my rearview mirror to see if the car behind me is slowing down.  In fact, since moving here, I watch the car behind me as much, or more, than the ones in front of beside me.

I am not angry enough to drive in Dallas, but I create my fair share in others.

(May 3, 2022 at 4:30 am)The Valkyrie Wrote: If you're driving toward traffic lights and the lights turn orange, what thought goes through your head?

1.  "I should slow down and prepare to stop."
2.  "I need to speed up so I can get through before the lights turn red!"
3.  Something else (specify).

My first thought would be, "What universe am I in that has orange traffic lights in it?"

In seriousness, though, I was running a yellow light once and the driver on the adjoining street pulled out before I was across. Nearly totaled my little Toyota. I'm a bit more conservative now.

I'm to old to play stop light games. What would I gain, one, maybe two minutes? What would I lose, potentially many things including including a clean pair of pants.