It used to be (and still is) that people run red lights, sometimes a whole row of them. Nothing new about that.

But over the past several years it's more likely than not that the first driver at a red light just sits there when it turns green. If cars just behind him/her don't blow the horn, it's likely that by the time the first driver looks up from the phone that'll be the only car that gets through the light.

So I make it a point to be prepared to sound the horn in event no one moves. Not at the split second the light turns (I'm not one of those) but only when it's obvious the driver's head is looking down, no doubt texting or reading email, oblivious to the surroundings.

Traffic is bad enough without losing most or all of a light cycle because a phone takes priority over common sense and safe driving, and with a hell with others on the road attitude.

I am one of those.

If I am the second or third guy in line I wait a second to see what the cars ahead of me do. Anything after that though and I have started just tapping my horn as soon as the light goes green. If you are more than three cars back there is virtually zero chance that all the drivers in front of you are paying attention. A quick little tap makes everyone look up while not being obnoxious. Or maybe it is obnoxious. Honestly I don't give a shit. It isn't more obnoxious than being forced to miss a light because someone is busy on their phone.

I like a couple of seconds delay to check and make sure no one is running the red, but five seconds or more starts to get on my nerve.

quote:

I like a couple of seconds delay to check and make sure no one is running the red, but five seconds or more starts to get on my nerve.

Yep. Impatience gets you killed.

I figure it's about 80/20. 20% of the time they're waiting to see if somebody's going to blow the red light, and 80% of the time they're texting and not paying attention.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
I like a couple of seconds delay to check and make sure no one is running the red, but five seconds or more starts to get on my nerve.

Me too on this note.

I have been hit by a red light runner (he was hidden from my view by a box on wheels), seen two (the best was where a young lady I was behind waited a solid two/three seconds after the light turned green to move yet the other driver told her insurance the young lady jumped the green without knowing there was a witness), and with the way people in San Diego are becoming oblivious to red lights and rules of the road - I typically wait a few seconds.

If you are waiting a few seconds after every single green light then you are probably doing it wrong.

Around here there are already a second or two between the red light on their side and the green on ours. During those few seconds your should have an idea of what other drivers are doing. If you don't then waiting is fine. But if you are waiting a few extra seconds at every single green light then I would have to wonder how much attention you were paying to cross traffic before. Or maybe in your area the lights change immediately. But even then I usually watch the cross traffic lights (if I can see them) and I am watching the cross traffic the whole time. Of course every intersection is different so sometimes you simply can't see cross traffic very well and have to wait until you see cars stopping. There is nothing wrong with making sure nobody is running a red of course, but like people who leave 9 car lengths between them and the car in front of them so that they can do some tactical roll out, there is a such thing as too much.

FWIW I have never been hit by someone blowing a red light even though people blown lights in front of me several times. I have always been able to tell just by watching prior to my green.

Either way, if you hear a little tap on a horn behind you don't get offended or think that the guy hitting the horn is in a hurry and wants you to abandon all caution. I am not upset at you for looking for red light runners. I am just giving a little heads up to everyone who may not be paying attention.

If you don't have a built in 3-count in Jackson, you'll almost certain get plowed over inside a week.

I used to give a polite little tap.

Now, if I see that somebody's head is buried in a cell phone, completely oblivious to a light that has turned green, it is no polite little tap: it is a loud, continuous, obnoxious, blast.

With red light running increasing, I count to two before proceeding if I am first at the light. When I am behind someone and see their head down, I too lay on the horn. I can only imagine how dangerous the people texting are while they are moving given how they act when they are stopped. I am beginning to think I should honk my horn when the light turns green so the texters have warning. There should be a national movement on this. Its bad out on the road and I am glad I invested in a dash cam.

To be fair, most people not moving when a light turns green are doing something OTHER than being a conscientious driver (e.g. nose buried in phone, fingerbanging radio, yelling at kids, retrieving something from purse/passenger seat/footwell). I heard one comedian quip, "I haven't seen a light turn green since I got a smart phone."

I'm a big believer in looking left and looking right before hitting the gas. A few years ago, it saved me from being t-boned by a speeding blonde bimbo in a Suburban. She blew right through a red light doing way more than the posted 35 mph and if I would not have taken the time to look left and right then my Silverado would've been blasted by her. Dumb bitch had her hands at 10 and 2 with her phone held between them.

quote:

Originally posted by Pale Horse:
FWIW I have never been hit by someone blowing a red light even though people blown lights in front of me several times. I have always been able to tell just by watching prior to my green.

I haven't either, but I was 2nd in line once and watched it happen. I saw the guy coming from the left at high speed just as the woman in front of me started moving and thought "Oh, shit." Sure enough she got creamed - not hurt, but her car was a wreck. Ever since then I'm a little more cautious in those situations. If there are multiple lanes in the direction I'm going and I can't see past the vehicle in the next lane to see if anybody's coming, I'll wait until he moves before I do.

there are a half a dozen intersections , up in the big city , where you can count four or five cars running the red lights , every morning and every evening.

so I just plane and simple stay off the streets up around then.

( the record ,so far was 7 people making a left on the red light)

I swear, every moron with a set of keys was on the road today.

Waiting at a left turn that's "Yield on Green" (no left turn arrow) and Barbie Beemer in the oncoming lane just sat there staring at her phone after the light turned green. I did eventually make the left on that light, but had to wait for all the traffic that was piled up behind her.

Two different times, the guy in front of me blew the red light. And I mean BLEW it. Not gassing it under the yellow, just flat ignoring it.

Two cases of people slowing down to make a right, coming to nearly a complete stop before turning and/or only moving halfway into the right turn lane thereby blocking both lanes.

Multiple cases of people driving 5-10 under the limit until they came to a passing lane and then speeding up so you couldn't get by without seriously ignoring the speed limit. One prick did it 3 times in 10 miles and passing on Route 1A is an adventure at best. If you can't get by them on the hills with a truck lane, you're pretty well screwed.

There were others, but by that time I was so pissed that pretty much anybody in a vehicle was on my shitlist.

(I did maintain my composure and resisted the urge to drive like a fool. Mostly.)

When I’m first at the light I look both ways when it turns green. It’s saved my ass a couple of times.

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:
It used to be (and still is) that people run red lights, sometimes a whole row of them. Nothing new about that.

But over the past several years it's more likely than not that the first driver at a red light just sits there when it turns green. If cars just behind him/her don't blow the horn, it's likely that by the time the first driver looks up from the phone that'll be the only car that gets through the light.

So I make it a point to be prepared to sound the horn in event no one moves. Not at the split second the light turns (I'm not one of those) but only when it's obvious the driver's head is looking down, no doubt texting or reading email, oblivious to the surroundings.

Traffic is bad enough without losing most or all of a light cycle because a phone takes priority over common sense and safe driving, and with a hell with others on the road attitude.

The one's that really piss me off are the cars that stop two to three car lengths behind the car in front of them. You get two or three cars doing this and when the light turns green only a few cars get through on that cycle. What's the purpose of that, except to make me mad?

quote:

Originally posted by Ricardokid11:

quote:

Originally posted by RogB:
It used to be (and still is) that people run red lights, sometimes a whole row of them. Nothing new about that.

But over the past several years it's more likely than not that the first driver at a red light just sits there when it turns green. If cars just behind him/her don't blow the horn, it's likely that by the time the first driver looks up from the phone that'll be the only car that gets through the light.

So I make it a point to be prepared to sound the horn in event no one moves. Not at the split second the light turns (I'm not one of those) but only when it's obvious the driver's head is looking down, no doubt texting or reading email, oblivious to the surroundings.

Traffic is bad enough without losing most or all of a light cycle because a phone takes priority over common sense and safe driving, and with a hell with others on the road attitude.

The one's that really piss me off are the cars that stop two to three car lengths behind the car in front of them. You get two or three cars doing this and when the light turns green only a few cars get through on that cycle. What's the purpose of that, except to make me mad?

If you ask, a lot of people will tell you that they do it in case there is some emergency and they need to pull out real fast. Which is fine, I don't hug the bumper of the car in front of me either, but I don't need three car lengths to get out. I might leave a larger than normal gap depending on road conditions, visibility and speed limit in case I get rear ended as I don't want to be pushed into the car in front of me. But after a few cars have pulled up behind me and stopped I adjust the distance accordingly.

The thing I have noticed is that most people don't really pay attention to the ever changing conditions of driving. People have habits and rules that they set and they just obey them in a sort of blind fashion. For instance people make a habit of topping at distance from the car in front of them and then never move even though all the conditions have changed since they stopped.

I’m sorry, I was too busy picking my nose while texting and checking social media while also putting on make up, eating a bowl of cereal, and giving my dog a bath to see that the light changed...

Same with folks speed up when you signal to change lanes. Or people want to weave in and out to get ahead 3 cars before the next stop light.

People aren’t aware and there isn’t any justice or enforcement.

I swear the movie idiocracy is coming true...
You don’t need a license to have children but you take a test one time in your life to drive a car??? Why no background checks for phones or cars?? Ban stupid people not firearms...

Try negotiating ANY area frequented by Snowbirder's. Folks from northern climes who travel south to get away from the cold weather up north.

Just visited the Quartzite/Yuma/Lk Havasu area twice in as many months. OMG! A light will turn and MAYBE 2 or 3 cars will make it through! Maddening.

And if it's a pair of motorhomes in the lead...forget it. One may make it, then the 2nd will usually go through on RED. Amazing.

What drives me nuts are people who approach a green light and SLOW DOWN. Then when the light turns red do they stop, hell no, they sail through the red light at 20 mph as if they were royalty.