While I’m sure it feels good to cautious drivers when this happens, IME it doesn’t happen enough for the amount of snarky memes posted about it. If it happens even 50% of the time, the other 50% aggressive drivers do get ahead.
I’m not an aggressive driver, and I see plenty of aggressive drivers I never catch up with.
This. I’m happy for you that this red light gave you the satisfaction of one last look at me but once it turns green I most likely won’t be seeing you again lmao.
I take a different tact. I learn optimum routes so I can get around faster at normal speeds. Favorable right of way, favorable light timing, more direct angled roads. Traffic patterns and hence route selection change by time of day. It takes time, trial, and error to figure out but it pays off. I can get to the grocery store 3 minutes faster than my wife (5 vs 8 minutes) by picking a better route.
There’s an unavoidable overpass between me and where we get groceries with 3 lights on it. They’re timed such that, heading in either direction, you’ll hit one red if you follow the speed limit. They may have sensors, but they change with no cross-traffic as well. However, if you catch the first light in green, and speed by between 7-10 over the speed limit (35), you can get through all 3 without stopping. It’s an overpass with no residential nearby; this is the only place I regularly blow through.
I have no idea what the civic engineers were thinking when they progammed those lights. I assume incompetence; what I think really happened is that at one time that stretch was 45, like both sides of the overpass, and they were programmed for 45, which would normally get you through with no stops. Then some asshat changed the speed limit of that stretch to 35 without reprogramming the lights.
Anyway, the point of my long story is that sometimes going around isn’t feasible. When it is, it’s a great tactic, though!
While I’m sure it feels good to cautious drivers when this happens, IME it doesn’t happen enough for the amount of snarky memes posted about it. If it happens even 50% of the time, the other 50% aggressive drivers do get ahead.
I’m not an aggressive driver, and I see plenty of aggressive drivers I never catch up with.
This. I’m happy for you that this red light gave you the satisfaction of one last look at me but once it turns green I most likely won’t be seeing you again lmao.
I take a different tact. I learn optimum routes so I can get around faster at normal speeds. Favorable right of way, favorable light timing, more direct angled roads. Traffic patterns and hence route selection change by time of day. It takes time, trial, and error to figure out but it pays off. I can get to the grocery store 3 minutes faster than my wife (5 vs 8 minutes) by picking a better route.
There’s an unavoidable overpass between me and where we get groceries with 3 lights on it. They’re timed such that, heading in either direction, you’ll hit one red if you follow the speed limit. They may have sensors, but they change with no cross-traffic as well. However, if you catch the first light in green, and speed by between 7-10 over the speed limit (35), you can get through all 3 without stopping. It’s an overpass with no residential nearby; this is the only place I regularly blow through.
I have no idea what the civic engineers were thinking when they progammed those lights. I assume incompetence; what I think really happened is that at one time that stretch was 45, like both sides of the overpass, and they were programmed for 45, which would normally get you through with no stops. Then some asshat changed the speed limit of that stretch to 35 without reprogramming the lights.
Anyway, the point of my long story is that sometimes going around isn’t feasible. When it is, it’s a great tactic, though!