Traffic Lights

almillar

They're slow - as in, not moving off when green comes on, because they're driving without due care or attention. They think they're not driving when they're stopped at lights, and it's an opportunity to pick their nose, speak to passengers, or my favourite, they seem to have something in the back of their car that they MUST play with!
People saying 'we're getting ready - that's what amber is for. Have a look round the junction at the other lights and see if you can predict when yours will change, then you'll be even more ready.
I've got stop/start and the amber light is plenty of time to hit the clutch, go into first and take off the handbrake. I don't think doing this things is the cause of the delays that will annoy people though.
I also wonder how many people have this wonder start/stop stuff, and never ever use it, because they're just sitting in first with their feet on the clutch and brake pedals...

portly1

I normally wait until green THEN put it into drive and move off at a steady progressive speed. I'm not too happy if someone behind is giving it large. Some junctions have two lanes at the lights and merge into one after the lights. If some idiot behind hasn't got any patience I tend to tuck myself (and him behind me) behind all of the traffic coming up on the other lane - can easily see a dozen cars go past and merge in front of me.

neilmcl

Strider590 wrote: »

I totally get this, what they also don't realise is that the filter lane light is triggered by the induction loop just past the stop line. So even in heavy traffic is they don't pull past the line, the lights will not change in their favour.

I've also had people behind use their horn when i've gone before the filter lane light came on..... Probably the same people you mentioned.

Not necessarily true.

Strider590

portly1 wrote: »

I normally wait until green THEN put it into drive and move off at a steady progressive speed. I'm not too happy if someone behind is giving it large. Some junctions have two lanes at the lights and merge into one after the lights. If some idiot behind hasn't got any patience I tend to tuck myself (and him behind me) behind all of the traffic coming up on the other lane - can easily see a dozen cars go past and merge in front of me.

I move off at a fairly swift pace, but if the guy behind is trying to block cars merging, then i'll slow down.

With people moving off really slowly, you'll often find that if there are two lanes, they suddenly turn into racing drivers.

Which can only mean:

Stooby2 wrote: »

Because they know it infuriates the person behinds them.

I'd say that at least 70% of UK drivers are "passive aggressive", they do stuff to wind people up, so that they themselves can feel superior.

neilmcl

portly1 wrote: »

I normally wait until green THEN put it into drive and move off at a steady progressive speed. I'm not too happy if someone behind is giving it large. Some junctions have two lanes at the lights and merge into one after the lights. If some idiot behind hasn't got any patience I tend to tuck myself (and him behind me) behind all of the traffic coming up on the other lane - can easily see a dozen cars go past and merge in front of me.

Then you're as guilty as him for driving without consideration for other road users.

portly1

neilmcl wrote: »

Then you're as guilty as him for driving without consideration for other road users.

Not if I am in the nearside of the two lanes and there is a stream of cars in the outside lane - all wanting to do battle to be first in the one and only lane after the lights! I would wait patiently until the offside lane has cleared then tuck myself with the idiot behind me to the end of the traffic queue. No doubt by this time he/she is spitting feathers!

WTFH

You might find the delay in moving off is caused by a poorly designed stop/start system.
From experience, of the European brands, BMW stop start is the worst. You could be waiting several seconds for it to fire up.

As for inconsiderate road users, deliberately holding up traffic most certainly is inconsiderate, but you do get a bonus point for actually using your mirror, which many drivers fail to do these days.

alleycat`

You might also want to "pick" your lights that you get a "good" start from.

There are a couple i go through daily that are on a "cross road" and they change "amber" on one set at the same time as the opposing set go "red amber".

If you get an "amber gambler" you could find yourself on the wrong end of an accident.

The only time i get annoyed at people who are slow pulling away is on lights that are on a very short phase.

At best you can usually get 3 or 4 cars out but someone dawdling usually leads to them getting across the lights and no !!!!!! else.

A couple of those in front of you can make you want to eat the steering wheel

Wh05apk

I suspect a lot of people slow to pull away are still finishing their text, or reading an e-mail!

neilmcl

WTFH wrote: »

You might find the delay in moving off is caused by a poorly designed stop/start system.
From experience, of the European brands, BMW stop start is the worst. You could be waiting several seconds for it to fire up.

Absolutely not in my experience! The start/stop on my car is practically instantaneous.