[Stromfahrer]

I’ve always wanted to be able to talk to the people who get visibly agitated and even honk when they are behind me while I coast to a red light. Today I got the chance.

First let me be clear—I am very aware of all the traffic issues going on around me and if there is any possible reason someone might need to accelerate despite the red light, I keep my speed up. For example, if there’s a chance the light might change, or someone might need to catch a left turn green arrow, or make a right turn on red sooner, or there’s a driveway before the intersection, I’ll keep up my speed. Sometimes even if there’s no such reason, if coasting will take me to an extremely slow speed, I’ll keep some speed. Despite all this, some people still go out of their minds and I can watch their gestures in my mirror. Are they simply oblivious to the fact that the light is red? Are they in such a hurry that nothing is more important than maximizing speed at every moment?

As I said, today I finally got the chance. On a slightly downhill straight stretch of 4-lane road that I drive every day, the signal about a half mile ahead turned red while I was watching. So there was no chance it would turn green before I coasted there. Speed limit is 50, and I was coasting 45, 40, 35, and a large pickup zips up behind me, can’t immediately get around me because of a car to my right, and honks and visibly starts yelling and gesturing. She finally is able to pass me, speeds up and gets to the red light, ending up in the same spot one lane to the right of where I end up stopping when I’m done coasting there.

I look to my right, and casually make a motion to roll down her window, planning to simply ask her if she realized the light was red. I never got a chance. Immediately she starts ranting about how I don’t know how to drive, I should have my license revoked, do I realize how slow I was driving, etc. I repeatedly asked her if she saw the red light, and why did she need to accelerate so much to get to a red light, but she would not hear. She finally stopped yelling and rolled up her window. A moment later she rolled it back down and yelled “it’s no wonder you drive a Prius [!]” and “I bet you’re a Democrat too.” (Of course, the light we’re stopped at together is still red this whole time).

The light finally turned green, and she zipped away. It would have been too good to be true to meet her again at the next red light, but she actually made the next one, which I missed (despite going the speed limit and not coasting).

So now I understand.

 

[viking79]

I don't know what your post has to do with coal roller mindset, the attitudes you witnessed are separate from any party affiliation. It is the sad truth when you confront any angry hateful person whether they are democrat, republican, male, female, or anything. I had a similar experience confronting a lady who honked at me in a crosswalk I was crossing on foot with the right of way.

 

[11715]

I’ve always wanted to be able to talk to the people who get visibly agitated and even honk when they are behind me while I coast to a red light. Today I got the chance.

First let me be clear—I am very aware of all the traffic issues going on around me and if there is any possible reason someone might need to accelerate despite the red light, I keep my speed up. For example, if there’s a chance the light might change, or someone might need to catch a left turn green arrow, or make a right turn on red sooner, or there’s a driveway before the intersection, I’ll keep up my speed. Sometimes even if there’s no such reason, if coasting will take me to an extremely slow speed, I’ll keep some speed. Despite all this, some people still go out of their minds and I can watch their gestures in my mirror. Are they simply oblivious to the fact that the light is red? Are they in such a hurry that nothing is more important than maximizing speed at every moment?

As I said, today I finally got the chance. On a slightly downhill straight stretch of 4-lane road that I drive every day, the signal about a half mile ahead turned red while I was watching. So there was no chance it would turn green before I coasted there. Speed limit is 50, and I was coasting 45, 40, 35, and a large pickup zips up behind me, can’t immediately get around me because of a car to my right, and honks and visibly starts yelling and gesturing. She finally is able to pass me, speeds up and gets to the red light, ending up in the same spot one lane to the right of where I end up stopping when I’m done coasting there.

I look to my right, and casually make a motion to roll down her window, planning to simply ask her if she realized the light was red. I never got a chance. Immediately she starts ranting about how I don’t know how to drive, I should have my license revoked, do I realize how slow I was driving, etc. I repeatedly asked her if she saw the red light, and why did she need to accelerate so much to get to a red light, but she would not hear. She finally stopped yelling and rolled up her window. A moment later she rolled it back down and yelled “it’s no wonder you drive a Prius [!]” and “I bet you’re a Democrat too.” (Of course, the light we’re stopped at together is still red this whole time).

The light finally turned green, and she zipped away. It would have been too good to be true to meet her again at the next red light, but she actually made the next one, which I missed (despite going the speed limit and not coasting).

So now I understand.

You are driving unsafe. Coast when there is no traffic and you can maintain the speed limit.

 

[viking79]

You are driving unsafe. Coast when there is no traffic and you can maintain the speed limit.

Approaching a light that is red slowing down a long ways back is much safer and defensive driving, sudden changes of speed is what causes accidents. I have never understood why people race up to red lights.

 

[Fred_B]

I have never understood why people race up to red lights.

You're lucky you're not in Texas. Here they sometimes accelerate up to and THROUGH the red light. Seen it happen many times, once with a large pickup truck (Ford F250 or similar). I was stopped at the light, which had already turned red. This truck was several seconds back from the intersection after it had already turned red and it barreled through at high speed AFTER the cross street light had turned green. I was especially incensed as I was near my office and I knew many of my coworkers would be driving on that cross street on their way to work.

 

[NickHark]

Approaching a light that is red slowing down a long ways back is much safer and defensive driving, sudden changes of speed is what causes accidents. I have never understood why people race up to red lights.

I think that your attitude, however well intentioned, misses the real problem: nobody appointed you to force the traffic behind you to slow down well in advance of the stop light.

To me, this is the same as those who drive in the fast lanes, and middle lanes, at the speed limit, causing great anguish to those behind you who want to drive faster than the legal limit. As a result of this widespread practice, the traffic generally, is actually slowed down. Sometimes this leads to crashes.

In both of these cases, at least in California, slower traffic keeps to the right. This is so faster traffic can get by.

Your obligation, if you intended to be slower than everyone else or to drive the same speed that the guy to your right was driving, was to either speed up and get in front of the car to your right or slow down and pull in behind it.

You are driving the car, not just riding in it.

 

[Barry]

It is surprising how many people rush to and sometimes even accelerate to a red light. Not a very good driving technique. Just remember, half of all drivers are below average.

However, I do have to commend the pickup driver for two things:
1) She was paying enough attention to driving to notice you were slowing, instead of reading her texts
2) She recognized your car as some type of hybrid (not exactly a Prius, but close enough for someone like that)

Hopefully next time she will still be unarmed.

 

[Upper5Percent]

 

[Upper5Percent]

 

[Upper5Percent]

I’ve always wanted to be able to talk to the people who get visibly agitated and even honk when they are behind me while I coast to a red light. Today I got the chance.

First let me be clear—I am very aware of all the traffic issues going on around me and if there is any possible reason someone might need to accelerate despite the red light, I keep my speed up. For example, if there’s a chance the light might change, or someone might need to catch a left turn green arrow, or make a right turn on red sooner, or there’s a driveway before the intersection, I’ll keep up my speed. Sometimes even if there’s no such reason, if coasting will take me to an extremely slow speed, I’ll keep some speed. Despite all this, some people still go out of their minds and I can watch their gestures in my mirror. Are they simply oblivious to the fact that the light is red? Are they in such a hurry that nothing is more important than maximizing speed at every moment?

As I said, today I finally got the chance. On a slightly downhill straight stretch of 4-lane road that I drive every day, the signal about a half mile ahead turned red while I was watching. So there was no chance it would turn green before I coasted there. Speed limit is 50, and I was coasting 45, 40, 35, and a large pickup zips up behind me, can’t immediately get around me because of a car to my right, and honks and visibly starts yelling and gesturing. She finally is able to pass me, speeds up and gets to the red light, ending up in the same spot one lane to the right of where I end up stopping when I’m done coasting there.

I look to my right, and casually make a motion to roll down her window, planning to simply ask her if she realized the light was red. I never got a chance. Immediately she starts ranting about how I don’t know how to drive, I should have my license revoked, do I realize how slow I was driving, etc. I repeatedly asked her if she saw the red light, and why did she need to accelerate so much to get to a red light, but she would not hear. She finally stopped yelling and rolled up her window. A moment later she rolled it back down and yelled “it’s no wonder you drive a Prius [!]” and “I bet you’re a Democrat too.” (Of course, the light we’re stopped at together is still red this whole time).

The light finally turned green, and she zipped away. It would have been too good to be true to meet her again at the next red light, but she actually made the next one, which I missed (despite going the speed limit and not coasting).

So now I understand.

Never confront other drivers...there are too many lunatics behind the wheel...

 

[Steverino]

I think that your attitude, however well intentioned, misses the real problem: nobody appointed you to force the traffic behind you to slow down well in advance of the stop light.

In other words, if the speed limit is 55 and there is a red light you are obliged to keep at 55 until the very last second and then stomp on the brakes as hard as you can so you don't sail through the intersection. Same for stopped traffic, don't slow down until the very last second.

You know you are doing it correctly when your tires screech to a halt and the people in front of you have a terrified look on their faces in their rear view mirror.

 

[Mister Dave]

I don't know what your post has to do with coal roller mindset, the attitudes you witnessed are separate from any party affiliation. It is the sad truth when you confront any angry hateful person whether they are democrat, republican, male, female, or anything. I had a similar experience confronting a lady who honked at me in a crosswalk I was crossing on foot with the right of way.

+1

And this thread doesn't help anything. I'm guessing you are a democrat, took the Prius remark as slighting your hybrid, or some other part of her rant landed on target.

But it doesn't matter. You have different driving styles and that's about it.

Congratulations on displaying your own prejudice though. She's driving a pickup so she's a coal roller? You just slighted a good portion of Volt owners without a second thought. I guess I'm a coal roller too? I own a Silverado 4X4.

Oh, and I drive it slower than my Volt.......

 

[JRRF]

Hopefully next time she will still be unarmed.

Not condoning it either way, but whatever you do, don't roll down your window, or confront anyone like that AT ALL. Today you don't know when they might be armed.

I once had an a-hole come over a hill doing double the limit as I pulled out (in front of him) from a side street. He passed me on the double yellow, stopped in front of me, got out and proceeded to yell at my window. I just ignored him and waited until he got back in his car and drove away. I would have passed his stopped car, but we were on a blind curve. Even more interesting is that the guy was in an S550.

 

[Stromfahrer]

I'm sorry if I implied that the pickup truck branded her as a coal roller or a member of any particular political party. I too own a large pickup. It had nothing to do with her vehicle. It had everything to do with what she was yelling (which I drastically edited for space and propriety--there was plenty more). Her tirade made it perfectly clear what her stance was on environmental issues.

And I posted it to make clear how I feel about drivers who do things that don't make sense. The mix of responses shows that there is a mix of opinions on that.

 

[BAZINGA]

When my father was teaching me how to drive in the early 60's one of his pieces of advice he gave still holds true today - if your driving causes others to notice you you are doing something wrong.

Just saying.

 

[Mister Dave]

I'm sorry if I implied that the pickup truck branded her as a coal roller or a member of any particular political party. I too own a large pickup.

You wrote the title and there was no justification for the wide brush label. If and when someone rolls coal on you, you will understand what it means.

Her tirade made it perfectly clear what her stance was on environmental issues.

It makes nothing perfectly clear, other than she was showing her own ignorance. Road rage will do that to anyone. Apparently you brought some of that stored energy home and typed it into your computer. It's perfectly understandable.

But I'm glad you seem to understand and regret the folly of the group think now and take credit for being a "coal roller" (pickup owner) yourself. Many here never get that far. I go one step beyond - I brag about how I invest in oil interests.

When my father was teaching me how to drive in the early 60's one of his pieces of advice he gave still holds true today - if your driving causes others to notice you you are doing something wrong.

Just saying.

Pretty much, but with my Volt I'm often the leader not the lagger.

 

[fotomoto1]

Thread summation: Everyone going faster than me is an idiot. Everyone going slower than me is a moron.

 

[Mister Dave]

 

[obermd]

I've had people go berserk in traffic when I was keeping up with traffic. Usually it's someone in a big pickup or SUV. Her real issue was that you were in front of her.

 

[Upper5Percent]

I've had people go berserk in traffic when I was keeping up with traffic. Usually it's someone in a big pickup or SUV. Her real issue was that you were in front of her.