Dominating the temporary traffic lights

[CubanPete]

The last couple of miles of my commute have been plagued by temporary traffic lights (Water authority only ever temporarily fixes things...) for about 15 years

The road is busy, and the queues often long, so why do some people feel the need to pull onto the 'wrong' side of the road 100, 150 yards before the lights when they turn green?

They aren't overtaking the queue, the people in front are sat happily in their lane, there is no guarantee they will even make the light change? Road is an ex NSL 40 limit rural B road, though you do see it elsewhere.

This isn't a rant, it doesn't bother me, I just find it intriguing...

[Bright Halo]

It is the “I’m coming through” display to try and bully someone in front who may stop if the light dares to turn red!
Morons

[captain_cynic]

The same reason people slowly meander into turning lanes at the lights... Because they're too lazy to move their slovenly arms in order to shift the big wheel in front of them that they're meant to be attending.

Laziness and lack of enforcement.

[theplayingmantis]

i do this! but not when ,miles back, only if only a coupel of cars back so im 99%certain im going through. if somehthing catastrophic happened that prevented me i'd look quite the tom fool.

never really thought why, just habit, i suppose saving me turning and driving. which makes sense. get the turn over before moving forward. g up any dawdlers. not that it does.

edit makes no sense

Edited by theplayingmantis on Thursday 15th February 17:37

[p1esk]

theplayingmantis said:

i do this! but not when ,miles back, only if only a coupel of cars back so im 99%certain im going through. if somehthing catastrophic happened that prevented me i'd look quite the tom fool.

I do the same, but I don't take it to extremes. Moving offside a bit early makes it look more plausible to go through if the lights change against me.

"Well now that I'm offside, clearly the sensible thing to do is continue..."

[Ari]

Yup, it's that. People are 'committing' to going through no matter what.

[captain_cynic]

TVR Moneypit said:

p1esk said:

I do the same, but I don't take it to extremes. Moving offside a bit early makes it look more plausible to go through if the lights change against me.

"Well now that I'm offside, clearly the sensible thing to do is continue..."

I do it as well.

I think starting to change lanes 2-3 cars back is prudent, it maintains a nice line of traffic to avoid traffic cones and barriers... the OP is talking about changing lanes 10 cars back to block the other side from moving before they've gotten through.

People must know that lights are timed to go red at least 15 or more seconds before the lights on the other side go green... so they think they can risk it.

[WJNB]

Obviously trying to hassle those in front but I have no problems with such actions, I just drive ever more very slowly hoping the lights will change back to red thus thwarting their attempt to bully me.

[Mercky]

theplayingmantis said:

i do this! but not when ,miles back, only if only a coupel of cars back so im 99%certain im going through. if somehthing catastrophic happened that prevented me i'd look quite the tom fool.

never really thought why, just habit, i suppose saving me turning and driving. which makes sense. get the turn over before moving forward. g up any dawdlers. not that it does.

edit makes no sense

Edited by theplayingmantis on Thursday 15th February 17:37

Makes sense to me, it makes sure that you get through when the old dear at the head of the queue on the right side of the road stomps on the brakes as soon as she can smell the lights turning amber, then both sides wait a ridiculously long time (determined by the temporary traffic light people,just in case) and then you can get to work on time.

[darren f]

Ari said:

Yup, it's that. People are 'committing' to going through no matter what.

Yep, brainless idiots risking an RTA if similarly impatient idiots are coming in the opposite direction, not to mention putting workers at risk should they have gone to ‘all red’ to move signing / guarding or machinery within the work zone. I used to work on highways- back in the day when we had Traf-Pol actually patrolling roads, we occasionally asked and got police presence at on-going works where red light jumpers were an issue. Our work teams used to enjoy getting one over the idiots on such occasions- it made a refreshing change from being abused and spat at by undesirables, a regular occurrence on traffic light jobs.

[saaby93]

Has anyone started looking at the make of lights to see which ones are better at recognising you approaching and changing, while others seem to be on a fixed time sequence. Look for the word Pike

[DoubleD]

WJNB said:

Obviously trying to hassle those in front but I have no problems with such actions, I just drive ever more very slowly hoping the lights will change back to red thus thwarting their attempt to bully me.

And causing more delays to those further back

[pc.iow]

I tend to do it when there’s still cars coming through when my lights are on green.
Drive straight at the bds!

[Big GT]

It's so when your upto speed you don't have to change lanes.
Also if the car in front stops on Orange you can just continue through tailing the others safely and saves unessasary stopping saving fuel .

[Higgs boson]

pc.iow said:

I tend to do it when there’s still cars coming through when my lights are on green.
Drive straight at the bds!

There's a fair chance that the lights are not set correctly (not a long enough red for your end), and that the people coming towards you have not "jumped" the lights.

[Halmyre]

WJNB said:

Obviously trying to hassle those in front but I have no problems with such actions, I just drive ever more very slowly hoping the lights will change back to red thus thwarting their attempt to bully me.

That doesn't cancel out the tttish behaviour; it increases it. Exponentially.

[Muddle238]

I'm less bothered about what line people take to negotiate temporary traffic lights, but more bothered about how long it takes some bellends to react to a green traffic light or traffic ahead moving off. Sometimes I've started creeping in anticipating of accelerating away, only to have to brake because the driver infront is so unbelievably slow at reacting and setting off, really bugs me. I always enjoy being first in line though, as soon as that amber appears preceding the green I'm off like a whippet.

[neil1jnr]

I do that. The reason being like someone else says, committing to go through and to keep the flow going. If the light is still green and you need to be in the other lane anyway what's wrong with moving lane 100yards back?

If the few cars in front then decide they aren't going through you continue on your way past them and to the tail end of the line of cars already going through. If you gauge it wrong and the lights turn red before you are past then move back to the left and wait until green.

Edited by neil1jnr on Friday 16th February 12:47

[neil1jnr]

WJNB said:

Obviously trying to hassle those in front but I have no problems with such actions, I just drive ever more very slowly hoping the lights will change back to red thus thwarting their attempt to bully me.

Hopefully they then just pass you anyway once the lights turn red. Do you also block people from merging at the merge point because you feel they are pushing in front of you?

[AllyBassman]

I do this too, not from stupidly far back, but enough that i'm not hampered from over-cautious amber light stoppers and only when I can see the exit of the works.

How can it be dangerous to the contractors working? They're never pissing there to be run over. They dig the road up, setup lights and then ps off for a week.