Traffic light Grand Prix nonsense
Discussion
Perception issue I think. You're a bloke and thus your brisk acceleration is seen as aggression towards females - or some sexual-based logic like that. Guess it's no different when some two-directorship in his Audi cuts you up whereas you're more forgiving if it's some Doris on her Sunday drive .. 
A couple of points from me, just to offer my opinion.
1. You are not undertaking. Two vehicles side by side and stationary that subsequently move off, where the inside vehicle accelarates more quickly is not an undertake. An undertake is coming up behind a vehicle in Lane 2, then passing in Lane 1 before moving back into Lane 2. This is illegal and not to be confused with variable traffic flow, say on a motorway, where you are in an inside lane that happens to be flowing quicker than an outside lane in steadily flowing but heavy traffic. That is also acceptable.
2. I thought pole position at traffic lights was for using launch control or attempting to replicate that function be revving and rocking the clutch and pretending you are at Santa Pod, Lane position being irrelevant? I draw this conclusion not from my behaviour but from that of many a driver I have found the misfortune to end up next to....
1. You are not undertaking. Two vehicles side by side and stationary that subsequently move off, where the inside vehicle accelarates more quickly is not an undertake. An undertake is coming up behind a vehicle in Lane 2, then passing in Lane 1 before moving back into Lane 2. This is illegal and not to be confused with variable traffic flow, say on a motorway, where you are in an inside lane that happens to be flowing quicker than an outside lane in steadily flowing but heavy traffic. That is also acceptable.
2. I thought pole position at traffic lights was for using launch control or attempting to replicate that function be revving and rocking the clutch and pretending you are at Santa Pod, Lane position being irrelevant? I draw this conclusion not from my behaviour but from that of many a driver I have found the misfortune to end up next to....
K8-600 said:
It's not the bike, it's me I'm afraid. I don't ride massively above the speed limit and I not accelerate at full power most of the time (usually less than 50% effort).
I'm generally faster than most cars but I ride in the city fairly conservatively.
Still I do want a bike that has a bit more torque. I'm going to change to a S1000R this year when I get around to it.
The S1000R is a dream bike of mine. I've never ridden one but I would love to try one. I may pick one up in a few years. I'm generally faster than most cars but I ride in the city fairly conservatively.
Still I do want a bike that has a bit more torque. I'm going to change to a S1000R this year when I get around to it.
Edited by K8-600 on Saturday 20th May 16:28
I breeze of the lights on my Daytona and I'm by no means an expert at launching a bike. I tend to roll the gas on softly at first and get settled into a gear before opening the taps. With so much torque, it doesn't take a lot of 'effort' from the bike to really get a good speed going. I rarely ride around town but when I do, easy going is the order of the day.
Challengers often play the game the OP describes but there isn't much out there that will trouble even a 20 year old Triumph like mine. I once had someone looking to give it the big 'un in an F Type on the way to work early one morning a couple of years ago. Lots of revving, with his sports exhaust popping and crackling, turned into what looked like little motive effort when I looked in my mirrors as I approached the next set of lights, and he sheepishly pulled in behind me as we waited for the next green
Ask them to follow you to the police station for a discussion with the desk sergeant if they think it was dangerous. Knobs some people.
Got to grin, we have a merge in turn section round here. Most play the game as the two lanes come from two different directions and merge as it goes into one lane.
Someone won't play the game so I wound down the window and pointed out to him that it says merge in turn, "oh does it!" He shouts, "I'm sorry" I reply "didn't know you can't read, there's some good courses at the adult college
"
No reply and the window went up.
Didn't let me in, though.
Got to grin, we have a merge in turn section round here. Most play the game as the two lanes come from two different directions and merge as it goes into one lane.
Someone won't play the game so I wound down the window and pointed out to him that it says merge in turn, "oh does it!" He shouts, "I'm sorry" I reply "didn't know you can't read, there's some good courses at the adult college
"No reply and the window went up.
Didn't let me in, though.
My Rover 45 does not beat anything off the line over the first 50 metres at traffic lights!
Acceleration in first gear from a standstill is poor.
Has 1 1.8 litre Rover K series engine. Not a bad engine, and using lower gears at higher revs when on the move, means very sharp acceleration, (and will outperform most modern day drivers using modern machinery).
Obviously, it's front-wheel drive which means slower off the mark than other set-ups. However, most cars nowadays are fwd, (or 4wd), in preference to rwd
Acceleration in first gear from a standstill is poor.
Has 1 1.8 litre Rover K series engine. Not a bad engine, and using lower gears at higher revs when on the move, means very sharp acceleration, (and will outperform most modern day drivers using modern machinery).
Obviously, it's front-wheel drive which means slower off the mark than other set-ups. However, most cars nowadays are fwd, (or 4wd), in preference to rwd
Lookinfg at the original post this time:
Another driver wsaying this to me would piss me off no emd. Not my fault if I/my car is more capable off the line than yours. And I would turn iot back on them by asking them ehy they are in the quick lane at the traffic-lights if they/thier car are slow off the mark.
OP - you weren;t doing anything wrong at all!
Another driver wsaying this to me would piss me off no emd. Not my fault if I/my car is more capable off the line than yours. And I would turn iot back on them by asking them ehy they are in the quick lane at the traffic-lights if they/thier car are slow off the mark.
OP - you weren;t doing anything wrong at all!
HTP99 said:
You are doing nothing wrong OP, I frequently do the same as you, however I never get abuse for it, the person in lane 2 should be quicker off the mark, if they aren't then that is their problem.
I love the ones who sit in lane 2 riding their clutch, they are constantly edging forward and dropping back, edging forward and dropping back, looking as though they want to race off, the lights change and they don't move.
Yeah, to be honest, in my Rover 45, (and MG ZR befor that - looking to get it back on the road soon), I have found myslef in these two female drivers' predicament. I love the ones who sit in lane 2 riding their clutch, they are constantly edging forward and dropping back, edging forward and dropping back, looking as though they want to race off, the lights change and they don't move.
However, I would nevre dream of having a go at someone in the slow lane accelerating quicker than I have done from standstill at the traffic lights.
That is a characteristic of the cars, (particularly if the other car is a modern rwd car as poppsoed to my early noughties fwd) and/or drivers
[quote=Solocle]I certainly don't understand getting so worked up about it. Recently I went into lane 2, as it was clear and I'm pretty quick off the lights. The vehicle at the front of L1 looked big and sluggish, but I think it was a Range Rover Sport. The driver of that (auto I reckon) didn't like a Skoda Citigo trying to pass him. I'm pretty certain he floored it off the lights. I got a better start, but just didn't have the power to get far enough ahead, and shifting to 2nd gear meant him flying past. Still, it wasn't an inconvenience for me - there was a nice big gap behind him, so I's still made good progress
k.
Cars i have opften found to comprehensively beat me off the line have been upmarket modern 4x4s or modern BMW 3 series, (rwd the key there).
Still fancy I will out-perform the Beemer in th snow though, (and I am no Lewis Hamilton!)
That's a modern 4wd, and therefore likely to be quick off the line. Even tjhough it is heavy as f
k. Cars i have opften found to comprehensively beat me off the line have been upmarket modern 4x4s or modern BMW 3 series, (rwd the key there).
Still fancy I will out-perform the Beemer in th snow though, (and I am no Lewis Hamilton!)
Len Woodman said:
Here in Sydney, with so few manual cars it's surprising how slow most are at moving away from traffic lights. One of the best things to impede a driver's progress is the auto-stop system. Many times I easily and gently move away ahead of the VW, Audi etc. whilst their driver's brain has to think about coming off the brake to restart the engine. They have to catch up and tailgate!
On a slightly different subject do you have, in the UK, red light cameras? We have many combined red-light speed cameras.
That's what i was thinking. A manual car driven by a half-competent driver is always likely to be better off a standing-start than an automatic. And even more so, a self-starting automaticOn a slightly different subject do you have, in the UK, red light cameras? We have many combined red-light speed cameras.
Although I haven;t driven a modern automatic/modern semi-automatic crap, etc. Manual all day long for me anyway- I despise the idiotification of driving nowadays - automatic gearshifts, parking sensors, line corrcetion technology, etc
Edited by Mattylamb on Saturday 16th November 08:08
Mattylamb said:
A manual car driven by a half-competent driver is always likely to be better off a standing-start than an automatic.
Although I haven;t driven a modern automatic/modern semi-automatic crap, etc. Manual all day long for me anyway- I despise the idiotification of driving nowadays - automatic gearshifts, parking sensors, line corrcetion technology, etc
Modern autos makes it simple to launch quickly off the line. No driver skill required - just plant your foot and go.Although I haven;t driven a modern automatic/modern semi-automatic crap, etc. Manual all day long for me anyway- I despise the idiotification of driving nowadays - automatic gearshifts, parking sensors, line corrcetion technology, etc
Add in millisecond gearshifts and I'm sure most drivers will be able to launch faster than the equivalent manual.
Personally, like autos for their ability to creep and launch smoothly off the line but once on the move, I prefer a good manual box.
Mattylamb said:
Yeah, to be honest, in my Rover 45, (and MG ZR befor that - looking to get it back on the road soon), I have found myslef in these two female drivers' predicament.
However, I would nevre dream of having a go at someone in the slow lane accelerating quicker than I have done from standstill at the traffic lights.
That is a characteristic of the cars, (particularly if the other car is a modern rwd car as poppsoed to my early noughties fwd) and/or drivers
Totally agree with your post apart from one minor point - there's no slow lane, just lane 1.However, I would nevre dream of having a go at someone in the slow lane accelerating quicker than I have done from standstill at the traffic lights.
That is a characteristic of the cars, (particularly if the other car is a modern rwd car as poppsoed to my early noughties fwd) and/or drivers
Given the same context, if I'm the only car on the road and I arrive at the red light, I'll be in lane 1. If I was in a rush, I'll set off smartly.
If anyone is slightly wrong, it's the woman in lane 2. If you put yourself there without the intention of turning right fairly soon, then you should feel obliged to make reasonably quick progress. If the person to your left is quicker, it's not anything to be angry with them about whatever kind of start they make. And it's most certainly wrong of her to sound her horn or flash lights. If I'd been her, I don't think that I'd even have noticed, but I'm an old male and have different values.
As an aside I used to have a CVT Fiesta as a city commuter. Incredibly quick to 20 mph for the traffic lights GP, but beyond that speed it struggled.
As an aside I used to have a CVT Fiesta as a city commuter. Incredibly quick to 20 mph for the traffic lights GP, but beyond that speed it struggled.
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