Traffic light Grand Prix nonsense

[rainmakerraw]

Well, not really, but it's the best short analogy I could come up with. This same scenario has happened to me twice now, on the same stretch of road, so it's got me questioning my actions. Even though I think I'm right, and that I just happened to meet two loons in the same situation twice, I would rather seek peer/superior opinion than remain potentially ignorant.

Basically, I've recently accidentally 'beaten' two different lady drivers off from the lights on a 60mph limit dual carriageway (A580 / East Lancs Road) from a standing start. The incidents happened a good few months apart. Crucially (in their eyes) I was lead car at the lights in lane 1, while they were lead car in lane 2. My 2.0 turbo petrol (220ps or so) didn't see over 2,000rpm each time as I was purposefully taking it easy and had sleeping babies on board.

The two underpowered (and/or under-used) cars in question were a Pug 207 and a BMW 116d. They just couldn't scrape away from the line and up the hill from 0-60 in anything like normal times, so I managed to waft swiftly ahead without even trying. I'm not talking about leaving them standing either; though of course I easily could have if I'd wanted to (220ps vs ~70ps). Imagine overtaking a car in lane 1 of the motorway when you're in lane 2, or similar. That kind of gentle differential is all we're talking about here, but the lane order just happened to be reversed.

In both instances, the other party just drifted back into lane one behind me when I got ahead. So far, so good. Unfortunately they both then launched into flashing headlights, beeping horns, swearing and gesturing etc. Now if we were already rolling around the speed limit and I had come up behind then blasted past them on the inside, I'd almost understand. Even then it'd be a question of 'why are you in lane 2 if 1 is empty?'

However we're talking about two stationary cars setting off from lights, and one happens to be more powerful than the other even when sedately driven. Yesterday the girl caught me at the next lights (as I said, I wasn't rushing) and she went metal. Apparently I'm dangerous, and my driving is illegal. Not letting her win off the lights when she's in lane 2 is undertaking and I need to read the Highway Code.

I was very calm, and more bemused/curious how this keeps happening. I politely stated that it's not overtaking on the inside if the other person just happens not to be make it away from the lights for whatever reason, and I asked her to qualify how - exactly - I had placed her in danger? She couldn't think of an answer and so got more irate. She went back to me being a dangerous prick and my driving being illegal, so I need to read the Highway Code.

I was a bit miffed by now, though didn't show it, and asked whether she meant the section on passing on the left when two lanes of traffic are moving at slightly different speeds, or the rule about not using your horn to remonstrate with other road users as she did? In fact, once again could she actually give me any reason at all why she imagined my car not being as slow as hers was dangerous? If her little diesel can't make it off the line to the extent even traffic purposely pootling slowly in lane 1 beats her away, perhaps she ought to avoid stopping in lane 2 on fast roads, and holding up everyone behind her who are left with nowhere to overtake her?

She was flummoxed by now, and just ranted a bit then drove off because the light went green. So did I - a fair bit faster than she. Now I'm normally one for making brisk progress, but in an average speed kind of way rather than a traffic light Grand Prix / nail it like a tit only to slam on at the next set of lights and traffic kind of way. I do my best to blend in with traffic, don't draw attention and generally just get on with it. I really would ordinary think these ladies were a bit... special. But as I said for it to happen twice, on the same bit of road, under the same circumstances, with two different people; well I'm wondering if I'm the one missing something?

[rainmakerraw]

Thanks chaps. As I said at first I was sure of myself but after the second go-around I started to wonder if I'd missed something.

waremark said:

I think what you say you did is completely normal. From the front row at the lights I expect each vehicle to move away at their own pace with no particular order of priority. Generally, a car with automatic gears will get ahead of manuals. I am really surprised at the reaction you have encountered. I suggest it is best to ignore that sort of reaction as responding could escalate into a road rage incident.

Quite right. I ignored the original lady completely, and only (politely) engaged the second because our windows were already open due to the weather and I was intrigued as to what the problem seemed to be. I obviously wouldn't have responded if it was someone being blatantly aggressive, but she was clearly just a little annoyed and wanted to tell me so. I was only too happy to hear why, and always had the option to wind up the window and drive away if she started turning things ugly.

While it's hard to convey a situation in text, I can assure you at no point did it feel anything like a developing road rage incident, especially as she was a small 20(ish) year old girl and I'm a powerfully built mid-30s director type. She was just vexed so I heard her out and responded politely. No harm done, but I was hoping to learn what the common cause for frustration seemed to be.

[rainmakerraw]

Some Gump said:

I don't think it's that they feel like they've lost, it's because you're a 39mph man and they're late for work and want to do 45, but are now stuck behind.
I wouldn't lose any sleep over it, if you want less stress,simply let them overtake on the next lights. Not like you ever get 2 green in a row on the east lancs!

That's the thing though, I'm "well up to the limits" as my RoADAR examiner politely put it, and they can't keep up with me (until the next red?)... I'm not exactly holding them up and in both scenarios lane 2 was basically empty at the time. They just couldn't catch me to get past again, and basically disappeared behind me in a flurry of headlight flashes and horn beeps. They just don't like that they're not in front. Buy a faster car, perhaps?

Edited by rainmakerraw on Tuesday 23 May 00:45

[rainmakerraw]

I didn't realise this thread was still going - I posted it yonks ago.

cb1965 said:

What's the matter with you? Nail it good and proper and then you won't see them again to have them complain!

I realise you're being funny but for the avoidance of doubt, as I said in the OP,

rainmakerraw said:

I had sleeping babies on board.

otherwise yes, they wouldn't have seen which way I went (or whichever other PH meme you deem appropriate). Since I posted the thread I've changed vehicle from the 2.0 TSI Superb to a similarly specced BMW X2 Sport 20i XDrive. People seem much better behaved around me now I'm not in the big Skoda. I have wondered whether it's the fact that in the rear view mirror I look like all the other black BMW SUV/CUV whatsits with big blokes inside who drive around this city... but who happen to also have blue flashy lights hidden in the grille. Either way I'm not complaining lol.

[rainmakerraw]

Narcisus said:

Didnt realise you had jumped ship ! Must have missed that one.

Yes mate, the Superb went in April and I took delivery of the BMW last week.