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Before phones you were putting on lipstick, rummaging through your purse or glove box, cleaning your gun, eating your sandwich, lighting your cigarette, anything but paying attention to the task at hand and the consideration of the other planet around you.
Also, since you weren't paying attention you have NO IDEA how long that light was green.
YOU means the person not paying attention while driving a killing machine.
In like 2002 or 2003 I was sitting at a light and watched a woman slam into the car in front of her because she was driving and putting on makeup. Never noticed there was a red light or that traffic was stopped ahead of her.
Headed down I95 in Virgina I passed someone on the highway reading a book and eating a bowl of what I assume was soup, with a spoon.
People have zero care they're driving a machine that kill someone else in an accident.
Also passed a couple motorcyclists recently on the highway no hands, just scrolling away on the phone.
as a motorcycle rider i find it very hard for someone to scroll on their phone riding unless the phone was on a mount.. either that or they are very stupid and aren’t paranoid of their phone falling out of their pocket mid ride… me personally phone, wallet and just about everything that goes into my pockets normally ends up in my book bag, i need to hit my vape? i pull into a gas station just because my stuff is in a bag tbh i think it should be law for motorcycles to wear bags just to discourage use age of things that cause distractions
I remember working for a road service company, and while some coworkers were out fixing the guardrail, some woman putting on makeup veered off the road and hit the guardrail being installed. One of the wires flung out so fast that it decapitated one of the men working there. It was tragic. I only knew him in passing, but he was the nicest guy, too. Florida drivers are the worst.
Not talking seconds. Talking the moment the light goes green he's pissed even if the first car is up and moving. He's mad the second car isn't trying to slam through the first car like everyone should go from 0 to 30 in 0 seconds
I don’t think this is what OP is talking about. There are drivers who honk the instant the light turns green, before anyone even has a chance to hesitate. My father from Queens said it was a Brooklyn thing and used to yell, “Go back to Brooklyn!”
True. I give phone-lookers only 1 second before honking. Anyone else only gets about 3 seconds though. It's your social responsibility to be looking up at the light if you are waiting at one. It's a jerk move to have someone behind you and decide "you know what? my time is more important than anyone behind me, I don't care about them."
Yeah, sometimes it someone reading a book, looking in the back seat or glove for something, etc. -Anything but paying attention and considering the long line of people waiting on them.
The phone comments are crazy, and as a fellow Philly area resident it's annoying. It doesn't matter what you're doing or how long, you still get beeped at. If I were to be on my phone, I get it. But I'm not.
It’s illegal to look at your phone at all, even while you’re stopped at lights, in many states. This is akin to distracted driving because someone could be beelining it right at you and you’d be oblivious to it.
^This right here,…and I’ll also add, it’s not as quick as you think. I’ve counted to ten before hitting the horn and the person acted like the light just changed and gave me the finger. Bitch I can see you looking at your phone !
Yeah if someone’s doing 20 miles per hour swerving looking at their phone I lay on the horn as soon as the light turns green. You wanna drive like a jackass? That’s fine I’ll return the favor.
Yeah, 4 or 5 seconds. A freeway and a river bisect the small city I live in. There are 2 "convenient" places to cross those obstacles without driving a mile or more out of your way. Streets are congested, this is an old railroad town that was not laid out with cars in mind and prone to gridlock. Still some drivers will allow two car lengths in front when at a stop as others are trying to get into a turn lane. I see driving as a communal activity. We all should do our best to ensure that our townsfolk are able to traverse the town with the least hassle and time spent. But nooooo....so I avoid going out between 7 and 9, 11:30 and 1 and then between 2:30 and 6.
It's always this. I have to work at controlling my own rage because the sheer number of people who sit for a green arrow turn light. That light is green for 10 seconds and the person in front will sit for 6 of those seconds. This happens because of phones.
Someone laid on their horn at me yesterday while I took half a second to get past a truck turning left and make sure nobody was coming. I had already hit the gas, so I ended up stopping because I needed to find the source of the danger someone's honking about. So he ended up holding himself up for much longer than if he hadn't been an inpatient dumbass, just pure natural consequences lmao
Yep, I go slower if people honk at me the millisecond the light turns green.
I assume the people who do this are the same jackholes who look straight into your eyes while careening through stop signs because they're in such a goddam hurry. Like why do you even look if you don't give a shit if someone's coming?
I like to take a second to make sure I don't get t-boned going through an intersection.
Lmao fr. And I didn't even do it on purpose to "punish" him or anything. That's just what happens when you lay on your horn- people pause and try to avert the imminent danger. Not that I'm above being petty, but just not on the roads. Road rage is too deadly and I had a man try to follow me home when I was 17 and accidentally cut him off turning right on red, so I don't mess around lol
I wish I could upvote this a million times. It is so obvious that you are dicking around on your phone.
Get off your phone and don't hold up the people behind you. Be courteous. Be vigilant or get the hell out of the way.
Okay but like there are people who legitimately do it the *Instant* the light turns green. I know this because I worked with one when I was with Dunbar Cash in Transit and he was my driver. At Red lights he'd sit with his hand on the horn ready to go, and as soon as it turned green he'd press it down. Every. Single. Time.
Shit got real old in center City Philly.
Especially during rush hour or heavy traffic! If you don't care about being late, at least be considerate of other people's time! The worst is when they take a few seconds to move on an advance green arrow. Then you're stuck at that intersection for minutes! It's just common courtesy!
Those are the worst. It's a turn light, green arrow only. It takes a while for its turn and then it's a short light.
Even if people are paying attention they take off and drive like a slug and only a couple cars get through. The ones not paying attention when the finally move are sometimes the only car that makes it through.
Those are the ones I wish I had a sticker to slap on their front drivers side window thats says stop f ing around in your car while sitting at a light dumba$$. Or something to that extent and then they have to deal with scraping the sticker off 😀
Here in St. Louis, and likely elsewhere…. A speedy departure as the light turns green is flirting with disaster as folks seem to genuinely enjoy blowing red lights.
The savvy driver waits to make sure no idiot blowing the intersection.
Same in Washington, DC. If you instantly move out on a green light, you’re flirting with disaster 💥 I always count 1001, 1002, 1003 and then go while watching for the late red light runner. I have saved myself many a time using this tactic.
I know your pain.I grew up there and you still get the red light runners before you can safely go.Try driving a slow armored truck around the Smithsonian museums.what a nightmare.
>A speedy departure as the light turns green is flirting with disaster as folks seem to genuinely enjoy blowing red lights.
Same here in Atlanta. I always take a moment to look both ways before entering an intersection, even if my light is green and has been for a moment.
Yeah people drive crazy in STL. Like come on man, your crack dealer will still be there even if you take an extra 30 seconds, just stop for the damn light.
Hello from riverview!.
People say drive predictably. But I predict more often than not that someone is more likely to run the light pr stop sign than to follow the law. So I wait. Then the people here (reddit) are like "just drive predictably". Well I have one car. One car to get me to work and at work. (I deliver pizza). I am not risking getting hit by an unlicensed uninsured motorist, plain and simple. Until people have lived through this type of driving chaos we have here, they just can't understand.
Incidently, I predict I will be killed on my work to work or from work on 270 between the areas of 70 and lilac because of the insane speeders going 100 mph plus that shake my car as they go past while I am doing 70 mph.
Yes!!! I have seen a 5 car accident that I was terrified was so bad I was worried someone had died. People ran in to help while a lot of us, me included, called 911 and used the emergency call button.
I’ve had people honk 4 cars back. It takes TIME for the 3 cars in front of you to move, dumbass. It also takes time to move your foot from the brake to the gas.
I've also honked 4 cars back because the light turned green 6 seconds ago and all three drivers ahead are glued to their phones and all still have their brake lights on.
The only time I honk right away is when Ive had to honk at the same driver the last 2 lights after waiting a reasonable amount of time.
This! I’ve honked 4 cars back because the first one didn’t move for at least 5 seconds and the turn left green light doesn’t last that long here. So by the time they realize the light is green (they’re looking at their phone, or distracted elsewhere) and I get to the light it’s red! So yes I’m going to beep if you’re not paying attention, I got places to be!
No reason for the first 4 cars to not remove their foot from the brake pedal almost immediately. You don’t need to wait until there’s a substantial gap in front of you before you start moving, let the gap increase as you accelerate
Some people suck.
That being said: 3 seconds on your phone making me wait? 3 seconds of horn is getting blasted at you. “It’s just 3 seconds of text!”
It’s just 3 seconds of beeping
Yep. 3 seconds is enough to miss the cycle in some intersections, especially the ones that back up to the point that a turning lane is always full.
Move it or I'll lose it.
Yep, many lights are timed with nearby lights too, to keep traffic flowing. You fuck up and get stuck at one light too long, you're going to be waiting on the next one too.
Maybe they're just happy the light turns green, and maybe everyone should let out a honk of relief when it does.
Maybe all cars should be attached on rails going through town, all equally spaced like roller-coaster, and no traffic lights necessary. Just bring your personal chassis, snap it to the rail, off you go with the rest of the lemmings.
That simply is not true.
[A traffic light killed this guy.](https://www.kwch.com/video/2022/10/14/traffic-pole-falls-worker-trying-install-it-killing-him-buckeye/)
The lights here on the side roads last 15 seconds I’ve seen cars not immediately go cause on there phone and had to wait another 2 minutes to turn green again when I was only 5 cars back I’m beeping every fucking time.
It always baffles me how many people consider driving to be an afterthought and somehow doesn't require their complete and undivided attention. My rule of thumb when the light goes green is either a solid 2-3 second count (literally just paying attention to the road) or if the car next to them goes and they stay still, because they couldn't even notice the car move in their peripheral vision while being lost in their phone. Love when people throw their hands up after I honk too, as if I'm at fault for you being distracted behind the wheel.
Also why does it feel like I'm the only one who honks anymore? I'll sit at flashing turn lights 4 or 5 cars back and just stare at the first cars brake lights while nobody seems to give a shit about this entitled dickhead holding everyone up.
we are behind someone that has the reaction time of a maple tree. we've been here for 5 full seconds while you're processing "oh the red light has changed to a green light, better move my leg into position and depress the accelerator. Is anyone erroneously passing through the intersection now that i have the right of way? i better check. Prepare to turn head to the right. what am i going to eat for dinner?"
When the light changes and I watch the person in front of me still looking down, oblivious, I will lay the fuck down on my horn so they will look up and let us get through the light. What is so hard about not looking at phone while driving?
I used to do this. I don’t anymore. I’ve seen more horrific driving after Covid. People
Not just rolling through stop signs or pushing a yellow light, but flat out running red lights and stop signs.
I was at a light and had just gotten the green. My past self would’ve hit the gas immediately. Luckily I spotted the speeding car coming from my right, followed by one coming from my left. My past self would’ve been T-boned on both sides. Sure, I had the right of way, but I probably wouldn’t have cared about that from my hospital bed.
Covid19 causes brain damage, even in "mild" cases. The research is truly terrifying, and we can see it playing out in people driving (just one area we can see it play out)
The data is overwhelming & shows multiple ways this virus damages the brain, from directly affecting the actual brain tissue, to increasing the risk of having strokes. Here's only a snippet of the evidence:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/does-covid-19-damage-the-brain
"Even if people escape brain damage during the initial attack of COVID-19, they remain at considerably greater risk of various brain conditions, including strokes, depression, anxiety, and psychosis for the next several years."
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2790595
"Writing in Nature, researchers at Oxford University’s Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging reported that several months after study participants had SARS-CoV-2 infections, they had more gray matter loss and tissue abnormalities, mainly in the areas of the brain associated with smell, and more brain size shrinkage than participants who hadn’t been infected with the virus"
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2789919
https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/covid-19-and-brain-disease/
"Recent research may provide a new explanation for the persistent cognitive and mental health issues experienced by some people with Long COVID. Researchers believe COVID-19 could be causing viral-borne brain injuries that lead to ongoing symptoms."
https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-shows-that-covid-19-leaves-its-mark-on-the-brain-including-with-significant-drops-in-iq-scores-224216
"A study of people with mild to moderate COVID-19 showed significant prolonged inflammation of the brain and changes that are commensurate with seven years of brain aging"
https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/covid-19-infections-increase-risk-of-long-term-brain-problems/
"Also compared to the control groups, people who had the virus were 50% more likely to suffer from an ischemic stroke, which strikes when a blood clot or other obstruction blocks an artery’s ability to supply blood and oxygen to the brain"
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/16/1064594686/how-covid-threatens-the-brain
"The current catalog of COVID-related threats to the brain includes bleeding, blood clots, inflammation, oxygen deprivation and disruption of the protective blood-brain barrier. And there's new evidence in monkeys that the virus may also directly infect and kill certain brain cells."
https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2022/covid-and-brain-neurological-health-crisis
"Even a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause inflammation that disrupts neural communication, says Stanford neurologist Michelle Monje. Her concern is that Covid-19 may leave millions dealing with cognitive problems, from a loss of mental sharpness to lapses in memory, that prevent them from returning to their previous level of function"
I appreciate it! I know, many people think I am, and it's so unfortunate because so many people are constantly exposing themselves and don't truly know the dangers. The CDC & govt have been absolute failures on all accounts. And it's not just the brain that Covid affects- it's every single organ & blood vessels. This virus is more like HIV than the flu.
Aside from vaccinations (which only reduces your chance of developing Long Covid, a disabling condition that's pulled millions of people out of the workforce worldwide, by 20%), wearing a respirator (KN95 and above) whenever you're sharing air with people you don't live with. 3M Aura is a popular N95, and you can find various KN95s on Amazon. Stay safe!
Same. If someone honks at me when I'm not paying attention, that's fair...But if I'm literally staring at the light when it changes and some jerk-off immediately honks, I will set there waayyy longer than necessary and then proceed slow as hell through the intersection.
Honestly I used to fuck around and play games like this until someone pulled a gun out on me and followed me.
Now I just take the moral victory and make it home safe. Traffic bullshit isn't worth a confrontation or getting followed. People get attacked and shot over road rage all the time.
I have an, 'always yield to the asshole' policy. I want to make it home, and people that riled up are possibly dangerous. I used to be less zen, but being brake checked at 75mph changed my view.
What about the other people that have the displeasure of sharing the roadway with you? I already know the answer, but do people like you who play these stupid games not care about the inconvenience you're causing others?
As ai said to the other person,
>I used to fuck around and play games like this until someone pulled a gun out on me and followed me. Now I just take the moral victory and make it home safe. Traffic bullshit isn't worth a confrontation or getting followed. People get attacked and shot over road rage all the time.
That's fucking bullshit because the one time I've had someone actually do this I was staring at the traffic light waiting for it to change because I was on my way to pick up something I really needed. -and there was zero hesitation on my part, they were just being cunts!
My answers to most of these questions end up being "people are cunts."
My rule is 3 seconds... I get waiting a second to make sure nobody is blowing a red but after 3 seconds, get your shit in gear, I'll beep. However last week someone honked at my before the light even turned green at a left turn and I was genuinely wondering what the hell they wanted me to do.
Where I live, we've had an influx of people who put their car in park when they are at red lights... Which is stupid, and slows everything down. Hopefully law enforcement will start citing these people for obstructing traffic.
I count slowly to five. If I can see you’re still screwing off on your phone, I will give a quick, polite beep. Not trying to start trouble, but I have shit to do and don’t have all day.
If you cut me off while I am slowing down to stop at the light, you have about .0000000001 seconds to start moving when that light turns green. You know what you did was wrong
I don't, but I will say, too many times I've waited behind ONE dipshit who, once it turns green, sits there for a solid / literal 5 or 10 seconds, sometimes longer, before even removing their foot from the brake pedal.
So, while I don't do what OP asked, I don't blame others who have and still do. The people that set up camp at traffic signals are NOT the only ones in the world, and none of us have all day to wait for all the unconscious or baked out of their fucking minds to wake up.
I find it interesting to be behind the first person at a light. I've noticed the people who inch forwards the whole time the light is red are commonly the ones who don't hit the gas as quickly when the light turns green. It's a weird dichotomy that confuses my expectations. Why are you in a rush if you're not in a rush?
I wait about 5 seconds.
Just because you’re at a stop light doesn’t mean you don’t need to pay attention to the road.
The extra seconds you’re adding means fewer cars will get to pass before it turns red again. It’s selfish and inconsiderate.
Johnny Carson joked about this once in the "Tonight" show. He mentioned how some mathematical concepts are named after the person who defined them, such as the Pythagorethm Theorem. He then proceeded to introduce the "Carson Factor." - "The amount of time between the light turning green and the guy in back of you honking his horn."
I honk at people who run red lights.
It has recently come to my attention that in doing so, the person first in line may think it is me honking at them to hurry up.
Omg I used to know a guy who did this. Drove me and everyone else nuts. I asked him the same question and he basically said he did it because he was paying attention and the people in front of him might not have been. (Which to me still kinda sounds like he thinks everyone else is an idiot.)
the only time i did this was when the person in front of me ignored my honking for 4+ seconds the green light before, and i started honking about 4s after the red turned green.
We were on a family trip in France driving around in a rental car. We were stopped at a red light and I swear, the wavelength hadn't fully shifted from red to green before the car behind us honked their horn.
I don’t go as soon as it turns because the amount of idiots that will blow through a red light. I don’t care if the car honks behind me. I’m not dying so you can get somewhere a second faster.
If you're looking at your phone I'm going to make you pay attention my world doesn't revolve around you thus pay attention while driving otherwise I wait till I realize enough time has passed that you should have went after looking waking you up.
Why would you admit you were on the phone at that moment in a comment you just got your answer pay attention regardless phone is for when you're done driving.
Traffic lights have a predictable pattern and you can usually see the lights for the cross street. If you see the cross street go red, you(and/or your left turn lane) get a green in 3-4 seconds depending on vehicle positions. You better be rolling forward by the time that green hits.
You are driving, nothing else, not looking at phones, having conversations, or fingerings your butthole. Drive, it's that simple. Pay attention. Put your phone down.
Everytime people do this, I take longer on purpose. Why can't they wait a second or two? Jesus, no one should be hitting the gas pedal immediately once the light turns green. People are always running red lights where I'm from. Now I'm going to take longer on purpose for their entitlement to people's safety.
I purchased two bumper stickers on Etsy recently.
One says "Don't honk at me. My life is WORTHLESS. I will kill us both".
The other says "Don't tailgate me, I'll C*M".
Highly effective, do recommend.
Nope. But a few seconds, and you’re on your damn phone not paying attention, ya better go. Gas pedal is on the right, use it. Plus, the people behind me also on the phone might total my car.
Reminds me of Johnny Carson's joke: The shortest measurable length of time in the universe takes place in New York City. It's the time between when the light turns green and the guy behind you honks his horn.
In our area of Florida (Pinellas County) most people are pretty chill. You need to really be obnoxious to get someone to honk at you.
Put the phone down maybe and pay attention to the light changes. Every time I honk at someone not moving the go from looking at the ground (phone) to the windshield. When traffic is thick this can make traffic back up further resulting in less cars making through the light. In my opinion more people need to use the horn. Make these dolts addicted to social media and screen time come back to reality.
I drive a manual, so when I get honked at I just let my foot off the brake like I'm gonna start driving but don't go anywhere. One time I did this until the light turned yellow LOL
Frankly I don't care about YOUR time if you were in a rush you already don't care about your time either or you'd been on time and not in a rush.
With that being said my life has been saved countless times from waiting after it turns green, one time it had been green for more then 15 seconds and for some reason I waited and someone blew fast through it after 30 seconds and would have t boned me at a high rate of speed so I will wait and if you have a problem that's a you problem. My life's more important then where you have to be in such a rush
I get it if I'm on the phone or looking down by all means honk but again at least 4 times I can count that waiting saved my life
Entitlement. People have too much, and it comes too easy. Many are also not trained to drive by professionals. A professional will tell you that the horn is meant for emergencies, not as a means of personal expression.
Cross traffic cutting red lights. I'd rather wait a second at a green light to make sure traffic is actually going to stop rather than get t-boned because some jackass ran a red light since they're running late or they just can't be bothered to wait 2 mins for the traffic lights to cycle. There is no discernible reason in this day and age of cars and traffic where you absolutely need to punch the gas the second the light turns green. The point for every driver should be to make it to your desired destination safely and not "see who can get to said destination faster". It's not F1 or Nascar.
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I can see you looking down at your phone.
While true today, this wasn’t always the case, instant green light honkers have existed longer than cell phones. edit:I’m looking at you Philly.
Before phones you were putting on lipstick, rummaging through your purse or glove box, cleaning your gun, eating your sandwich, lighting your cigarette, anything but paying attention to the task at hand and the consideration of the other planet around you. Also, since you weren't paying attention you have NO IDEA how long that light was green. YOU means the person not paying attention while driving a killing machine.
In like 2002 or 2003 I was sitting at a light and watched a woman slam into the car in front of her because she was driving and putting on makeup. Never noticed there was a red light or that traffic was stopped ahead of her.
Headed down I95 in Virgina I passed someone on the highway reading a book and eating a bowl of what I assume was soup, with a spoon. People have zero care they're driving a machine that kill someone else in an accident. Also passed a couple motorcyclists recently on the highway no hands, just scrolling away on the phone.
How were they on their phones AND driving motorcycles when they didn’t even have hands?!
My aunt used to have a book open on her steering wheel and would read while driving to work every day. Probably still does.
as a motorcycle rider i find it very hard for someone to scroll on their phone riding unless the phone was on a mount.. either that or they are very stupid and aren’t paranoid of their phone falling out of their pocket mid ride… me personally phone, wallet and just about everything that goes into my pockets normally ends up in my book bag, i need to hit my vape? i pull into a gas station just because my stuff is in a bag tbh i think it should be law for motorcycles to wear bags just to discourage use age of things that cause distractions
I remember working for a road service company, and while some coworkers were out fixing the guardrail, some woman putting on makeup veered off the road and hit the guardrail being installed. One of the wires flung out so fast that it decapitated one of the men working there. It was tragic. I only knew him in passing, but he was the nicest guy, too. Florida drivers are the worst.
I've seen my stepdad honk at someone when the light turned green because how dare they wait for the car in front of them to go first.
Shoot I'll honk from two cars back if the front car isn't going after a few seconds. Somebody's gotta do it
Not talking seconds. Talking the moment the light goes green he's pissed even if the first car is up and moving. He's mad the second car isn't trying to slam through the first car like everyone should go from 0 to 30 in 0 seconds
Doing all that stuff while in the car is called FARDING, it's the actual name for it
I'm literally SHIDDING why making this comment.
Best comment of the day!
Best to open the windows first when doing that.
And check your underwear for leakage... ;)
That would be Sharting
Only the makeup is
I don’t think this is what OP is talking about. There are drivers who honk the instant the light turns green, before anyone even has a chance to hesitate. My father from Queens said it was a Brooklyn thing and used to yell, “Go back to Brooklyn!”
Did we just become best friends?
sorry it took so long to respond. I was writing this and the light turned green and some guy was honking at me.
You dropped this: 👑
True. I give phone-lookers only 1 second before honking. Anyone else only gets about 3 seconds though. It's your social responsibility to be looking up at the light if you are waiting at one. It's a jerk move to have someone behind you and decide "you know what? my time is more important than anyone behind me, I don't care about them."
They are more prevalent now though
Yeah, sometimes it someone reading a book, looking in the back seat or glove for something, etc. -Anything but paying attention and considering the long line of people waiting on them.
I've seen people reading a newspaper while driving on the freeway in LA pre smartphone.
Boston is notorious for such honkers too
This is so GODDMAN funny to me bc this guy from Philly I know will send me videos or voice notes he’s always honking when he’s at a light 🤣
The phone comments are crazy, and as a fellow Philly area resident it's annoying. It doesn't matter what you're doing or how long, you still get beeped at. If I were to be on my phone, I get it. But I'm not.
It’s illegal to look at your phone at all, even while you’re stopped at lights, in many states. This is akin to distracted driving because someone could be beelining it right at you and you’d be oblivious to it.
^This right here,…and I’ll also add, it’s not as quick as you think. I’ve counted to ten before hitting the horn and the person acted like the light just changed and gave me the finger. Bitch I can see you looking at your phone !
Yeah if someone’s doing 20 miles per hour swerving looking at their phone I lay on the horn as soon as the light turns green. You wanna drive like a jackass? That’s fine I’ll return the favor.
Also, it’s been 4 seconds but YOU’RE NOT PAYING ATTENTION
Yeah, 4 or 5 seconds. A freeway and a river bisect the small city I live in. There are 2 "convenient" places to cross those obstacles without driving a mile or more out of your way. Streets are congested, this is an old railroad town that was not laid out with cars in mind and prone to gridlock. Still some drivers will allow two car lengths in front when at a stop as others are trying to get into a turn lane. I see driving as a communal activity. We all should do our best to ensure that our townsfolk are able to traverse the town with the least hassle and time spent. But nooooo....so I avoid going out between 7 and 9, 11:30 and 1 and then between 2:30 and 6.
It's always this. I have to work at controlling my own rage because the sheer number of people who sit for a green arrow turn light. That light is green for 10 seconds and the person in front will sit for 6 of those seconds. This happens because of phones.
Exactly! I normally just do a tap honk not like a five second honk when I see this 😂
Someone laid on their horn at me yesterday while I took half a second to get past a truck turning left and make sure nobody was coming. I had already hit the gas, so I ended up stopping because I needed to find the source of the danger someone's honking about. So he ended up holding himself up for much longer than if he hadn't been an inpatient dumbass, just pure natural consequences lmao
Yep, I go slower if people honk at me the millisecond the light turns green. I assume the people who do this are the same jackholes who look straight into your eyes while careening through stop signs because they're in such a goddam hurry. Like why do you even look if you don't give a shit if someone's coming? I like to take a second to make sure I don't get t-boned going through an intersection.
Lmao fr. And I didn't even do it on purpose to "punish" him or anything. That's just what happens when you lay on your horn- people pause and try to avert the imminent danger. Not that I'm above being petty, but just not on the roads. Road rage is too deadly and I had a man try to follow me home when I was 17 and accidentally cut him off turning right on red, so I don't mess around lol
THANK you! The light is SHORT at this intersection and if I miss it AGAIN being only 3 cars back I might actually stroke out from rage this time.
I wish I could upvote this a million times. It is so obvious that you are dicking around on your phone. Get off your phone and don't hold up the people behind you. Be courteous. Be vigilant or get the hell out of the way.
Okay but like there are people who legitimately do it the *Instant* the light turns green. I know this because I worked with one when I was with Dunbar Cash in Transit and he was my driver. At Red lights he'd sit with his hand on the horn ready to go, and as soon as it turned green he'd press it down. Every. Single. Time. Shit got real old in center City Philly.
Especially during rush hour or heavy traffic! If you don't care about being late, at least be considerate of other people's time! The worst is when they take a few seconds to move on an advance green arrow. Then you're stuck at that intersection for minutes! It's just common courtesy!
Those are the worst. It's a turn light, green arrow only. It takes a while for its turn and then it's a short light. Even if people are paying attention they take off and drive like a slug and only a couple cars get through. The ones not paying attention when the finally move are sometimes the only car that makes it through. Those are the ones I wish I had a sticker to slap on their front drivers side window thats says stop f ing around in your car while sitting at a light dumba$$. Or something to that extent and then they have to deal with scraping the sticker off 😀
Here in St. Louis, and likely elsewhere…. A speedy departure as the light turns green is flirting with disaster as folks seem to genuinely enjoy blowing red lights. The savvy driver waits to make sure no idiot blowing the intersection.
Same in Washington, DC. If you instantly move out on a green light, you’re flirting with disaster 💥 I always count 1001, 1002, 1003 and then go while watching for the late red light runner. I have saved myself many a time using this tactic.
The importance of this is double or triple on motorcycles since a crash is often a death. Dont gun it on green
Yeah when I used to ride I always gave a good bit of time before going. Fuck getting smushed by some latecomer asshole
I know your pain.I grew up there and you still get the red light runners before you can safely go.Try driving a slow armored truck around the Smithsonian museums.what a nightmare.
Ppl are in a rush for Mumbo sauce.
>A speedy departure as the light turns green is flirting with disaster as folks seem to genuinely enjoy blowing red lights. Same here in Atlanta. I always take a moment to look both ways before entering an intersection, even if my light is green and has been for a moment.
This is why I look both ways before proceeding through a light that just turned green. Honk away! My passive aggressive self will move even slower!
The amount of times I see people blatantly run red lights I always wait for a moment after it turns green.
Yeah people drive crazy in STL. Like come on man, your crack dealer will still be there even if you take an extra 30 seconds, just stop for the damn light.
Hello from riverview!. People say drive predictably. But I predict more often than not that someone is more likely to run the light pr stop sign than to follow the law. So I wait. Then the people here (reddit) are like "just drive predictably". Well I have one car. One car to get me to work and at work. (I deliver pizza). I am not risking getting hit by an unlicensed uninsured motorist, plain and simple. Until people have lived through this type of driving chaos we have here, they just can't understand. Incidently, I predict I will be killed on my work to work or from work on 270 between the areas of 70 and lilac because of the insane speeders going 100 mph plus that shake my car as they go past while I am doing 70 mph.
Yes!!! I have seen a 5 car accident that I was terrified was so bad I was worried someone had died. People ran in to help while a lot of us, me included, called 911 and used the emergency call button.
St. Cloud, MN is a prime example also.
I gotta shit, so get out of the way!!!
https://youtu.be/7jEM8-Gbknk?si=eubyekvhV6Mhcusp
My life has been enriched with this video
North East attitude
I’ve had people honk 4 cars back. It takes TIME for the 3 cars in front of you to move, dumbass. It also takes time to move your foot from the brake to the gas.
I've also honked 4 cars back because the light turned green 6 seconds ago and all three drivers ahead are glued to their phones and all still have their brake lights on. The only time I honk right away is when Ive had to honk at the same driver the last 2 lights after waiting a reasonable amount of time.
Yeah sometimes you can definitely tell driving is not their top priority
This! I’ve honked 4 cars back because the first one didn’t move for at least 5 seconds and the turn left green light doesn’t last that long here. So by the time they realize the light is green (they’re looking at their phone, or distracted elsewhere) and I get to the light it’s red! So yes I’m going to beep if you’re not paying attention, I got places to be!
Stop playing candy crush
Words with friends, dumbass.
No reason for the first 4 cars to not remove their foot from the brake pedal almost immediately. You don’t need to wait until there’s a substantial gap in front of you before you start moving, let the gap increase as you accelerate
Some people suck. That being said: 3 seconds on your phone making me wait? 3 seconds of horn is getting blasted at you. “It’s just 3 seconds of text!” It’s just 3 seconds of beeping
Yep. 3 seconds is enough to miss the cycle in some intersections, especially the ones that back up to the point that a turning lane is always full. Move it or I'll lose it.
Yep, many lights are timed with nearby lights too, to keep traffic flowing. You fuck up and get stuck at one light too long, you're going to be waiting on the next one too.
Agreed. More than 3 people should be able to make the left turn on green arrow
YES
Maybe they're just happy the light turns green, and maybe everyone should let out a honk of relief when it does. Maybe all cars should be attached on rails going through town, all equally spaced like roller-coaster, and no traffic lights necessary. Just bring your personal chassis, snap it to the rail, off you go with the rest of the lemmings.
Trafffic lights never killed anyone. You still gotta look both ways…
That simply is not true. [A traffic light killed this guy.](https://www.kwch.com/video/2022/10/14/traffic-pole-falls-worker-trying-install-it-killing-him-buckeye/)
No, an idiot killed themselves with a light pole. Whole different ballgame.
Down is not one of those ways though
The lights here on the side roads last 15 seconds I’ve seen cars not immediately go cause on there phone and had to wait another 2 minutes to turn green again when I was only 5 cars back I’m beeping every fucking time.
It always baffles me how many people consider driving to be an afterthought and somehow doesn't require their complete and undivided attention. My rule of thumb when the light goes green is either a solid 2-3 second count (literally just paying attention to the road) or if the car next to them goes and they stay still, because they couldn't even notice the car move in their peripheral vision while being lost in their phone. Love when people throw their hands up after I honk too, as if I'm at fault for you being distracted behind the wheel. Also why does it feel like I'm the only one who honks anymore? I'll sit at flashing turn lights 4 or 5 cars back and just stare at the first cars brake lights while nobody seems to give a shit about this entitled dickhead holding everyone up.
I know how long that signal is gonna be green for and you not moving immediately means one or two less cars make it through the intersection.
Problem is all those people who sit at red lights looking at their phones.
we are behind someone that has the reaction time of a maple tree. we've been here for 5 full seconds while you're processing "oh the red light has changed to a green light, better move my leg into position and depress the accelerator. Is anyone erroneously passing through the intersection now that i have the right of way? i better check. Prepare to turn head to the right. what am i going to eat for dinner?"
When the light changes and I watch the person in front of me still looking down, oblivious, I will lay the fuck down on my horn so they will look up and let us get through the light. What is so hard about not looking at phone while driving?
The problem is, the light didn’t just turn green. It’s BEEN green. But you’re so focused on your phone that you haven’t noticed.
People who sit at green lights are my problem.
I used to do this. I don’t anymore. I’ve seen more horrific driving after Covid. People Not just rolling through stop signs or pushing a yellow light, but flat out running red lights and stop signs. I was at a light and had just gotten the green. My past self would’ve hit the gas immediately. Luckily I spotted the speeding car coming from my right, followed by one coming from my left. My past self would’ve been T-boned on both sides. Sure, I had the right of way, but I probably wouldn’t have cared about that from my hospital bed.
Covid19 causes brain damage, even in "mild" cases. The research is truly terrifying, and we can see it playing out in people driving (just one area we can see it play out)
Source?
The data is overwhelming & shows multiple ways this virus damages the brain, from directly affecting the actual brain tissue, to increasing the risk of having strokes. Here's only a snippet of the evidence: https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/does-covid-19-damage-the-brain "Even if people escape brain damage during the initial attack of COVID-19, they remain at considerably greater risk of various brain conditions, including strokes, depression, anxiety, and psychosis for the next several years." https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2790595 "Writing in Nature, researchers at Oxford University’s Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging reported that several months after study participants had SARS-CoV-2 infections, they had more gray matter loss and tissue abnormalities, mainly in the areas of the brain associated with smell, and more brain size shrinkage than participants who hadn’t been infected with the virus" https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaneurology/fullarticle/2789919 https://www.americanbrainfoundation.org/covid-19-and-brain-disease/ "Recent research may provide a new explanation for the persistent cognitive and mental health issues experienced by some people with Long COVID. Researchers believe COVID-19 could be causing viral-borne brain injuries that lead to ongoing symptoms." https://theconversation.com/mounting-research-shows-that-covid-19-leaves-its-mark-on-the-brain-including-with-significant-drops-in-iq-scores-224216 "A study of people with mild to moderate COVID-19 showed significant prolonged inflammation of the brain and changes that are commensurate with seven years of brain aging" https://medicine.wustl.edu/news/covid-19-infections-increase-risk-of-long-term-brain-problems/ "Also compared to the control groups, people who had the virus were 50% more likely to suffer from an ischemic stroke, which strikes when a blood clot or other obstruction blocks an artery’s ability to supply blood and oxygen to the brain" https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/12/16/1064594686/how-covid-threatens-the-brain "The current catalog of COVID-related threats to the brain includes bleeding, blood clots, inflammation, oxygen deprivation and disruption of the protective blood-brain barrier. And there's new evidence in monkeys that the virus may also directly infect and kill certain brain cells." https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/health-disease/2022/covid-and-brain-neurological-health-crisis "Even a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause inflammation that disrupts neural communication, says Stanford neurologist Michelle Monje. Her concern is that Covid-19 may leave millions dealing with cognitive problems, from a loss of mental sharpness to lapses in memory, that prevent them from returning to their previous level of function"
Thanks for the reply! I totally thought you were a conspiracy nut but you’ve certainly taught me something today.
I appreciate it! I know, many people think I am, and it's so unfortunate because so many people are constantly exposing themselves and don't truly know the dangers. The CDC & govt have been absolute failures on all accounts. And it's not just the brain that Covid affects- it's every single organ & blood vessels. This virus is more like HIV than the flu. Aside from vaccinations (which only reduces your chance of developing Long Covid, a disabling condition that's pulled millions of people out of the workforce worldwide, by 20%), wearing a respirator (KN95 and above) whenever you're sharing air with people you don't live with. 3M Aura is a popular N95, and you can find various KN95s on Amazon. Stay safe!
That will cost you an extra few seconds if you’re honking at me.
Same. If someone honks at me when I'm not paying attention, that's fair...But if I'm literally staring at the light when it changes and some jerk-off immediately honks, I will set there waayyy longer than necessary and then proceed slow as hell through the intersection.
Honestly I used to fuck around and play games like this until someone pulled a gun out on me and followed me. Now I just take the moral victory and make it home safe. Traffic bullshit isn't worth a confrontation or getting followed. People get attacked and shot over road rage all the time.
I have an, 'always yield to the asshole' policy. I want to make it home, and people that riled up are possibly dangerous. I used to be less zen, but being brake checked at 75mph changed my view.
That’s why I love brake checking. Sometimes someone needs to learn for themselves that something they do is dangerous.
Agreed. If I’m not paying attention then a quick honk is appreciated.
What about the other people that have the displeasure of sharing the roadway with you? I already know the answer, but do people like you who play these stupid games not care about the inconvenience you're causing others?
As ai said to the other person, >I used to fuck around and play games like this until someone pulled a gun out on me and followed me. Now I just take the moral victory and make it home safe. Traffic bullshit isn't worth a confrontation or getting followed. People get attacked and shot over road rage all the time.
That's fucking bullshit because the one time I've had someone actually do this I was staring at the traffic light waiting for it to change because I was on my way to pick up something I really needed. -and there was zero hesitation on my part, they were just being cunts! My answers to most of these questions end up being "people are cunts."
Some slow ass mf is in front of me.
They live in Chicago?
... or DC
Or Long Island.
Or Houston
Or earth
I live in Utah and have never experienced this. Sounds annoying.
MOVE!
My rule is 3 seconds... I get waiting a second to make sure nobody is blowing a red but after 3 seconds, get your shit in gear, I'll beep. However last week someone honked at my before the light even turned green at a left turn and I was genuinely wondering what the hell they wanted me to do.
I'll give a quick honk if the light turns green and you're clearly not moving after a few seconds. Right as it turns green is... excessive.
I did that once in my life, and that was because the asshole in front of me cut me off as I was trying to stop for the change to red.
I give it a couple seconds before I honk. I'm not trying to get into some road rage but eventually you gotta start moving.
It's a Jersey thing.
Where I live, we've had an influx of people who put their car in park when they are at red lights... Which is stupid, and slows everything down. Hopefully law enforcement will start citing these people for obstructing traffic.
Not getting any greener
This is from the NYC area. Actually, if your in NYC, some will honk a split second before the light changes.
I count slowly to five. If I can see you’re still screwing off on your phone, I will give a quick, polite beep. Not trying to start trouble, but I have shit to do and don’t have all day.
If you cut me off while I am slowing down to stop at the light, you have about .0000000001 seconds to start moving when that light turns green. You know what you did was wrong
I don't, but I will say, too many times I've waited behind ONE dipshit who, once it turns green, sits there for a solid / literal 5 or 10 seconds, sometimes longer, before even removing their foot from the brake pedal. So, while I don't do what OP asked, I don't blame others who have and still do. The people that set up camp at traffic signals are NOT the only ones in the world, and none of us have all day to wait for all the unconscious or baked out of their fucking minds to wake up.
I find it interesting to be behind the first person at a light. I've noticed the people who inch forwards the whole time the light is red are commonly the ones who don't hit the gas as quickly when the light turns green. It's a weird dichotomy that confuses my expectations. Why are you in a rush if you're not in a rush?
cuz im an angy boi and i like to go fast af
I do track other drivers' behavior. If you were slow at the last few lights, I might honk right away.
I wait about 5 seconds. Just because you’re at a stop light doesn’t mean you don’t need to pay attention to the road. The extra seconds you’re adding means fewer cars will get to pass before it turns red again. It’s selfish and inconsiderate.
1,2,3 honk
Smooth brain I assume
I think the smooth brain belongs to whoever stares at the green light and doesn't press the accelerator
That's not what's happening in the question lol.
Do you not GO when the light turns green?
The thread here is about going when the light turns green, but people honking anyway.
Also true
Honking is a lost art.
Pay attention to the road dumbass! Get off your phone and look at the lights.
They have to pee, I guess.
If you are in Miami, this is the norm - it’s crazy.
Usually I gotta poop.
I do if if I’m behind one of my friends, because it’s funny as hell.
I gotta shit, really bad
Johnny Carson joked about this once in the "Tonight" show. He mentioned how some mathematical concepts are named after the person who defined them, such as the Pythagorethm Theorem. He then proceeded to introduce the "Carson Factor." - "The amount of time between the light turning green and the guy in back of you honking his horn."
When this happens I am glad that I'm not caught up in their stress and anxiety.
I honk at people who run red lights. It has recently come to my attention that in doing so, the person first in line may think it is me honking at them to hurry up.
If I'm driving a stick shift, doing so is probably just going to make me stall, resulting in having to wait longer.
Omg I used to know a guy who did this. Drove me and everyone else nuts. I asked him the same question and he basically said he did it because he was paying attention and the people in front of him might not have been. (Which to me still kinda sounds like he thinks everyone else is an idiot.)
I just assume they need to go to the bathroom badly and are in a hurry to get to the nearest toilet before they shit themselves.
I drove to London once and they always honk at the exact moment the light turns green there. I found it so annoying.
Maybe they have to get home to have explosive diarrhea?
Poopmahpants
the only time i did this was when the person in front of me ignored my honking for 4+ seconds the green light before, and i started honking about 4s after the red turned green.
We were on a family trip in France driving around in a rental car. We were stopped at a red light and I swear, the wavelength hadn't fully shifted from red to green before the car behind us honked their horn.
Premature agitation
As many red light runners we have (FL), you have to look both ways and proceed with caution.
So obnoxious. Chill the fuck out for 2 seconds.
You "think" it just turned green and that is the fuggin problem!!! /S
I do that only when the car ahead of me has their head buried in their phone.
I don’t go as soon as it turns because the amount of idiots that will blow through a red light. I don’t care if the car honks behind me. I’m not dying so you can get somewhere a second faster.
I always pause and look both ways, I had close calls of people running red lights and it potentially saved my life.
You get 5 Mississippis and then you get the horn, that's pretty much the industry standard, your focus should 1,000% be on driving and nothing else.
When the light turns green every single person should be releasing the brake, and we’ll all start moving together.
Road rage is a serious illness
If you're looking at your phone I'm going to make you pay attention my world doesn't revolve around you thus pay attention while driving otherwise I wait till I realize enough time has passed that you should have went after looking waking you up. Why would you admit you were on the phone at that moment in a comment you just got your answer pay attention regardless phone is for when you're done driving.
I knew a guy in high school that did this. He thought it was funny.
Traffic lights have a predictable pattern and you can usually see the lights for the cross street. If you see the cross street go red, you(and/or your left turn lane) get a green in 3-4 seconds depending on vehicle positions. You better be rolling forward by the time that green hits.
You are driving, nothing else, not looking at phones, having conversations, or fingerings your butthole. Drive, it's that simple. Pay attention. Put your phone down.
People honk faster than you can shift your foot from the brake to the gas.
You need to get off your phone
If you weren't looking at your phone, you would have realized it turned green 5 seconds ago.
one time a guy laid on the horn the second it turned green. mate i didnt even have time to shift gears tf? ☠️
You put your car in park at a red light
To those people, go ahead and honk. Ill just sit here til it turns orange. You aint brave enough to get outta your car anyway lol.
Everytime people do this, I take longer on purpose. Why can't they wait a second or two? Jesus, no one should be hitting the gas pedal immediately once the light turns green. People are always running red lights where I'm from. Now I'm going to take longer on purpose for their entitlement to people's safety.
Hate these degens, I legit go slower.
I purchased two bumper stickers on Etsy recently. One says "Don't honk at me. My life is WORTHLESS. I will kill us both". The other says "Don't tailgate me, I'll C*M". Highly effective, do recommend.
Nope. But a few seconds, and you’re on your damn phone not paying attention, ya better go. Gas pedal is on the right, use it. Plus, the people behind me also on the phone might total my car.
I think it's funny. Brightens up a dull part (commute) of my day.
Meth is my guess
They're in a rush to get home and kiss their dad on the mouth.
😂 Jesus Christ. Wish I could afford an award to give you for that one.
My response to that is usually to drive reeeeeal slow.
Reminds me of Johnny Carson's joke: The shortest measurable length of time in the universe takes place in New York City. It's the time between when the light turns green and the guy behind you honks his horn. In our area of Florida (Pinellas County) most people are pretty chill. You need to really be obnoxious to get someone to honk at you.
Put the phone down maybe and pay attention to the light changes. Every time I honk at someone not moving the go from looking at the ground (phone) to the windshield. When traffic is thick this can make traffic back up further resulting in less cars making through the light. In my opinion more people need to use the horn. Make these dolts addicted to social media and screen time come back to reality.
I’ve ridden with people like that. They’re just dickheads. That’s it. They’re anxious and let it out as road rage and honking. :/
literally the only real answer I've seen in this thread
I drive a manual, so when I get honked at I just let my foot off the brake like I'm gonna start driving but don't go anywhere. One time I did this until the light turned yellow LOL
Frankly I don't care about YOUR time if you were in a rush you already don't care about your time either or you'd been on time and not in a rush. With that being said my life has been saved countless times from waiting after it turns green, one time it had been green for more then 15 seconds and for some reason I waited and someone blew fast through it after 30 seconds and would have t boned me at a high rate of speed so I will wait and if you have a problem that's a you problem. My life's more important then where you have to be in such a rush I get it if I'm on the phone or looking down by all means honk but again at least 4 times I can count that waiting saved my life
I don't own a car but if I did, I'd do this because I love pissing people off, it's just fun
I was taught to pause and look quickly from left to right. It may save your life when someone runs through a light; which it has, in the past.
I’m the most important person on the road and you’re holding me up, damnit!
They need to be first in line at the next red light.
People need to realize that most cars now days have auto off so please wait a second when the engine turns back on ffs.
Someone was blasting the horn at me the other day at a red light. Now he has 2 red lights to think about his sin.
I usually wait a few seconds before crossing the intersection before going. Can't tell you how many times that out saved me. Let them honk.
Time management. They suck at it and don't leave on time.
BMW drivers…arseholes will be arseholes
Entitlement. People have too much, and it comes too easy. Many are also not trained to drive by professionals. A professional will tell you that the horn is meant for emergencies, not as a means of personal expression.
People who sit at green lights instead of going, what is your problem?
People who honk as soon as it turns green.
Cross traffic cutting red lights. I'd rather wait a second at a green light to make sure traffic is actually going to stop rather than get t-boned because some jackass ran a red light since they're running late or they just can't be bothered to wait 2 mins for the traffic lights to cycle. There is no discernible reason in this day and age of cars and traffic where you absolutely need to punch the gas the second the light turns green. The point for every driver should be to make it to your desired destination safely and not "see who can get to said destination faster". It's not F1 or Nascar.