Hi Guys:D
Why do a lot of drivers need to be honked at when the light turns green?
I noticed that I need to honk for at least one driver every day when the light turns green. No I am not an impatient driver that honks within 1 second of the light turning green. I give the car in front at least 6 seconds to move off before I honk at them.
Cheers:)
If the red lights are too long, sometimes I zone out,
but I've forced myself out of that habit already.
Perhaps for those people are zoned out…
But then they do live nearby a road
Don't we all?
Not quite, our weighted proximity to road traffic varies greatly.
So you think of people who honk you as "antisocial morons", but then you deliberately hold up not only them, but everyone else behind you. It sounds like you're projecting your own dysfunctional behaviour onto others.
Learn to drive.
Considering that I don't get honked but you do, it would seem you should take your own advice.
@Scrooge McDuck: Horns are for communicating danger not for inconvenience. See Regulation 224 of the Road Rules 2014 (NSW), or equivalent in your state.
People that honk immediately because they are bored are antisocial morons with anger and impulse management issues and a danger to all other road users. Typically they drive $100k raised Ford Raptors/Amaroks with illegal aftermarket headlights, so are easy to spot.
People that honk immediately because they are bored are antisocial morons with anger and impulse management issues and a danger to all other road users.
Again this seems like projection. Someone honking to alert you to something shouldn't be a big deal. Certainly not enough for the mere mention of it to trigger a hostile argument on the internet. Acknowledge it, breathe and let it go.
Are you like this chap? https://youtu.be/sLKvaDFR4lE
Better luck with your self awareness and next OzBargain account.
I agree with this user, although not necessarily something I would do to make a point. Being honked just when the light turns green is rude
@djprima: I think not moving when the light's green, and holding up those behind you is inconsiderate and rude.
It has become so common that I've considered doing it pre-emptively at every intersection.
Sorry but this just makes you a jackass. Noise pollution is genuinely an issue. Plenty of cities around the world are trying to curb horn usage because people have developed a habit to use it "pre-emptively" like you despite the situation you describe only happening a small minority of the time.
But then they do live nearby a road so what can they expect? It's a dilemma.
This is stupid too. Most of the noises that come from living near roads are not that terribly unpleasant (e.g. cars). You are deliberately introducing noises which are, by design, unpleasant to hear.
Yes, absolutely….so many people are full-on distracted, innattentive to the world around them. That its a world fraught with dangers all around, as the operator of a car, makes it a semi lethal pursuit to venture out at all on the road.
Its no exaggeration to state that not one day passes without multiple arse-clowns mess with the lives and safety of others.
Most of the world has now become selfish and ignorant. I've always adopted an 'assume they're all out to hit your car approach each time I get in the car.
And sods law dictates, mostly, that the clowns will come out of things unharmed.
Apologies for long rant….I wanted to make it even longer. Its almost my number one hate, how others just don't give a rats as on the road, a worsening issue for certain.
Thank you and goodnight!!
I feel the situation is worsening. There are so many predatory drivers these days it is hard to leave the house without being abused or someone trying to run you off the road. I absolutely hate it.
Roadhead?
6 seconds? That's the entire green for some lights (or feels like it).
I was once waiting behind a marked police car late in the evening who failed to move at a green left turn arrow. My judgement told me not to give the police a reason to abuse their powers on me. Needless to say the light went red and neither of us got through the intersection.
If you have a dash cam, you can win that case in court and on youtube too.
I won by avoiding all of the above.
@Scrooge McDuck: But maybe you could've gotten some sweet brutality, then sue them, then win, and take your winnings to your warehouse full of cash…?
Not worth the headache in the long run.
Use headlight flash mate. I normally use it before honking
Can get done for headlight flashing too
@Shadowsfury: Our governments seem to be codifying new police powers and crimes all the time, many very trivial. It seems the police can always find something to hit you with if they feel like it.
@Scrooge McDuck: Jeez sound like socialist-communist-underpaid police… who often looks for opportunity to make a quick buck to feed either his family or himself
Similar thing happened to me. I was the third car from a right turn traffic light. Was wondering why the car ahead wasnt honking the car in front at the lights when it turned green. So I honked, the car at the lights then turns, that was when I realised it was a police car.
Hahaha, so you have no qualms annoying people who live near roads, but are afraid of annoying the police. What cowardice.
What part of
But I feel sorry for the nearby residents.
didn't you understand? I'd think that's quite an obvious qualm!
Please go and annoy the police brave commenter. Be sure to report your experience on OzBargain too.
🤡
I was in a similar situation in Melbourne's CBD - police car didn't move forward when the lights turned green (maybe listening to an incoming call), then proceeded forward after the light turned red as there was no traffic. Put the lights on midway through the intersection. I thought they might be rushing off to a call but they continued driving at a normal pace, so I'm unsure why they ran the light. I wondered whether I should submit the dashcam footage but decided against it as I didn't want any unwanted attention from the police if I was ever stopped while driving.
Was riding my motorbike and a highway patrol changed lanes almost hitting me.
He didn't check. He just indicated and changed langes.
Cops are people too, and I would say, even worse, because they think they own the road (like taxi drivers)
It is.
If you are waiting on a green turning arrow and you aren't the second or maybe third car, an inattentive driver will prevent more cars from making the turn.
On their phone and inconsiderate. In Sydney if your brake lights don't go off within 2 seconds of a light going green you're getting honked. No one has time for you to finish your text.
No one should be on their phones while driving
Yet here we are.
The police in WA are fairly onto it. I see motorbike cops splitting the lane all the time and they always nab someone on their phone. Point into their window and point to pull over. My gut always sinks when I think of what they are about to go through, a grilling and a 1 k fine, although it's justified, just don't touch your phone!
Statistically, perhaps not for too long, though.
2 whole seconds? I envy your peaceful area.
Haha agreed, Sydney has 0 tolerance for tardiness. WA drivers will let you go through two red yellow green cycles before politely waving.
Once my car wouldn't start at a intersection, I had the emergency blinkers on and was still getting abused like I was trying to ruin their whole existence.
Stress levels must be at 100% in Sydney every day…
Sydney is screwed because we've doubled our population on a local road network that hasn't grown since the 50's, and is now in gridlock for twelve hours per day. All $50B worth of new tunnels is doing is creating a $20 per day underground parking lot for drivers to sit and simmer in rage.
I've been very happy with my life and Sydney in general since I moved to within 300m of a train station, and soon to be 400m from a new metro station. It's such a beautiful place when you're not trapped three hours per day in a two tonne metal box.
Sydney drivers are stupid and aggressive. See this all the time in Sydney, I don’t get it. Maybe it’s because the roads are terribly designed.
Nope, it's just Sydney in general. We have evolved into a fast pace environment where everything needs to happen right now. There are different levels of intensity and the CBD, for some, is insane. I've known people who are afraid to drive into the city because everyone is in a rush. It takes alot of confidence to navigate the city roads without getting the brunt from others. From experience, the inner west and north west suburbia seems to be more calm. Driving seems to slow down quite a lot there. I remember 20 years ago everyone was chill on the roads in Sydney.
There are different levels of intensity and the CBD, for some, is insane. I've known people who are afraid to drive into the city because everyone is in a rush. It takes alot of confidence to navigate the city roads without getting the brunt from others.
The CBD is getting quite stressful to drive in, and this has worsened over the past couple of years - especially with the amount of road closures/redirections etc. Also throw in numpty pedestrians jay-walking with headphones on or absent-mindedly stepping off the kerb when the wrong crossing "ticker" goes off.. I've had some pretty harrowing experiences.
@ThadtheChad: To be brutally honest, I've never had a bad experience in the CBD. As bad as it really sounds, driving in the city is like playing a game of chicken. It's either you go, or the pedestrians and other cars will take advantage of you and cross/overtake. That's a part of the confidence in driving there. Jaywalkers will take advantage of your slow driving and assume they have enough time to walk. Drivers will take advantage and intercept if you don't drive. In the end, you become a part of the problem and can spot the advantageous drivers.
I do the same.
Why do a lot of drivers need to be honked at when the light turns green?
They're obviously not paying attention!
I give the car in front at least 6 seconds to move off before I honk at them.
A couple of seconds after the lights go green, the cars already behind start honking. I never need to do it myself.
I can't even remember the last time I used my horn. If someone does something stupid like cut me off, I instinctively focus doing what I need to do to avoid a collision. By the time I'm out of the situation, it's usually too late to abuse the other driver with my horn!
I often think that a lot of accidents can be avoided if people went straight for the controls in an unexpected situation rather than jump straight on the horn to abuse the other driver.
I can't even remember the last time I used my horn. If someone does something stupid like cut me off, I instinctively focus doing what I need to do to avoid a collision. By the time I'm out of the situation, it's usually too late to abuse the other driver with my horn!
I often think that a lot of accidents can be avoided if people went straight for the controls in an unexpected situation rather than jump straight on the horn to abuse the other driver.
Same
my old car had no horn for a few years before I could finally afford to replace the car. i modified my driving accordingly. anticipate bad drivers, leave bigger gaps etc. even in a new car with a working horn i hardly use the horn any more. I reckon I'm much more zen while driving now.
Why not both?
100% focus is everything in that moment — if you pause/move your hands away from the sides of the wheel to push the horn, that increases the risk of a more serious accident — you would be the best judge of your reaction time and vehicles' capability in those conditions, but for many drivers, reprimanding another careless road user is not as important as avoiding a collision.
It would probably be safer (to use the horn in the way it is intended, ie. as a safety warning rather than for venting frustration) if it was located right under your fingers/thumb, like most cars' audio controls, or camera shutter button on an SLR.
Most recent cars are like this, ie you don't have to press the centre, you just press any part of the air bag cover so I can use the horn without moving my hand from the normal driving position, I just move my thumb on to it.
Not forgetting also, that to use the horn for any matters, other than emergency reasons is a punishable traffic offence.
Only when one has lived in China, or similar countries, where the horn is rife, 24/7 in an abomination of aural pollution, does one have true gratitude for living here in Australia.
@boxtrot19: in India the horn is considered attached to the brake - they seem to work together in traffic …
I get what you're saying, but you're describing people who I believe should be handing their drivers licence in.
If you're not capable of being in control of your vehicle while beeping the horn (indicators, brakes, looking for traffic hazards and the list goes on and on) or cannot make the right appropriate choices/actions (eg, not doing an extra action when you don't have full control of your vehicle for the current situation), then both isn't good advice for you (not you personally, but generally speaking). You're a major accident waiting to happen. You probably shouldn't be driving anymore.
If you're not capable of being in control of your vehicle while beeping the horn (indicators, brakes, looking for traffic hazards and the list goes on and on) …. You probably shouldn't be driving anymore.
No matter how good you think you are, it still takes time and effort to go for the horn. It also involves changing your grip on the steering wheel too. If you slam your brakes at the same time, that hand on the horn wouldn't be gripping the steering as well as it could be and that may affect your ability to take evasive action.
The difference between a collision and no collision could be that fraction of a second that you decided to go for the horn.
@bobbified: Completely agree with this. Horn is useful for a warning but if a collision is imminent and you are braking heavily, looking for a gap and preparing to swerve (while managing braking force and control issues) you ain't touching the damn horn.
Try doing an advanced driving course if you think you still have time to get to the horn.
Try doing an advanced driving course if you think you still have time to get to the horn.
I've done several. Moving your thumb doesn't compromise your grip if you're holding the wheel correctly.
Sounds like you're holding the steering wheel in a death grip with your thumb wrapped around it.
@apsilon: Not sure how you can reach the horn from 10 and 2 o'clock without releasing a hand. Of course unless you have your hands below horizonal on the wheel which has other challenges …
Here is my steering wheel for example https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lqQAAOSwFtlfiS7h/s-l640.jpg
@mctubster: Might have trouble with that one given how large the steering wheel controls are but on my Ranger and Forester all I need to do is move my thumb so it's basically horizontal and I can reach the horn. Could do it with my old Pajero as well. My MX-5 however no chance as it's only got a small horn button in the very middle but that's 23 years old so doesn't have air bags either.
… if you're holding the wheel correctly
How many people are?
Someone who's going to jump on the horn is unlikely to be doing it in a calm manner and will probably take their whole hand off to use the palm of their hand to press a centre horn.
As part of previous training, I underwent an E&E course where we maneuver the vehicle in certain ways at speed and they stress the point about not having our hands at 10 and 2 and not to have the steering wheel in the gap between our index and thumbs.
@bobbified: It figures. I guess you've never driven a manual…. or used an indicator before. Newsflash. You can keep control of your vehicle without keeping both of your hands on the wheel for every fraction of every second. If the circumstances requires both hands to maintain control, do it. It's not that complicated.
There's people out there who aren't useless. If you are that useless, at least have the common sense to realise, it's time to hand in your license.
It brings up another point of paying attention when driving. I pay attention to my surroundings and the other drivers around me. I anticipate what could happen and adjust accordingly. Most don't drive defensively, so I can see your point to why you'd think anything short of your hands on the wheel 100% invitates disaster.
Newsflash. You can keep control of your vehicle without keeping both of your hands on the wheel for every fraction of every second. If the circumstances requires both hands to maintain control, do it. It's not that complicated.
Just going by what you're saying, I don't think you'll ever get it. I'm not talking about keeping your hands on the wheel every fraction of a second while driving. I'm talking about that exact moment when you realise someone's cut you off and you have to make a decision on what to do. Don't kid yourself about your driving abilities being more superior than everyone else.
It figures. I guess you've never driven a manual…. or used an indicator before.
And here we go with more "I'm better than you" assumptions to make yourself feel better. * rolls eyes *
If you really want to learn a thing or two about keeping yourself safe, go and ride a motorcycle around traffic for a few years. If you survive that, it'll change the way you drive too.
@bobbified: While it's not the same thing, I did a lot of cycling. So if you're suggesting that driving something like that could be part of what had led my driving to me a lot more open eyed to the road, you're probably right. It's nothing I really considered.
I don't know why you're getting into this dick waving competition, worried whether I'm a better driver than everyone or not, but let me be clear to you in what I mean. If anyone is a bad driver they should hald in their drivers license. If you're unable to drive safe and beep the horn, if you do that, as far as I'm concerned, hand it in. Those who can safely handle a vehicle and do other tasks (safely mind you) have a better chance to be able to not only survive an emergency situation, but be in a better position to also save other lives. Is that clear enough for you? I'm capable of doing more than one thing on the road at a time. I don't think that's a high bar to expect for most drivers. For those that cannot, it's time to consider making the road a safer place. Learn to drive better or hand in your license.
Maybe you're complacent with incompetent drivers on the road. I'm not. They're dangerous.
The key to it is to be ready on the honk before people have even done anything.
Horn comes with their indicator turning on, not when they cross the lines
OP, why do you think that you would need to think? Answer seems pretty self explanatory.
I give them 0.5 sec. You need to be more ruthless, OP.
You must be in a busy area. I can imagine if people are waiting at lights a lot they can get distracted with daydreaming and the like.
this post remind me of this clip from youtube..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv8wqnk_TsA&vl=pt
the 3 types of horn we need
I've always wanted the big &*@# off air horn.
I sometimes drive rather large truck, and trust me, the "big &*@# off air horn" doesn't seem to make much difference.
Unfortunately, I can imagine this to be true. So many &*@#ers who seem to live entirely in their own bubble, completely oblivious to what's going on around them.
you need more practice, maybe buy an auto
.
You are probably right.
Thanks Nugs
why do manual cars move backwards?
get off the road, gramps
A manual driver needs to anticipate light changes more than an automatic driver. You can always predict when it's going to be your turn by having situational awareness. As a manual driver when I see crossing traffic slowing or their lights going through amber it's my trigger to select first gear (handbrake on if required) and getting ready to engage the clutch. It's called being a licenced manual driver. If you don't do this then drive an automatic.
6 seconds to balance the clutch and start moving.
Get off the road then or get some lessons.
Do you shift to neutral at the lights? I've never thought that was a good idea.
Depends how long you're waiting You can keep the clutch all the way down or move to neutral. I think officially on tests you're supposed to go to neutral.
However you can still shift into gear before you believe the light will turn green. You often see the other lights go red and you can balance the clutch. Then release the handbrake and ease off when the light turns green.
Saying that I generally don't use the horn, just on occasion when you can tell the driver is distracted (maybe on the phone).
@dizzle: I was told that one must always keep the car in gear when stopping at lights/intersections. When you're in Neutral, you have no control over the vehicle and will react more slowly than if you have had it in first gear.
@muppet: On the other hand, if you're in gear and you get hit, you're more likely to let your foot slip off the brake and make an accident worse.
I can't think of too many accidents while stopped at traffic lights where reacting and moving forwards will help. Most will happen from where you can't see it (behind or the side), or from the front where being in a forward gear won't help much. If you're stopped and you see someone behind you with issues do you really want to go forward into traffic?
@dizzle: Don't know why you were down voted.
Keeping it in gear… A slight nudge from behind or a moments lack of attention and your foot slips off the clutch and you've hit the school kids crossing in front of you.
It's not a priority to be ready to race off to avoid someone coming up behind you… The chances of seeing them and being able to safely take evasive action whilst stopped at a red light is remote.
It's your responsibility not to go forward and cause an accident. Both my manual truck and car driving instructors told me, neutral and handbrake on at a red light
@dizzle: Holding the clutch in unnecessarily wears the thrust race, mechanics don't pull your gearbox off and just replace the race, you'll pay for a new clutch kit and machining of your flywheel, often 2.5k's worth of $
Yes I always shift to Neutral.
Keeping the clutch engaged is bad for the clutch and also puts pressure on your legs.
If you are driving manual, you need to be more active than automatic drivers. If you are not the first/second driver at the traffic lights, then engage clutch when 2 cars ahead of you start driving from the stop position. Helps me to be just in time with the automatic cars, thereby avoiding horns.
This is a good way to wear out your release bearing and have potential slave cylinder leaks and work pressure plate fingers. All of which can affect the engagement and use of the clutch in the long term.
Can you show me how to do this in a MS Paint diagram?
I think that’s the only way I could get better.
it takes me at least 6 seconds to balance the clutch and start moving
That's just awful driving.
I am driving manual from last 5 years. Yes in the first few months, it takes 2-4 seconds. But now 1-2 seconds at most.
Manual cars are awesome! Don’t give it up, but you need practice in a safe area (maybe in a quiet parking lot) until you’re ready for the road.
You can see the lights turning red on the diagonally opposing (?) lights and get ready to go. I suppose you’d also have to get more familiar on the roads…
Why do people drive at night without their lights on? Same reason - a lack of attention and inability to use the auto lights function on most modern cars. Last night I saw 4 cars without lights on within a 5 min drive (just before 9pm).
My theory on this is that modern dashboards are always lit up and DRLs are bright when no headlights are on.
Dumbo drivers in their newish cars just see the lit up dash and some light ahead and never think twice about it.
Modern cars are safer for sure but they are making some drivers proportionally deskilled.
Agree 100%. Given most cars have a light sensor used as part of the auto headlights you'd think they could throw up a warning when your driving without lights at night. I once had an Uber driver who was driving without his lights at night. When I told him he turned them on. I then asked him why he didn't use the auto lights function and he said the car didn't have it. I said look at the headlight know it has a setting called 'auto' - he looked, saw the word 'auto' but then said his car didn't have it, so I just gave up.
I rented an Audi A3 years ago that lit the gauges permanently, but the light switch had no auto position - must have been an option. I drove into a tunnel in the daytime and the instruments panel went dark a few seconds after entering the tunnel!
Thought at the time it was a safety feature to prompt the driver to turn the headlights on.
But if they were going to those lengths to program in that behaviour, why not just make auto headlights standard?
How old was the rental? I haven't seen any audis without the auto setting among any of the audis I've driven (I got the minspec A1 once as a loaner and even that had auto headlights).
Its to the right of the steering wheel (a bit lower) and looks like this:
https://www.hazzydayz.com/ekmps/shops/hazzydayzshop/images/a…
At night my dash lights up even if my lights are off, so it seems like they are on.
Distracted by their phone or someone or something else.