Sometimes the opposite happens, though. The aggressive driver hits the light just before it turns yellow, and everyone who didn’t drive like a hooligan had to stop. Depends on how well timed the lights are.
That said, people in general need to start coasting to a red light at least twice the distance away that they do. I’ve gotten passed by people where I’m coasting, there’s a red light ahead, and there’s no reason at all to hurry. Coming to a full stop is a waste of energy, and you should set yourself up to avoid needing to as much as possible.
This coasting trick works until there’s enough of those assholes in a hurry that they all rush ahead to stop in every lane. Now all the sane drivers have to stop too. If I’m feeling plucky, I might honk and flash my brights at those “gotta pass everybody to stop first at the light” types like they’re the slowpoke in the way, which they kind of are at that point. Usually I just keep quiet and imagine that they’re in such a hurry because they are either about to or have just shit their pants.
Beware though, coasting past stopped traffic just as the light changes is a good way to get T-boned by another careless ass hat that just ran the other light.
Sometimes the opposite happens, though. The aggressive driver hits the light just before it turns yellow, and everyone who didn’t drive like a hooligan had to stop. Depends on how well timed the lights are.
That said, people in general need to start coasting to a red light at least twice the distance away that they do. I’ve gotten passed by people where I’m coasting, there’s a red light ahead, and there’s no reason at all to hurry. Coming to a full stop is a waste of energy, and you should set yourself up to avoid needing to as much as possible.
This coasting trick works until there’s enough of those assholes in a hurry that they all rush ahead to stop in every lane. Now all the sane drivers have to stop too. If I’m feeling plucky, I might honk and flash my brights at those “gotta pass everybody to stop first at the light” types like they’re the slowpoke in the way, which they kind of are at that point. Usually I just keep quiet and imagine that they’re in such a hurry because they are either about to or have just shit their pants.
Beware though, coasting past stopped traffic just as the light changes is a good way to get T-boned by another careless ass hat that just ran the other light.