Why traffic exists

[theholycow]

Apparently that's a pretty common point of view, based on observed behavior.

I don't find it exciting at all, and I find waiting at a complete stop at a red light horrifically tedious and boring...making the green light is much more pleasant for me.

[Squint]

Apparently that's a pretty common point of view, based on observed behavior.

I don't find it exciting at all, and I find waiting at a complete stop at a red light horrifically tedious and boring...making the green light is much more pleasant for me.

I would rather be moving and not having to stop than being quicker to get to a light and wait. I enjoy driving more than sitting

[ClutchFork]

I would rather be moving and not having to stop than being quicker to get to a light and wait. I enjoy driving more than sitting

But then you miss extra times for rowing through the gears. But I know what you mean, many times I prefer catching all the greens and will throttle back to make a light without having to drop down to first. Guess it all depends on how I feel at the time, where I am going, and how much time I have.

[theholycow]

But then you miss extra times for rowing through the gears.

This, indeed, is the weakness of that strategy...but I still prefer that strategy anyway.

[Squint]

But then you miss extra times for rowing through the gears.

This, indeed, is the weakness of that strategy...but I still prefer that strategy anyway.

Well, the best balance is having to slow down/speed up just a little each time... so you row the gears a little, but not all the way. Then you get a balance of driving pleasure + better economy

[daleadbull]

But then you miss extra times for rowing through the gears.

This, indeed, is the weakness of that strategy...but I still prefer that strategy anyway.

Well, the best balance is having to slow down/speed up just a little each time... so you row the gears a little, but not all the way. Then you get a balance of driving pleasure + better economy

Well, you don't have to change speed to shift gears you know. I can keep going the same speed and rev match downshift one gear at a time if I want.

[zenfiz6]

Well, you don't have to change speed to shift gears you know. I can keep going the same speed and rev match downshift one gear at a time if I want.

I've been playing this game a bit. But I'm usually at 45 doing 6->3 and back. Sometimes it's good, sometimes I put on my neck brace.

[Squint]

Well, you don't have to change speed to shift gears you know. I can keep going the same speed and rev match downshift one gear at a time if I want.

I've been playing this game a bit. But I'm usually at 45 doing 6->3 and back. Sometimes it's good, sometimes I put on my neck brace.

I have a nice mental image of Zenfiz whipping his hair back and forth like Willow Smith (I had to look up her name.. Will Smith's daughter).

[theholycow]

Well, the best balance is having to slow down/speed up just a little each time... so you row the gears a little, but not all the way. Then you get a balance of driving pleasure + better economy

With the haphazardly timed lights around here, that is actually a necessary part of the strategy anyway!

[zenfiz6]

Well, you don't have to change speed to shift gears you know. I can keep going the same speed and rev match downshift one gear at a time if I want.

I've been playing this game a bit. But I'm usually at 45 doing 6->3 and back. Sometimes it's good, sometimes I put on my neck brace.

I have a nice mental image of Zenfiz whipping his hair back and forth like Willow Smith (I had to look up her name.. Will Smith's daughter).

Sometimes I Wish I was a Pretty Girl by Robyn Hitchcock comes to mind.
The GF would be all over me growing my hair long. Not sure if I could rock the skinny jeans, though.

[tankinbeans]

Apparently that's a pretty common point of view, based on observed behavior.

I don't find it exciting at all, and I find waiting at a complete stop at a red light horrifically tedious and boring...making the green light is much more pleasant for me.

I recall reading something that lights are timed to allow you to hit most on green if you maintain the limit. Obviously, you'll hot a few red lights, but maintaining the limit is your best bet to avoid stopping completely. I notice when I stay steady I'll get mostly greens.

[theholycow]

I recall reading something that lights are timed to allow you to hit most on green if you maintain the limit. Obviously, you'll hot a few red lights, but maintaining the limit is your best bet to avoid stopping completely. I notice when I stay steady I'll get mostly greens.

Some are timed. Even then, often they are not timed to match the limit, which defeats the purpose.

Last night I was on a road I don't see often. It has properly timed lights. In a rare reversal of what I usually encounter, nobody was going the speed limit and I had to get past the cluster so I could cruise through green lights. They were also accelerating at a glacial pace like everyone I ever see.

Before I got there I encountered a traffic wave system (on a highway I don't usually use) and decided to go ahead and use that empty right lane until it disappeared, then got in a nice open space in front of a tractor trailer (while traffic ahead of it was in the accelerating phase of the wave, no danger and only rude in a "me first" way, which this thread tells me is not rude at all). I bypassed 98% of the backup, that was the last acceleration in the wave system, and didn't even slow anyone down since the tractor trailer wasn't accelerating as fast.

[ClutchFork]

I have a light on the way to work where there is another light just a short block away. When the first light turns green you have to hit it hard to make the second light. If you are not at the front, forget it.

My alternate route I have been taking to avoid that light among other inconveniences also has a similar situation but the second light is a long block away and you don't have to hit it quite as hard but still need to be up front.

Timing is everthing!

[tankinbeans]

IP, your story reminds me of a drive I took the other night. I hit every single light on the journey because the tards in their mommy vans would continuously take about 5 blocks to get to speed, might be exaggerating - but there is no reason to mosey up to the limit.

[Shadow]

I recall reading something that lights are timed to allow you to hit most on green if you maintain the limit.

Almost all the traffic lights in Manhattan are set up that way. For the most part, when you get one green light, you get them all....so you'll have clear sailing until your time runs out and then they all turn red.