[diwa]

Originally Posted by gowda79

The Indicab driver thought himself to be Hamilton and speeded even by seeing the Red Signal in the Pit Lane and bumped on to Raikonnen's car.

This what Raikonnen did to Sutil in Monaco.

[FERRO]

Originally Posted by diwa

This what Raikonnen did to Sutil in Monaco.

Wow ! I didn't knew Raikonnen did this purposely maybe I am wrong? while Hamilton was so stupid enough not to see Raikonnen's car waiting at the signal.

[snaronikar]

OT: The above happened due to wrong calculations of the safety car letting in and all th cars has to necessarily has to stop in the put stops.

Anyways, coming back to topic, "I try to be a roman as I'am in rome". But sometimes I do stop the car in night during red lights.

[jat]

Originally Posted by devnull

Hi,
I had a scary experience last night which has made me re-think on my driving ...................... in your own small way or play along with the rules of the road and not stop?

What you did was right. The indicab guy was definitely tail-getting and it doesn't matter whether there was a light or not.

And if you think that this was wrong/scary etc, then I have come across situation which I have read/heard only in jokes.

In Delhi while driving from Dwarka to Airport, I guy in from of me will stop at green light and drive away at red (hehe). This happened at two junctions after which I managed to overtake him. Imagine my condition as I was right behind him and other guys honking behind me. So if your across the juction with this kind of guy, you are in trouble trying to cross at green ;-)

[Jr Godzilla]

Originally Posted by GTO

The question is not whether you should stop at a red light or not; this could have happened at a regular junction in the late night too. The question is : How to drive defensively and avoid the cab from rear-ending you? Simple....watch your mirrors when coming to a halt and if required, switch lanes (get out of his way) and stop.

Another practice of mine for such situations is to start slowing down a little before the usual spot, clearly letting the guy at the back know that I intend to stop for the red light.

absolutely GTO this is traffic sense. you seem to be an excellent driver (((seem = ARE)))

Here in Bahrain I have had to move on through the red light (its this situation when you are in fast lane and see the lights turning to amber and you begin to slow down but making sure you are watching the rear view and you have this tailgating Saudi D--- flashing his lights gesturing you too move on and you have only one option is to make sure nothing is coming in front of you and move through the red) I never change lanes approaching or exiting signals.

Its better to pay a fine than get rear ended if its the above scenario and if traffic has entered the junction its better to brake and get rear ended.

Best is to scan ahead to keep your options open and keep a look at the RVM's for the moron.

[diwa]

Originally Posted by FERRO

Wow ! I didn't knew Raikonnen did this purposely maybe I am wrong? while Hamilton was so stupid enough not to see Raikonnen's car waiting at the signal.

Exactly the point. People are stupid enough not see a car standing at the red light or expecting them to stop in the nights when the roads are clear.

[thiyags22]

Jumping signals is quite common here but you did the right thing

[Tron]

Originally Posted by devnull

Hi,
I had a scary experience last night which has made me re-think on my driving discipline. I was driving back home and my wife was beside me, mother-in-law and grandmom in the rear seat. This was around 11pm when the roads were quite empty and all the cars were doing around 60 kmph. An Indicab was right in my tail. Now this curve came up right after which there was a traffic signal and it was showing red. I always respect the traffic signals and seeing red I started braking though the junction was clear with no cars from either sides coming up. There were a few 2-wheelers but they seemed to be waiting patiently for us fast cars to pass. All the cars in front of me sped off through the red signal, but I was adamant that I should set some example.

So I braked and gradually came to a halt (much to the shock of the waiting 2-wheelers). But the Indicab behind me wasn't expecting this and thought I too will go through. As I came to a halt I glanced in the left RVM and my heart skipped a beat. The Indicab was losing it trying to brake and decided to steer away rather. And thankfully, he finally made it and was just an inch away from my car's rear as he passed through, glaring at me.

I was shocked and very confused. I didn't tell anyone in the car what had happened but kept wondering to myself what could have happened. My grandmom was behind and she's quite weak. And now I am pondering on whether I should be *so* disciplined with the traffic signal.

My question to you'll - what will you do if u come across an empty junction(in the city) with the signal turned to red? Do you try to make a difference in your own small way or play along with the rules of the road and not stop?

Yes, I've done the same in the past. I've also fought with auto drivers until traffic police came and convinced me (because I was in the right, after all), and yelled at the auto drivers. Keep up the good work!

[ultimatechamp]

Originally Posted by srijit

What you did was right. What you can do is to lightly press on the brakes so that they light up and the driver behind you can take appropriate action. Coming to a fast stop in front of a red light, in places where drivers normally do not, can be risky.

Better to coast to a slow stop

Thats exactly what I do.I have also faced similar situations,especially looking through my RVM,it shocks me to see auto-wallahs looking the other way and coming towards my cars rear end,or even huge lorries and buses with their greater momentum coming down,I keep gently pressing the brakes,to use my brake lights to make them realise that I am stopping .It works.

[sammyboy]

Similar thing happened to me last night at the koramangala red light. The right was red but a lot of people started jumping the red light. There was a guy behind me in a santro who kept honking and flashing his lights and gesturing me to move. I lowered the window pointed towards the light and stood there. This guy backed up and started to move to the other lane so he could jump the light , just then a few other cars came and stopped on both sides surrounding him.
The light turned green in about 15 seconds after that and he zoomed like his a** was on fire.

[headers]

Originally Posted by Sandeep_K_Ram

So I make it a policy to put my hand out whenever I am stopping - red light or not , early or late in the evening. If its Red - I definitely stop as long as there are at least a few vehicles around and I am not in an emergency.

Use your RVM and press the brake pedal much earlier than the stop to warn the driver at the rear.

Originally Posted by GTO

Simple....watch your mirrors when coming to a halt and if required, switch lanes (get out of his way) and stop.

Another practice of mine for such situations is to start slowing down a little before the usual spot, clearly letting the guy at the back know that I intend to stop for the red light.

GTO, you took the words out of my mouth!

Originally Posted by supremeBaleno

Apart from keeping you out of trouble/accidents, isn;t it a good feeling to be driving around thinking of everyone else as morons ? Thats the bonus.

SB, also, pre emptive braking helps warn the other driver that your intend braking. One could use the RVM for feedback as to whether the driver following understand your intentions to stop.

Originally Posted by ultimatechamp

I keep gently pressing the brakes,to use my brake lights to make them realise that I am stopping .It works.

Thats preemptive braking. Great.

Originally Posted by sammyboy

Similar thing happened to me last night at the koramangala red light. The right was red but a lot of people started jumping the red light. There was a guy behind me in a santro who kept honking and flashing his lights and gesturing me to move.

Slot your reverse gear and inch backward. That will show the guy not to mess around!

[muralisk]

I experience this situation every day morning while driving to work. I usually try and leave home between 6:30 - 6:45 am from home. In this case, most signals are switched off or will have the blinking orange.

However, when I leave home after 6:45 am, then I have to carefully, cross the outer ring road and sarjapur junction. The lights are functional starting 7:00 am and no one really cares for them. Then, I have to cross the HSR junction (near Agara lake). I always try and stop at traffic lights, but I ensure that there is no one on my tail. If there is major traffic behind me, then I kind of block them such a way that the whole thing slows down and then I either stop or continue with everyone else.

[mjothi]

I follow exactly the same as mentioned by GTO. You know, I am more worried about the vehicle behind than the front.
So, lane change, traffic signal, sudden stop, for all the first thing I do is look at the rear view mirror.

[snaronikar]

Originally Posted by mjothi

I follow exactly the same as mentioned by GTO. You know, I am more worried about the vehicle behind than the front.
So, lane change, traffic signal, sudden stop, for all the first thing I do is look at the rear view mirror.

Yes, I do the same thing. But while changing the lanes, I do use the indicators so that whoever is coming at the back of me will have the indication that I will be switching the lane in next 20~30 secs. Then look at the RVM and then change the lanes.

[mjothi]

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Yes, I do the same thing. But while changing the lanes, I do use the indicators so that whoever is coming at the back of me will have the indication that I will be switching the lane in next 20~30 secs. Then look at the RVM and then change the lanes.

Agreed. I dont use the indicators always while switching lanes. Just human calculations.