----------

[GraceMusik]

----------

[fingerguy]

Paranoia, messing with their phone, don't know how to drive, take your pick.

BUT I have a question and I swear I am not thread hijacking, what's the deal with people turning on their hazards as they are approaching a traffic jam and/or have to break suddenly. When did this become a thing to do? I notice it for the last few years being real common. My natural reaction is to scream and say...I can see the traffic jam just fine I don't need your hazards for this.

[Bingoccc]

The first thought that popped into my head was that the driver may have noticed a large truck, like an 18 wheeler, lined up on the street to your right who was going to try to turn left. They can't help but cut the corner so it's best to leave them room. But....I wasn't there.

[flaggerphil]

I've often wondered about that, too. My wife says it's because some people are afraid that if they get hit from behind when at the stop line they'll be punched into the intersection, so they stop way short of the line.



I think it's silly to do it and it messes up traffic flow.

But what do I know?

[flaggerphil]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

Paranoia, messing with their phone, don't know how to drive, take your pick.

BUT I have a question and I swear I am not thread hijacking, what's the deal with people turning on their hazards as they are approaching a traffic jam and/or have to break suddenly. When did this become a thing to do? I notice it for the last few years being real common. My natural reaction is to scream and say...I can see the traffic jam just fine I don't need your hazards for this.

Yeah, but there are many, many times it's probable that the people behind cannot see the traffic jam. It doesn't bother me at all if someone does this. Just another way to get the attention of someone behind you that might not be paying as much attention as they should.

[LouieAtienza]

I'd prefer seeing that than those who just jut out of intersections instead of stopping at the line FIRST.

[jpd]

"car in line in that lane is literally 15 feet behind the white line. This is not the first time I've seen this.

What am I missing here? "


I hear ya!!!!! I'm seeing an epidemic of this all over my area. At first I thought it was elderly drivers....but no, it's young drivers too! I've heard claims of Texting" issues and more techno babble. But I've been next to a car as it was rear-ended and slammed into on-coming traffic because the offending driver was texting....so maybe there's something defensive about this?

[jpd]

Originally Posted by flaggerphil

I've often wondered about that, too. My wife says it's because some people are afraid that if they get hit from behind when at the stop line they'll be punched into the intersection, so they stop way short of the line.



I think it's silly to do it and it messes up traffic flow.

But what do I know?

Phil....I've seen it happen!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[GraceMusik]

----------

[cmd612]

Originally Posted by fingerguy

BUT I have a question and I swear I am not thread hijacking, what's the deal with people turning on their hazards as they are approaching a traffic jam and/or have to break suddenly. When did this become a thing to do? I notice it for the last few years being real common. My natural reaction is to scream and say...I can see the traffic jam just fine I don't need your hazards for this.

I haven't seen that yet, but it's a great idea.

But then, I've been rear-ended twice when I had to stop for traffic and the drivers behind me were too busy with whatever they were doing in addition to driving to notice that traffic was NOT moving in front of them.

I was lucky; they were congested surface streets and I was hit by passenger vehicles, with only property damage. But at highway speeds and w/ big trucks around? I might start doing that hazard light thing.

But to the point of the OP - around here, people tend to do the opposite and jut way out into the intersection. Often, they're far enough over the line to fail to trigger the turn light sensor. I've decided a lot of people just have no idea that the white line actually means anything.

One reason people might stop short in the left turn lane is because people turning left from the cross street are cutting the corner tight and coming into their lane.

[fingerguy]

Originally Posted by GraceMusik

The problem is, if everyone stopped THAT far back to avoid being pushed out into the intersection, the lights would never change because people would not trigger the sensors!

That is a very common problem. The tractor trailer point was a valid one btw but like the person said they were not there.

[flaggerphil]

Originally Posted by jpd

Phil....I've seen it happen!^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I have, too. In fact I've been hit from behind and shoved into the intersection. But I still stop at the line like you're supposed to.

[footbeat]

I think this is a response to red light cameras. They will take a series of pictures as you go through the red light. The first picture is snapped as you pull up to the line and even if you are NOT going to go through the intersection, you may notice the light flash. I would imagine that some people who are paranoid about being photographed may wish to avoid this by not pulling up over the sensor, which is a wire loop embedded in the pavement.

[Gasworker]

If there is a left turn signal the sensor is located one car length back from the white stop line. This is so that the left turn light won't be activated for a single vehicle. If you stop one vehicle length back you will be over the signal activator.

You don't have to believe me on this, all I ask is that you try it.

[flaggerphil]

Originally Posted by footbeat

I think this is a response to red light cameras. They will take a series of pictures as you go through the red light. The first picture is snapped as you pull up to the line and even if you are NOT going to go through the intersection, you may notice the light flash. I would imagine that some people who are paranoid about being photographed may wish to avoid this by not pulling up over the sensor, which is a wire loop embedded in the pavement.

Could be, but I see people do it all the time even when there are no cameras around.

It's kinda like people driving slowly in the left lane so no one can hit them from the left.

Yes...I've had someone tell me they do that.