Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Flip

1 2 ··· 5 6 7 ··· 16 17

Original poster

people that do an emergency stop when the lights change are dangerous and wrong

417 replies

magrate · 13/02/2015 09:02

I drive for about two hours everyday for my new job. Have to go through over 20 sets of lights. So many people think that as soon as the lights change you must stop. Aibu to expect people to still go though a second after they go red?

OP posts:

ThisIsYourLife · 13/02/2015 13:43

Keep a safe distance and it'll never be a problem OP. Anyone can be forced to do an emergency stop at any given moment. You're driving too close to the car in front if this is causing you problems.

sanfairyanne · 13/02/2015 13:47

i also had to once go thro temporary red light at the end to snake pass. not much choice really as its a long way back and round! it was horrible. there was a sign with a tel no in case of emergencies. the number was wrong! it can happen but it is horrible.

PterodactylTeaParty · 13/02/2015 13:48

But you talked about 20 sets of lights, OP, not just one particularly unusual set? I am confused.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 14:05

Ok,ok,so the mass opinion is that my dh was in the wrong.I,he,and the other driver thought not in that instance.
I can't recall the precise circumstances but it wasn't a usual situation.I think it was something like road works,where there were lights,and the driver ahead had accelerated to continue on from a stop,and had just gone through the lights,realised they'd changed amber as he'd gone through,and done an emergency stop.We were literally just on the lights as they changed,following in a queue of traffic,and a sudden brake would have been painful so we just glided into the back.No damage caused,no pain,other driver said it was his fault,all smiles.
Why the pfb and dh not learning from mistakes accusations? All I know is that sudden braking after a c section hurts.Andno one was hurt.So climb down,some of you.

specialsubject · 13/02/2015 14:05

you said you expect people to go through lights after they are red. Sounds like you are tailgating, not anticipating and probably speeding too.

repeat - you are an awful driver. Awful drivers kill.

LurkingHusband · 13/02/2015 14:14

The fine for jumping a redlight could be someone's death .

MyVisionsComeFromSoup · 13/02/2015 14:16

where I live there are two sets of traffic lights on an A road, both of them at crossroad type junctions. Generally the driving is not that great, but cope-able with. BUT, on the few occasions the lights have failed, everyone has been incredibly considerate, driving slowly, letting other cars out, letting cars cross straight over the main road. It's great! But why can't people drive like that all the time?

NetworkGuy · 13/02/2015 14:27

As a non driver I see there are problems on the roads:

too much traffic... I suspect many hundreds of hours and gallons of fuel are wasted because it seems so many people work quite a distance from where they live. Maybe I'm just lucky as I walk to work, from kitchen to study (and all in the warm and dry, so no need for anything but a dressing gown until about 11am).
all very well to expect a "safe distance" to be kept, but all too often an idiot behind you will overtake to "get in the gap". You need to keep moderately close to the car in front, in both speed and yes, physical distance, to prevent that.

and on this thread...

far too much name slinging here, so it's no wonder that there's "road rage" if a bunch of fairly intelligent drivers can be driven to calling one another names, or questioning the abilities of others on the thread.

(and yes I know it's AIBU, but that is little excuse for getting nasty!)

meglet · 13/02/2015 14:31

I had to creep through broken traffic lights last year. really nerve wracking experience, I was on here asking about it once I'd got to work.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 14:33

Oh,and btw,for Griphook and others.
My dh could have stopped if it was for a child or dog running out.
But this was for a driver who did an emergency stop on an amber ,where dh knew his speed in gliding into the other vehicle would cause no damage or injuries.
There was no reason for the first emergency stop,even less for a second one.
Had there been an emergency it would have played out differently.

As a pp said,amber means to stop if you can do so safely without the car behind you running up your back end.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/02/2015 14:40

BloodyWoman I get that you want to defend your DH but despite the light, the colour, the situation, you should NEVER be so close to the car in front that you hit them, even if they do an emergency stop. Never. I suspect your DH was trying to get through the lights because he knew they were changing and assumed the person in front was impatient too.

It happens. But generally not to people who are focused on safe driving rather than their timeline.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/02/2015 14:43

amber means to stop if you can do so safely without the car behind you running up your back end ABSOLUTELY NOT. You should stop on amber if it is safe to do so in terms of (not a definitive list); there is no risk of skidding, not stopping totally (being in and out of the junction) etc. Not because someone behind you doesn't understand stopping distances.

I can only modify MY stopping distance NOT yours so you are responsible for not driving into me. How on earth can I be responsible for your stopping distance?

Kittymum03 · 13/02/2015 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/02/2015 14:44

BTW in Canada the rule if lights are broken is that the junction turns into a four-way stop. It works really well.

Kittymum03 · 13/02/2015 14:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 14:47

He didn't have to roll into him,Mrs thats the point.
He could have stopped.
But the driver in front did something daft,and rather than hurt me,he decided to glide into him.
And the other driver was fine with that.
He wasn't in shock.It was no big deal.
God,wish I'd never said anything

Unidentifieditem · 13/02/2015 14:47

In London many cyclists (wrongly) don't wait for green before crossing junctions. Basically they see the traffic stop and try to beat cars off the lights in order to get much needed room. Your non stopping driver would probably kill one of those cyclists.

laughingmyarseoff · 13/02/2015 14:48

You can be an amber gambler and chance it if you want, amber is a prepare to stop. Red is a no no. Whether someone choose to emergency brake or go through you are at fault if you go into the back of them.

If someone emergency stops and you have to and still go into the back of them then you are too close. You should be able to stop if they do, if you can't you've not left enough room.

People shouldn't slam on their brakes at lights but neither should others get too close. If they want to emergency brake then by law they can whereas they can't run a red. If you go into the back of them you will be liable through insurance, that's exactly how my friend was caught out. She's a gambler but the person in front got cold feet and she was speeding up to go through.

When lights are broken or if you have to go through to allow an emergency vehicle to go past, you are not subject to a fine. Automatic cameras may flash you but you can appeal and get off.

ThatBloodyWoman · 13/02/2015 14:51

And,no,he wasn't doing that Mrs.
He was driving very cautiously because all the bumps and braking were hurting.
Why would he do that? Why would he deliberately take chances?
We were in no rush

Bumbiscuits · 13/02/2015 14:57

If someone has the option of stopping or running into the car in front, they'd have to be a complete and utter moron to choose to have a collision.

MrsTerryPratchett · 13/02/2015 15:00

You have to assume BloodyWoman (that feels rude in this context BTW ) that the person in front of you might emergency stop. I leave enough space to stop safely, not even an emergency stop, if the person in front brakes. I just don't think your DH left enough room. In Canada they talk a lot about 'stale' green lights. When a light has been green a while, or the pedestrian lights have already changed, you should be ready for the amber.

On motorways I pride myself on very rarely using my brakes at all because you should leave enough distance that most things won't cause you to have to.

Stopping distances are a real obsession of mine though. I think we wouldn't need ridiculously low speed limits (excluding in town, of course) if everyone knew what a proper stopping distance was.

26Point2Miles · 13/02/2015 15:04

Yes biscuits that's what most of us think, he had left no decent gap by the sounds and that's what we are all imagining. One of those drivers....

Lifesalemon · 13/02/2015 15:11

thatbloodywoman people driving very cautiously do not usually have to make the choice between an emergency stop or a collision.

Minus2seventy3 · 13/02/2015 15:12

BloodyWoman I rather think your DH is blowing smoke up your ass claiming it was all a planned collision to save hurting you. He was following too close and caught by surprise. "Cautiously" is not how I would describe his driving based on your posts ...

26Point2Miles · 13/02/2015 15:17

What if 'gliding' into the back of the other car caused damage to those inside it? Could've had kids or elderly in there! Who cares eh?

Flip

1 2 ··· 5 6 7 ··· 16 17