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08-22-2023, 10:08 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 826
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I'm a school bus driver and we are trained to watch for stail green lights meaning if the green light ahead has been on for while good chance it can turn soon.
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08-22-2023, 10:09 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 4,029
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mokurt
I'm a school bus driver and we are trained to watch for stail green lights meaning if the green light ahead has been on for while good chance it can turn soon.
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Yep, if you didn't see it turn green it's stale and should be approached with the expectation that it will change.
__________________
Brian, 2011 Winnebago Via Class A on Sprinter Chassis
2000 Jeep TJ toad
Tucson, AZ
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08-22-2023, 10:16 AM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,994
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X2 for the stale green concept. I read about this decades ago as something that was taught to Greyhound bus drivers. Between my navigator wife and myself we will sometimes say "Stale Green" out loud as we approach a green light that we didn't see change from Red to Green.
I am also a left foot braker when driving an automatic transmission vehicle. "Hovering" over the brake pedal with one's left foot can reduce reaction time and I habitually do this in our motorhome in traffic, or during fun driving on twisty Kentucky back roads in our VW Golf GTI.
And, great call on observing countdown numbers on crosswalk signs. This is one of my techniques for town driving- even in a car.
Quote:
Originally Posted by NLOVNIT
That's a tough call for you. You did the best you could.
I'm one of those defensive drivers that always takes my foot off the gas & hovers it over the brake pedal, just a wee bit, as I approach an intersection anyway. I may be in a 50 or 45 mph zone, but I sure ain't goin that fast when I approach an intersection. If I remember my driver's test correctly, yellow does not mean floor it to get through. It means slow down & be prepared to stop. Unfortunately most drivers do the former.
An RV driving instructor I had said there was something called a "stale green light". If, as you are looking ahead (which we should all be doing anyway) far enough & a light is green as you are approaching, despite the posted speed limit, one should slow in anticipation of that light changing as you are approaching because ya can't stop these things on a dime. That HAS been the case for me & I've been able to stop, without slamming on the brakes, even if the vehicle ahead of me slams on theirs (or they sail through on a yellow changing to red & I'm still safely stopped).
As well as keeping an eye on lights ahead of me, I look for crosswalk signs. If they are displaying the white walk sign, then I don't have to worry about it. If they are flashing a countdown, again foot off the gas/hovering over the brake in anticipation of the light changing. As I get closer & can see the countdown numbers are high, I proceed at my slower speed. If the countdown numbers are in the single digits, I slow down even further knowing I will stop.
It's worked for me in 24 years of RV'ing. Not to say there still won't be an idiot who cuts in front of me & slams on their brakes, possibly causing me to do the same. But that's why, as others have noted, I have a dash cam to record those idiots.
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__________________
George Schweikle Lexington, KY
2005 Safari (Monaco)Trek 28RB2, Workhorse W20, 8.1, Allison 1000 5 spd, UltraPower engine & tranny, Track bars & sway bars, KONI FSD, FMCA 190830, Safari Int'l. chapter. 1999 Safari Trek 2830, 1995 Safari Trek 2430, 1983 Winnebago Chieftain, 1976 Midas Mini
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08-22-2023, 10:17 AM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Palm Coast Florida
Posts: 12,995
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On the Mexico video - one or two more blinks of the green light would be a bit better IMHO.
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08-22-2023, 10:46 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Shawnee OK
Posts: 759
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Concord
I really appreciate the signs that flash - warning that the light is about to Turin red. Attachment 401044
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We have one of them in our town it starts flashing yellow first, it’s on a 65 mph road. That warning light helps a lot
__________________
2005 Journey 39F 350 hp Cat
Ex 99 Itasca 36’ 275 hp Cummins
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08-22-2023, 03:50 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 687
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bigb56
When I was in Mexico I saw intersections where the green would start to flash just before it switched to yellow. see video at about 20 sec in
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I like that idea. Would still like to see a little longer yellow light though.
Let me ask...what's the downfall of having a little longer yellow lights? I mean...I just came off a drive through Florida today and the speed limit is 55 with not that long of a yellow. Seems it shoukd be 10 seconds or so?
Thanks again guys.
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08-22-2023, 05:01 PM
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#21
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Southeast Texas
Posts: 1,725
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A long long time ago seems the yellow light was much longer. I think they shortened it because nowadays yellow means accelerate to a lot of folks.
And on some, they now have both directions red for a couple seconds, I think those 2 seconds were taken away from yellow.
Either way there’s not enough yellow for big rigs so you have to slow down even on green to be able to stop.
__________________
1998 HR Endeavor Cummins ISB 275 / Banks Allison 3060
2014 Jeep Wrangler JKUR with M&G air brake with breakaway
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08-22-2023, 06:13 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Thornville, Ohio
Posts: 4,082
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It's a judgment call. I think all states have diffrent timings. Travling through NY they have very long yellow lights ihave seen. I think it was Indiana they had the shortest. See the light apply the brake.
I learned and I think it's the same in all the states. A yellow light is an extention of a green light. It's warning you the light is getting ready to change. If you are in the intersection by the time the light turned red, you went through a green light.
But you never know how fast or slow a yellow is that you have not been through before. I error on caution and have empty the cabinets many times to prove I can stops in a short distance
__________________
Art & Joyce
Thornville, OH
Kia Soul pushing a 36' DP Endeavor
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08-22-2023, 06:20 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Solo Rvers Club Coastal Campers
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 1,828
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I pick a go/stop point as I'm approaching any green light. At that point if the light goes yellow, I continue. If it changes prior to that point, I'm slowing to a stop.
Also cover the brake to reduce reaction time.
Or there's this approach:
__________________
2009 Monaco Camelot 42PDQ
2011 JK
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08-22-2023, 06:48 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Near Anderson, Indiana
Posts: 781
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It does not matter to me if it's green, yellow, or red. I approach EVERY stop light as if it's turning red. Yes, I probably make the car behind me angry for slowing down, but I always proceed with caution and prepare to stop, even when they are green. Because, when driving on unknown roads, you just never know how long you have. So the best rule of thumb is, treat every one of them as if they are turning red and don't worry about the jack rabbit behind you.
__________________
2019 Montana High Country 375FL Fifth Wheel
2014 Chevy Silverado 3500 6.6L HD Dually, Long Bed, Crew Cab
Just because the horse looks good doesn't make it a banjo player!
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08-22-2023, 06:59 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Mcdonough, Ga.
Posts: 5,992
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I started driving in 1954. Back then there was one state that had a great idea. The yellow light would start blinking 10 seconds before the light changed to red. I guess they lost to much money with that system so they did away with it.
__________________
1998 Pace Arrow 35 ft. F53 Ford V10 2014 Honda CRV toad
32 years mechanic at Delta Air Lines 15 year motorhome service manager. 3 popups....2 travel trailers....5 motorhomes....loved them all.
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08-22-2023, 09:01 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 805
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Homeby5
I like that idea. Would still like to see a little longer yellow light though.
Let me ask...what's the downfall of having a little longer yellow lights? I mean...I just came off a drive through Florida today and the speed limit is 55 with not that long of a yellow. Seems it shoukd be 10 seconds or so?
Thanks again guys.
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Research shows longer yellow lights, increase safety despite what red light camera proponents will tell you.
https://ww2.motorists.org/issues/red.../alternatives/
Having a couple seconds of red overlap (all directions red) helps too.
But, but, I'll have to wait 10 more seconds at the stop light! /s
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08-22-2023, 10:02 PM
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#27
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 28,342
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I approach with the 'stale green' concept PLUS watching the yodels in lane next to me just in case they decide to changes lanes
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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08-22-2023, 10:25 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2021
Location: Independent Republic of Horry
Posts: 565
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Some trivia: the idea of overlapping red lights was thought up by Robert Moses, the major designer of quite a bit of New York State highways. More trivia: he never had a license and he never drove a vehicle.
__________________
2018 Ram 1500, 2020 Cougar 22RBS
Just the 2 of us and 2 Jacks on the roam.
Meet us at Olympus Mons. Gone Traveling.
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