Do you stop in intersections?

[Kermit]

If the light is green but traffic is backed up all the way to the intersection, do you pull out into the middle of the street anyway? Or do you wait, since you know that the light could turn red while you're in the middle of the intersection and then the people who get the green light won't be able to go?

That's one of my main traffic pet peaves. When my light turns green, I should be able to go. I have no patience for people who are blocking the road. Likewise, when I choose to stop at a green light until I'm sure I'll clear the intersection, I can't stand it when the person behind me honks and flips me off. They should have left the house 5 minutes earlier if they're that late.

 

[chell]

I know how you feel! If I can't make it all the way through I stop at the line and get honks, all kinds of dirty looks and words (I'm sure).

I'm guessing this must have happened to you today?!

 

[Chattyaholic]

I feel the same way as you do! Not long ago I got a green light, but couldn't go because I had to wait for the moron turning from the right to get his butt out of the way. I was disgusted with him so "waved" at him and got "waved" at back. Stupid idiot.

 

[helenabear]

I hate when people do that too! I don't pull out into an intersection unless I am pretty much 100% sure I will make it through before the light turns red. It also drives me nuts when people block the road you are trying to turn into because they are stuck non-moving in traffic. I hate that!

 

[Rajah]

Usually I wait, unless I'm fairly certain the traffic will move enough for me to get through before the light changes.

 

[preshi]

I wait... and if people are blocking it an my light turns green....( ok I know this could be dangerous) anyways... I drive up as close as I can get and lay on my horn.... hello idiot don't block the intersection...

 

[nativetxn]

<b>HEY!!!</b>

I posted to this once, I <i>know</i> I did.

*sigh*

What I said was that I don't stop in the intersection but that the people behind me often honk their horns at me when I don't pull out

 

[Saffron]

Kermit said:

Likewise, when I choose to stop at a green light until I'm sure I'll clear the intersection, I can't stand it when the person behind me honks and flips me off.

I hate that too! I'm one that stops at the green light and I'm always a nervous wreck waiting for the horn behind me to blow!

 

[Dopey Sharon]

Looks like I'm in the minority here! Although, I'm one of "those"who, when the light turns yellow, will stop and not fly through the intersection, and get honked and "waved" at by the car behind me.

 

[nativetxn]

I don't honk at anyone, I get honked <b>at</b> because I won't pull into the intersection unless I can clear it.

 

[DocRafiki]

I'm pretty good about not blocking intersections, but sometimes I get stuck when I'm not paying attention very well. Most people here are pretty good at it at major intersections. I've never heard anyone honk because of that. If they do, they're idiots anyway!

I do get people honking at me when I'm waiting to be able to see past a big truck or SUV (say, when I'm making a left turn in a turning lane across from an SUV). Sorry, but I'm not taking some honking maniac's "word" for it that it's safe to go.

 

[CamColt]

Oh Kermit, you would have loved to have been out with DH & myself a couple weeks ago. We were going to our favorite restaurant and we have to go through a "circle" to get there(for you locals, Wellington circle in Medford). Well, people had pulled out blocking traffic in every possible direction, therefore no one could move ANYWHERE! I have never seen anything like it and I used to commute though a major highway intersection on a daily basis at rush hour. It was horrible. I believe there are 4 ways to enter the area and it was total gridlock for about 20 minutes(we didnt move an inch). All that needed to be done was for one person on one side to be nice and let one whole side go, and so on, but no one would do it. People were getting out of cars, calling cops, honking, etc... The bizarre thing was you could see the road up past the area and it was totally clear so for a while we couldnt figure out why no one was moving. I just couldnt believe how rude so many people could be to cause such a fiasco!

 

[mrsapalm]

In Houston, it's illegal to block an intersection... but Houston drivers aren't known for abiding by the law! I always stop if I can't clear the intersection - I guess I always think that I would be ticked if some idiot blocked the intersection and I was the one on the side street waiting for my green light..." (the whole do unto others thing)
What gets my goat are these people who use the little median turning lanes -- the ones who nudge themselves onto the street, in the middle of oncoming traffic (say I'm heading westbound and this person wants to head northbound on a side street or parking lot) and then holds up 4 lanes of traffic because the rest of us are travelling with our green light... so everyone has to scoot and stop for this person to nudge their way through to the other side. That causes so many near misses and fender-benders because it's nearly impossible to see these nudging cars coming through a sea of vehicles (trucks, SUVs, other cars). Ugh!
-MrsAPalm

 

[snoopy]

Oh, Kermit, don't ever drive around D.C. in a car if you hate this.

Its also one of my biggest pet peeves, but people do it all the time. Not only does it make it impossible for the opposite of the intersection to proceed on green, it makes it hard for people trying to walk across the intersection. Just today I had to literally weave in and out of cars to get to the other side of the street.

 

[browneyes]

I've never been in that situation.

 

[ryanpatricksmom]

Don't block the box!

I wish they'd make it a law everywhere. It's one of those things that should be governed by common sense, but isn't.

 

[Mary Ellen]

I believe it is against the law to block intersections in most (if not all) of the places we've lived. I've never been honked at for not entering an intersection. However, I've never lived on the east coast and judging by where most posters who've had this problem live, this could be the reason.

 

[Cindy B]

Happens all the time here as well... the intersection near my house is "famous" for this... and the traffice is all backed up so people can go to the coffee shop... PLEASE!

 

[julie_yet]

[color=0066ff]I hate when people do that. I always hang back just in case the light turns red.[/color]

 

[Dopey Sharon]

I think I misunderstood the OP...I don't sit there and block the intersection and wait until I get a green light again. When the opposing traffic stops, I proceed to make my turn. I don't see what the big deal is...so you have to wait maybe a second or two after you get the green light. People around here, cops included, do it all the time.