Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 15:27
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - billywizz

One of the most infuriating habits of Drivers these days is crawling to Traffic lights that are on Red.You know the ones who leave massive gaps and crawl at 1 mile per hour. The reason for this moan is I have a 2 year old car that is fitted with "stop start" technology as are many new cars, the benefit is in the title, if you stop the car the engine turns off therefore saving fuel, however, this is not possible if you are crawling to the lights as the car doesn't actually get a chance to stop, I actually tried stopping once and watched the crawling gap in front of me get larger and larger resulting in the cars behind beeping their horns in anger, so please, close the gap as quickly as possible to allow other motorists the opportunity to save the Planet.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 15:33
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

This is possibly one of the dumbest posts i've ever seen on here.

And that says quite a lot.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 17:09
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - mss1tw

This is possibly one of the dumbest posts i've ever seen on here.

And that says quite a lot.

Agreed!

Preservation of momentum vs using pointless stop/start technology, hmm tough one.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 08:36
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Roly93

This is possibly one of the dumbest posts i've ever seen on here.

And that says quite a lot.

Agreed!

Preservation of momentum vs using pointless stop/start technology, hmm tough one.

Double agreed !! And saving clutch wear also.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 18:23
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Chips with everything

This is possibly one of the dumbest posts i've ever seen on here.

And that says quite a lot.

How very ironic ;D

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 15:39
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - davecooper

I, on the other hand do not have or particularly want stop start technology. If it is likely that the lights are due to change, I will approach with a view to staying in second gear and not stopping, again saving the planet by not having to accelerate away from rest. It's a judgment thing really. If the lights have just changed to red then there is no point in trying not to stop.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 15:56
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - ChannelZ

Same here, I trickle along as slow as possible, so I'm hopefully still rolling in 2nd when the lights change. Means I don't have to make the car pull it's 1400kg from a standstill. Also saves brake pads.

Stop-Start doesn't save fuel if you're driving like mad to the line then jamming on the brakes, just so the engine will stop for 10 seconds.

Edited by ChannelZ on 28/02/2012 at 15:57

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:04
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Bobbin Threadbare

I'm with ChannelZ on this one. I've done that twice today and felt rightfully smug as I kept a-rolling past everyone stacking up in the left lane...

Gotta say - StopStart is NOT the be all and end all of saving the planet :-P

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:09
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

Same here, I trickle along as slow as possible, so I'm hopefully still rolling in 2nd when the lights change. Means I don't have to make the car pull it's 1400kg from a standstill. Also saves brake pads.

Well thats perfectly reasonable standard practice which every driving instructor would tell you to do.

Stop-Start doesn't save fuel if you're driving like mad to the line then jamming on the brakes, just so the engine will stop for 10 seconds.

The OP's belief that stop-start does him any favours is the most hilarious part of the spamming thread. Stop-start was invented for thick people who cant look further than 3 yards in front of their own car and cant drive very well. The vast majority of motorists dont have an eco car or stop-start so they have to drive properly and you cannot tell them to drive like a lunatic, always revving and accelerating just so as you get to use your fancy unneccessary expensive feature. You wont be 'saving the planet' if you're approaching traffic lights at 30mph and slamming on the brakes 3 yards before the stop line, irrespective of whether you've got stop-start or not.

Its a judgement call as noted above. If the lights change to red on your approach the chances are you'll have to stop so slow down and stop normally. If they're red for a long time the chances are they'll change so ease off your speed to try and time it right. The OP seems angry that people dont drive everywhere at 150mph burning brake pads every fortnight. If stop-start needs such conditions for it to be a benefit then that proves its a pointless feature bought by idiots.

unthrottled will be pulling his hair out at the engineering ignorance of the OP.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:11
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Ethan Edwards

Ditto

I subscribe to the smooth is good, smooth is fast and smooth is economical. There ain't nothin smooth about hurrying up to slam on the brakes then booting it off the line.

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 28/02/2012 at 16:12

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:38
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - thunderbird

Stop-start was invented for thick people who cant look further than 3 yards in front of their own car and cant drive very well.

Stop start was invented to enable manufacturers to have highly exagerated official fuel consumption figures.

Example, Volvo V40 wihout stop/start 62.8mpg, identical car with stop/start 74.2mpg, in the real world they both do the same, look at the real consumption figures on here.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:17
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - TeeCee

Well if it bothers you that much, get a ruddy Prius!

That'll both stop its engine and creep up to the lights in electrically-propelled silence at the same time.

Actually you'll find that Prius owners are some of the worst "offenders" from your viewpoint, as decelerating gently on the overrun generates free fuel whereas whizzing up to the lights and stopping on the friction brakes does not.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 16:39
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Bobbin Threadbare

I only ever see Priuses speeding on the motorway or driving far too close to the back of my car.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 08:10
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - TeeCee

That'll be the other Prius problem at work. The BIK factors make 'em attractive as repmobiles for junior sales types......

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Sun 4 Mar 2012 14:51
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - likerocks

I only ever see Priuses speeding on the motorway or driving far too close to the back of my car.

beg to differ - was almost knocked of my pushbike by one pushing through when i was crossing a canal bridge with right of way....!

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Sun 4 Mar 2012 15:06
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

beg to differ - was almost knocked of my pushbike by one pushing through when i was crossing a canal bridge with right of way....!

You cant beg to differ over where Bobbin sees Priuses. Bobbin knows where she sees Priuses in fact....she's the one who saw them! If you'd like to point out you've experienced them elsewhere then by all means do so but it doesnt mean the previous poster is wrong.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 17:26
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Avant

This is a perfectly reasonable topic for discussion, started by a new member (welcome to the forum). There's no need to be insulting: just put your view in an adult way.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 17:30
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

Its trolling Avant.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 17:58
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

Its trolling Avant

Gotta be. Now the weather's warmed up, I've turned in a juicy 44mpg tank-and no hanging around. Preservation of momontum is the key whether you drive a Ferrari or a Scania truck.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 18:03
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - bonzo dog

Irritating rather than infuriating in my view; but I agree that it doesn't help if you are in a SST car. To be honest, if I see a long queue ahead I disable mine temporarily.

I don't understand why drivers can't simply drive to the lights then stop, other than some idea that they have just completed the first lap of the Grand Prix & have to get a accellerated start on green.

The practice is like many other practices of most road users / individuals who basically don't give a toss about other drivers / individuals. My biggest irritation at present is drivers who leave their headlights on when parked thus dazzling me.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 18:15
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

I don't understand why drivers can't simply drive to the lights then stop, other than some idea that they have just completed the first lap of the Grand Prix & have to get a accellerated start on green.

1.) Because you don't have the pain of slipping the clutch, then immediately changing gear to second.

2.) You do use less fuel than if you stop.

3.) You get through the lights quicker

4.) Because you get through the lights more quickly, more cars behind you get through the lights therefore congestion is reduced.

Coming to an unnecessary halt just for the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from watching the Stop Start light flash up on the dashboard is silly.

NB. Rolling up the lights in neutral is a very relaxing way to drive. If the light changes, bang it in second and go. If it doesn't, just come to a stop.

Edited by unthrottled on 28/02/2012 at 18:17

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 18:55
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - hillman

"One of the most infuriating habits of Drivers these days is crawling to Traffic lights that are on Red. You know, the ones who leave massive gaps and crawl at 1 mile per hour."

Sorry BillyWhizz, You seem to be in a minority of one.

I was on the way to work one Sunday morning, fine day, no particular hurry. I saw a Landrover with trailer in front and the load on the trailer was such that the springs were flat and the body was on the axle. The trailer direction indicators were flashing for right turn, but I knew that there was nowhere to turn right within hundreds of metres, so I sat back to see what manouvre the driver intended. Behind me I was conscious of a blue one ton van. Several hundred metres further on the Landrover turned into a filling station. I sped up to 30 mph until I saw the traffic lights, which were on red, so I slowed down so as not to have to stop. After 100 metres at 15 mph the lights changed to green and I opened up to 30 mph again. Then the blue van roared past me, down at the back with the effort of the engine with the driver's foot on the floor. When it was in front of me the driver jammed on the brakes twice, almost stopping both times to "Teach me a lesson".

BillyWhiz, do you have big muscles and wear a string vest ? We may have almost met.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 19:13
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Bromptonaut

The OP's name is Billy Whiz that's all you need to know......

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Whizz

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 22:14
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Matt@

equally annoying is a line of cars stationary at traffic lights, the lights go green and half of the cars pull away slowly so you get half the number of cars through the lights you could do.......

Nothing like trafiic lights to bring out the worst in people lol

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 01:56
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - primeradriver

equally annoying is a line of cars stationary at traffic lights, the lights go green and half of the cars pull away slowly so you get half the number of cars through the lights you could do.......

Nothing like trafiic lights to bring out the worst in people lol

Or, still worse, you take the right-hand lane at the lights, and the line of traffic to your left all undertake you because the one car in front of you decides to take his time.

Never understood the logic of using the overtaking lane only to pull that trick.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 15:40
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Man without a plan

equally annoying is a line of cars stationary at traffic lights, the lights go green and half of the cars pull away slowly so you get half the number of cars through the lights you could do.......

Indeed, why can't we adopt the system they use in Turkey where all traffic lights have a countdown timer on them to show when the lights are going to change.. would give everyone time to finish sending a text message / doing their make-up / changing clothes at the lights before being ready to go on the green light.

And don't get me started on the selfish a**eholes who hold their cars on the footbreak when stopped at night, dazzling me directly behind them in the process... I must be getting old, never used to bother me.

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 22:30
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - SteveLee

Why should I put extra wear and tear on my brakes, handbrake mechanism and full standing-start loads on my drivetrain just to accommodate someone who got mugged into buying a car that'll cost them a fortune in starter motors? That's your problem. Screeching up to the lights and stamping on the brakes to maximise the time in "stop mode" is counter-productive, you are turning the valuable kinetic energy you've paid for in fuel into heat and dust – great job Einstein - cruising up to and anticipating the lights, keeping the car moving if possible is the most efficient, mechanically-sympathetic and environmentally-friendly way of driving.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 10:32
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - xam

Sorry guys - I'm with Billywizz on this

To be in a traffic queue with two or three "1mph creepy crawlies" adding 80 - 100 meters to the queue, which is now backing up to the previous junction and causing problens there, is not good road sense. Your puny miserly efforts to save gas, wear and tear, pale into insignificance with the problems you cause behind.

The roads are full of self congratulatory drivers who dont look in there mirrors to see the problems they cause.

Its similar attitude to the guy who stops to allow a car from a side road on to main road. He feels good for doing so, but conveniently forgets he's inconvenienced five drivers behind him

As you may realise my daily route takes me past two of these situations and its obvious that the "creepy crawlies" are coc***ed in their cars and have little regard for the others behind them, or the problems they cause.

Rant over :-)

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 11:36
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

To be in a traffic queue with two or three "1mph creepy crawlies" adding 80 - 100 meters to the queue

No, it doesn't. If the traffic lights turn to green and the line of traffic is stationary, maybe 20 cars will get through. If the line of traffic hits the green light from a 2mph rolling start then 30 cars will get through.

This is the rationale behind traffic calming. It is better to force the traffic to travel at aslow steady speed because you end up with a higher average speed than you do if drivers constantly keep accelerating and braking.

Its similar attitude to the guy who stops to allow a car from a side road on to main road. He feels good for doing so, but conveniently forgets he's inconvenienced five drivers behind him.

And what about the five drivers behind the car you let in. If no one lets the front guy out, then that queue grows longer and longer. I take it that you reciprocate in kind and decline any offer to be let out?? In which case you must spend literally hours waiting to turn right! All the while causing the mother of all tailbacks behind you.

Your argument is internally inconsistent and thus entirely meritless.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 11:42
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - madf

Billy Whizz is 100% correct..

Up to the lights at 35mph. Brake hard in last 10 metres, leave foot on brake blinding following drivers, acclerate hard in first when lights go green.

What's wrong with that?

Keeps the suppliers of tyres, brakes and fuel in a job, keeps the planet getting warmer and makes lots of noise.

And of course in winter, on ice, you hit the car in front when braking..

Way to go.

Edited by madf on 29/02/2012 at 11:43

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 12:06
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - ChannelZ

You forgot to mention leaving the cloud of acrid black smoke from your poorly maintained diesel engine, choking the drivers behind.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 12:42
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Ethan Edwards

Oh don't start on that one.

I got stuck behind a DIESEL 02 X5 last night. Accelerate away like moron, slam on, away like moron, slam on, away like moron, slam on....oh what a joy he was. Must have been the eponymous Mr Whizz out for a trip to annoy the heck out of everyone. SE Essex...about 6.30pm go on I bet it was you Billy.

Anyway he was like a WW2 Destroyer laying a smoke screen.

I dearly wish I had one of those 'whooop whoop' ships hooters fitted to my xtrail to complete the picture. Clean burning LPG mate thats what you need.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 13:12
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - large portion

I won't abuse you BillyWhizz (you are entitled to an opinion). I will say the following though about the driving technique you propose for eco-stop equipped cars.

In a nutshell, the new eco-stop engine feature under discusson here is for when the vehicle comes to a genuine full stop that cannot be avoided. It isn't a must-have-must-use feature that overrides good driving practise, which is to gauge the road conditions ahead and keep the car rolling if possible, and thus maintain inertia.

Drivers of eco-stop cars should not change a good driving habit just to make the system work. It's there for the occasions when a full stop is unavoidable and necessary - and there will always be plenty of them.

Regards

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 13:25
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Chips with everything

I've just come back to this forum after a leave of absence and there's a concerning amount of hate towards a new member.

For the record those traffic light mimsers irritate me too.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 14:42
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

For the record those traffic light mimsers irritate me too.

What do you gain by rushing up to the red light? Crawling along is boring, but not as boring as stopping and waiting!

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 15:37
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - madf

I'm a mimser at lights.A ny driver with a modicum of intelligence will not want to stop and restart.

It's really very very simple. I only mimse the last 100 metres or so... and of course if the lights have just turned red, I don't bother cos mimsing is a waste of time if the lights will be red for 3 minutes.

In my view it's intelligent driving. I won't say what I think of those who rush up to lights and brake hard but "intelligent" is not a word I associate with that practice.

Edited by madf on 29/02/2012 at 15:38

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 16:21
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Chips with everything

I don't think anyone is advocating racing up to the lights and slamming on the brakes. Certainly not the original poster.

To be clear I'm also not advocating stop start either, merely saying that the OP is getting something of a baptism of fire for daring to post on this forum.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 16:26
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Ethan Edwards

Possibly...nothing personal Mr Whizz - I think it's just most of us curmudgeons just disagree with your opinion..

PS that X5 02 plate 'smoke laying destroyer' ...wasn't you was it?

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 16:36
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

No, it doesn't. If the traffic lights turn to green and the line of traffic is stationary, maybe 20 cars will get through. If the line of traffic hits the green light from a 2mph rolling start then 30 cars will get through.

This is the point thick people cant understand. If you're the third or fourth car from the front in a stationary que at the lights, time how long it takes for those in front of you to pull away and for you to get moving. If everyone stopped stationary 3 inches behind each other you'd find less cars will get through the lights, not more. However if everybody is moving (even if it is slowly) as the lights change then far more cars make it through, reducing congestion and journey times.

As you may realise my daily route takes me past two of these situations and its obvious that the "creepy crawlies" are coc***ed in their cars and have little regard for the others behind them, or the problems they cause.

Lets be honest, its got nothing to do with 'not having regard for others behind them' or causing problems because it doesnt cause problems, it reduces problems. What you mean is 'people have no regard for me, me me me me me just me.' If you look out of your car you'll realise there actually are no problems, no '1mph mimsers causing tailbacks', its actually just you being a moron, all by yourself.

This is what bugs me with the OP. He's not complaining about his journey taking longer - because it doesnt. He's complaining because he doesnt get to use his toy because everybody else can drive better than he can.

To be clear I'm also not advocating stop start either, merely saying that the OP is getting something of a baptism of fire for daring to post on this forum.

Coming on here with a highly ignorant, mis-informed 'i want everybody else to drive badly so as i can use my toy! Waahhhhh!! Wahhhh!!! Wahhh!!!' attitude will result in a brutal response and rightly so.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 17:44
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - hillman

I travel down the A6 between Hazel Grove and Disley during the 'rush' hour once or twice a week when it's anything but rushing. The traffic lights at High Lane cause a tail back that sometimes reaches Hazel Grove, slightly more than a mile away up a gradual hill. The traffic stops and starts frequently, causing drivers to idle the engine and slip the clutch, with the resulting wear and, more importantly, as the cars are nose to tail exhaust fumes are drawn in through the car's ventilation system.

I have the practice of keeping moving with a varying distance between my car and the one in front to try to minimise the poisonous gases that I'm forced to breath, and to minimise wear and tear on the mechanicals.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 18:38
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - madf

, with the resulting wear and, more importantly, as the cars are nose to tail exhaust fumes are drawn in through the car's ventilation system.

I have the practice of keeping moving with a varying distance between my car and the one in front to try to minimise the poisonous gases that I'm forced to breath, and to minimise wear and tear on the mechanicals.

I just switch air to "Recirculate"...

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 12:51
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - TeeCee
I just switch air to "Recirculate"...

I find that if I do that for any length of time, I get a screaming headache and start to doze off.

So that's a choice of feeling like crud due to oxygen deprivation or feeling nauseous due to oil-burner fumes. There's no way of winning this one.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 17:20
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Marc4Six

The way I read billywizz's post is that they are complaining about drivers who brake long before a red light and then crawl on light throttle up to the lights. This also irritates me.

Is this really how all those who responded to billy’s post that, that is what they do, see it? Does this save fuel? Is this a smart way of driving?

Personally I prefer to lift off the throttle and cruise up to the lights braking lightly to a stop if necessary.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 19:14
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

that is what they do, see it? Does this save fuel? Is this a smart way of driving?

Yes, I do that. If I see a light change to red I will brake half a mile in advance if I know that the light has a long cycle. Yes, I usually have a frustrated tailgater 6" off the bumper. But, I'll hit the green light from 20+mph rolling start and accelerate hard. Look in mirror, erstwhile tailgater crawling back up to speed.

Is this a smart way of driving.

Put it this way: I get about 15% above the combined rated fuel economy and I get to where I want to be faster than those who don't 'time' lights. I'd call that fairly smart.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 19:20
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

I was always told the key to good driving is smoothness. You should never have to brake so hard that it pulls you out of your seat and nor should you pull away from the lights so fast the front of the car lifts. Unthrottled would probably call me a bad driver because i drive an automatic and i'll admit the only 'annoying' thing i do is sitting with my foot on the brake in traffic, even though the car has an electronic parking brake im still not used to it.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 21:09
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

Unthrottled would probably call me a bad driver because i drive an automatic and i'll admit the only 'annoying' thing i do is sitting with my foot on the brake in traffic,

There's always banter between manual and automatic drivers-I've never said that an automatic makes one a bad driver (well maybe in jest), but I'd argue that it is easier to get away with being a bad driver in an auto.

Holding the car on the brake? I find it mildly annoying, but I can't justify why. Brake lights aren't that bright as to be painful.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 12:57
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - TeeCee
Holding the car on the brake? I find it mildly annoying, but I can't justify why. Brake lights aren't that bright as to be painful.

You should have been behind the new Porsche sporting LED stop lights that I followed the other day. Those were painful in daylight, god alone knows how the heck you're supposed to see anything for the next ten minutes if one of those brakes in front of you at night.

I've seen cars with dimmer main beam headlamps.....

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 19:35
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Marc4Six

I think billywizz's term was crawl at 1mph, I don't consider 20+ mph crawling. I have seen drivers do precisely as billywizz describes, which is not clever driving.

My post was prompted by the re-interpretation of the OPs post, an unfortunately common occurrence on this forum recently.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 20:58
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Oilyman

My post was prompted by the re-interpretation of the OPs post, an unfortunately common occurrence on this forum recently.

Could this be the reason why none of the contributors that used to post intelligent, reasoned, readable posts no longer bother?

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 21:13
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

As opposed to those intelligent posts that bemoan the lack of other intelligent posts etc.?

The 'crawling at 1 mph' probably does require reinterpretation because,basically, it isn't possible to crawl that slowly-even in first.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 21:17
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

My post was prompted by the re-interpretation of the OPs post, an unfortunately common occurrence on this forum recently.

Its got nothing to do with interpretation or lambasting the OP purely for having stop-start

However...

please, close the gap as quickly as possible to allow other motorists the opportunity to save the Planet.

This idiotic remark made the OP stand out as a moron.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 21:30
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Oilyman

My post was prompted by the re-interpretation of the OPs post, an unfortunately common occurrence on this forum recently.

Its got nothing to do with interpretation or lambasting the OP purely for having stop-start

However...

please, close the gap as quickly as possible to allow other motorists the opportunity to save the Planet.

This idiotic remark made the OP stand out as a moron.

Er, you posted this;

"Stop-start was invented for thick people who cant look further than 3 yards in front of their own car and cant drive very well. The vast majority of motorists dont have an eco car or stop-start so they have to drive properly and you cannot tell them to drive like a lunatic, always revving and accelerating just so as you get to use your fancy unneccessary expensive feature."

Oh the irony.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 21:35
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

I was speaking in a language the OP would understand. In reality we all know stop-start was invented so as car makers could falsify their fuel economy ratings in EU tests.

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Wed 29 Feb 2012 23:57
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Ben 10

I dont know why so many of you rise to the bait. The OP should have had a reply and then ignored. Proper troll. Just look, he/she/it hasn't replied to any of you. A classic wind up. Billys gone for a whizz ! I'm surprised at some of you.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 08:14
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - xtrailman

I agree.

Often i find my self slowing down approaching lights, many times with out even having to brake, only to eventually catch up to the backend of a stationary line up.

I apply the handbrake, and wait for the lights to change, while thats happening the prats in front are either stood foot on the brake pedal, or crawling too close the large gaps that they have left.

Does nothing to aid getting more traffic through the lights as the stationary cars at the front still hold up the traffic.

I usually assume its drivers with auto's, or drivers slipping the clutch.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 12:41
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - billywizz

well it appears my littlle rant stirred up quite a bit of bad feeling and that was definitely not my intention, consequence of going online with a whinge straight after incident I suppose. Well just for the record, I wasn't saying race up to the lights and then scream away when they change, in actual fact now I go out of gear and put the handbrake on so do not need to keep my foot on the brake blinding the driver behind and I just move off as normal. Also, my understanding is that new ecodrive facilities on cars are a benefit to the Driver/owner and can save around 15% in fuel wear and tear etc. there is an icrease in the number of manufacturers installing this an a whole range of different vehicles so there must be something behind the technology that is good. Anyway,once again sorry to all those people I upset/ offended.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 13:10
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - TeeCee

Nothing wrong with the tech to take advantage of those unavoidable moments when you come to a halt naturally. Attempting to prolong its use by driving to increase the amount of time spent stationary is robbing Peter to pay Paul though.

I've noticed on several modern manual vehicles that I have driven recently that the fuel supply to the engine shuts off completely on the overrun. In such, decelerating gently on the overrun produces the same consumption (zero) as being stopped with the engine off and offers a couple of additional advantages over same. 1) It offers the opportunity to preserve momentum by not coming to a complete halt. That momentum would otherwise have to be replaced by burning additional fuel. 2) It doesn't take a chunk out of the battery's charge to restart, which the alternator would then have to replace. Guess where that gets its power from?

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 14:12
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

there is an icrease in the number of manufacturers installing this an a whole range of different vehicles so there must be something behind the technology that is good.

Yes-it flatters the official fuel economy figures. About a 1/3 of the New European Drive Cycle (which is used to derive fuel economy ratings) is spent stationary. The cars must follow the prescribed acceleration/braking pattern so the only way to improve consumption is to use Stop Start. In the real world, stopping can often be avoided by crawling-and this yields better results.

The Americans use a much more realistic drive cycle which includes harder braking and acceleration patterns that reflect more accurately how real drivers drive. In this scenario Stop Start yields very little benefit and hence is not a popular option stateside.

As TeeCee pointed out, all modern engines switch off fuel injection during overrun so the consumption is still zero.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 21:11
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - barney100

Can't see any point in stop start, just something else to go wrong and I would avoid buying any vehicle with it.

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 21:52
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - SteveLee

I think you can disable stop/start on most cars inflicted with it. So I guess you could end up a winner, I presume stop/start cars will have a higher spec alternator, battery and starter motor, if so the latter should last forever with the stop start disabled?

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Thu 1 Mar 2012 22:05
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - jamie745

I think you can disable stop/start on most cars inflicted with it. So I guess you could end up a winner, I presume stop/start cars will have a higher spec alternator, battery and starter motor, if so the latter should last forever with the stop start disabled?

Or if you're that determined to save that £7.50 of fuel you spend sitting at lights every year then why not get a Toyota Prius? Which does better than having an expensive high spec alternator and starter motor by having no alternator or starter motor at all.

I know someone will say to me 'but a Prius isnt as good on long motorway runs as a diesel' etc but if you mostly do long motorway runs then why have a car with stop-start in the first place?

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 01:00
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Oilyman

I might be wrong but I think having the stop/start on a vehicle manages to lower it's CO2 rating (due to the lab controlled test) therefore lowering the RFL and the BIK for Co car users.

As most of these cars with it installed (Ferrari California excluded) will be chosen by fleet managers then I suppose that they'll become the norm in a few years, like them or not.

Personally I have a car with it installed and find that I end up disabling it - especially recently as it takes longer for the cabin to get warm if the engine isn't running and I have to queue for 15 minutes in pretty static traffic (500 metres) to exit the industrial park I work on.

I have always been in the habit of handbrake on and in neutral when stopped in that kind of traffic (jam) - if I don't disable the stop start then the engine would be off and on 10 times just exiting the estate. It does have uprated an battery and starter though and does start in the blink of an eye. Even so I can't help thinking it isn't doing any good to the motor long term.

I wonder if the ECU is logging the deactivation of the stop/start for some future big brother slap on the wrist!

Edited by Oilyman on 02/03/2012 at 01:01

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 09:40
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - bathtub tom

>>Personally I have a car with it installed and find that I end up disabling it - especially recently as it takes longer for the cabin to get warm if the engine isn't running and I have to queue for 15 minutes in pretty static traffic (500 metres) to exit the industrial park I work on.

I thought these systems were disabled until the engine reached a reasonable temperature. Is that not so?

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 01:20
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - 1litregolfeater

If any of you lot are young enough to have taken a driving test, you might remember that one of the most valuable skills for a driver is "anticipation".

So if you see the lights change from half a mile away, you have a pretty good idea of when they're going to change again. Foot off gas, ease into neutral.

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 09:38
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - bathtub tom

If any of you lot are young enough to have taken a driving test, you might remember that one of the most valuable skills for a driver is "anticipation".

So if you see the lights change from half a mile away, you have a pretty good idea of when they're going to change again. Foot off gas, ease into neutral.

But not on your test!

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 10:13
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - unthrottled

But not on your test! [re Foot off gas, ease into neutral]

No! But curiously enough they are happy for you to to come to a halt in fifth, then change to first ready to set off again. Unthinking dogma and all that!

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Fri 2 Mar 2012 14:45
Any vehicle - crawling approach to Traffic lights on Red - Bobbin Threadbare

Hence the extra bits of the test - the Hazard Perception test. This is supposed to examine your anticipation and observational skills.

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