Shoulder check

[Tom O]

What I hate is going through a yellow light…. You have a choice brake hard or go through.. meanwhile the idiot behind you is intent to go through thinking you will do the same.. sometimes you don’t have the time to look in rear view mirror.

 

[historicalarms]

If you're in a large truck and going too fast that you can't stop for a traffic light as it changes, you should forfeit your license permanently. I can't think of a single situation where there wouldn't be time to stop if driving appropriately. And if you don't know how to secure your load so it doesn't shift, also bye bye license.

There are no excuses which lead me to believe that running a red is the best option. Seeing the red because you entered on yellow is the borderline of what I'd think is ok.

Obviously you have never sat behind the wheel and had 100,000 lbs strapped to your back....and there are not very many warning lights in a lot of locals I've been and every intersection has different visibility distances....they just simply are not "cookie cutter" the same.
I was riding shotgun one time with a fellow that was a defensive driver to the extreme, we were jerking a tanker 3//4 full of liquid Sulphur when a light changed on him...we had to stop quickly as Chicken suggests happens, but rolled safely up to the stop line, however that slopping load momentum pushed us uncontrollably into the middle of the intersection...and dont get me started on how many times a four -wheeler has done something stupid in front of me that caused smoking brakes.

 

[SomeGuy]

Obviously you have never sat behind the wheel and had 100,000 lbs strapped to your back....and there are not very many warning lights in a lot of locals I've been and every intersection has different visibility distances....they just simply are not "cookie cutter" the same.
I was riding shotgun one time with a fellow that was a defensive driver to the extreme, we were jerking a tanker 3//4 full of liquid Sulphur when a light changed on him...we had to stop quickly as Chicken suggests happens, but rolled safely up to the stop line, however that slopping load momentum pushed us uncontrollably into the middle of the intersection...and dont get me started on how many times a four -wheeler has done something stupid in front of me that caused smoking brakes.

Intersection light timing is designed to common standards to give sufficient time for all road vehicles to stop safely. This is why yellows on higher speed roads or physically larger intersections are longer.

Defensive drivers can still drive too fast and can still not pay attention to all the cues that indicate when a light will change. If you aren't able to stop in time, you are either a) not paying attention or b) driving too fast (yes, the speed limit might be too fast for you with a big load on). These are the only options.

 

[JustaDB]

b) driving too fast...

As I noted earlier, if you're doing 20 or 30kph less than the speed limit to compensate for your load, you are creating a traffic hazard in itself. Where's the middle ground?

 

[SomeGuy]

As I noted earlier, if you're doing 20 or 30kph less than the speed limit to compensate for your load, you are creating a traffic hazard in itself. Where's the middle ground?

Then you'd likely have an oversized load and need an escort...there's no justification for trucks to run red lights lol I'd like you to explain that to the police officer or family of the person you kill.

 

[Chicken lights]

Then you'd likely have an oversized load and need an escort...there's no justification for trucks to run red lights lol I'd like you to explain that to the police officer or family of the person you kill.

You don't need pilots until certain dimensions are met. But states/provinces can give you speed restrictions without needing pilots, and it has nothing to do with weight, for permit loads.

Michigan actually cut me back on overall weight allowed while still limiting top speed, on a permit load, with no pilot

 

[Chicken lights]

Obviously you have never sat behind the wheel and had 100,000 lbs strapped to your back....and there are not very many warning lights in a lot of locals I've been and every intersection has different visibility distances....they just simply are not "cookie cutter" the same.
I was riding shotgun one time with a fellow that was a defensive driver to the extreme, we were jerking a tanker 3//4 full of liquid Sulphur when a light changed on him...we had to stop quickly as Chicken suggests happens, but rolled safely up to the stop line, however that slopping load momentum pushed us uncontrollably into the middle of the intersection...and dont get me started on how many times a four -wheeler has done something stupid in front of me that caused smoking brakes.

You know those roughly 4 foot plastic totes seed gets delivered in? Usually a metal cage around them? I picked up a load of paint in those in Virginia, but the top 6 inches was empty. Every corner every brake every move that stuff moved and it was like being sea sick at the end of the day. I'd think a smooth bore tanker wouldn't be as bad but yes I know the feeling of getting pushed around

 

[jcdammeyer]

I saw an interesting BBC article, it will stir the pot as the solution was to fix the roads not the drivers (to paraphrase alot: can't fix stupid).
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/...e-cut-the-number-of-people-dying-on-its-roads

Good article. Explains to some extent what Victoria is doing downtown. Although they might see less deaths they may see more injuries. Setting up a city area with a population of about 300,000 to be like one that has 1.5 million people in the same area is not always the best solution. Cyclists now in downtown Victoria are scary. Going faster than cars sometimes.

 

[Chicken lights]

Good article. Explains to some extent what Victoria is doing downtown. Although they might see less deaths they may see more injuries. Setting up a city area with a population of about 300,000 to be like one that has 1.5 million people in the same area is not always the best solution. Cyclists now in downtown Victoria are scary. Going faster than cars sometimes.

They said that about roundabouts. They were happy deaths went down but accidents were better because of lower speeds
I just shake my head

 

[JustaDB]

Then you'd likely have an oversized load and need an escort...there's no justification for trucks to run red lights lol I'd like you to explain that to the police officer or family of the person you kill.

As I noted before, pushing a yellow is a far cry from running a red. The former I have few issues with. The latter is definitely verboten.

 

[historicalarms]

As I noted earlier, if you're doing 20 or 30kph less than the speed limit to compensate for your load, you are creating a traffic hazard in itself. Where's the middle ground?

Another pet peeve of mine when behind the wheel of something big'n'heavy besides the slow down distance required is the length of "speed-up merging lanes at intersections...every damn one of them in Canada is only long enough for a four wheeler with good acceleration ...a heavy outfit , even with the now 600 hp pullers can't merge with out running out of laneway infront of you and have to merge left into highway speed traffic at a reduced speed...very common to have horns honking at you and drivers waving arms or guns at you

 

[Chicken lights]

drivers waving guns at you

wave one back ...

 

[Downwindtracker2]

In Australia they put speed limit signs on both side of the merging ramp to give those mergingly challenged the hint.

 

[slow-poke]

One thing I noticed upon moving to Ottawa is the strange way 90% of the drivers make a left turn at a light.

I was taught if your first in line when the light turns red to green, that you pull into the intersection while also moving to the left so your positioned mostly in the turning lane that is opposite to you. From this vantage you can get a better view of the opposing traffic. 90% of the drivers in Ottawa do the opposite, 50% don't even pull into the intersection and for those that do 90% start at the absolute right extreme of the lane and stay there for the entire turn. They can't see the opposing traffic because their view is blocked by the opposing traffic that is turning left, that is also way over to the right side of the lane. It seems that most people simply replicate what everyone else is doing without a thought.

In other places I have driven, the odd (clueless) driver would do this but it was the exception not the rule, in Ottawa it's the way most people drive.