Are we all heavy footers now when it comes to driving?

[raildogg]

It seems like more and more that everyone seems to floor the car whenever the light turns green. What's the big rush? Are we in a hurry all the time? Maybe this is just a symptom and is a greater reflection on how we live our lives.

I can understand it during weekday mornings when you have to get to work but it happens all the time. Weekday or weekend.

Maybe since I don't drive with a heavy foot I notice it more.

Sometimes one wishes that he was in a more rural area with less traffic.

I'm letting off some steam. (I'm just as bad at times too when it comes to rushing so I'm not any better). I shouldn't be making this a big deal either. It is what it is.

 

[lxskllr]

What do you mean? I don't generally see aggressive starts from a light. I'm on the ball, and go as soon as it turns green(assuming no one is in danger of running a light), but I accelerate normally, and I'm not in any particular hurry.

 

[raildogg]

There is really no big advantage to constantly flooring the car. It might save a minute here and there but that's about it.

 

[Mixolydian]

I don't floor it, but unlike most people, I actually pay attention when I'm driving. This means that my car begins to move the second the light turns green.

 

[raildogg]

I don't floor it, but unlike most people, I actually pay attention when I'm driving. This means that my car begins to move the second the light turns green.

Good. Some wait 5 secs and then floor it to make up for the lost time.

 

[thestrangebrew1]

I don't see OPs issue where I'm at. As far as being heavy footed in general, I typically don't drive way over the speed limit when I have my family in the car. When I'm by myself, I'll go a max 10mph over if I have a free lane as far as the eye can see. When I have my family, i normally cruise, maybe +5 mph over.

 

[MrPickins]

With the amount of cars on the road in this city, damn straight people need to accelerate quickly, otherwise you end up waiting for several cycles just to get through many of the intersections.

 

[Mixolydian]

Good. Some wait 5 secs and then floor it to make up for the lost time.

My favorite is when there's a line at the left-turn lane, and the idiot in front is asleep at the wheel for 10 seconds after the light turns green. Someone honks and he finally goes, only to have the light turn yellow and only 2/6+ cars get through.

 

[lxskllr]

I don't see OPs issue where I'm at. As far as being heavy footed in general, I typically don't drive way over the speed limit when I have my family in the car. When I'm by myself, I'll go a max 10mph over if I have a free lane as far as the eye can see. When I have my family, i normally cruise, maybe +5 mph over.

If there were no speed limits, I'd drive according to road conditions. I've been on roads where 90mph was entirely reasonable, and some where 25mph was too fast. You still have to use your head, and ignore signs that aren't appropriate.

 

[jpeyton]

There is really no big advantage to constantly flooring the car. It might save a minute here and there but that's about it.

It's fun.

I'm a lifelong lead-footer. 20-over on the interstate or bust.

 

[notposting]

GO @*#^*#$*@^*$@

 

[Baked]

Always 15+ in the school zone.

 

[dighn]

i do it so i'm not slowing down the people behind me. if no car behind me i take my sweet time.

 

[Red Storm]

If I'm not there yet I'm going too slow. :awe:

 

[ghost recon88]

i do it so i'm not slowing down the people behind me. if no car behind me i take my sweet time.

Exactly. I hate it when a slow person is in front of me, so I do my best to now slow down the people behind me.

 

[raildogg]

Exactly. I hate it when a slow person is in front of me, so I do my best to now slow down the people behind me.

This is a endless cycle.

Why do we care so much about the guy behind us? Are we afraid he might give us dirty looks or honk the horn if we're too slow?

I too speed up a bit when the person behind me seems to be in a hurry. It's probably because I also don't want to look like a grandpa or don't want to hurt my pride There are other reasons as well.

So you guys would drive slower if no one was behind you?

Apparently the person behind us holds some magical power over us

 

[Doppel]

I just can't wait until we are all in self-driving cars.

 

[Clinkster]

Good. Some wait 5 secs and then floor it to make up for the lost time.

This has gotten so much worse with the inclusion of cell phones.

I just can't wait until we are all in self-driving cars.

Couldn't agree more.

 

[dighn]

This is a endless cycle.

Why do we care so much about the guy behind us? Are we afraid he might give us dirty looks or honk the horn if we're too slow?

what's wrong with an endless cycle of consideration? if everyone accelerates earlier and faster then fewer people have to waste their time sitting at the intersection.

 

[dighn]

I just can't wait until we are all in self-driving cars.

optimal machine precision and efficiency YES PLEASE

 

[Aikouka]

Around here, people tend to do the following...

• Take too long to start moving when stopped.
• Take too long to get up to the speed limit, and I mean taking a mile to go from 0 to 55 MPH.
• Don't push down on the accelerator when going up a hill, so they drop a good 5-10 MPH.
• Treat the right lane like the Driving-Miss-Daisy lane, so the right lane is usually really backed up.
• Brake when going up or down a hill. The prior is just dumb (let off the accelerator, numbskull) and the latter is a waste of momentum.

Being a Yankee living in the south, I've found that I really hate their driving.

EDIT:

Why do we care so much about the guy behind us? Are we afraid he might give us dirty looks or honk the horn if we're too slow?

I try and take into consideration everyone on the road when I'm driving. My take is that no one is more important than anyone else (except public service vehicles with their lights on), and you shouldn't purposefully impede anyone within reason. Ridiculous speeders are obviously not within reason.

 

[raildogg]

what's wrong with an endless cycle of consideration? if everyone accelerates earlier and faster then fewer people have to waste their time sitting at the intersection.

Consideration should be among both parties. If one side, the car in the rear, wants to go faster, then it would be better if he went around rather than tailgating the car in the front. If it's a one lane road, then it is what it is.

If an older couple wants to go the speed limit and I'm in such a hurry, I will simply drive slower until I can pass them. Sometimes we don't get what we want.

 

[IAteYourMother]

Just stay out of the fast lane

 

[dighn]

Consideration should be among both parties. If one side, the car in the rear, wants to go faster, then it would be better if he went around rather than tailgating the car in the front. If it's a one lane road, then it is what it is.

If an older couple wants to go the speed limit and I'm in such a hurry, I will simply drive slower until I can pass them. Sometimes we don't get what we want.

well I do try to be understanding when somebody is driving slow in front of me. we are talking about being at the front though.

what really annoys me is slow starters at left turn signals. those signals don't last a long time and when people accelerate slow and leave a huge gap between them and the car in front, it really cuts down on the number of people who can make the turn.

 

[BoomerD]

When we first moved to California, I was a slow, easy-going driver who rarely exceeded the posted limit. It didn't take long commuting for that to evaporate...and I rarely (if ever) drove slower than 5-10 MPH over the posted limit. (yet never got ticketed)
Now that we're out of California, I'm back to being a slow, easy-going driver who rarely exceeds the posted limit...but it's not easy. I chafe at the ridiculously slow posted limits here...but I do my best to keep myself in check. <breathe...relax...take your foot off the accelerator...breathe>