Just ... Why?
At a red light last night in Philadelphia, I was stopped side by side with a large Mercedes SUV. As we waited for the light to turn green, the Mercedes began to inch forward, in anticipation. But the light stayed red.
So the car inched forward still. And still the light stayed red.
Repeat as necessary.
By the time the light finally turned green, the Mercedes had just over a car length on me. Which was fine with me; not like I was losing anything or being deprived of anything by the other driver's action.
It did make me wonder though what the motivation in pulling forward was. Did he need to get ahead of me for some reason? Did he think that pulling forward would make the light change sooner? Or was it as simple as an obnoxious type A, Mercedes-owning schmuck simply being unable to sit still and enjoy the current time and place for more than thirty seconds?
7 splash(es):
Going with the obnoxious type
Or a guy who'd been at the light before, at a different time of day and had been used to that time of day's timing on the light.
I don't know about Philly, but some lights have sensors on them here in Illinois - if you inch forward a bit, it detects movement and the light changes. I once sat at a light for 5 minutes before pulling around someone who never moved. We sat through three cycles of greens for every direction but ours because it didn't know we were there. I think that driver would still be sitting there today if I hadn't gone around him. This is by no means a defense of obnoxious schmucks.
Dave -- if it had been just one jumping of the gun, I'd say that your explanation would have merit. But it wasn't. It was a series of slow jolts over the span of about 45 seconds.
Hedy -- We have sensors here too. Thing is, if you are at the white line in the intersection, the sensors will pick you up. This car was a length and a half into the intersection by the time it turned green. Like Dave's explanation, completely possible -- but not in this instance.
Believe Dave speaks from experience. Short jolts? Perhaps distracted driver, turning in seat to find missing CDs or locate intellegence from where it fell on the floor boards. Could be that Massive Mercedes SUVs have very stiff brakes and driver owned dainty, floppy ankles.
Kind of like pushing elevator call buttons. Keep pushing the up button...that'll make the elevator get there faster. Keep inching up...that will get the light to turn green faster.
I hate when I'm next to one of these nerds and as soon as the light changes they feel the need take off and go 0 to 60 in 2 seconds...until, of course they get to the next light. They always beat me to that next light, too. Maybe they are on to something.....
Yeah, some of those lights are changed by sensors. Although I do believe moving an entire car length was a bit of overkill for that. I'm going to bet this guy was a little anxious. Honestly, it probably had nothing to do with getting ahead of you and more to do with his inability to sit still for the length of the red light. Sometimes I find myself doing the same thing. Sometimes I catch myself doing it and think, "Xanax when you get home, girl."
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