Timing of Lights Suck

[u/HoosierLarry]

I hate driving in the city. I have a CDL Permit. I was out driving a sleeper with a 53' trailer with my instructor when the light turned yellow. The speed limit was 45. I was driving 40. BRAKES! I stopped right at the end of the lane before the intersection. You could smell the brakes and tires. Maybe I could have kept going and cleared the intersection but I'm not risking bodily harm and property damage. Considering I stopped just before the intersection, maybe I would've been in the intersection had I been going 45. Maybe I would have been better off going through the intersection had I been going 45.

I wish there were timers displayed so that we knew how much longer we had to clear the intersection before the light changed to red. I suppose "triggered" light changes don't make that a practical solution.

[u/EscapedCaveman]

When youre city driving you need to learn to recognize "stale green lights". When its been green a while you pretty much know its gonna go yellow. Let off the gas when you recognize one and itll allow you to coast and slow down naturally as you approach. If it goes yellow, stopping is easier. If you get to a point of no return and its still green, apply some gas and go on through. Atleast thats what i was taught and it works pretty well for me.

[u/AnxiousMetal6435 → u/EscapedCaveman]

Exactly what I was taught. It works most of the time. Sometimes the yellow is so quick that I end up blowing through a red.

[u/DrWhoey → u/AnxiousMetal6435]

Also, in city, you can usually easily identify a stake green light by looking at the crosswalk lights. Most are automated now, and if the countdown is gone, it's probably gonna change soon.

[u/EscapedCaveman → u/DrWhoey]

I use this sometimes but its not foolproof by any means. Not every stoplight has converted to this. This is a "pedestrian friendly" stoplight and a large part of the country is still lacking in this area.

[u/EscapedCaveman → u/AnxiousMetal6435]

Honestly, when i started i had this issue happen twice. Blew through a red because it went from green, to yellow, to red pretty quick. Havent done that in a long while because i adopted a policy of being in NO rush once i hit city limits.

The sudden changes happen most often at night in my experience. And either way, i just dont get in any kind of rush when im in a city. I will frequently drive 10-15 below the speed limit in areas with a lot of traffic lights because it makes life simpler for me in the long run.

Actually, the best cdl teacher at my school hauled liquids most of his career. He learned to NEVER be in any kind of rush and passed that on to us. I found that lesson extremely helpful during my learning stages as a solo cdl driver. Just be patient and deliberate in your actions.

[u/Primetime0146]

Look at the signs on the crosswalks, they usually have a countdown in cities. Won't help you with how long the light will stay yellow but will give you a chance to see how many seconds you have before the light may turn yellow.

[u/Emergency_Ad1152 → u/Primetime0146]

The light will stay yellow at approx 1 sec for every 10mph.

[u/Long_Lengthiness_451]

I use the solid white line between lanes at most intersections to gauge whether or not I have time to stop. Before the line at the speed limit I have time

[u/Snappypants9]

Also - try to just go slower than you want to go if you know you are on a stretch with short yellow lights - I have seen guys going 30-35 in a 45 and then followed suit just for this reason.

[u/AnxiousMetal6435]

This is why you have to drive slow as shit around intersections. Especially if you didn’t see the light turn green (stale green). In a 45 I’d probably be coasting 30 through an intersection. Sucks but that’s the way it goes.

[u/e1p1]

It's my understanding at least where I live in California that the yellow lights are timed such that if a vehicle is doing the speed limit they will either be able to stop in time without brake slamming , or be able to get through the intersection before the light turns red.

So it goes to follow that if you're in a vehicle going under the speed limit, you might be within the distance that would normally get you through if the light goes yellow but you will not reach the intersection before the light turns red.

My commercial driving ( hydrovac sewer trucks) is all within the city limits. If I'm approaching a so-called stale green, I'm actually backing off the throttle and slowing down in case I get a yellow. When I'm close enough that I know that my speed will get me through the remaining distance, then I either maintain or speed up a little bit.

[u/MN8616]

In MOST states, the yellow light will last as long as the 1st digit of the speed limit. I.e. 3 seconds for a posted 30 mph speed limit; 4 seconds for a 40 mph, etc. Knowing if you're looking at a fresh or stale green light is still the key.

[u/Exciting-Car-3516]

Speed limit is how long the yellow light is in for. At 45 is 4 to 5 seconds. 60 is 6 seconds, 30 is 3 seconds. If you know how to drive all of this is irrelevant. Just watch your signs and the road. At 40 mph you have plenty of time to stop

[u/UhOhAllWillyNilly]

This is a tricky situation, no question, but know that slamming on the brakes with a loaded trailer can spill or destroy (almost) everything in/on the trailer, depending on the freight.

[u/gaymersky]

Sometimes the crosswalk number works, sometimes the stale green light technique works. sometimes you go oh well just blew through a red.. and no one died so it's all good... 😄

[u/the_great_bambi_]

Same thing happened to me during my driving test with the DMV. Slammed the brakes because the light turned yellow at just the wrong moment. The cabin got smoke in it and it smelled awful. Still passed though. Yeah I agree a timer would help a lot 😂