Think a stoplight will change more quickly if you slowly inch up to the white line at an intersection?
You’d actually be better off just coming to a normal stop.
Why Should You Not Slowly Pull Up To A Stoplight?
According to an article from ABC 10, it is a common misconception that this trick actually will help you get through the intersection more quickly.
The report explained how there are in fact “coiled wires in the pavement that allow the sensors to detect a metal object over it, whether it be car, truck or motorcycle. That much is standard.”
The issue comes with how the vehicle comes to rest in the detection zone.
A representative from the Sacramento Department of Public Works explained to ABC 10 that slowing inching up to the area puts the vehicle at risk of leaving the detection zone altogether.
traffic lights and wet road at night
What Can Drivers Do To Make Stoplights Turn Green?
Along with stopping your vehicle within the designated zone, Family Handyman offers these tips for drivers who are tired of looking at red lights.
- Be patient and wait for the green light. Honking your horn, revving your engine or flashing your headlights will have no effect on the intersection stoplight system.
- Motorcycles and bicycles should look for designated areas. Many times, these areas will have smaller detection zones.
- A warm engine helps. Some intersections use infrared sensors that detect the heat of vehicles as a way of knowing when to change the light from red to green.
Finally, drivers should also be aware of video detection systems that are used for traffic light control at some intersections.
How Stuff Works explains this one as being a series of camera that track everything from vehicle count to stop time to the number of pedestrians crossing the roadway.
While the website suggests the system doesn’t always work the best on days with foggy conditions, you’re still not going to help matters by slowing inching up to the intersection.
Best Looking State Patrol Cars In (Almost) Every State
For the past 10 years, the American Association of State Troopers has held a contest to determine which state has the best looking patrol cruiser. Nearly every state police agency submits their best photo of their sharpest patrol vehicle a chance to win the coveted cover photo on the association’s annual calendar. From cop cars rushing through blizzards to vehicles on the Grand Ole Opry stage, here are this year’s nominees.