When I was in driver’s ed (in SE Michigan in 1995) I was taught to always slow down a little (a tiny bit! 5 mph, even!) at intersections where I had the green light. The teacher told the class that this was because intersections see a lot of wear and tear and the pavement there can be humped or rougher than the rest of the road and should be taken a little slower to prevent damage to the car. Of course, this is in Michigan, where the roads aren’t good to begin with and the frost isn’t helping.
The teacher also said that we should slow a little at intersections because there are more cars there than elsewhere on the road. Some of them are going in different directions and some are turning and it’s probably a little safer to navigate those areas a little more slowly.
But, again, we were taught just to give the brake a little gentle pressure, just enough to check the car’s speed and make things a tiny bit safer. In most areas, it probably isn’t necessary, and if people are slowing down 10-20 mph, they are unsafe dipshits who should be shot as soon as they park their cars. Dammnit, I have places to GO!
<Barely related>
There’s an odd phenomenon taking place in my neighborhood. This is a residential area, with half a metric buttload of crossing streets, at which are located either 2-way or 4-way stops. Now oddly enough, the problem isn’t people running the stop-signs.
What will generally happen is that you’ll see someone approach the 4-way, stop somewhere in the general vicinity of the stop line painted on the road (no complaints so far, nicely done, Chuckles), and then… sit there. For upwards of 3 minutes. Now, I realise this sounds petty; 3 minutes ain’t that long in the grand scheme o’ things. But if it were me, it seems I’d be awfully uncomfortable sitting there for that long, with people walking by or standing out in the front yard, staring at me like they’re wondering if I’m trying to read a road map in the glove compartment by telepathy.
It’s not like this is a real hindrance for me, as most of the time, when I see this, I’m taking the heel and toe express around the block. On occasion, one o’ these people will be sitting on a cross street from me (IOW I’m gonna hafta walk right in front of his vehicle to get ta where I’m goin’). I always find myself wondering if he’s just a lazy ass hit-and-run driver, waiting for me to make his job easier. So I’ll go a block outta my way, turning down a side street (usually the one he’s exiting) to avoid passing right into his hood-mounted sights. No big deal, I needed the exercise anywho, yeah? I just want to know (and I see this so often, it’s almost reached the point of me knocking on one o’ these guys’ windows for a little chat) when there’s not a single moving vehicle in sight, and visibility is unimpeded (no sight blocking hedges, no 15’ high SUV’s parked at every corner, whathaveyou) what the righteous fuck are you people waiting for? Your dashboard mounted toaster serving up your afternoon snack? The perfect harmonic pitch from your idling engine? The duck with the secret woid and $100 dropping down through the sun-roof? Are you all the people mentioned in this thread out sharpening your skills?
I can’t figure it out, and I think it’s starting to get to me.
</Barely related>
I have been known to space out at a stop sign, thinking (actually not thinking at all) it’s a red light.
But I don’t brake at green lights! I have been taught in defensive driving to pay special attention to “stale” green lights (those that have been green a while) as you approach them, but no one ever tried to tell me to brake for a green light.