# Do you look both ways when the light turns green before you go? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2015, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033 "2015-11-20T01:21:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/21 "2015-11-20T04:29:39Z")
I do, after waiting for all the red light runners to pass through. ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/22 "2015-11-20T04:58:44Z")
Not only do I look but I always roll my driver’s and passenger’s windows down at least a half inch or more _even in bad weather_ to listen to the traffic. Windows only go up after 40+ mph and traffic looking like it’s flowing normally. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/23 "2015-11-20T05:44:56Z")
Yes, I look both ways when driving _and_ walking. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/24 "2015-11-20T06:10:46Z")
Have you ever heard the expression “Green light anticipator meets red light runner”/ I live in San Jose California you bet I look both ways when the light turns green. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/25 "2015-11-20T06:23:48Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > I look. Not as carefully as if I’m walking and crossing the road but I don’t just blindly drive off either. In reality I’m looking all the time my light is red because I anticipate it turning green by judging the “body language” of the crossing traffic. ↑↑↑ This except for the part I put in red. Like **kopec** , I am the oldest biker around here & I also aim to hold onto that record. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/26 "2015-11-20T06:26:04Z")
I look. Watching someone burn to death because a drunk driver ran a red light made an impression that I haven’t forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/27 "2015-11-20T06:30:50Z")
My mom is now a retired ‘special needs’ school bus driver. She had been driving a bus for eight years when she taught me how to drive. She insisted that I learn on a manual transmission (and take my driver’s test in one), wait at intersections to make sure traffic in all other directions was stopping and to always be looking further ahead than just the car or two in front of me. I still have to fight the temptation to STOP at railroad tracks and roll my windows down before proceeding. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/28 "2015-11-20T08:45:56Z")
of course, green means you _can_ go, not that you _should_. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/29 "2015-11-20T15:50:56Z")
Do they teach defensive driving skills anymore these days? These’s so many inattentive morons on the road these days you pretty much have to not only watch yourself but watch what others around you are doing. The attitude of “they were in the wrong, I had the right of way” isn’t much help when you’re dead. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/30 "2015-11-20T16:28:45Z")
Several years ago I played hookie from work and went fishing with my wife and infant daughter. While waiting at a red light on the freeway exit I was engaged in conversation and neglected to put my car (a stick shift) into gear. I released the clutch and gassed it on green and didn’t move. As I clutched and put the stick into gear a 4 door pickup truck towing a large landscaping trailer blew the light at about 60mph and t boned the SUV which was to my right, killing the driver. If I had been in gear that truck would have crushed my small scion against the SUV and killed my whole family. Now I always always ALWAYS look before entering any intersection. ---
**Author:** ![Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Emtar\_KronJonDerSohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emtar_KronJonDerSohn)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/31 "2015-11-20T16:29:47Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > The attitude of “they were in the wrong, I had the right of way” isn’t much help when you’re dead. Truth. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/32 "2015-11-20T16:33:36Z")
I look. I see people run red lights, WAY late, way too often not to. ---
**Author:** ![Snnipe\_70E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@Snnipe\_70E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snnipe_70E)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/33 "2015-11-20T16:54:24Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I look. I see people run red lights, WAY late, way too often not to. And the authorities in some cities are not helping but assisting and adding to this danger. Around 1978 I was a green light anticipator. On my way to work in the morning and running a little late. The light turned green and I took off. And the guy trying to squeak through the light on the yellow and I collided. He claimed that the light was still yellow and had not yet turned green. Lucky for me the guy in the car next to me stopped. He walked up and said no we had the green and the light was red for you. He gave me his information incase I needed a witness. In san Jose this kind of accident was on the increase. The city’s solution, increase the amount of time for the yellow. It worked for a little while, until drivers got use to the longer yellow. Cities solution increase the yellow time even more. Same results. So the city then changed the timing of the green. At one time when the yellow changed from yellow to red the cross street light turned green. Now there is a time when all lights are red. There is a delay before the green on the cross street comes on. The local drivers have adapted. They know that if the light is turning red the cross street will not have the green yet, so they slide through. When my wife goes through a intersection that the light is changing I watch to see if it still is yellow when she crosses the cross walk on the other side. If it is red I check to see how many cars follow us through the light. Normally it is on the order of 3 in the morning. In the morning we are going North on Center, at Capitol when the light turns green for us I count the number of cars turning left in front of us onto Capitol. It would shock some one from out of town how many run the light every morning. Even if the first car waiting at the light is a SJPD car. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/34 "2015-11-20T18:00:30Z")
Absolutely. Around here a red light is merely a suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/35 "2015-11-20T21:49:32Z")
Amazing. I was in Traffic School once, and the question was asked: “How far ahead do you look?” The overwhelming response was: “The car ahead of me”. (insert jaw-drop emoji) My thought: “_ **THAT** _ explains a lot!” I look as far as I can see, and in every direction I can. I heard that the most common response heard by insurance adjusters was: “I didn’t see him” Of course you didn’t see him - he was not directly in front of you, and you don’t look further. I saw a pic of a station wagon with a huge gash in the roof - a friggin’ Twin Engine Airplane was coming down and the driver didn’t realize it. The gash was a prop strike. For the ‘Most Clueless Driver’ award - We Have A Winner! ---
**Author:** ![stosh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@stosh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2015, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/36 "2015-11-20T23:22:48Z")
Around here, a yellow light means 4 more cars and a red light means 2 more cars. You bet I look both ways, a couple of times. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/37 "2015-11-21T04:57:04Z")
> [@Beelzebubba](#): > > So what about you fine folks? Do you look around when the light turns green or just gas it and go? Here in Houston, hell yes I look. It is not uncommon at the larger intersections to have at least 5 or 6 cars sail through the red light. I wish we had the red light cameras back; that crap stopped happening when they were operational. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/38 "2015-11-21T05:26:38Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Absolutely. Around here a red light is merely a suggestion. This. But I have a solution. Remove all those red light cameras. Replace them with heat seeking missiles. The word will get around. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/39 "2015-11-21T08:50:52Z")
I don’t see a lot of cars run red lights here in Indy, but yes, I do. I also try to be aware when going through green lights when there is not stopped traffic on both sides (i.e., someone could run the red since no one would be stopped in front of them). Never assume, say I. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2015, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033/40 "2015-11-21T13:12:19Z")
I not only look both ways, I am looking before it turns green if I am first at the light. Of course I live in New Jersey where people routinely sneak through just after the light turns red for them. So I have to look both ways before I go. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-look-both-ways-when-the-light-turns-green-before-you-go/738033.md?page=3)