Yes, accelerate up to the RED light.

[roothorick]

I have some unusual driving habits, mostly because I base my driving around what gets me the best gas mileage and still gets me there quickly, not what everyone else expects me to do. I signal, my brake lights work, I brake as early as is reasonable, I don't do anything sudden or unpredictable. I just don't drive like a sheep.

Protip: When there's a red light directly ahead of us, and I'm in the left lane, and the only left turn is at that light, there is absolutely ZERO point in going around me and accelerating. I'm going 8mph because I know the light's cycle and can accurately guess when it's going to turn. In fact, all it will accomplish is getting me stuck waiting for the light again because of your vain impatience.

I'm not falling for that anymore. Next time I'm approaching 441, going northSOUTHward on Oneida, ahead of Valley, and someone changes lanes to pass me, I'm flooring the accelerator to make sure they can't get ahead of me.

Btw:I drive a maroon, second-generation Chevrolet Lumina, with fuzzy dice wrapped around a computer speaker in the rear window. You see those dice, remember, I'm going slow for a reason. Don't piss me off.

-E- Oops, it's actually southward. This is the stretch I'm talking about. On my way to work I turn right off Valley then left onto 441.

[blas]

I hate people who race to the red light. Yep, that's good for your brakes....first to slam when you get behind me, then rev your RPMS up to wind around me to show just how bad I'm in your way, then to slam on those brakes yet again for that red light.

Dumbasses.

[dalesys]

...with fuzzy dice wrapped around a computer speaker in the rear window. You see those dice, remember, I'm going slow for a reason. Don't piss me off...

Fuzzy dice, bongos in the back
My ship of love...
Is ready to attack!
Frank Zappa

[mikoyan29]

My favorite are the people that creep through the red light only to be caught completely unaware as the light turns green. Although my honest to god favorite people are the people that hit their brakes as they are coming up to the green and are on them long enough for the light to turn yellow.......

[blas]

My little brother was behind some old guy one night on the way home from work, and every red light, this guy kept creeping until he was almost halfway if not more into the intersection and nearly got hit!

Talk about antsy in the pantsy.

[It's me]

Protip: When there's a red light directly ahead of us, and I'm in the left lane, and the only left turn is at that light, there is absolutely ZERO point in going around me and accelerating. I'm going 8mph because I know the light's cycle and can accurately guess when it's going to turn. In fact, all it will accomplish is getting me stuck waiting for the light again because of your vain impatience.

Actually, there are a couple of reasons people might want by:
-- If the left-turn lane has a loop-sensor that activates the advanced left-turn signal, to activate it they will need to be over the loop before the light changes
-- It's a PITA to go that slow with a manual transmission.

[greek_jester]

-- It's a PITA to go that slow with a manual transmission.

Don't know what you were driving, but every car I've ever owned (I'm a Brit, they've all been manual) has had no problem with crawling. 1st or 2nd gear are a way of life if you live/work near a town centre.

[sparx]

Actually, there are a couple of reasons people might want by:
-- If the left-turn lane has a loop-sensor that activates the advanced left-turn signal, to activate it they will need to be over the loop before the light changes
-- It's a PITA to go that slow with a manual transmission.

My car (1.2 manual transmission) will quite happily crawl at 4mph in 1st, and < 8mph in 2nd while idling. I can go 15mph in 3rd gear quite happily too.

[roothorick]

My favorite are the people that creep through the red light only to be caught completely unaware as the light turns green. Although my honest to god favorite people are the people that hit their brakes as they are coming up to the green and are on them long enough for the light to turn yellow.......

Been there, done that, many times. I don't do it deliberately -- I'm gonna accelerate as soon as the light goes green, but sometimes I'm not paying enough attention. I'm not pissing anyone off am I?

[roothorick]

My car (1.2 manual transmission) will quite happily crawl at 4mph in 1st, and < 8mph in 2nd while idling. I can go 15mph in 3rd gear quite happily too.

Failing that, hold the clutch/shift to neutral and coast. You'd be surprised how far your car can get on momentum alone.

[Whiskey]

I'm not pissing anyone off am I?

probably, but i wouldn't worry about it terribly unless they start following you through traffic

[Mikkel]

Failing that, hold the clutch/shift to neutral and coast. You'd be surprised how far your car can get on momentum alone.

That's what I usually do, speed up when I'm moving to slowly and then coast. If the other cars are moving very slowly it's easier to follow them that way with manual.