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Old 08-05-2017, 05:40 PM   #2 (permalink)
RedDevil
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Location: Nieuwegein, the Netherlands
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Red Devil - '11 Honda Insight Elegance
Team Honda
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I've given up on green lights. I only make them when I don't expect I will.
I look for the loops cut in the tarmac, and lo and behold, no matter how many minutes the light has been green before, the very moment my car crosses the first of the traffic sensing loops it changes color.
If I would program traffic light computers I would stretch the cycle if traffic is approaching from the direction that has green, but it looks uncannily like the opposite is being done.

My advice:
If you are not in a hurry and not holding anyone up treat a green light as if it is red, let your car coast engine off etc. until you are close enough to pass it before it turns red even if it jumps to yellow right then.
- If it gets red before you're there you've done the right thing.
- If it stays green you had a nice P&G moment.
- If it gets red just before you arrive and you think you could have made it if you had kept pace, relax!
That light was waiting for you to make you miserable. You weren't going fast so you did not have to slam the brakes and waste a lot of fuel. You win and now the traffic light has a bad day. Maybe it remembers and betters its ways some day, who knows?

As it only stays green when I don't expect it, I try as hard as I can to not expect it.
It works quite well as long as you don't believe it does.
Once you do you'll only see reds despite your best efforts.
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2011 Honda Insight + HID, LEDs, tiny PV panel, extra brake pad return springs, neutral wheel alignment, 44/42 PSI (air), PHEV light (inop), tightened wheel nut.
lifetime FE over 0.2 Gmeter or 0.13 Mmile.


For confirmation go to people just like you.
For education go to people unlike yourself.

Last edited by RedDevil; 08-06-2017 at 08:11 AM..
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