Why do people accelerate so slowly at green lights?

When the light turns green I always seem to be halfway to the next light before the other drivers even realize it's changed. They then accelerate at a mind-numbingly slow pace. Neither my reflexes or "need for speed" are more or less than the average person, and brisk acceleration has been shown to be more fuel efficient. It can't be that they're pausing to see the sights, because the only thing to see is strip malls.

It's horrible to get stuck behind these people. Why do they do it?
Additional Details
Ah, so it's because of this myth?:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/ask-the-best-and-brightest-is-the-efficiency-of-slow-acceleration-just-a-myth/

sin pretty

All the above are right answers, really, since they're being answered by the kind of people you get stuck behind. Some have been told it will save them a couple of bucks in gas (which is debatable), some are extra safety-concious and want someone to hold their hand on their way through the intersection, some are just plain old and it takes them a bit longer for their synapses to register the color change, and some are all of the above and would love to see you get t-boned at an intersection just to prove their point as they shake their verbal fist at you and call you a reckless young whippersnapper.

There are other reasons too, though - maybe they were changing the radio station, hadn't had enough coffee yet, were slyly checking you out in the side mirror, or their vehicle simply does not have the capacity to go from 0 to 60 in .01 seconds like yours apparently does.

My personal opinion is that there's no reason not to get back up to cruising speed as soon as possible. And don't judge other drivers - unless you go up and knock on their window there's no way to tell what their motives are, and it's rarely because they want to make you late to class. ^_~

Micheal G

You clearly have more money to waste on fuel than they do. Try accelerating at there speed and I bet you will gain at least 3 mpg's.

oldtimer

First off , rapid acceleration is not more fuel efficient. It is much less efficient than a slow steady acceleration. It is also safer to take a little longer and look at least twice in both directions before racing to the next light. Maybe the people who iritate you so much should be your role models.

Paul

You're young and impatient. You probably speed and follow to closely, which means you will be the cause of a serious accident soon.

Someday you will wake up and figure out that all your speeding from light to light was just a big waste of fuel and money paying for speeding tickets, and you didn't get there any quicker.

Russ B

Fuel economy and safety reasons. Some semi might be going down the street you are about to cross and if the light changes but the truck is committed, the truck will run the light. And guess what happens to you? T-boned by a semi. Besides you just said "When the light turns green I always seem to be halfway to the next light before the other drivers even realize it's changed." So you race to the next light, and sit there waiting for it to change, and by the time its green again, all those people have already caught up.

Anne

You are supposed to pause after the light turns green, and look both ways. You would surprised at the number of people that run the reds.

ziggy_brat

Do you want to be the first person through the light, thus getting hit by the uninsured motorist barreling through on red.

dirtytricksracing@sbcglobal.net

Why do people take off so fast and waste gas as well risk getting Tboned from the crossing traffic? Oh and the only things that brisk acceleration as been shown to do are waste gas, tear up transmissions and cause wrecks.

vwihc

Some body probably told them "don't punch it at the green light, or a cop will pull pull you over". so now they drive super peanut.

Your all morons

You "knowledge" of fuel efficiency is less then knowledgeable, Slowly accelerating is fuel efficient

blackcobra487

It saves gas. A slower acceleration actually uses less fuel. I'm not sure where you heard otherwise. Give it a try, you'll see.

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