Shifting at a red light

All good info. The only thing I can add is increase your scan distance and read and anticipate red lights just like you read traffic. Of course there are the surprises but many you can figure out. Did a car just pull up from a side street and cycle the light? I've been watching this light a long time and it will turn red about the time I get there, etc.

You see many trucks slow down way ahead of time. This minimizes downshifting and keeps your momentum going so you time the light turning green you are still rolling. You shouldn't be running up on red lights unless you get surprised. The only thing you can do is increase your braking power and resort to quicker downshifts or double downshifting. Not every situation is like preparing for a turn.

The situation of going down a decent sized hill with a red light at the bottom you go down the hill slower and anticipate it turning red. Then as you get closer to the light you make the decision to commit. Usually them type lights have a early warning flashing yellow sign to aid in your decision.

 

you need to learn too that some lights will change with traffic from the opposing traffic. Meaning. You have a cross street at the next intersection. YOUR light is green. You see a car that is going to reach the intersection 1/2 block ahead of you. The light suddenly turns red on you.

Same can be said, you are approaching an intersection with a red light. You are not on the MAIN highway. That is the cross street you are approaching. As you approach and slow down, you suddenly have the green light.


Understand the lighting systems you travel through. these will depend on time of day, traffic levels etc. They may give a US highway all green lights until you have a vehicle approaching on a side street. Then it turns long enough for the side street traffic to clear.

It takes an entirely different driving habit to deal with those lights.

 

You assume a lot. First off, I never said downshift every gear. I said to downshift as you slow down, not just once. And yes, I do sometimes downshift every gear, as I drive a 6 speed straight truck. Smart aleck.

 

Key word here is yes sometimes you get every gear. sometimes you cant shift as you slow down. times may make it where your on your brakes hard for some reason. times like this you hope to drop two gears and get the motor back into the ordeal. smart aleck sure if that's what speaking the true is by all means.

 

You should see the new light they put up here in pa by my house. its a 50 mph speed zone you drop down a small grade hill start a small bend and hit a light. they final put a light warning sign but not one that says its going red just that there is a light ahead. I think I have ran that dang thing about a dozen times in the last month. I personaly have my pnr zone where I say it is now un safe to try and stop the truck for both me and others. normally bout where the turn lanes start. sometimes longer if I know the area sometimes shorter. but I swear this new light here is going to get some people killed soon. already been 3 4 wheeler wrecks in less than 2 months of the light working. its a new walmart that this light leads to....I have called in on it as well as every truck I know in the area about it.

 

You must be a bullhauler because that's a real load of crap. There is nothing wrong with coasting in neutral and then grabbing the necessary gear when the light changes.

In fact, if you are unable to know at any given time what gear to hit, then you are the one that is not in control of your truck.

 

I've rolled up to a few light that will not change to Green until you get to them and stop. The best advice I've seen given is to learn what gear you need to be in at what speed. That is for upsifting and down shifting. The second best is Drive an Automatic! The worst is to coast! Most road tests you will fail if you get caught "Coasting!"
Every truck and transmission is different in where they like to be in RPM to Speed.
Good Luck and keep it SAFE!

 

I'm interested to hear what others have to say about this one. I was taught that coasting in neutral will fail you on a road test and is considered unsafe in general...basically what was said earlier about not being in control of your vehicle. (What if you can't get it into gear for whatever reason?)

 

Unless you are going down a grade, what is the problem? I don't care what the cdl book says. And if you can't get it in gear at any speed from neutral, you have no business behind the wheel.

 

I hear ya, and before getting into trucking I did this in my manual-trans car all the time (still do). But was taught that doing it in an 18-wheeler is a no-no.