advise to a new driver, please,,
Guys I know it maybe sound funny, I' am a new driver now and not really a driver way back at home. Now I' am driving alone in the road and most of the time I feel I will have a sudden hearth attack when I will reach the stop light that is blinking a signal to stop! Can you guys tell me if when this light blinks, how many seconds before ends and it is ok for me to just stop and not choose to go ahead and wait for the signal to turn red?
I’ am good in the road but when I will come to the signal I loose my self confidence. Sure because I' am afraid for the fine of QR 6,000.00.
Maybe this question is been asked before but I'm just new and QL and any advice will help please.
One thing that driving school do not teach is how to study the traffic lights. Study in driving school do not stop you from learning the road, it's a continous process. All traffic lights in Doha have it's own characteristics and sensitivity. I personally, I study all the traffic lights here, their timing, looking for the strip sensors in the road, camera on the left, camera on the right, etc... Traffic lights have delay road sensor and radar. Let's say traffic lights change after 45 seconds, in the event that not much car passing, the road sensor will reduce the time waiting and may change after 30 seconds or lesser. Sometimes, the usual routine of lights varies it depends on the traffic on each side of the road. If you manage to get first on the sensor, you will be the priority to pass. Lets say road 1, 2, 3 & 4 (intersection) is the routine of the light, in the event no car in road 1 and 2 and you manage to pass the sensor in road 4 before the the car in road 3 approach, then you will be priority, something like that. But not all traffic lights have the same system like in old roads.
Always approach traffic lights in the specified speed limit, there is a reason behind it (traffic speed sensor and breaking). You need to learn to calculate your distance to the approaching traffic lights, let's say you are already 100 meters away from the traffic light and it start blinking or sometimes it holds to yellow, you still have time to pass because there are 3 seconds delay. If you make sudden stop at that moment, the car behind you who knows this method, will might hit you, so use your assumptions wisely.
And lastly, since you are rookie driver, the safeier side will be the far right lane, everyone is aware that lane is for slow car so nobody will attempt to horn you or whatsover. Hope this help...
johnpur is right. I follow the same thing when I drive. Just reduce the speed of your car to 40/50 kmph or less before (250/300 meter) you reach the signal. So, you have a better control on your car to break immediate when yellow light start blinking. Don't take any risk, save you life first, then save QR. 6,000 also. Don't bother about the car behind you. Just remeber don't try go fast to cross green signal cause speed limit is only 80 kpmh all over Doha where there is camera in signal.
I have been driving for nearly 14 years and will soon have a car here over the next week and the lights are a big worry... along with the other bad road users!! From what I have seen it is best to slow down if they have been on green a while and most definatly stop when they start to flash amber regardless of who is behind you.
My hubby had to slam on a couple of months ago at the lights, managed to stop but front tires went ever so slightly over the line and guess what.... the cameras flashed! We were horrified as to sensitivity of the camera but later when checked we did not have a fine.
Good luck with the driving.
The stop lights should be timed so that when you see a blinking green you have time to stop if you are going the legal speed limit. It blinks green for three seconds then solid yellow for another three then red. If you are going 60-80 kph that should be plenty of time to stop before crossing the line on red.
Mandi
ok nhyla, if the light is green and you don't know how long it had been green, 200 to 300 meters before you reach that signal better slow down to approximately 40 to 60 Km/h so that if the light becomes yellow then red at a fast period, you and the vehicle behind you won't have a hard time stopping. Don't mind the person honking his horn behind you, better to be sure than regret the 6,000QR fine for beating that red light.
Driving schools here are facking idiots, I didn't undergo any lessons at any driving schools here coz I feel like they are not really qualified instructors.
got my license one time test only with the help of books and tips from friends who passed the test
Absolutely right, now I just got that in my mind because actually they teach more manually and not a little by the book. Now I feel I’m still in a student by myself.
congrats nyhla!!!!
sad to say that your question is one thing that those driving schools miss to teach their students.
Congrats nylha for ur new license to kill, ohh i mean drivin license....:)
you can still go if the signal is YELLOw and ur vehicle has crossed the line - i think.
Anywayz best of luck. Dont loose confidence, if you loose confidence you loose bucks - simple ....:)