Speeding at Yellow Lights?

[JetFalcon]

Are Tesla superior when it comes to instant acceleration in the case of running a yellow light within reason? Most yellow lights or any left turn lights, I'm able to speed up within reason to catch it before it turns red. The acceleration is super dependable so if I feel I can make a yellow light the acceleration never lets me down.

Unlike gas cars, its a huge gamble when trying to run a yellow light. I had a BMW M3 Lime Rock edition which was a cool looking car. But it was still an ICE vehicle, which meant it still had the lag in acceleration if you don't shift it correctly. You can paddle shift and it may shift faster, or it may not. But if you floor the gas, it can cause the car to not accelerate on moments notice, like its taking time for it to think which gears to go in. And that is what happened at a yellow light. I immediately paddle shifted down gear, trying to accelerate a yellow light. But because it lagged, didn't switch gears on the dot, it caused the car to not accelerate when I planned to, it did it later, which caused to barely miss making it through a yellow light. And the light just turned red at the last second and I got a $500 red light ticket, even though I technically didn't run a red light that would endanger anyone else, since their side probably wouldn't turn green the moment my side turned red.

But because the city wants their money, they will use any technicality and cut no breaks if it means free money. If I had a Tesla Model 3 that day I got the red light ticket, I am pretty sure I could have made it. I never had any issue of the Tesla not accelerating at moments notice because it has no gears to shift. It's one the reasons I don't really miss my BMW M3 as much and the Tesla Model 3 was the car I always envisioned of driving but didn't think would exist until I drove one.

With the Model 3, there is always that instant acceleration that never fails. And also like the regeneration braking meaning the car can slow down without having to switch to the break peddle all the time.

For stop signs / red lights I see, I just let go of the accelerator, let the car coast on regen braking, and I time it out right that I could brake mostly with regen braking and use minimal braking peddle. I feel it makes me less car sick than an ICE car where you have to brake all the time.

 

[LionXng]

TLDR but speeding up to get through a yellow light is also a violation.

 

[kamalik09]

For the sake of this being something illegal and potentially unsafe, sure. You can floor your tesla to pass through yellow lights. Ultimately it all depends on distance and timing. If the light is already yellow and you're a block away, no tesla or gas car is going to make it. I think you should learn the limits of your car by flooring it a couple of times (safely of course, preferably in an empty parking lot)

Then again, if you felt like acceleration was poor in your m3, unless you have a performance 3, your model 3 will be much slower especially if it's already in motion.

 

[Knightshade]

 

[KenC]

Respect the power!

You have the instant acceleration to run a light, but why risk it? Imagine when there are so many Teslas that when you approach an intersection, that there could be a Tesla waiting for the light to turn green, when he plans to gun it, and then you try to run the yellow?

 

[Uncle Paul]

Problem with accelerating through a yellow light is that you will be doing so at the same time a prudent driver would be actively considering slowing down in case they need to come to a quick stop if someone is entering the intersection at the same time.

Tons of accidents caused by people trying to just squeeze through the light.

 

[eisenb11]

And the light just turned red at the last second and I got a $500 red light ticket, even though I technically didn't run a red light that would endanger anyone else, since their side probably wouldn't turn green the moment my side turned red.

If you got a ticket, you had not even entered the intersection when the light turned red... so, yes, you technically did run a red light.

 

[Candleflame]

Yellow light means stop (unless it is unsafe for you to do so). so yes, speeding through a yellow light means you are a hazard to other road users and to yourself.

 

[JulienW]

....but it is statistically proven that the safest place to drag race is through a busy intersection as the light changes.

 

[charlieaf92]

Is it just me or did that entire post seem to be written by some AI trolling?

If not being in the power band in a BMW M3 is the difference of making or not making a light, you should have stopped. Going wide open to just barely make it through means you weren't close enough to make it - and as others have said it's dangerous. People are waiting to turn left when the oncoming traffic stops, and having someone do something unpredictable like rapidly accelerate when they clearly should have stopped is going to lead to a collision. Combine that with people waiting at crosswalks and you could kill someone.

Teslas accelerate comically fast. Like, way faster than anyone thinks they can - it's like they defy physics. I've found that you need to anticipate other drivers even more than usual because they have no idea just how quick the car jumps off the line. Another driver may think they have plenty of space to change lanes, pull out, etc and in a normal situation they would - but if you're in warp speed mode you're going to eat up all the road between you and them way faster than they could have anticipated.

 

[Nickage87]

Yes, but you will spend more on new sets of tires than on tickets.

 

[eisenb11]

Is it just me or did that entire post seem to be written by some AI trolling?

If not being in the power band in a BMW M3 is the difference of making or not making a light, you should have stopped. Going wide open to just barely make it through means you weren't close enough to make it - and as others have said it's dangerous. People are waiting to turn left when the oncoming traffic stops, and having someone do something unpredictable like rapidly accelerate when they clearly should have stopped is going to lead to a collision. Combine that with people waiting at crosswalks and you could kill someone.

Teslas accelerate comically fast. Like, way faster than anyone thinks they can - it's like they defy physics. I've found that you need to anticipate other drivers even more than usual because they have no idea just how quick the car jumps off the line. Another driver may think they have plenty of space to change lanes, pull out, etc and in a normal situation they would - but if you're in warp speed mode you're going to eat up all the road between you and them way faster than they could have anticipated.

Nah, non-native English speaker most likely.

I had a M3 and know what he’s complaining about. Normal automatic transmissions can a bit unpredictable because you don’t know exactly what it’s going to do and there is often a significant lag before and during downshifts. The M3 has a DCT (dual clutch transmission). BMWs (actually Getrag’s) DCT implementation is a little quirky and can start bucking sometimes when you accelerate hard - usually happens at the worst time.

That said, this should be a non-issue with proper settings and planning.

First, he should manually downshift if he knows he’s going to need to tap the car’s power to get it into the power band - the lag prior to shifting is there because the car doesn’t know what the driver is *going* to do - it can’t read his mind. As the driver, he knows what he’s about to do... so take charge and downshift.

Second, the DCT should be configured on one of the more aggressive shift modes - I preferred the max setting, which was M6. The DCT actually shifts very fast, but there is a trade between quickness of the shift and comfort. Lower settings trade comfort for time/lag. You can assign settings to a preset, so I defined a preset with everything on or near max and drive with it on most of the time.

Some people seem to think that with ICE sports cars you just mash the gas and go, but that’s not the case. You need to *drive* them. Especially so with ones with low displacement high-revving engines. My M3 and Porsches fell into this category - it actually takes significant effort to drive them aggressively as a result. Upside, the engagement is fun - downside, it can be a chore.

All that goes out the window with electric motors, which the OP really likes. Now, you actually can just mash the accelerator and GO!

 

[Apone]

Yes, I evaluate the go and no go on yellow lights. Yes, I rate every car I have owned on its ability to do it. Yes, the Performance model 3 can make it in a reasonable situation that you would have done in a sports car but with 0 lag to do it. It is a yellow light champ.

That said - disclaimers - dangerous - yadda yadda - that I have to say even though that is not what you asked.

 

[JetFalcon]

Nah, non-native English speaker most likely.

I had a M3 and know what he’s complaining about. Normal automatic transmissions can a bit unpredictable because you don’t know exactly what it’s going to do and there is often a significant lag before and during downshifts. The M3 has a DCT (dual clutch transmission).

======

All that goes out the window with electric motors, which the OP really likes. Now, you actually can just mash the accelerator and GO!

I read the entire reply. Wasn't really aware of the shift settings. I took the M3 to the track once, and the guys I went with were true car guys and knew all the settings that were very technical. Beyond just driving the car casually.

But even though the M3 looks cool, it wasn't a car I enjoyed driving everyday. I rented a Lamborghini Huracan, it was a cool experience, but its also a car I don't think I want to drive everyday because it's much more aggressive, really loud, many blind spots, uncomfortable seating position, everything that makes it cool made it inconvenient.

Tesla though, you can have the instant acceleration but comfortable drive when you want it. Plus autopilot. Only downside is the interior may be kind of boring compared to BMW / Mercedes. Doesn't have that swag appeal, but I heard its because Elon Musk is a programmer and intentionally went the route for a plain interior. But its nice the fake leather doesn't get wrinkles when it ages because leather seats of BMW / Mercedes def will.

 

[eisenb11]

I read the entire reply. Wasn't really aware of the shift settings. I took the M3 to the track once, and the guys I went with were true car guys and knew all the settings that were very technical. Beyond just driving the car casually.

But even though the M3 looks cool, it wasn't a car I enjoyed driving everyday. I rented a Lamborghini Huracan, it was a cool experience, but its also a car I don't think I want to drive everyday because it's much more aggressive, really loud, many blind spots, uncomfortable seating position, everything that makes it cool made it inconvenient.

Yeah, I get where you're coming from. I had a E92 M3 which was the last naturally aspirated one - it had the V8. Very low displacement, but very high redline - so it was fast and fun, but you had to really wind it out which was a lot of work for casual driving. Without going into the high rev range, the engine didn't produce much power. Same thing when I got a 991.1 911. Things were a little better with the 991.2 911 since it was twin turbo - the lower end torque helped in the lower rev range, but the car was designed to be close to natural aspiration, so you still have to go into the higher rev ranges to peak out - so still a good amount of work to drive.

Personally, I didn't mind these cars are dailys, but the Tesla is very nice in that I can instantly accelerate like you mentioned. Also agree on the interior - I'm OK with the simplicity, but wish the quality were a tad better. Also wish the exterior fit and finish were better for a car in that price range. Otherwise, very happy with my Tesla as well.

 

[dmurphy]

Is it just me or did that entire post seem to be written by some AI trolling?

... you must be new here.

@JetFalcon is many things, but not a troll, and definitely not an AI-bot.

 

[AMPd]

Nah, non-native English speaker most likely.

I had a M3 and know what he’s complaining about. Normal automatic transmissions can a bit unpredictable because you don’t know exactly what it’s going to do and there is often a significant lag before and during downshifts. The M3 has a DCT (dual clutch transmission). BMWs (actually Getrag’s) DCT implementation is a little quirky and can start bucking sometimes when you accelerate hard - usually happens at the worst time.

That said, this should be a non-issue with proper settings and planning.

First, he should manually downshift if he knows he’s going to need to tap the car’s power to get it into the power band - the lag prior to shifting is there because the car doesn’t know what the driver is *going* to do - it can’t read his mind. As the driver, he knows what he’s about to do... so take charge and downshift.

Second, the DCT should be configured on one of the more aggressive shift modes - I preferred the max setting, which was M6. The DCT actually shifts very fast, but there is a trade between quickness of the shift and comfort. Lower settings trade comfort for time/lag. You can assign settings to a preset, so I defined a preset with everything on or near max and drive with it on most of the time.

Some people seem to think that with ICE sports cars you just mash the gas and go, but that’s not the case. You need to *drive* them. Especially so with ones with low displacement high-revving engines. My M3 and Porsches fell into this category - it actually takes significant effort to drive them aggressively as a result. Upside, the engagement is fun - downside, it can be a chore.

All that goes out the window with electric motors, which the OP really likes. Now, you actually can just mash the accelerator and GO!

That’s why I love my M5 with the v10 engine. It ain’t a smooth ride but boy is it fun to drive. That 8500 rpm redline is sweeeet!

It’s so different than driving a Tesla that I feel like I can keep it until the wheels fall off and still enjoy it.