Traffic Light - Red means STOP, Green means GO, what does YELLOW meant to YOU?

submerryn.. No way that I prepare to slow down if I am just the next car in line for the yellow light. I hate those drivers that purposely slow down over the yellow light, and cause the cars at the back unable to pass the light. Sometimes, we never know whether the party behind is in a rush or not. I would suggest that we as drivers do our part and be considerate on the road. If you are at the traffic light, and it's showing 'yellow', it very much depends on which position are we in. if we are just right at the front, what's wrong put a bit accelerator as then there be more cars able to pass the traffic? But I will be ready to stop, if I am right far behind, just in case...

Dear submerryn, You are fast, I was thinking about this topic yesterday! To be very frank, most Malaysian will 'go faster', if not you will get a "horn' from the driver behind you. I used to say, if they horned me, "If I got a summon ticket, will you pay for me?" in my heart of course! But in Shanghai worse still : If the traffic light turn red, the car won't stop, it will slow deown a bit and just horn and go! I still remember the tour leader told us, careful when you cross the road, here they do not stop on red light! Incredible, that's why I told my son, if you can drive in Shanghai, India and Thailand, you can drive anyway in this world! lol!

Yellow is the alert signal.When you are in halt,a yellow alerts you to start your vehicle and get ready for the move.When you are running,then yellow alerts you to expect red soon and you have to slow down.It doesn't mean to speed up.To conclude,yellow is an "ALERT SIGNAL".Cheers!

Lol.:P I dont drive acrually but my Husband do, we only got motorbike and we are using it for transport in our everyday transactions. My husband usually use it for his transactions in going to his office and sometimes meeting me up in a certain place that we agreed to go to. and when I'm his backride already he really go slow down when the light is yellow whenever his really far from the crossing area, but when we are nearer the crossing and it's already red. we tend to get faster to avoid reckless cars coming. Coz we don't know the minds of ones person. so we better stay alert.:) He doesn't want any delays.

If I'm in the United States, I definitely slow down when I see the yellow light. Because I have realized that in the U.S. as soon as my light turns red, the other ones turn green immediately! And most of the people, start driving as soon as their light turn green. Over here where I live, Curacao, I speed up sometimes to beat the red light because when my light turns red, it takes about 10 seconds for sure before the other lights turn green. And knowing myself, even if I'm here or in the U.S., when I'm stopped at a red light that's about to turn green, the moment it turns green, I look out first before I start driving. Because sometimes there are crazy people driving around, and I start driving innocently through my green light while other people that tried to beat their red light are still passing through. Basically nowadays you got to look out for yourself and for others when it comes to traffic.

It depends how close I am to the intersection when the light is yellow, as well as how fast I am going. Of course I always try to take the safe route, but if I feel I can make the light at the speed I am going, I will just go. I don't speed up to make the light, I just judge the distance, say "I can make it," and maintain the speed I have across the intersection. I guess it depends on being in context and how fast you're going.

As a kid, I was always told that the yellow light meant slow down and be extra careful. When I asked my mom why a lot of people didn't seem to obey that rule, she told me pointedly "honey that's because some people are stupid". I laughed at that and should I ever get a driver's listen will remember that story and try not to be one of those stupid people.

Hello, first,... let me express myself a little ( hahahhahaha... hahhaha) this is funny. Of course, my daughter always ask me what yellow means too. and I told her in funny thing, I said it means go faster and faster before the red light is coming. and then when she see yellow then she said go faster. lolz. Man, I am a terrible mother or something. well, honestly I will speed up but it also depend how far I am between the light too. if close, then fast and if far then I will stop.

Its me again! For me, it depends on the traffic situation there. If the traffic is light and ok, I'll speed up when the traffic light turns yellow. But if the traffic is heavy, I'll slow down and stop before it turns red. =)

I always slow down a bit when approaching a traffic light, even when it is still green, I will reduce my speed a little. When it's yellow and I am still far, I will slow down and get ready to halt too. But if I think there's still enough time then yes, I speed up occasionally.

Honestly, it depends on the road situation around me. If the road / traffic around me is lonely, i'll speed up my car if I see yellow^^,, but if I'm in a crowded traffic then for my own and othere's safety I'll slow down my car.. I know it's not safe if we choose to go faster if we already see yellow light, but come on, time is money,, is it?

Slow down at yellow lights. Then again I'm slow no matter what but I drive on old volkswagon bug and they do not go fast anyway. But I have seen a lot of poeple speed up and some very close calls. So thanks for the question and maybe more people will pay more attention to the real meaning of the US traffic signals.

well here in phillipines the yellow means be ready to go or prepare to go....

I see what you mean, on most occassions that's what I do as well, but only if I'm already at the intersection. but when I see people that just step on the gas and floor it when they aren't even close to the intersection, wonder to myself and what would happen if they smashed into someone else. Most of the time before they even come close the light turns red. Most of the lights around here now have camera and catch people that run red lights. I'm still trying to figure out how to explain the yellow light to my kids when they get old enough.

For people in big cities, Green light means you can drive away safely without getting stuck at the Reds. However when they see the Yellow light they push the accelerator and speed up to beat the red signal and try to get through the signal. Similar is my case in Mumbai wherein sometimes even when the signal has already turned red, still people go through the signal. But actually this is what helps these cities to cope up with traffic. The more cars pass through the signals the lesser is the line behind the signal. So, we should also look at the positive side of it.

Honestly I'm a little of both. I've gotten to where if it changes and I think I can go then I will, but if its too risky then I just slow down and stop. The worst thing is that most people don't know exactly what turn on red, no turn on red, or turn on green means. Its hard to tell when you are at a busy intersection what you are supposed to do especially if it is not labeled clearly as some of the traffic light situations can be very confusing if you've never drove down that street before. Its odd though that most people are out driving because they have there driving license and then you figure that the stupid or crazy or insane ones are probably the ones that have nothing to lose. I think thats why they do because they've already lost there license so there is nothing to lose if they hit someone. The insurance will just take it at a lose more than likely and they'll get off on a minimum fine for driving without a license. So, go figure. Then its usually the other person that has everything in order that gets hurt the worse through out the whole thing.

Hi Merryn, nice discussion! I like it. Please share with me what you are going to teach your son about the yellow light. I thought it is orange light, LOL.If I am on the road that I need to go straight, then when I see the yellow light meaning I need to speed up! If I need to make a turn, then I normally will slow down once I see yellow light.

I try to beat the red light if I can, but normally I just stop because by the time I see the yellow light its too late and it turns red, but if it turns yellow as I am getting really close or passing it I try to beat it.

In New Zealand you will be fined for going through the 'yellow' light (here it is orange). It is a warning that it is about to change to Red so the only time a person is legally allowed to go through an orange light is when they are already on the intersection when it changed from green to orange. Yes, many people try to race through when it turns orange but if a traffic officer sees them he will issue a ticket.

yellow mean make it fast. wahaha XD