I am wondering if others here do what I find myself doing at times. I am approaching a stoplight and there is traffic ahead of me in both lanes. On the left, a 1992 Ford Taurus driven by someone with gray hair (no offense to those with gray hair btw), and on the right a souped up Honda Civic Si driven by some high school/college kid.

I find myself attempting to guess which vehicle is going to pull away from the light faster, thus I want to get behind them to get where I am going quicker.

Now the example above may be more clear cut, but it gets harder when it is say a mini-van vs. a pickup truck and both drivers are on the phone.

I was thinking there should be some sort of formula for this that I/we could come up with to help Cayman drivers make the right call (well most of the time anyway).

Thoughts? Suggestions? Am I weird for doing this???

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K-Man S

No, you're not weird. In fact, safe driving somethimes depends on it: I always size-up the cars behind me before choosing to slow and make a left turn into my neighborhood at one particular entrance closest to my house (street is narrow there, and traffic behind me will pass on my right--between me and a stone wall). If I don't consider them trustworthy, I go another 3 blocks to where there is a left turn lane.
And I have always been distrustful of young people in Pontiacs when driving in traffic. Triple caution: young, Pontiac, and community jr. college parking sticker!
Other threats: big trucks throw stones, pick-ups with unsecured loads, really old folks, mommy vans, and ricers.

Hahahahahahahaha. I do this everyday! I know exactly how you feel. I do the exact samething and I even drive in the middle of two lanes sometimes(more then I should) so I can see traffic 500 ft ahead and plan my moves. learned this when I got bord driving to vegas... Its like chess with 250+ horses

Sure I size up the traffic and decide who I'm inevitably going to be stuck behind will provide the least pain. But, what I really think about is how a GE 20mm Vulcan mini-gun mounted in the nose of whatever I'm driving would make all that jockeying unecessary!ZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzz

Sapple I don't know if I agree with driving in the middle of two lanes... no idea how I'd explain that to a cop.

I size up traffic all the time, especially when I'm in the mood to go fast. Something I've realized, at least here in Gainesville, SUV's often take off faster than sport sedans, even luxo sedans...crazy gas hogs. Also, eco-boxes (usually of the American breed, not as much civics and corollas) often floor it off the line as well.

What's funny is that even though I typically go off the line fast, if someone has changed lanes behind me with the presumption that I'm going to go faster than the guy next to me... I'll purposely drive off like a snail.

- Suneet

Followed a yellow Toyota FJ for three miles today in traffic on a three lane city road. He changed lanes 14 times (without signaling) in order to improve his positon. We both wound up at the same place at the end of the road and I had not changed lanes at all. Must be the color....

FJ owner must not have realized that his yellow is not "Speed" yellow...

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K-Man S

When I say drive in the middle of the lane. I didn't really know how 2 explain it, but I change lanes and while in the middle I look thro the two lanes to see other cars positions

I always get behind a motorcycle if available. Generally, there is assurance of a rapid start...and they acknowledge you as you pass them.

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Swamp

I do it regularly.

I agree that most people (me included) do it regularly. But most times it's really a **** shoot. And most likely it doesn't save us much time/gas/etc. Yet when I see someone else overdoes it (changing lane every 5 seconds, no turn signals), it annoys me very much...*shrug* I don't understand myself either.

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2006 Porsche Cayman S, Lapis Blue

If you can predict which car is going to get away from a light first, you are in the wrong business (whatever business you are in). People are strange, and drivers are among the strangest. Go to Vegas or Atlantic City and take up gambling as a profession.

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Fredyy