Odd driver behavior I saw today in Hilo

[EightFingers]

White van would pull up to a stoplight and while waiting for the green, the driver would open the door and leave it open until the light turned green. Then at the next light would do it again. Why would someone do this?

[alohanaia]

I will guess a wild mozzy in the cabin, or the place smells like a hot diaper? Tho one never really knows the mind of another.

[kalianna]

To let the smoke out of the car they're not supposed to be smoking in?

[TomK]

"White van would pull up to a stoplight and while waiting for the green, the driver would open the door and leave it open until the light turned green. Then at the next light would do it again. Why would someone do this?"

An old trick I learned many years ago driving a beat-up vehicle that had problems with the cooling system. Turn up the heater and put the fan on high. It takes heat from the engine and sends it inside but stops the engine from overheating.

Very uncomfortable when it's hot but it works. Opening the door might just have been to let the heat out.

[PaulW]

I used to do that too in my clapped out car(s)! Well, not open the door but instead the windows and have the heater blowing max.

[bgiles]

Tom, I have had the same experience. I had to do it in the desert, wife thought I was an idiot but we made it into town. Your heater is essentially a second radiator.

I suspect airing out smoke would be a likely reason as well.

[Carey]

We did that once with a wasp in the car....took 3 stops for it to get the message....
Never even thought about how it looked until now...

[terracore]

Imagine if after he opened the door and then got back into vehicle, the driver in the car behind got out and closed the door, so the driver in the van repeated the process of opening it, and so the guy behind got out again and closed it, and this repeated stoplight after stoplight. Not funny. But speed up the video and add the Benny Hill music with a laugh track and now you've got something.