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Can some one comment on why traffic lights use the silly sequencethey do?

J

Jonno

Jan 1, 1970
0
It seems, with Red light cameras and road safety supposedly being the
primary concern, why the light sequence of traffic lights isnt made with
a programmed sequence where if a light is going to change its starts
flashing 5 seconds before it does change, then changes. All sequences
would then be a lot easier to comply with.
I believe it is used overseas but cannot find any info on it yet.
Anyone have any clues on this?
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
It seems, with Red light cameras and road safety supposedly being the
primary concern, why the light sequence of traffic lights isnt made with
a programmed sequence where if a light is going to change its starts
flashing 5 seconds before it does change, then changes. All sequences
would then be a lot easier to comply with.
I believe it is used overseas but cannot find any info on it yet.
Anyone have any clues on this?

Don't know about light sequences, but I love the "countdown" clocks
used on pedestrian crossings overseas, very sensible idea, you know
you've got N seconds left to dash across.

Everyone knows GREEN=Go, RED=Stop, YELLOW=Accelerate :->

Dave :)
 
K

kreed

Jan 1, 1970
0
It seems, with Red light cameras and road safety supposedly being the
primary concern, why the light sequence of traffic lights isnt made with
a programmed sequence where if a light is going to change its starts
flashing 5 seconds before it does change, then changes. All sequences
would then be a lot easier to comply with.
I believe it is used overseas but cannot find any info on it yet.
Anyone have any clues on this?



Moscow, russia had a system where the green light came on a few
seconds before the red light went off, so you could get ready to take
off when the red went out. :) I think there was a similar system with
the yellow light too, whereas the yellow light would come on before
the green went out. Amazingly too, almost all light sets I saw were
definitely LED, very thin housing, and they were pretty old too.
 
K

Kevin Martin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jonno said:
It seems, with Red light cameras and road safety supposedly being the
primary concern, why the light sequence of traffic lights isnt made with
a programmed sequence where if a light is going to change its starts
flashing 5 seconds before it does change, then changes. All sequences
would then be a lot easier to comply with.
I believe it is used overseas but cannot find any info on it yet.
Anyone have any clues on this?
How about this one? Link for Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Would seem to be the
ultimate by your definition.
Old bayside "lights" in Melbourne used a rotating disc with different
colour segments. An hour handed rotated around pointing to different
colour segments.
The problem and eventual demise of these type of lights in Melbourne is
that when it was "nearly red" drivers tend to speed up to beat them.

--
Regards

Kevin Martin

To reply - delete what is "not required" (Abbrev) from my address.
 
K

Kevin Martin

Jan 1, 1970
0
Jonno said:
It seems, with Red light cameras and road safety supposedly being the
primary concern, why the light sequence of traffic lights isnt made with
a programmed sequence where if a light is going to change its starts
flashing 5 seconds before it does change, then changes. All sequences
would then be a lot easier to comply with.
I believe it is used overseas but cannot find any info on it yet.
Anyone have any clues on this?
How about this one? Link for Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Would seem to be the
ultimate by your definition.

I suppose you would like the link? ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_light#Unusual_traffic-light_uses


Old bayside "lights" in Melbourne used a rotating disc with different
colour segments. An hour handed rotated around pointing to different
colour segments.
The problem and eventual demise of these type of lights in Melbourne is
that when it was "nearly red" drivers tend to speed up to beat them.

--
Regards

Kevin Martin

To reply - delete what is "not required" (Abbrev) from my address.
 
T

T.J. Dunster

Jan 1, 1970
0
What about the light sequence in the U.K.
From green to amber to red then amber to green, at least you have time to
get into gear while sitting at the lights and get away on the green.
And if you only see the amber, well then, caution, something is about to
happen.
 
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