Comments on: Traffic Light Neurosis

By: Thomas Kent

Thomas Kent — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:47:30 +0000

In reply to K. Zachary:
I too use the pedestrian sginals as an indicator as to when to stop or go. (Flashing indicator = go; steady = stop).
Having said that, though, the traffic reulations DO state that amber lights means that one must SLOW DOWN AND PREPARE TO STOP.

By: K. Zachary

K. Zachary — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:18:12 +0000

I wonder what, if any, might be the effect of pedestrian signals that countdown the seconds to red. I have found that I frequently look there to determine whether to speed up slightly or prepare to stop. Perhaps this is useful only because I drive exactly the same route every day.

Amber lights are almost useless. They simply are not a reliable guide because they all seem to be set at different intervals.

By: David Hembrow

David Hembrow — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 05:41:35 +0000

What this demonstrates is the way that everything is announced. Who would publish that they’d got rid of traffic lights / installed traffic lights / removed white lines / painted white lines and not append that there was a “substantial decrease” in accidents as a result ?

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 20:35:57 +0000

In U.S. , the timing of amber lights varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and is therefore not a reliable indicator of time left to red. There have been reports of jurisdictions shortening the amber light time cycle when automated red light cameras are installed…..

By: Mike Chalkley

Mike Chalkley — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:35:33 +0000

Hi - just bought your book & turned onto your blog - I’m tempted to become more activist in my town by your good work - keep it up!!.

On the subject of traffic lights - do you not have the amber light in the USA? I find that I can judge very well how much time there is to get through when I see the light turn to amber - I don’t see how this causes us to react in ways that differ much to our more primitive hunting reflexes where we might judge when to leap out to catch an animal, say.

Giving too much information on when the light will change will surely encourage more last minute racing through the lights. The antithesis of the ’shared space’ principle and all it’s benefits.

Kind Regards

Mike Chalkley
Bournemouth
UK

By: Eric Fischer

Eric Fischer — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 01:37:02 +0000

The only thing I’ve been able to turn up is this reference in Traffic Control at Signalized Street Intersections (http://hdl.handle.net/2027.42/7426, p. 69) indicating that a synchronized traffic light system was *installed* in Bayonne and neighboring cities in 1932. It’s surprising that they would install an elaborate system only to remove it again two years later.