Flashing Traffic Lights (Cincinnati, Wilson: law, dangerous, eat)

[ms12345]

In Ohio you are suppose to treat malfunctioning traffic lights like a four way stop. What about lights that get intentionally turned off each night? Anyone know? There is a traffic light at the intersection of Snider road and Cedar Village Dr. which functions normally during the day, but about 11PM each night it just flashes until the next morning. On Snider it flashes yellow and on Cedar Village it flashes red. Since this is seemingly intentional and happens every night I'm not sure if we are suppose to treat this as a four way stop. I didn't see where this is addressed in the drivers manual.

[Wilson513]

You follow the rules. Flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution. Flashing red means stop and yield to traffic from the right and left before proceeding.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

You follow the rules. Flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution. Flashing red means stop and yield to traffic from the right and left before proceeding.

Yes there are rules with most of these abnormalities. Prohlem is most do not learn them.

[Sarah Perry]

A lot of lights within the Cincinnati city limits are set to do that during low-traffic hours.

[ms12345]

The downside I guess is people not familiar with the area have no way to know if the light malfunctioning, or set that way on purpose. Ohio law says stop for malfunctioning lights.

[Wilson513]

There is no abnormality about this. Flashing lights are different than lights out.

Lights out = 4 way stop. Flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution. Flashing red means stop and yield.

How hard is that? Its in the law. You have to know these signals to get a driver's license.

[SWOH]

^Yes and no. What happens when you want to turn left from that red light, and the cross street is set at a continuous green?

This is what happens at a traffic light near my location with a 24 hr/day eatery. Many confused people sit at that light, not knowing what to do because it is highly illegal to turn left on Red, but yet the other direction will never have anything but green.

[ms12345]

OK, so here in Ohio, if a signal is flashing after a big storm, red side must stop and yellow basically has the right of way.

Thx

[rrtechno]

Originally Posted by SWOH

^Yes and no. What happens when you want to turn left from that red light, and the cross street is set at a continuous green?

This is what happens at a traffic light near my location with a 24 hr/day eatery. Many confused people sit at that light, not knowing what to do because it is highly illegal to turn left on Red, but yet the other direction will never have anything but green.

Q
While the status of the lights from the other directions will help determine when you may proceed, if it is a flashing red, you do not need to continue to sit there indefinitely.

If all are flashing red, it is a 4 way stop and you proceed with caution when it is your turn. If the cross street is flashing yellow, they have the right of way. If the cross street is a continuous green, someone needs to contact the proper department and/or police immediately or sooner to get the situation corrected. Flashing red and continuous green combination should not exist. If one side is flashing red, the cross street should be flashing either red or yellow.

Is the cross street a one way street or a two way street?

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by rrtechno

If the cross street is a continuous green, someone needs to contact the proper department and/or police immediately or sooner to get the situation corrected. Flashing red and continuous green combination should not exist.

Is the cross street a one way street or a two way street?

I left the part of your statement describing what is happening. It's not a good scenario, hopefully they have fixed it, but for a year at least this was not the case.

The street is a two way street, very busy suburban street near an interstate interchange with three lanes of traffic in each direction. At that time of night though (1am-5am) there are normally very few cars. So I guess that's why they figure it is ok? Either way it's really dangerous. Glad to hear it is also illegal.

Hopefully they have fixed it. I have not had the chance to witness it in about a year or two.