Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This is stupid.
This is what WILL happen. Everyone will be sitting there watching the last RED grain of sand of time drop down - and will hit the accelerator. While there will be a guy coming to beat the light.
BOOOMMMMM!!!
What I though was stupid is the yellow ready light.
Someone approaches the intersection and sees a yellow light. They assume that means caution, about to turn read, so they floor it. What it really means by this chart is red but about to turn green. However you only know that if you have been sitting there. The newcomer will accelerate right into crossing traffic who will have a green light.
Pretty clear the artist has no idea how lights and traffic flow works. However it is easy enough to eliminate the yellow "get ready" cycle.
The general concept is kind of cool though. I would like to have some idea of the time that is left. It looks like they are not very bright in the drawings, but that is an easy fix.
the other problem is drivers are kind of stupid now. Will they really be able to examine the sign, interpret it and act appropriately in a fraction of a second? I think that is why we stuck with the super simple red yellow green.
It is bad enough that in some parts of the country yellow means stop if you possibly can and in other states it means floor it. Already we get the Michigan driver in California slamming on their brakes on a yellow while the Californian behind them is flooring the accelerator in anticipation the drive ahead of them will do the same.
What I though was stupid is the yellow ready light.
Someone approaches the intersection and sees a yellow light. They assume that means caution, about to turn read, so they floor it. What it really means by this chart is red but about to turn green. However you only know that if you have been sitting there. The newcomer will accelerate right into crossing traffic who will have a green light.
Pretty clear the artist has no idea how lights and traffic flow works. However it is easy enough to eliminate the yellow "get ready" cycle.
The general concept is kind of cool though. I would like to have some idea of the time that is left. It looks like they are not very bright in the drawings, but that is an easy fix.
the other problem is drivers are kind of stupid now. Will they really be able to examine the sign, interpret it and act appropriately in a fraction of a second? I think that is why we stuck with the super simple red yellow green.
It is bad enough that in some parts of the country yellow means stop if you possibly can and in other states it means floor it. Already we get the Michigan driver in California slamming on their brakes on a yellow while the Californian behind them is flooring the accelerator in anticipation the drive ahead of them will do the same.
I'm fairly certain that in ALL STATES yellow means stop if you possibly can in a safe manner and in no state does it MEAN floor it.
Don't forget: LED traffic lights don't generate heat, meaning they ice over in colder parts of the country. The current design allows for use of incandescent lights, or LEDs, depending on location -- but either way, they still have the same recognizable form.
Just before the light goes green, you have a second of the red and yellow lights on simultaneously. If you're watching the traffic lights, this gives you a clear indication that the light is about to change to green. If you shut your car off at a light to conserve fuel / reduce emissions, this gives you the signal to turn your car back on. If you drive manual, this gives you a clear indicator to clutch in, and put it in gear.
This concept wouldn't require changing every single traffic light in America -- just a simple reprogramming of the lights we already have. Areas that get cold enough for LED traffic lights to freeze can continue to use their current incandescent lights.
We had yellow between any light changes back in ol country. Green>yellow>red>yellow>green. We also had lights on "our" side of intersection. Sort of neck breaking if you were first 2 cars.
Habit embed fast. We had several drivers that moved from there to here, so used to stop right in front of the street light, that they will cross intersection - on red - and stop in front of it - on the intersection other side.
Of course it will never happen as the replacement costs would be prohibitive. But a great idea nonetheless.
What do you like about it?
I like the "time remaining" idea for green, though the smarter states have addressed time remaining for green if you simply watch the pedestrian cross-walk timer. Nice for knowing when you absolutely, positively won't make a light and can abstain from coming up on the intersection at full speed and needing lots of brakes.
If you have to ask why that's bad, it's because intersections are the place where all the leaky cars leak their fluids and are the Slickest sections of road you'll traverse. Needing to brake suddenly on the section of road with the least traction is just poor planning.
I *don't* like the light being yellow between BOTH the green -> red and red -> green transitions. Seems like an accident just waiting to happen with the excuse of "I thought it was yellow going to red and I was okay to go". Red staying red with a numerical countdown would make more sense, though I'm sorta torn between thinking a countdown would be handy and it being a dumb idea. Anyone who wants to know that currently will just watch the cross-street lights for the change, or at least that's what I do. Everyone else will still just have their nose glued to their phone screen and ignore it like they ignore everything else.
Instead of introducing some new light concept, I think people should learn how to drive with our existing light concept. Seriously people, there are only 3 colors to figure out. If you cannot figure it out, you shouldn't be behind the wheel of a vehicle.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
