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Im not sure if this would be a peeve, but since I am a commercial driver,
I have noticed while driving around some parts of Sacramento and Elk Grove, Ca; that sometimes, I seem to be stopped at an intersection, with all four directions, waiting, for at least a minute. That doesnt seem very long until you need to be at the next drop, asap.
I have also noticed that many newer traffic signal systems are triggered by 'buttons' imbeded in the asphalt, along with the regular post mount for peds, so that if only one cross-traffic vehicle shows up,the street I am on, with higher volume, quickly gets a red and ends up having to stop abruptly to let that sole vehicle cross or turn left. Ugh!
Again, imbeded triggers. Not timers as older systems are governed by.
In training to drive a bus, we are told to "anticipate reds and to watch stale greens." But with the button triggers, that is barely possible. You have to instead whatch scan intersections an approach and the crosstraffic. Sounds like a lot of work, but it becomes a reflex after practice. Now these are just my observations, over many miles up and down through california's larger cities. But Im posting to see if you might have similar annoying obsevations or experiences to relate?
Last edited by Hegotsoul831; 03-30-2011 at 12:21 PM..
I believe that it was shown that the former anti car Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, instructed those in charde of the phasing of traffic lights to deliberately alter phasing in order to slow traffic down, thus making public transport a bit more appealing.
It makes you wonder what is going on.
The phasing of lights in my local big town is not logical if the intent is to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and reduce pollution.
Perversely maybe the enviromental aspect of what you are experiencing could be used as a lever to review this situation?
In Anchorage the city bus service is awful. The buses can not run on time due to what little traffic we have. Rather than extending the running time of the routes or planning routes they can stay on schedule with, the city at one point was actually considering giving the buses the same ability to change traffic lights the emergency vehicals have. I do not know if they went ahead with it. Seeing how it would probably cause more headaches than it prevents, the city will probably go ahead with it.
I believe that it was shown that the former anti car Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, instructed those in charge of the phasing of traffic lights to deliberately alter phasing in order to slow traffic down, thus making public transport a bit more appealing. It makes you wonder what is going on. The phasing of lights in my local big town is not logical if the intent is to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and reduce pollution. Perversely maybe the enviromental aspect of what you are experiencing could be used as a lever to review this situation?
That is a sensible consideration, based on my assumption that the objective would be to give priority to heavier volumed boulevards as opposed to the occasional trickle from residential side streets, some of which are even guided by left-turn arrows, which in my opinion deserve no more than a stop sign. Ridiculous! At at best, no more than a minimal sequence to cross bigger streets should be required. But conversely, this is what happens when you have a tight budget, making it difficult to aquire more traffic patrol officers, which by the way, actually educate drivers about traffic laws, by issuing tickets. Otherwise fuel, time tax money waste result from the implementation of poorly designed traffic phasing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AlaskanMutt
Rather than extending the running time of the routes or planning routes they can stay on schedule with, the city at one point was actually considering giving the buses the same ability to change traffic lights the emergency vehicals have. I do not know if they went ahead with it. Seeing how it would probably cause more headaches than it prevents, the city will probably go ahead with it.
They tried that here in Sacramento back in 2005. Im not sure if it is still in effect or works in busy traffic. But as with trolleys and light rail systems, I would think that in spite of causing singular headaches for people in automobiles, the objective would be to enable a city bus carrying 50 to 100 times more headache-free passengers, to move through rush our traffic as effortlessly as possible, in a shorter amount of time. This would be a typical situation where majority rules. Sorry.
Back in Birmingham (hometown! ) there's a crossroads on a busy ring road I used to drive regularly which has a traffic light filter to let in vehicles coming on from a supermarket car park but the lights are timed evenly all four ways so even at 3am you can be sitting waiting for the supermarket traffic lights to turn red even though the store is closed and the car park hasn't seen a vehicle in hours! I believe the word is 'exasperating'.
And they do as well here. Before the recession, the question was frequently asked, "why dont the buses run more often and cover more area?" The generic reply was and remains, "ridership is to low to justify."
And I always would reply, quoting the movie 'Field of Dreams', "Well if you build it, they will come." ...That is, if you can build a public transportation system that can lure people away from the safety and convenience of their personal automobiles, which seems to be difficult for most municipalites, save for maybe New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco, which even then, with the traffic nightmares make it nearly impossible to get around otherwise.
Back in Birmingham (hometown! ) there's a crossroads on a busy ring road I used to drive regularly which has a traffic light filter to let in vehicles coming on from a supermarket car park but the lights are timed evenly all four ways so even at 3am you can be sitting waiting for the supermarket traffic lights to turn red even though the store is closed and the car park hasn't seen a vehicle in hours! I believe the word is 'exasperating'.
Yes I can definitely relate to this kind of frustration.
Numerous times, I have been waiting way too long, at an empty intersection in my bus, in the very early morning hours, when very few businesses are open for some little car to come scurring out of a signal-controlled parking lot! And dont let me get started on how I almost have time change my oil, wating for double signals at freeway on and offramps!
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hegotsoul831
Im not sure if this would be a peeve, but since I am a commercial driver,
I have noticed while driving around some parts of Sacramento and Elk Grove, Ca; that sometimes, I seem to be stopped at an intersection, with all four directions, waiting, for at least a minute. That doesnt seem very long until you need to be at the next drop, asap.
I have also noticed that many newer traffic signal systems are triggered by 'buttons' imbeded in the asphalt, along with the regular post mount for peds, so that if only one cross-traffic vehicle shows up,the street I am on, with higher volume, quickly gets a red and ends up having to stop abruptly to let that sole vehicle cross or turn left. Ugh!
Again, imbeded triggers. Not timers as older systems are governed by.
In training to drive a bus, we are told to "anticipate reds and to watch stale greens." But with the button triggers, that is barely possible. You have to instead whatch scan intersections an approach and the crosstraffic. Sounds like a lot of work, but it becomes a reflex after practice. Now these are just my observations, over many miles up and down through california's larger cities. But Im posting to see if you might have similar annoying obsevations or experiences to relate?
I hate those traffic sensor things as a pedestrian because if there's no traffic going parallel to the direction I need to cross, I'm stuck waiting at a red light for EONS!
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