Roads would be safer without traffic lights - discuss
Discussion
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2233693/...
I can see the point of the article and agree with the principle, however i fear that the "using your brain instead" part will fail to apply to some of the gormless twonks that inhabit the roads today
I can see the point of the article and agree with the principle, however i fear that the "using your brain instead" part will fail to apply to some of the gormless twonks that inhabit the roads today
Safer, possibly, because none of the traffic would actually be moving. I've seen the result of the temporary traffic lights around here failing to activate in the rush hour and it can lengthen my commute from ten minutes to an hour.
I think a lot of sets could be replaced with something else, but in some places traffic lights are the best solution.
I think a lot of sets could be replaced with something else, but in some places traffic lights are the best solution.
They've forgotten how they're paid for
Traffic lights can be installed for free by a traffic light company but paid in annual maintenance contracts so easy to budget from council tax £x,000 in traffic lights
Roundabouts or junction layouts can directly cost the council to install and so have to be claimed out of capital works
It's about justifiying budgets not safety or overall cost
Traffic lights can be installed for free by a traffic light company but paid in annual maintenance contracts so easy to budget from council tax £x,000 in traffic lights
Roundabouts or junction layouts can directly cost the council to install and so have to be claimed out of capital works
It's about justifiying budgets not safety or overall cost
kambites said:
Safer, possibly, because none of the traffic would actually be moving. I've seen the result of the temporary traffic lights around here failing to activate in the rush hour and it can lengthen my commute from ten minutes to an hour.
OTOH I have seen traffic light failures that have caused a remarkable improvement in traffic flow. ISTR a big success in Portishead in an experiment where the lights in the town center were switched off and congestion plummeted.
Mr2Mike said:
kambites said:
Safer, possibly, because none of the traffic would actually be moving. I've seen the result of the temporary traffic lights around here failing to activate in the rush hour and it can lengthen my commute from ten minutes to an hour.
OTOH I have seen traffic light failures that have caused a remarkable improvement in traffic flow. ISTR a big success in Portishead in an experiment where the lights in the town center were switched off and congestion plummeted.Obviously some are just rubbish, though.
The powers that be fitted them to a local roundabout on my daily commute. And painted a new set of lanes that no body uses properly and now the traffic tails off onto the dual carriageway causing mayhem. Probably would work if the numb t
ts used the lanes properly.
Every one queues in the rip hand lane in stead of using both lanes. Then as they pull off the lights they drive straight over a lane cutting anyone off who's in the proper lane and cue blasted horns etc. Muppets.
ts used the lanes properly. Every one queues in the rip hand lane in stead of using both lanes. Then as they pull off the lights they drive straight over a lane cutting anyone off who's in the proper lane and cue blasted horns etc. Muppets.
If not removed, many could be used only at certain (peak) times, and almost all turned off at night, or either showing flashing orange with no priority, or green on the major road, and flashing orange on the minor. Of course, this would require the government to actualy think lateraly, so it'll never happen.
What about dispensing with amber altogether?
I find when driving abroad, I am more intent on watching the lights without the amber "buffer" that people take to mean "accelerate as fast as you can. A straight green/red/camera would fix much of this along with lights that change to red if you speed between them.
I find when driving abroad, I am more intent on watching the lights without the amber "buffer" that people take to mean "accelerate as fast as you can. A straight green/red/camera would fix much of this along with lights that change to red if you speed between them.
LuS1fer said:
What about dispensing with amber altogether?
I find when driving abroad, I am more intent on watching the lights without the amber "buffer" that people take to mean "accelerate as fast as you can. A straight green/red/camera would fix much of this along with lights that change to red if you speed between them.
wouldn't that vastly increase the number of tickets? With amber, if you're travelling at a reasonable speed you're assured of either clearing the lights before red, or stopping before they change. Without, no matter how slow you go you risk the lights changing just before you've crossed - hey presto, fine.I find when driving abroad, I am more intent on watching the lights without the amber "buffer" that people take to mean "accelerate as fast as you can. A straight green/red/camera would fix much of this along with lights that change to red if you speed between them.
I do very much like the speed-sensitive traffic lights though -- a small punishment (10s or so of your time, with the driver going the other way staring murderously at you) rather than a big one, delivered right after the 'crime' rather than a week after (by which time you've probably forgotten where you were), no arguing about 'it's unjust as I was only doing 2.31 over the limit' - you just get used to the idea that in built-up areas speeding isn't going to be worthwhile. It's still a reliance on speed rather than careful driving, but it's much better than gatsos.
paranoid airbag said:
wouldn't that vastly increase the number of tickets? With amber, if you're travelling at a reasonable speed you're assured of either clearing the lights before red, or stopping before they change. Without, no matter how slow you go you risk the lights changing just before you've crossed - hey presto, fine.
From looking at speed camera photos, it is evident that people still cross on red even when amber has been illuminated for about 5 seconds beforehand. My own observations over about 35 years driving is that the occasions when people genuinely cannot stop on aber or red are astonishingly rare and 99 times out of 100, it is a deliberate race to beat the light. I believe a strict red would make less people want to bet on getting through and they would approach lights far more slowly than is currently the case. You could have an appeal for genuine red light transgressions where your story could be compared to the photos to divine if there was any truth in it.
In South Africa they have a lot of 4 way stop streets instead of traffic lights (called robots there.)
They seem to work really well, as it made you more aware of what was going on ahead of and beside you and surprisingly enough I never saw an accident. Obviously a few idiots would not wait their turn, but as drivers would have come to a complete stop there was no chance of a collision happening. I have noticed that when I drive through on a green light I take it for granted that it is safe yet on a roundabout I do not trust anyone.
They seem to work really well, as it made you more aware of what was going on ahead of and beside you and surprisingly enough I never saw an accident. Obviously a few idiots would not wait their turn, but as drivers would have come to a complete stop there was no chance of a collision happening. I have noticed that when I drive through on a green light I take it for granted that it is safe yet on a roundabout I do not trust anyone.
The worst invention of all is roundabouts with traffic lights.
They have butchered a once beautiful relatively freeflowing roundabout near me with some awful "hamburger" configuration which causes massive disruption every day. Search Chester hamburger roundabout if you're interested.
I believe that in alot of situations traffic lights are not required, some places need them in towns etc or you would never get out of side roads but in many places they do nothing but slow down the flow of traffic.
One thing that is most certainly required in our country imo is being able to turn left even on a red light at cross roads (as per America except they can turn right) The stupid nanny state government should be able to trust people to be able to turn right at lights.
They have butchered a once beautiful relatively freeflowing roundabout near me with some awful "hamburger" configuration which causes massive disruption every day. Search Chester hamburger roundabout if you're interested.
I believe that in alot of situations traffic lights are not required, some places need them in towns etc or you would never get out of side roads but in many places they do nothing but slow down the flow of traffic.
One thing that is most certainly required in our country imo is being able to turn left even on a red light at cross roads (as per America except they can turn right) The stupid nanny state government should be able to trust people to be able to turn right at lights.
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