why don't we adopt these in the UK?
Discussion
The flashing green before amber such as used in Austria is also a great help on the approach to a stale green light.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbg242I-6Po
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbg242I-6Po
In China, some junctions have these count down timers for green, amber and red, it's a good idea but it also act as a double edge sword.
The driving standards in China are...er...there is no good way to say it, 99% of people are F--king S--t at driving, they have no concept of how long it takes to get to that light from X distance, and how fast they need to go from X distance to that light.
Most people will(should) know if they are going to make it, but these plonkers in China don't, they'll see Amber timer at two seconds to red and will floor it but only to do a emergency stop because they misjudged it.
But, I do like these count down timers tho, if I see a green light timer with only a couple of seconds on, I'll just coast to that light instead, can also get ready to go with red light timer with a couple seconds till change. It is a brilliant idea, but rubbish with crap drivers.
The driving standards in China are...er...there is no good way to say it, 99% of people are F--king S--t at driving, they have no concept of how long it takes to get to that light from X distance, and how fast they need to go from X distance to that light.
Most people will(should) know if they are going to make it, but these plonkers in China don't, they'll see Amber timer at two seconds to red and will floor it but only to do a emergency stop because they misjudged it.
But, I do like these count down timers tho, if I see a green light timer with only a couple of seconds on, I'll just coast to that light instead, can also get ready to go with red light timer with a couple seconds till change. It is a brilliant idea, but rubbish with crap drivers.
Why would drivers need a countdown? I can see that it works for peds so they can calculate if they have enough time to hobble across the road but just what is the reason for replicating for drivers?
Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
On the junctions where a timer would be most useful, i.e. busy 4 way junctions, most of these are variably timed based on traffic load, so wouldn't work.
And that's what the amber light is for anyway, can you imagine how bad it would be with a timer, oh i've got 20 seconds to quickly send this text, 25 seconds later still looking at phone, with lights on green rest of traffic beeping and getting annoyed.
And that's what the amber light is for anyway, can you imagine how bad it would be with a timer, oh i've got 20 seconds to quickly send this text, 25 seconds later still looking at phone, with lights on green rest of traffic beeping and getting annoyed.
I suppose it makes more folk aware it's their turn to go shortly so get off the mobile, put the Costa in the cup holder, stop shouting at the kids and get in to gear ready to roll.
I've seen these in the US but on the crossings for pedestrians so they know to get a wiggle on when crossing the road. 5 4 3 2 1.....move your butt cos Johnny Saxo is poised on the limiter to dump the clutch with is 67bhp
I've seen these in the US but on the crossings for pedestrians so they know to get a wiggle on when crossing the road. 5 4 3 2 1.....move your butt cos Johnny Saxo is poised on the limiter to dump the clutch with is 67bhp
DonkeyApple said:
Why would drivers need a countdown? I can see that it works for peds so they can calculate if they have enough time to hobble across the road but just what is the reason for replicating for drivers?
Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
There are benefits. It leads to less driver frustration if they know when the light is going to turn green. Ever been sat at a red for an inordinate amount of time and began to wonder if the lights are functioning correctly?Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
There's also the benefit that if you're rolling toward a red light and you know exactly how long until it turns green, you can judge your approach better. If the timer still has a long way to go, roll to a stop as normal. If you can see it will be switching to green within a few seconds, then it gives you more time to select the appropriate gear and adjust your speed so you can roll through smoothly. As opposed to driving up to the red light, stopping, putting the car in neutral and putting the handbrake on, only to have the light change. Arguably this could make for smoother more efficient driving.
There's also the benefit that it could improve driver habits. I don't know about you but I have a terrible habit of sitting at the lights in gear with my foot on the clutch. Not sure why I do it...laziness perhaps, and I like to pull away smartly as soon as I can so I don't hold people up.
I am well aware its a bad habit and one I'm trying to break. If the lights had a timer I would find it much easier, as I'd be more likely to put the car in neutral and wait rather than trying to ready myself to pull away.
TheCarMadDad said:
...Traffic lights with count down timers on them? I've seen them in several countries across Europe and they work very well. Motorists know exactly when they are going to change so it reduces idiots going through on amber/red.
Because we live in the Dark Ages? The basic light system is so out-of-date and simplistic IMHOAround here, all (or almost all) of the traffic lights have cameras on them which are used to change the lights when there's no cars left on the green phase. That would make it rather hard to have a count-down.
Having driven a lot in Bulgaria where most lights have count-downs, I can see the arguments for both systems, but personally I prefer to have our lights that make efficient use of the road space available rather than sitting on a phase that no-one wants just so they can have an accurate count-down.
Having driven a lot in Bulgaria where most lights have count-downs, I can see the arguments for both systems, but personally I prefer to have our lights that make efficient use of the road space available rather than sitting on a phase that no-one wants just so they can have an accurate count-down.
Conscript said:
DonkeyApple said:
Why would drivers need a countdown? I can see that it works for peds so they can calculate if they have enough time to hobble across the road but just what is the reason for replicating for drivers?
Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
There are benefits. It leads to less driver frustration if they know when the light is going to turn green. Ever been sat at a red for an inordinate amount of time and began to wonder if the lights are functioning correctly?Are people so thick that they don't know that the red light will change at some perfectly acceptable point in the future?
There's also the benefit that if you're rolling toward a red light and you know exactly how long until it turns green, you can judge your approach better. If the timer still has a long way to go, roll to a stop as normal. If you can see it will be switching to green within a few seconds, then it gives you more time to select the appropriate gear and adjust your speed so you can roll through smoothly. As opposed to driving up to the red light, stopping, putting the car in neutral and putting the handbrake on, only to have the light change. Arguably this could make for smoother more efficient driving.
There's also the benefit that it could improve driver habits. I don't know about you but I have a terrible habit of sitting at the lights in gear with my foot on the clutch. Not sure why I do it...laziness perhaps, and I like to pull away smartly as soon as I can so I don't hold people up.
I am well aware its a bad habit and one I'm trying to break. If the lights had a timer I would find it much easier, as I'd be more likely to put the car in neutral and wait rather than trying to ready myself to pull away.
Who cares if someone can't handle waiting their turn, that's their failing as a human being and they clearly have deeper seated issues that a count down clock is not going to resolve.
And sitting on the clutch, that's the owner's choice why should the taxpayer finance some system that may or may not achieve anything.
It's where we have gone totally mad as a country that we embrace pointless expenditure to cater for what are basically idiots and then whinge that we pay too much tax and that it is being wasted on idiots.
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