On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:26:32 +0100, Steve Walker
wrote:

On Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:56:32 -0700 (PDT), Matty F wrote:

So, you are driving along at night and you reach traffic lights which
are red for you. Nobody else has been through the intersection for 10
minutes or more.
Why do traffic engineers make you wait at the red light for 10 or more
seconds before the green light for the cross road changes to orange?
I've spoken to a traffic light engineer and he has no good reason for
the delay, which can easily be set to 0 seconds. But they don't do
that, just because they have always had a delay. Are they stupid, or
is there a good reason for the delay?
I'm not actually that impatient, but there is a situation where public
transport has a tight schedule to keep, and the extra 10 or 20 seconds
on every trip does make a difference, and is a waste of time anyway.

Personally I've generally thought that at night, in many locations, it
would make a lot of sense to have a green light permanently on for the main
road, with a flashing red on the side road meaning Stop and procede when
safe. A bit like France's flashing amber, but there you still have to slow
on the main road, as the side road can also be flashing amber and traffic
may emerge without stopping.

Or just switch the traffic lights off? Save a few pennies in
electrickery too ;-)

There's one junction that actually changes to red against me
sometimes, even when there is no other traffic around :-(
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.
[Reply-to address valid until it is spammed.]