I was reading a report in the paper today that some pedestrian lights are being altered to give less time to pedestrians. ( Good idea, make 'em jump ! )
This jogged my memory about a set of lights at a crossroads locally. It is quite busy both ways on one road but less so on the other. When going away from home the lights give plenty of time to clear traffic, including a right turn arrow. Coming back, the lights are on green for precisely 6 seconds, leading to tailbacks, especially at 'school chucking out' time If there is a mimser at the head of the queue who doesn't realise that being in gear would be a good idea then only2 or 3 cars get across. Any other examples out there ?
Ted
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Being in gear is'nt a good idea if your foot slips off the cluch while a pedestrian is crossing in front of your car! I see these people all the time, car rocking backwards and forwards on the clutch at the stop line - does not make them any quicker away from the lights!
Think less about being in a hurry and more about travelling with everyone's safety in mind.
Call the appropriate highway authority and complain about the light timing.
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Crossing are ineffective in this country because we don't have the American jay walking laws.
One day, some one will wake up and realise that pedestrians have some responsibility for their own safety as well.
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One day some one will wake up and realise that pedestrians have some responsibility for their own safety.>>
Just like car drivers.
Edited by Old Navy on 13/03/2009 at 09:36
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We do take responsibility, that's why we don't, generally, drive on pavements, ignore red lights, drive while inebriated, etc., etc. Unlike pedestrians who all these things. when was the last time a pedestrian was charged with crossing against the red light at a pedestrian crossing?
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I wish I had a litre of derv for every time I have witnessed a pedestrian weaving between cars on a main road, less than 20 yards from a pelican crossing. Why do they risk life and limb rather than walk that extra 20 yards. Is it because some believe that all vehicles should come to a complete holt the minute they leave the pavement ?
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Surely if you apply the hand brake and hold on the bite you wont move until you release.
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Surely if you apply the hand brake and hold on the bite you wont move until you release.
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Boris: Do you drive a company car? I would not abuse my clutch like that. Do you hold that state untill you can smell the clutch lining burning?
Edited by Old Navy on 13/03/2009 at 10:19
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I did grow up arround company cars, I wasnt suggesting that you hold it for entire duration whilst your sat there twiddling your thumbs waiting for the lights to change, just that if a driver felt inclined to hold the bite badly rolling fowards and backwards as observed above, maybe the handbrake might come in useful for them.
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I dont see the reason for holding a car on the clutch, Whats difficult about "engage gear, off hand brake, (or hill start), move off"?
I wonder if this could be one reason for DMF failures?
Edited by Old Navy on 13/03/2009 at 10:48
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In Darlington, on the Geneva Road / Yarm Road Crossing.
This Junction is nightmare - the traffic lights here will let 2/3 cars through from the Geneva Road side - the line is set way back from the actual junction and the road is not wide enough to have markings so if you are turning right onto geneva road you have to sit in the middle and wait for cars to come past you from the road at the other side, by this time the lights would have gone red, and the cars on yarm road (on your left and right) have started to come towards you as they are on green.
Also when one set of lights have turned from Green to red, the other ones are already moving to green this does not give enough time for the situation above, and IF someone has jumped the lights from set back stop line on Geneva Road you are more or less on a collsion course
Its hard for me to axplain writing this down and i dont want to rant on - I did complain to the coucil about this but its fallen of deaf ears
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In Darlington on the Geneva Road / Yarm Road Crossing. This Junction is nightmare>>
I dont know this junction but it sounds like thousands of junctions throughout the country, designed in the days of the horse and cart I expect. Remember a green traffic light does not give you, or anyone an absolute right of way, it allows movement if the road is clear. You say that if someone jumps the red on Geneva Road there could be a collision, This applies to any junction and as you know that this one is particularly difficult, nothing should come as a surprise. If the local council ignore your complaint, try the local press, they may be happy to have a go at the council.
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Yes thats very true..
But what I meant by "Jumping the red light" is that if it has just gone from Amber to Red, and someone sneaks through - the ones on the other side have already gone to amber, then to green so it does not allow for this at all, more people sneak through becasue the side on Geneva Road with its set back stop line litreally lets 3 cars through as apposed to the other side where its longer
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A well designed traffic control system can offer some protection against a collision with cars going through on a late amber [red] by sensing the lateness and putting a couple of seconds delay in giving the green to the next traffic flow.
In any case, the giving of a new green is later than the new red that stops the flow.
Edited by buzbee on 13/03/2009 at 17:45
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We have two junctions in my area with "set back" stop lines, one on the access route to the bus station and is to allow busses to turn left into a narrow road. the other on an access to an industrial area to allow HGVs to turn left, that one has staggered stop lines the right lane is set back about a bus length from the normally configured left lane, (one lane into road). Both these junctions are "blind" but I am only aware of one accident in the last 15 years or so. The second junction is on the access to our A&E (soon to be shut by Nu Labour), and is frequently used by emergency vehicles, (responce to hospital toaster smoke alarm, drunks in A&E, and people in real need of help).
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The second junction is on the access to our A&E (soon to be shut by Nu Labour)
Thought you said in another thread you lived in Fife?
Isn't it old nats closing hospitals in Scotland.
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Policy and process started by Labour years ago, the Nats wont change it unless politically profitable, it isnt in Fife.
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What about those ridiculous traffic lights which turn red as you approach them even though there is no-one on any road governed by the junction? They seem to turn green again after about six or seven seconds, by which time you have been forced to stop, your fuel economy falls through the floor, and emissions rise...real daftness. I have just turned 40, and starting to display some worrying grumbly traits. Still, this one is annoying.
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All part of the Government policy to pee you off to the point where you use public transport.
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Other examples?
Yes, a crossroads in Swindon.
Most of the traffic was from E to W, but then a bypass was built (In the seventies?)
The bypass now carries all the E-W (and W-E of course) traffic but the lights are still
timed as if it had never been built.
Most of the traffic across this junction is now N-S, but the lights still seem to be programmed to favour the E-W traffic.
Infuriating.
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The junction I referred to in my OP is at the Robin Hood Pub in Stretford. Strangely, the 6 seconds in busy daytime traffic becomes almost infinity at night when the road is quiet. When I spoke about the mimser at the head of the queue not being ready, I meant that they do not observe that the lights on the other road have gone to amber or that the traffic is stopping, at which point Mr Mimse should be making some attempt to prepare his car for onward motion. And why do Pelican crossing lights often change in favour of pedestrians when there is no-one around to press the button ?
Ted
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