Do we need so many traffic lights?

[HarryB]

I have noticed that when the traffic lights are out the traffic flows better. This little film sums up nicely what happened when they experimentally turned off a set of traffic lights.

Experiment: Town in England turns off traffic lights, surprising results. [VIDEO]

 

[jerrysimon]

Harry,

Very interesting video thanks for posting.

Certainly made me think and challenged some of my preconceptions about traffic control.

I would say my only question was for the blind guy.

Regards

Jerry

 

[Mussels]

It happened to a bigger area last year, 100,000 homes were without power for 3 days and all the traffic lights were out. I didn't see any problems but that may have been because most the businesses had shut down.

 

[flecc]

It certainly can work on some lights, but definitely not over areas, since some lights are essential. I live in an estate area which empties into a busy main road that's fed from three previous directions in the morning. In the years before finally getting a traffic lights exit we were prisoners on the estate area each morning with long lasting tailbacks right back into the estate side roads. Either we have to have lights or a major road reconstruction, possibly with a roundabout, that would slow right down and delay the main road traffic unnecessarily to give the side entry from the estate a chance to left and right turn out. With a set of lights all flows perfectly every morning.
.

 

[lectureral]

I certainly do think that traffic lights could be used more intelligently - sitting at lights at 2 a.m. when nothing else is on the road, eg - some places they turn them all to flashing yellow after a certain time which seems sensible - I also like the turn right (left for us) on red that California permits.

 

[Laxey Clive]

I LOVE this idea.
Not so much as a cyclist - we can, after all hop off, behave like a pedestrian, push the bike across and then ride on laughing at the people left fuming in the unnecessary queue!
But perhaps the answer lies not in turning them off altogether, but rather switching them instead to give a permanent/semi permanent flashing amber.
This would warn all users of that road (including ones who are unfamiliar with the locality) that the original reason for putting them there was that there was a potential hazard/need to join the flow without causing unnecessary delays when flow is reasonable.
Doing this could also answer the blindness issue. There could still be a way for them to push the button and have the buzzer tell them when the lights had stopped the traffic.
Or am I being too logical?

 

[Laxey Clive]

Lectureal posted his response whilst I was composing mine.
Similar logic though?

 

[JuicyBike]

It's the "I have right of way" attitude that needs to change.

In the UK I notice people aghast when the rules are (safely) broken, and get quite angry, even at pushbikes tentatively jumping lights.

In China (the other extreme) people move around and make way for each other. Traffic only ever stops and obeys the Traffic Lights at the very peak time, when Police are also present, ensuring the signals are obeyed.

In China the pedestrians bikes and other traffic flows well in all directions because everyone is prepared to work around each other, make gentle changes in direction to accommodate other road users and let everyone keep moving. What is most stiking is the speed - nice and slow! Never above 25MPH in the City Centres, making it easy to spot others and make allowances.

The British are world-best at queuing though!

 

[Barnowl]

Yes I totally agree. Not long ago while in the car and stopped at a temporary red light before and after a hole in the road I decided to ignore it. I could see more than half a mile down the road that nothing was coming. Not one person followed me but sat there just waiting for absolutely no reason at all.

I've also noticed how the traffic flows better when lights are out. The time wasted between light changes and traffic having to slow down and accelerate easily explains this. Islands are more efficient when appropriate.

 

[Scimitar]

Yes I totally agree. Not long ago while in the car and stopped at a temporary red light before and after a hole in the road I decided to ignore it. I could see more than half a mile down the road that nothing was coming. Not one person followed me but sat there just waiting for absolutely no reason at all.

I know exactly what you mean. In the past, I've done just that and in the mirror saw indignant healight flashing and could hear hooting of horns from the self-righteous.

There was an interesting little wrinkle to temporary lights. If the specific lights weren't signed off by an order of the Home Secretary or one of his minions, they had no legal standing, so you'd be entitled to ignore them if you saw nothing was coming. Of course, if you took that risk and had a bump, it'd all come down on your head, but hey, life's like that
Now, whether that loophole's been closed in the past twenty years, I don't know.

 

[ronipozn]

I certainly do think that traffic lights could be used more intelligently - sitting at lights at 2 a.m. when nothing else is on the road, eg - some places they turn them all to flashing yellow after a certain time which seems sensible - I also like the turn right (left for us) on red that California permits.

Maybe some kind of sensing device could be installed in junctions.
It will determine which light is going to be set to green.
Buses using this already in many bus lanes so why not implement also for cars and pedestrians.

--Roni
Electric bicycle guide, leave all the others behind.

 

[Mussels]

Maybe some kind of sensing device could be installed in junctions.
It will determine which light is going to be set to green.
Buses using this already in many bus lanes so why not implement also for cars and pedestrians.

--Roni
Electric bicycle guide, leave all the others behind.

Most lights do have them and it's most annoying when they aren't sensitive enough to know I'm there on my bike. Most of the time I can go through the red light easily but there is one junction I know of where it causes me a problem.

 

[dmcgoldrick]

we have two sets of traffic lights in our town...at pedestrian crossing's in the high street !!!!!!!! i avoid the high street on my bike ...too many tourists using it .....i have to travel 18 miles to the next set !!!!!!
the joys of living in cities.......

 

[Ultra Motor]

I have to agree, I don't think traffic lights are always the best option. we have a set of lights near us just off the motorway which are only on 'off peak'. You sit in a jam for ages, but when at peak time the traffic flows easily.

When riding a bicycle you understand how much energy is required to get from a standing still up to speed. If traffic were allowed to flow with more fluidity then I'm sure we'd see some drastic increases in vehicle fuel economy.

 

[tony18m2001]

Thank you so much HarryB for starting this thread. I live in Leicester which has had more lights per head of population than any city I can think of. Even the roundabouts now have useless traffic lights. I have posted the link on Facebook to bring it to a wider audience. I only hope the council is watching.
Tony

 

[flecc]

In the current financial climate a reduction in a Council's maintenance contract for servicing traffic lights could be a worthwhile economy. Some councils are already cutting back on late night street lighting, so this could be an added saving at a time when every penny is being looked for.
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