Why are there so many traffic lights these days? Is there an actual person who is employed to determine where traffic lights go? I'm sure there is. I actually think that this 'someone' is trying to justifying there own existence by placing them where ever they can.
Over the last few months I've been driving around the outer suburbs where new estates are popping up, why is it that the traffic lights are the first things to go up. Right now, when one car sets them off, it stops the whole traffic flow, when entering cautiously would have been a better idea. Why can't they just leave them turned off until there is significant traffic to deem it necessary to become operational?
Another place of annoyance is around shopping centers after hours. Why not just turn them off at these times. If cars need to enter the road they can do so as they would if they were entering on a stop sign.
Red arrows piss me off the most I think. If there is nothing coming, then lets get on with it! Go!
I have seen some places around Europe where lights are turned off i think between 11pm-5am. Great idea.
I have had an idea where; after hours the lights could flash red or green depending on the main flow of traffic and if you are entering from the red flashing you can give way to traffic on the green flashing lights.
I also love the American system where you can turn on a red light if there is no on coming traffic. Just a note here, you can turn right in the States, but would be left in the UK or Australia on the red light. Why can't we also do this? Are we too obsessed with traffic fines and generating revenue? Me thinks so.
There has fairly recently been talk in London about perhaps starting to remove some of the traffic lights and going back to basics. You stop, you look and if its clear you go. How simple is that?
I know I'm probably being a little simplistic and sure there are places and times when granted traffic lights are needed and they work. But someone needs to get there hand off it and get real, and get the traffic flowing.
This is my rant.
Adam
Over the last few months I've been driving around the outer suburbs where new estates are popping up, why is it that the traffic lights are the first things to go up. Right now, when one car sets them off, it stops the whole traffic flow, when entering cautiously would have been a better idea. Why can't they just leave them turned off until there is significant traffic to deem it necessary to become operational?
Another place of annoyance is around shopping centers after hours. Why not just turn them off at these times. If cars need to enter the road they can do so as they would if they were entering on a stop sign.
Red arrows piss me off the most I think. If there is nothing coming, then lets get on with it! Go!
I have seen some places around Europe where lights are turned off i think between 11pm-5am. Great idea.
I have had an idea where; after hours the lights could flash red or green depending on the main flow of traffic and if you are entering from the red flashing you can give way to traffic on the green flashing lights.
I also love the American system where you can turn on a red light if there is no on coming traffic. Just a note here, you can turn right in the States, but would be left in the UK or Australia on the red light. Why can't we also do this? Are we too obsessed with traffic fines and generating revenue? Me thinks so.
There has fairly recently been talk in London about perhaps starting to remove some of the traffic lights and going back to basics. You stop, you look and if its clear you go. How simple is that?
I know I'm probably being a little simplistic and sure there are places and times when granted traffic lights are needed and they work. But someone needs to get there hand off it and get real, and get the traffic flowing.
This is my rant.
Adam
Hey Adam,
ReplyDeleteIn NSW there are intersections where you can turn left on red light after giving way. Worked well except for the Numptys who wouldnt read the sign and sat there blocking traffic. Canberra for years had minimal traffic lights and operated pretty well with just roundabouts.
Nothing worse than sitting at a red light a 2am with no other traffic in sight.
Cheers - Boris
Hey Boris, are you as skeptical as I am that this is mostly to do with revenue raising?
ReplyDeleteI have been giving it some more thought. Perhaps its not all about revenue raising, maybe a problem is that there are many idiots on the road that need to be controlled. I really do wonder though if the solution by over regulating is worth frustrating the majority of the driving population.
ReplyDeleteThis is just typical of the stupidity that we have in Melbourne http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/road-rage-at-mad-speed-limits/story-e6frf7kx-1225973226736
ReplyDeleteMore reason for me to think that it's all for the revenue.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/accident-black-spots-camera-free/story-e6frf7kx-1225976472858