New traffic light information system

[Tobra]

This is yet another idea that is all ate up with stupid.

[Cooper911SC]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

I drive on surface roads all over town for a living every day.

I have been saying for a long time we need some sort of system that warns drivers the light is about to turn green and get your damn face out of your phone.

We sit still so much longer because people are not looking up at red lights.


When I was in Ireland, I thought the lights were awesome, they went from Green to yellow to Red then yellow again then Green.

On yellow everyone was already starting to move, by green everyone was rolling 2-3-4 cars back. It was glorious.

I wish there was a device you could put in your car that would warn you the light is about to go green. Maybe I wouldn't sit through 2nd and 3rd lights as only 10 cars get through each rotation due to sleepers.

My Dad just retired from Econolite Control Products. One of the larger traffic signal controller companies.

This cartoon was floating around his office a few years ago. 🙄

[RKDinOKC]

Would be a LOT easier and cheaper to just have the yellow light come on both from green to red and red to green at the same time.

[wildthing]

Not sure why this is necessary. Most of the time, at least around here, the light turns yellow 5 seconds after the last car crosses the sensors, or right after the walk light turns red. And the duration of yellow is the speed limit divided by 10 in seconds, e.g. a 45mph speed limit means yellow is on for 4.5 seconds. If there are too many cars, it is time based, usually 1 min, sometimes longer on busier/wider roads.

You can use this to approximate when your light will turn green by looking at the cross street lights.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Tobra

This is yet another idea that is all ate up with stupid.

Might want to hold on to this when it comes time for post of the year.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rcooled

"...allows you to make better use of your time than staring at the light in anticipation."

'Better use of your time', my ass! All it'll do is encourage more people to stare at their phones every time they stop at a red light. What 'better use' of your time is there while driving than to pay constant attention to everything going on around you?

Hell, that's what they all do around here already, I think.

[Por_sha911]

Originally Posted by wildthing

Not sure why this is necessary. Most of the time, at least around here, the light turns yellow 5 seconds after the last car crosses the sensors, or right after the walk light turns red. And the duration of yellow is the speed limit divided by 10 in seconds, e.g. a 45mph speed limit means yellow is on for 4.5 seconds. If there are too many cars, it is time based, usually 1 min, sometimes longer on busier/wider roads.

You can use this to approximate when your light will turn green by looking at the cross street lights.

We have an entire generation that can't make change if you pay with cash and another group that is too busy talking to their bff to know if the light even exists but you want them to calculate wait time. LOL

[john70t]

Originally Posted by bleucamaro

Driving has become too dumbed down where you don't need to pay attention, so people don't.

The laws in the USA are about control and revenue...not fixing problems.

https://www.icebike.org/texting-and-driving/
-Every year, about 421,000 people are injured in crashes that have involved a driver who was distracted in some way.
-Each year, over 330,000 accidents caused by texting while driving lead to severe injuries. This means that over 78% of all distracted drivers are distracted because they have been texting while driving.
-1 out of 4 car accidents in the US are caused by texting while driving.
-Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you in an accident than drunk driving. That’s right, it is actually safer for someone to get wasted and get behind the wheel than to text and do it.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by john70t

The laws in the USA are about control and revenue...not fixing problems.



https://www.icebike.org/texting-and-driving/

-Every year, about 421,000 people are injured in crashes that have involved a driver who was distracted in some way.

-Each year, over 330,000 accidents caused by texting while driving lead to severe injuries. This means that over 78% of all distracted drivers are distracted because they have been texting while driving.

-1 out of 4 car accidents in the US are caused by texting while driving.

-Texting and driving is 6 times more likely to get you in an accident than drunk driving. That’s right, it is actually safer for someone to get wasted and get behind the wheel than to text and do it.

And the laws need to change to make texting and driving the same penalty as drunk driving. And certainly for texting and causing a crash.

[Jims5543]

Originally Posted by GH85Carrera

And the laws need to change to make texting and driving the same penalty as drunk driving. And certainly for texting and causing a crash.

You never NEVER drink and drive in this day and age, someone texting could hit you and it will be your fault.