Wow , no humans need apply! Here in Jersey, with no trees, small buildings , a HUMAN can see that someone is going to go through the Red light and We Humans can hold up a sec; that’s how we avoid collisions here. I don’t know about Virginia Tech!
Jersey, having grown up and earned a drivers license in Northern NJ and since then I’ve lived in Blacksburg VA where Virginia Tech is located. I’ll say NJ drivers are more aware of their surroundings. They have to just because of the increase in traffice volume. I also think NJ yellow lights are longer than in other parts of the country. I often feel like I brake hard at yellow lights in VA, never felt that way in NJ. I’ll be in NJ this weekend, I’ll conduct my own test when I’m there.
Jay – I’ve driven in Jersey. You guys tend to jump the light when turning left, cutting in front of oncomming traffic. Timing issues should be real important there!
I remember a news story a few years ago that documented how at least one large city deliberately shortened the yellow light duration at the same time red light cameras were installed. The goal was to increase revenue to the city rather than to save lives by discouraging the running of red lights. Seems to me it was a Virginia city but I’m not sure. The city was forced to restore the longer yellow light duration.
There will always be drivers that go through the yellowish red light. Two other possible options – Traffic engineers could increase the delay time for the red light to change to green giving those drivers an extra second or two to clear the intersection; or have a camera/sensor maintain red if it detects an approaching vehicle that hasn’t cleared the intersection. Also like it or not red light cameras have reduced the number of drivers running red lights.
SB – that solution is far too simple and potentially effective. For a state or municipality to consider it, there would need to be numerous government studies, commissions appointed, hearings held and funding applications made before such a thing could ever be implemented.
Sounds like somebody at Virginia Tech is a little bored or bitter about his ticket. When the light turns yellow you are supposed to slow down and stop if you can safely, not have some internal debate of ‘can I make it or not’.
All jokes aside, if you have ever been struck from behind and dealt with the residual neck and back pain, you will want to do whatever it takes to stop and hope the dope following you talking/texting on his cell phone will be able to do the same!
Downtown Indianapolis IN displays timers at each light so you know how many seconds until the light turns yellow. People treat the yellow light as a red light now so by the time the green light is red, the intersection is empty.
NH has a great way of handling the red/yellow light debate by eliminating the stop light entirely through rotaries. Although roataries statistically increase accidents, they significantly reduce (and even eliminate) fatalities at intersections. When drivers can use them the way they’re supposed to be used.
Do you mean roundabouts? Those are being pushed by the feds and appearing everywhere for the reason you mentioned. They are great at low-volume intersections, much better than waiting for two minutes at a red light with no cross traffic. At high-volume intersections, the lights are still superior, though.
Stop when you see yellow. Go when you see green. Stop wasting grant money on silly studies. Go find something better to study.
Set up spike strips on the entry line to the intersection which rise a split second after the light turns red and lower a split second after the light turns green. Enter the intersection late, or early, you pay for new tires. That will end all light running problems.
“What do you do at a yellow light?”
“Slow down!”
What…do…you…do…at…a…yellow…light?
“What . . . . do . . . . you . . . . “
Wow , no humans need apply! Here in Jersey, with no trees, small buildings , a HUMAN can see that someone is going to go through the Red light and We Humans can hold up a sec; that’s how we avoid collisions here. I don’t know about Virginia Tech!
Jersey, having grown up and earned a drivers license in Northern NJ and since then I’ve lived in Blacksburg VA where Virginia Tech is located. I’ll say NJ drivers are more aware of their surroundings. They have to just because of the increase in traffice volume. I also think NJ yellow lights are longer than in other parts of the country. I often feel like I brake hard at yellow lights in VA, never felt that way in NJ. I’ll be in NJ this weekend, I’ll conduct my own test when I’m there.
That, and the fact that you make people who want to turn left make three rights instead.
I saw a program where a truck making only right turns cut their delivery time by 1/3. Makes you wonder, huh.
Jay – I’ve driven in Jersey. You guys tend to jump the light when turning left, cutting in front of oncomming traffic. Timing issues should be real important there!
I remember a news story a few years ago that documented how at least one large city deliberately shortened the yellow light duration at the same time red light cameras were installed. The goal was to increase revenue to the city rather than to save lives by discouraging the running of red lights. Seems to me it was a Virginia city but I’m not sure. The city was forced to restore the longer yellow light duration.
There will always be drivers that go through the yellowish red light. Two other possible options – Traffic engineers could increase the delay time for the red light to change to green giving those drivers an extra second or two to clear the intersection; or have a camera/sensor maintain red if it detects an approaching vehicle that hasn’t cleared the intersection. Also like it or not red light cameras have reduced the number of drivers running red lights.
Why not delay the green light for cross-traffic?
We have a couple signals where both lights are red for a few seconds and that works great!
SB – that solution is far too simple and potentially effective. For a state or municipality to consider it, there would need to be numerous government studies, commissions appointed, hearings held and funding applications made before such a thing could ever be implemented.
Sounds like somebody at Virginia Tech is a little bored or bitter about his ticket. When the light turns yellow you are supposed to slow down and stop if you can safely, not have some internal debate of ‘can I make it or not’.
All jokes aside, if you have ever been struck from behind and dealt with the residual neck and back pain, you will want to do whatever it takes to stop and hope the dope following you talking/texting on his cell phone will be able to do the same!
Downtown Indianapolis IN displays timers at each light so you know how many seconds until the light turns yellow. People treat the yellow light as a red light now so by the time the green light is red, the intersection is empty.
NH has a great way of handling the red/yellow light debate by eliminating the stop light entirely through rotaries. Although roataries statistically increase accidents, they significantly reduce (and even eliminate) fatalities at intersections. When drivers can use them the way they’re supposed to be used.
*Groans*
Do you mean roundabouts? Those are being pushed by the feds and appearing everywhere for the reason you mentioned. They are great at low-volume intersections, much better than waiting for two minutes at a red light with no cross traffic. At high-volume intersections, the lights are still superior, though.
Stop when you see yellow. Go when you see green. Stop wasting grant money on silly studies. Go find something better to study.
Set up spike strips on the entry line to the intersection which rise a split second after the light turns red and lower a split second after the light turns green. Enter the intersection late, or early, you pay for new tires. That will end all light running problems.
**Groans**