Traffic light timing/sensing

[WWJD]

I'd like to hear from others across the coutry on this. Are most of your traffic lights timed and sensed poorly?

If traffic light timing/sensing was properly programmed, I am guessing the nation could save about 1/6 of TOTAL gas consumption.

Just a blind guess. I AM a patient man and never have a problem waiting, but it seems with modern "computerized" technology available, and decent sensors that for the most part are already buried in the cement, some proper programming could keep peeps from sitting too long at lights and allow a better flow of traffic?

Is it JUST Des Moines? MOST of the time, I am paying attention to traffic and when I'm stopped and another car come over the hill a half a mile away doing 35 and STILL to through on a green light, while I been sitting there and the sensor could have let me go and turned his green again, well sumpin aint right. And I see that a LOT.

Now, I understand that rush hour requires different settings to keep traffic from backing up through well traveled roads and such, but again

"Computer technologuy"

does exist that can help this work.

I'm sending a letter to the paper that they won't publish I am sure

A paranoid buddy of mine swears he KNOWS the silver boxes run a program called "OPEC1" that is designed to MAKE us use more gas. What do ya think? Is there a hidden profitable conspiracy buried here?

 

[LCB]

The AMA has addressed this issue in their mag several times, mostly due to rider inconvenience as opposed to fuel economy but you have a valid point. They suggest contacting the local government and/or police so someone can come out and re-set the timing and trip devices to more readily recognize a motorcycle. Most times, the authorities were more than happy to oblige as it could greatly reduce the risk of accidents due to riders proceeding into intersections after waiting a very long time for the light to change.

The light at the intersection leaving our development used to change several times for the opposite direction and leave me sitting there, waiting for my turn. It wasn't long after the article was in American Motorcyclist that the light suddenly seemed to notice me - I guess I'm not the only AMA member in my neighborhood!

 

[Rayabusa0818]

I think I could right a thesis about bad traffic engineering including traffic lights. Around here it seems that when you pull away from a light the next one ahead turns red. I don't think it is a conspiracy though, I just think most traffic engineers are on the pipe

 

[Projekt]

Yes, there are some badly designed areas that do as Rayabusa says when your light turns green and the next light a block away turns red. However, there are some sweet spots that can be timed as long as you stick to the speedlimit.

 

[Mr Bogus]

I think I could right a thesis about bad traffic engineering including traffic lights. Around here it seems that when you pull away from a light the next one ahead turns red. I don't think it is a conspiracy though, I just think most traffic engineers are on the pipe

Yea listen to the guy in the swing

(probably has some special code in his blackberry to change lights)

 

[Revlis]

Just remember, lights timed for 35 are also timed for 70, apply as needed.

 

[WWJD]

I'm wasn't even on the bike. We're talking CAR here. I've always heard they are timed to the speed limit, especially downtown and that does work block to block. But on my side of town, there is a stretch that works perfect at a speed.... 10 mph OVER the posted limit.

My main concern is world resources, gas consumption. If the whole nation fixed or updated the sensors to make SENSE, we'd all save in the end.

On the bike, I wait for a while, then run them if no one is around to see - or far enough away that they would not be able to tell if my light was green or not anyway.

 

[kaosccw]

The lights close to me seem to be wacky especially in the middle of the night. Nobody on the road, I'm on the sensor light won't change, I wait for a little and then just go.

 

[PADEROLIS]

I've also been in situations when the light changed for the other side two or three times b4 I had no choice but to run it! I have noticed flashing the high beam seems to work... most of the time! I've also noticed the exit gate at my complex doesn't easily detect my bike, sometimes I have to wait for a car or use my clicker to exit the entrance gate!

 

[WWJD]

hmmm i never get the highbeam trick to work anymore

 

[TruWrecks]

I Everett, WA the lights are purposely timed to allow a vehicle to make two lights, then get stopped at the third. The you have that happen again at every set of three. They call it "traffic calming". I wonder if the town counsel realizes that their light timing is beginning to incite road rage as people try to make the third light before it turns red.

 

[frisbee]

HMMMMMM WWJD , I think you might have something here !

 

[BusaWhipped]

What I like is when I sit at a light for 2-3 minutes without anything coming on the cross road. When a car finally does come, the light turns red for them and they have to stop and wait for me to finally get to cross the road. That happened alot around Dallas. Red light should be treated like stop signs. Stop, if nothings coming, go.