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While gas prices continue to skyrocket, perhaps certain traffic rules should be altered for the benefit of the public.
Traffic lights usually a notorious trouble, and at the same time immeasurably helpful can be programmed in a beneficial way as I've personally witnessed in many countries throughout the world.
Between the hours of say, 11 o'clock or 12 o'clock at night, and perhaps five or six o'clock in the morning. Main thoroughfares can have a blinking yellow light, while a side street that runs through the main thoroughfare can have a blinking red light.
The 30 seconds to two minutes saved a couple of time while driving during these hours will certainly benefit the consumer.
Traffic is usually very light to almost nonexistent during this time, and the necessity of a two-minute red light is unfounded.
In various countries as well, the blinking red light yellow light system is in place throughout the weekend.
Perhaps somebody out there who might read this can come to implement them in various cities and states throughout our country and benefit all of us who must now pay four dollars a gallon gasoline. Thank you.
This has been implemented in various cities and states for many years. It hasn't been done enough IMO. Also there isn't enough mechanical eyes (or whatever) changing traffic signals. You know when you're the only one at the intersection and have to sit there while they rotate through their course.
Some cities use traffic lights as a "calming" device; i.e. to keep vehicle speeds down. That's why, when you're on a four lane divided highway at 3 a.m. the light changes suddenly and you have to brake quickly. A trick I learned at the freeway off-ramp closest to my job: there's a spot on the pavement about a tractor-trailer length back from the end of the freeway off-ramp where the vehicle sensor is. If I slowly coast to a stop on top of it. The light will be "GREEN" by the time I'm in low gear and at the intersection.
A lot of cities already do the blinking-yellow thing. I know Pittsburgh does. I wish Chicago would do it too. Nothing frustrates me more than sitting at an intersection at 1am waiting for the light to turn green while there isn't another car in sight.
They would also do well to make a lot of thoroughfares one-way and then time the lights -- another thing Pittsburgh does.
While living in Mexico City, there was a one way street Xola that had traffic lights as far as your eye could see that would all change color the same time controlling the traffic movement. They also had the GREEN light flashing 3 times before changing to yellow and then RED. You would know in advance the signal would be changing. I thought that this would be a GREAT idea for the US. But no, the rocket scientists in city hall need to go back to school and do some research as to other intelligent uses of TRAFFIC SIGNALS. Steve
Some cities use traffic lights as a "calming" device; i.e. to keep vehicle speeds down. That's why, when you're on a four lane divided highway at 3 a.m. the light changes suddenly and you have to brake quickly. A trick I learned at the freeway off-ramp closest to my job: there's a spot on the pavement about a tractor-trailer length back from the end of the freeway off-ramp where the vehicle sensor is. If I slowly coast to a stop on top of it. The light will be "GREEN" by the time I'm in low gear and at the intersection.
I know! However, if it is, as was well said below, a "low traffic time", why the need to brake?
From Jackson, to Cheyenne Wyoming, it is a nearly 7 hour drive. You come across only a handful of lights of RT 26/287.
At least the last time I was there, in Marietta, Georgia, the lights on city surface streets, posted speed limit 35, were syncronized for 32 MPH. There were signs posted to that effect. And, guess what, if you had to stop, it would be only once, if you went just a little under 35 MPH indicated, the lights would turn green as you approached.
This was over 20 years ago.
Bottom line is that an "X" intersection is a crap way to connect 2 roads, either with 2 stop signs, with 4, or with a light. A traffic circle is technically much better, saves gas, fewer collisions, the collisions that occur are less severe, etc. etc. What the Brits call a "roundabout".
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