The traffic light

[fatshark]

They'd be bliss mate. Check out the work of Hans Monderman and his shared space concept. Basically all road signs are removed and people are free to go as they please. Accidents are reduced because people have to think what they're doing and look out for fellow road users.

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

Probably based on the assumption that all humans are inherently good, and not inherently self-absorbed self-preserving self-obsessed b@stards. (i speak for myself of course)

I love these "out there" concepts and I'd love to see it work somewhere sometime. And it might just work in parts of genteel olde Europa. But relying on people thinking what they're doing and looking out for others while they drive? well I might just have to up and get me one of them monster trucks y'all.

 

[wm02]

They'd be bliss mate. Check out the work of Hans Monderman and his shared space concept. Basically all road signs are removed and people are free to go as they please. Accidents are reduced because people have to


think what they're doing and look out for fellow road users.

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

We had a huge power outage on the East Coast of the States six or seven years which knocked out most of the traffic lights. It was a nightmare. A 15 minute drive took close to two hours.

 

[The Esk]

@Bruce Wayne I've printed out a copy of this thread and will leave it in the car, just in case I hit you one day when I'm driving through a green and you're coming through a red.

It will avoid any confusion when the police arrive

 

[Bruce Wayne]

@Bruce Wayne I've printed out a copy of this thread and will leave it in the car, just in case I hit you one day when I'm driving through a green and you're coming through a red.

It will avoid any confusion when the police arrive

I never ride through them, but yeah sometimes I will stop at them, see that the road is clear, and proceed, just as you would at say a zebra crossing. If there is anything (cars or pedestrians) in the vicinity then I'll always wait.

 

[Ihaters]

They'd be bliss mate. Check out the work of Hans Monderman and his shared space concept. Basically all road signs are removed and people are free to go as they please. Accidents are reduced because people have to think what they're doing and look out for fellow road users.

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

That's all well and good but if your trying to get onto a major road from a side road without lights during rush hour... You may as well not bother.

If there's roadworks that go around a corner, and only one lane open, with a temp traffic light letting people one way, then the other... it'll simply become gridlock within 10 cars heading down that road.

Traffic flow is designed. It may be that its annoying, but ultimately fixed lights are there to give everyone the best overall traffic flow to their destination. Fact is that without any guidance or traffic lights, and 34.5 millions cars in England, no one would get anywhere.

They are a pain in the rear when your waiting for them, but ultimately they save a lot of time for the general populace. A great but annoying as hell invention... like the recycling bin or London underground.

 

[WA Toffee]

They'd be bliss mate. Check out the work of Hans Monderman and his shared space concept. Basically all road signs are removed and people are free to go as they please. Accidents are reduced because people have to think what they're doing and look out for fellow road users.

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

Works well in most SE Asian cities.

 

[The Esk]

Xian, China:

 

[chicoazul]

They'd be bliss mate. Check out the work of Hans Monderman and his shared space concept. Basically all road signs are removed and people are free to go as they please. Accidents are reduced because people have to think what they're doing and look out for fellow road users.

http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/12.12/traffic.html

I'm a big fan of your subscribed theories lid.

 

[evilwebby]

Most of the time I wait. Some I don't though. There's a set on Crystal Palace parade for instance that give you a red light, even though there's a whole bus lane empty. If you can see quite clearly there's no bus, no pedestrian...

Common sense is usually a pretty good guide of safety on the roads.

I know what you mean.. some junctions take the pi$h. As a cyclist you do it because.. it's easy. Irony is that if every road user did the same then it'd be utter chaos.

Traffic lights are a good thin in general, but the "dumb" timing on a lot of junctions could be greatly improved.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I'm a big fan of your subscribed theories lid.

Knew I'd win you round I think this calls for a pint of milk.

 

[GoatJR]

Has A Green Light
A Red Light
A Yellow Light

 

[Big Fat Sam]

There's this stretch by me in Munich, between where I live and where the girlfriend lives. It's about a 3/4 mile long and has at least six traffic lights, and I get caught at every one, every time. Works me up no end, completely unnecessary to have that many.

 

[mezzrow]

@Bruce Wayne I've printed out a copy of this thread and will leave it in the car, just in case I hit you one day when I'm driving through a green and you're coming through a red.

It will avoid any confusion when the police arrive