[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Red light collisions (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 8/11/2014 5:01:11 AM EDT
| Would having the green light pulse at a higher wattage for 3 seconds before it goes yellow then red increase or decrease red light collisions? Has there ever been a study on this? |
Done before.... just never seems to take off.
People run red lights not because they are green or didn't have enough time... because they totally disregard it. The whole point of the yellow was to stop cars from running the red... people simply chance the yellow. Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. |
| Think it was in London I saw stop lights that would go Red, flashing yellow, then green. Didn't note what the light for the crossing traffic was doing, but didn't see the point of the flashing yellow prior to green. Everyone just gunned it through the intersection the second red turned to flashing yellow anyway. |
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If someone wants to run a red, they're going to do it regardless of how/what the signal does. That being said, research has shown that a duration of 4-5 seconds for the amber signal maximizes compliance and minimizes accidents. A lot of municipalities have reduced the duration of the amber signal, in order to increase ticket writing. This also increases the number of accidents, which in turn causes the public to demand increased enforcement. Nice little negative feedback loop - government causes a problem, then people demand government fix it. Sound familiar? |
| The only time I see the lights being at fault is when the yellow is ridiculously short. Other than fixing that and maybe banning red light cameras, we could spend ourselves blind on new lights and there'd still be accidents. The problem isn't the lights, it's the people. |
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Quoted:
Done before.... just never seems to take off. http://i.stack.imgur.com/jchG7.jpg http://www.nobleled.com/uploads/110824/1_164332_1.jpg http://www.envirogadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Eko-Stoplight-Timer-400x282.jpg http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2010/11/sandglass_signal.jpg People run red lights not because they are green or didn't have enough time... because they totally disregard it. The whole point of the yellow was to stop cars from running the red... people simply chance the yellow. Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. The one thing those SandGlass light don't account for is colorblind people. It was my understanding the reason why red is always on top or to the left and green on the bottom or right is for colorblind people. |
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The one thing those SandGlass light don't account for is colorblind people. It was my understanding the reason why red is always on top or to the left and green on the bottom or right is for colorblind people. Not always... 
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The one thing those SandGlass light don't account for is colorblind people. It was my understanding the reason why red is always on top or to the left and green on the bottom or right is for colorblind people. You see a system that doesn't account for the colorblind. I see a system that is designed to strengthen the genes of the whole by eliminating faulty specimens. 
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Quoted: I'm sure red light collisions are increased at red-light camera intersections more. Especially, rear end hits. It doesn't help that in almost all instances of red-light camera intersections, when the cameras are installed the time the yellow stays lit is shortened. Red-light cameras are about revenue. Shortening the yellow light helps guarantee revenue. -J
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Quoted: Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. It would help in some instances such as when it is raining. There have been multiple times where a light turns yellow and I feel the road is too slick to safely stop so I just keep going through the yellow. If I had the chance to safely stop I most certainly would have. When I am towing my boat the possibility of this happening increases 10 times. There have been multiple instances towing the boat in the rain where the light turned yellow and my boat continued to push my trucks through the intersection. At that point I just honk my horn and keep going through the red light. An additional 3 seconds could be a life safer. As for most people who run yellow lights, the 3 second flashing green would be a sign to gun it in order to beat the light change.
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Quoted:
Think it was in London I saw stop lights that would go Red, flashing yellow, then green. Didn't note what the light for the crossing traffic was doing, but didn't see the point of the flashing yellow prior to green. Everyone just gunned it through the intersection the second red turned to flashing yellow anyway. English lights go from red, to red/yellow, then green. |
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Quoted:
Done before.... just never seems to take off. http://i.stack.imgur.com/jchG7.jpg http://www.nobleled.com/uploads/110824/1_164332_1.jpg http://www.envirogadget.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Eko-Stoplight-Timer-400x282.jpg http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/gadgetlab/2010/11/sandglass_signal.jpg People run red lights not because they are green or didn't have enough time... because they totally disregard it. The whole point of the yellow was to stop cars from running the red... people simply chance the yellow. Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. Whoever thought up the hourglass thing needs to head back to the thinking room. "Hurry up" and "wait" look the same to a person who is red/green color blind. |
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I'm sure red light collisions are increased at red-light camera intersections more. Especially, rear end hits. Quoted:
I'm sure red light collisions are increased at red-light camera intersections more. Especially, rear end hits. My friend's shop is right on Sunrise Hwy at an intersection where they put a camera. He said for the first few months there were accidents almost every day. Quoted:
If you watch red light collision videos on youtube you'll see people running them after being red for 5-10 seconds.  They show ones from our county in the waiting area of traffic court and there are a lot just like that. |
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My friend's shop is right on Sunrise Hwy at an intersection where they put a camera. He said for the first few months there were accidents almost every day. They show ones from our county in the waiting area of traffic court and there are a lot just like that. Quoted:
Quoted:
I'm sure red light collisions are increased at red-light camera intersections more. Especially, rear end hits. My friend's shop is right on Sunrise Hwy at an intersection where they put a camera. He said for the first few months there were accidents almost every day. Quoted:
If you watch red light collision videos on youtube you'll see people running them after being red for 5-10 seconds. They show ones from our county in the waiting area of traffic court and there are a lot just like that. Nothing will stop all idiots from running lights. When my light turns green I look to see if there is someone that looks like they may run the light before I go. It never fails when someone else is in the car they start "GO the light green!". |
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Has there ever been a study on this? Yes there has, and it was determined with scientific accuracy that people are idiots, and there is not one damn thing you can do about it. Make the lights blink, project a hologram of Spongebob Square pants into the intersection ........ whatever. People will run them. |
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Quoted: The only time I see the lights being at fault is when the yellow is ridiculously short. Other than fixing that and maybe banning red light cameras, we could spend ourselves blind on new lights and there'd still be accidents. The problem isn't the lights, it's the people. |
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My county started doing away with traffic lights at certain intersections. Instead they made a circle with 4 ways in. And a road sign that shows you a clusterfuck is coming. Didn't stop the accidents though. Oh the horror of having to pay attention to who has right of way. I'm too busy texting for that. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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It would help in some instances such as when it is raining. There have been multiple times where a light turns yellow and I feel the road is too slick to safely stop so I just keep going through the yellow. If I had the chance to safely stop I most certainly would have. When I am towing my boat the possibility of this happening increases 10 times. There have been multiple instances towing the boat in the rain where the light turned yellow and my boat continued to push my trucks through the intersection. At that point I just honk my horn and keep going through the red light. An additional 3 seconds could be a life safer. As for most people who run yellow lights, the 3 second flashing green would be a sign to gun it in order to beat the light change. Quoted:
Quoted:
Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. It would help in some instances such as when it is raining. There have been multiple times where a light turns yellow and I feel the road is too slick to safely stop so I just keep going through the yellow. If I had the chance to safely stop I most certainly would have. When I am towing my boat the possibility of this happening increases 10 times. There have been multiple instances towing the boat in the rain where the light turned yellow and my boat continued to push my trucks through the intersection. At that point I just honk my horn and keep going through the red light. An additional 3 seconds could be a life safer. As for most people who run yellow lights, the 3 second flashing green would be a sign to gun it in order to beat the light change. I understand where you're coming from, but it's the driver's responsibility to adjust for weather. If rain and a boat significantly reduce your stopping distance, then you should slow down. |
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Quoted:
If someone wants to run a red, they're going to do it regardless of how/what the signal does. That being said, research has shown that a duration of 4-5 seconds for the amber signal maximizes compliance and minimizes accidents. A lot of municipalities have reduced the duration of the amber signal, in order to increase ticket writing. This also increases the number of accidents, which in turn causes the public to demand increased enforcement. Nice little negative feedback loop - government causes a problem, then people demand government fix it. Sound familiar? +1 If you think it's about safety, you're thinking wrong. |
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Quoted: +1 If you think it's about safety, you're thinking wrong. Quoted: Quoted: If someone wants to run a red, they're going to do it regardless of how/what the signal does. That being said, research has shown that a duration of 4-5 seconds for the amber signal maximizes compliance and minimizes accidents. A lot of municipalities have reduced the duration of the amber signal, in order to increase ticket writing. This also increases the number of accidents, which in turn causes the public to demand increased enforcement. Nice little negative feedback loop - government causes a problem, then people demand government fix it. Sound familiar? +1 If you think it's about safety, you're thinking wrong. |
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Make lights police tamper proof. I can't count the number of times I've seen lights at night go instantly from yellow to red... And I mean yellow for 1 second or less. A way to know when a green is about to go yellow would also be cool. Yep, damn cops are like gremlins getting into the traffic lights at night. 
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Quoted: My county started doing away with traffic lights at certain intersections. Instead they made a circle with 4 ways in. And a road sign that shows you a clusterfuck is coming. Didn't stop the accidents though. Because American drivers are self-absorbed idiots. I drove roundabouts for 16 days in Scotland, and not once did I ever try to 'beat someone' into the circle, and not once did I worry about someone failing to properly yield. |
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Quoted: You see a system that doesn't account for the colorblind. I see a system that is designed to strengthen the genes of the whole by eliminating faulty specimens. Quoted: Quoted: The one thing those SandGlass light don't account for is colorblind people. It was my understanding the reason why red is always on top or to the left and green on the bottom or right is for colorblind people. You see a system that doesn't account for the colorblind. I see a system that is designed to strengthen the genes of the whole by eliminating faulty specimens. BAN OPTOMETRISTS!  |
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Quoted: I understand where you're coming from, but it's the driver's responsibility to adjust for weather. If rain and a boat significantly reduce your stopping distance, then you should slow down. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Flashing wouldn't make a difference either since you still have yellow to run. It would help in some instances such as when it is raining. There have been multiple times where a light turns yellow and I feel the road is too slick to safely stop so I just keep going through the yellow. If I had the chance to safely stop I most certainly would have. When I am towing my boat the possibility of this happening increases 10 times. There have been multiple instances towing the boat in the rain where the light turned yellow and my boat continued to push my trucks through the intersection. At that point I just honk my horn and keep going through the red light. An additional 3 seconds could be a life safer. As for most people who run yellow lights, the 3 second flashing green would be a sign to gun it in order to beat the light change. I understand where you're coming from, but it's the driver's responsibility to adjust for weather. If rain and a boat significantly reduce your stopping distance, then you should slow down. So I'm supposed to go 35 in a 55 when the road is wet? That would be more likely to cause accidents. I already have people trying to run me over for leaving 12 car lengths of stopping distance.
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Quoted: What a great idea! Quoted: Quoted: Make it a felony to run a red light. What a great idea! OK, a moving violation for the first offense, a hefty criminal misdemeanor charge for the second, and death penalty for the third time within a 5-year period of the second offense. |