Continental style traffic lights.

Alias G

Victor wrote: »

Please don't personalise posts.

Moderator

The poster described a driving technique which can in certain instances hinder other road users. I don't think it is beyond reason to suggest that's selfish motoring. Apologies if the post came accross a little harshly, perhaps Corktinas sweeping generalisation re cyclists and road rules irked me.

A green light only gives you permission to proceed provided that the way is clear. There is an argument that if you can't completely cross the junction then your way is not clear. As already stated, this does not happen in practice, hence the need for continental style traffic lights.

corktina

perhaps being called ignorant in the post before that might have led to my comments on cyclists...

Alias G

corktina wrote: »

perhaps being called ignorant in the post before that might have led to my comments on cyclists...

Ignoring road rules is......well ignorant.

Empire o de Sun

Humm!!! Picture taken from stop line.

stop_line.jpg

HydeRoad

I regularly drive large buses and coaches across Dublin. Almost every time I try to make a left or right turn at a traffic light junction, somebody in a car is stopped way over their stop line, and I cannot turn, and the whole junction comes to a stop.

It is so prevalent, that on the rare occasion I turn, and find a car correctly stopped behind their stop line, I give them a courtesy wave.

The difference it makes is that if I have to stop, then so does everybody behind me have to stop too. On a green light that should allow ten or twelve or more cars through, if I am blocked, then I might be the only vehicle that gets through, when I do eventually get moving. Then people wonder why there are traffic jams.

Also, if I come up to a red light, and the car in front of me has stopped over the line, I always stop a car space back from them, to give them reversing space should a large vehicle arrive. These are the things that make a difference between an experienced driver, and someone who never drove anything other than their own car.

Of course, what usually happens then is that when such a car does have to reverse, they don't. They sit there looking vacant, then they drive forward, then when they see that doesn't work, they then awkwardly try to mount the pavement. Anything but reverse! By that time, the lights have all changed again, and a whole line of traffic missed their sequence.

So no, it is vehemently not okay to say that stop lines don't matter. They are where they are for a reason. If you don't see the reason, then at least acknowledge that somebody else more experienced probably does, and obey them.


+1 for continental style traffic lights, and -1 for ignorant car drivers.

iopener

something i regulary see is cars stopping in front of the stop line i.e level or just ahead of the lights, they will be sitting there for ages on their own because they haven't stopped in the inductive loop. if you look at any junctions you'll notice tarmac squares or rectrangles in the ground, these are cuttings made for the inductive loop sensors, basically switches the relie on a magnetic object( car, truck etc) to operate the switch.this gives a input to the traffic light controller, if they are not parked above these loops the conntroller doesn't know a car is waiting for a change of squence.how many times have you pulled up to a set of lights and be sitting there for ages and another car pulls up and the lights change, now you know why.

Solair

They also sometimes don't recognise smart cars & motorbikes as actual vehicles so don't change!

Victor

iopener wrote: »

something i regulary see is cars stopping in front of the stop line i.e level or just ahead of the lights, they will be sitting there for ages on their own because they haven't stopped in the inductive loop. if you look at any junctions you'll notice tarmac squares or rectrangles in the ground, these are cuttings made for the inductive loop sensors, basically switches the relie on a magnetic object( car, truck etc) to operate the switch.this gives a input to the traffic light controller, if they are not parked above these loops the conntroller doesn't know a car is waiting for a change of squence.how many times have you pulled up to a set of lights and be sitting there for ages and another car pulls up and the lights change, now you know why.

No, once the first car goes through the loop, the lights should be in count-down mode, although it is possible some junctions also have counters. The object merely has to be metallic and disturb the magnetic field - the object doesn't need to be magnetic.

The loops are sensitive enough to be triggered by an aluminium drinks can or a bicycle wheel - the trick is to drive the wheel along the wire.