Comment by pta2002

Comment by pta2002 5 days ago

This is why I always find it weird that in the US (and a lot of other countries) the stoplights are on the end of the intersection, instead of at the entrance. If they're at the entrance, there's no dillema - you can't cross the light if it's red. If it's yellow, you brake if you have time, but if not, it's fine to keep going - the opposing light is going to wait a few seconds before turning green specifically to avoid this.

This also encourages drivers to actually stop in the right place (since they can't see the light otherwise), and it's friendlier for pedestrians since it avoids drivers stopping on top of the crosswalk.

(I've also never heard of the turn-right-on-red rule anywhere other than the US. Over here in Portugal if it's fine to turn right while the light is red, there's just going to be a separate green/flashing light to turn right. A lot clearer!)

ars 5 days ago

The location of the traffic light has no legal meaning, there's a white painted line on the ground, which is the stop line.

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jagged-chisel 5 days ago

But if we were to modify signal positioning to make it impractical to stop past the white line, fewer people would overshoot and wait.
We do this kind of thing in many other places in life. Imagine if we didn’t use barriers anywhere and only used painted lines to tell people where to be - don’t walk to this side of the line, that’s where the valuables are “stored” (no walls, just markings.)
We use ‘guardrails’ all over the place. Sometimes to nudge people (one can jump a literal guardrail), sometimes to prevent injury (you simply cannot physically access the active industrial robot without intentional effort), and all kinds of inconvenience in between to suggest where to be.
Place the lights so that they’re only visible further back, and people will stop further back.

Reply View | 3 replies
- ars 4 days ago
  
  When I stop past the while line, it's almost always because I thought the way was clear, but then something happened, and I had to stop, and then the light changed, and I was stuck past the white line.
  If you implement your plan I would never even see the light become red!
  
  Reply View | 2 replies
  
  pta2002 4 days ago
  
  And that's fine, because you've _already crossed the line_ and therefore you can (and should) go through. You're no longer running a red light at this point, since it's behind you, you're just crossing the intersection like normal.
  
  Reply View | 1 reply
  
  ars 4 days ago
  
  Do you drive much in cities? I'll lay out something that happens all the time:
  I cross the line slowly, and some pedestrian darts out, so I stop, by the time they cross, the opposing traffic has a green, I however (in your scenario) do not know this because I can't see that the light is red for me.
  So now I'm driving forward, thinking I'm good and some car comes flying through because it's green for them, and they can't see me because of the layout of the block.
  I need to see and know that the light is red and just stop and wait there.
  Similar things happen when the car in front of me wants to turn left, but didn't bother with a blinker - I'm in the intersection, past the line, and suddenly I need to stop because he's turning. He turned, but now it's red for me and I better wait right there, and not go forward, because other cars are about to drive.
  You also aren't taking into account the varying heights of cars. If I'm in car behind a van, I won't be able to see the light because it's directly above the van so I can't see it.
  Also:
  Your goal is to keep cars from going too far into the intersection after a red, right?
  The problem is you are assuming this happens due to incompetence, but it actually happens because of driving conditions like I mentioned.
  
  Reply View | 0 replies

philwelch 5 days ago

If the stoplight was suspended above the stop line it would be harder if not impossible for the driver to see it.

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pta2002 4 days ago

There's usually two - one suspended above the stop line, and one lower, on a pole on the side of the road, usually around eye level. This way both the driver in the front and drivers in the back get a clear view.
This is not a hypothetical "if", pretty much every country in Europe has traffic lights set up like this. Just take a look at Lisbon or Amsterdam in street view to see what I mean.

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- philwelch 4 days ago
  
  I’ve seen this in on-ramps but surely you can understand why duplicating traffic lights isn’t an ideal solution.
  
  Reply View | 0 replies