Botched Traffic Signals

Discussion about street lighting, road signs, traffic signals - and all other street furniture - goes here.

Moderator: Site Management Team

Post Reply
User avatar
michael769
Member
Posts: 11413
Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 20:36
Location: Polbeth, West Lothian
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by michael769 »

Surely the purpose of the lights is to confirm to the driver of an emergency vehicle that other traffic has been signalled to stop?
Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open
Thomas Robert Dewar(1864-1930)
Take the pledge
User avatar
L.J.D
Member
Posts: 441
Joined: Thu Dec 30, 2010 06:34
Location: W.Yorkshire

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by L.J.D »

Makes sense now I didn't see the fire station as I came into the turning the other way. There's a similar set in Wakefield that only change to green for buses. But hold cars on red until they get the idea that they are never going to change. :lol:
User avatar
traffic-light-man
Member
Posts: 4728
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 18:45
Location: Liverpool, UK

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by traffic-light-man »

Without wanting to get off topic, was it the PRISM system that could differentiate between different chassis types of vehicles in it's database and trigger a demand accordingly, or have I made that up in my imagination?
Simon
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

User avatar
traffic-light-man
Member
Posts: 4728
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 18:45
Location: Liverpool, UK

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by traffic-light-man »

Gareth wrote:I find this weird...

Link
There's also one of those here!
Simon
User avatar
k7magi
Member
Posts: 25
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2014 18:44
Location: Tokyo

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by k7magi »

traffic-light-man wrote:
Gareth wrote:I find this weird...

Link
There's also one of those here!
Cyclist demand unit + near-side signal combo? :roll:
User avatar
ReissOmari
Member
Posts: 88
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 21:51
Location: Birmingham

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by ReissOmari »

Take a look at this one! With the push button behind the GSV car

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.47169 ... 6656?hl=en
ReissOmari..
User avatar
Chris5156
Deputy Treasurer
Posts: 16908
Joined: Thu Sep 06, 2001 21:50
Location: Hampshire
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Chris5156 »

This pedestrian crossing on the A2 has a rather botched upgrade.

It looks like it originally had just red and green man signals, but countdowns have been added, and to make them fit the backing board around the main signals have been cut away with a stanley knife.

Since the Streetview picture was taken, a green cycle light has also been added at the other side of the green man, so the backing board at the opposite side has been cut away too. Four of the vehicle signals now have partly cut-out backing boards. What a mess!
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

ReissOmari wrote:Take a look at this one! With the push button behind the GSV car

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.47169 ... 6656?hl=en
I don't get it. That cycle signal seems to be pointing diagonally across the intersection.I see a cycle lane heading into the intersection but no exit. Also, surely that signal should be a full RAG head.
UTCPaul
Member
Posts: 230
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 13:34

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by UTCPaul »

Gareth wrote:
ReissOmari wrote:Take a look at this one! With the push button behind the GSV car

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.47169 ... 6656?hl=en
I don't get it. That cycle signal seems to be pointing diagonally across the intersection.I see a cycle lane heading into the intersection but no exit. Also, surely that signal should be a full RAG head.
The "Give Way" markings are a little unusual as well.
User avatar
Chris Bertram
Member
Posts: 15744
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 12:30
Location: Birmingham, England

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Chris Bertram »

Gareth wrote:
ReissOmari wrote:Take a look at this one! With the push button behind the GSV car

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.47169 ... 6656?hl=en
I don't get it. That cycle signal seems to be pointing diagonally across the intersection.I see a cycle lane heading into the intersection but no exit. Also, surely that signal should be a full RAG head.
This is fairly local to me, and I have never seen a cyclist use the cycle lane and activate that signal. It's a one-way cycle lane, so no signal in the other direction. I don't think a full RAG is required, though.
“The quality of any advice anybody has to offer has to be judged against the quality of life they actually lead.” - Douglas Adams.

Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

I'm pretty sure proper RAG aspects are usually required for proper cycle lanes. Just red & green bike symbols are usually used at toucans with red & green men. Also, there's a legal difference. At toucans, the red bike is advisory, like the red man. A full red on a RAG is legally enforcible.
Andy33gmail
Member
Posts: 3943
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 09:26
Location: Littleport, Ely, Cambridge

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Andy33gmail »

Gareth wrote:enforcible
Comedy
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

Exuse me?
Andy33gmail
Member
Posts: 3943
Joined: Fri Feb 21, 2014 09:26
Location: Littleport, Ely, Cambridge

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Andy33gmail »

The scenario painted amused me:

1) Cyclist jumps red light
2) There's a police car in the vicinity
3) They actually notice
4) They actually bother to react
5) The cyclist stops
6) The cyclist gives their true address
7) The police officer issues a FPN
8) However, the cyclist gets off on technicality because it was the wrong type of traffic light head

Apart from 1, how many of those ever happen?
User avatar
Chris Bertram
Member
Posts: 15744
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2001 12:30
Location: Birmingham, England

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Chris Bertram »

Gareth wrote:Exuse me?
Trivial I know, but I think "enforceable" is correct.
“The quality of any advice anybody has to offer has to be judged against the quality of life they actually lead.” - Douglas Adams.

Did you know there's more to SABRE than just the Forums?
Add your roads knowledge to the SABRE Wiki today!
Have you browsed SABRE Maps recently? Try getting involved!
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

^^ I made a typo. Haul me before a parliamentary select committee, why don't you?
User avatar
michael769
Member
Posts: 11413
Joined: Mon May 30, 2005 20:36
Location: Polbeth, West Lothian
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by michael769 »

Andy33gmail wrote:
Apart from 1, how many of those ever happen?
Police Scotland have occasional crackdowns in Edinburgh where they deal with cars disobeying the ASLs and cyclists light jumping with equality. Seen a few done for cycling on (busy with pedestrians) pavements during such crackdowns. It's easy to tell when a crackdown is on as you will see coppers on cycles during them.

I've also seen BTP take the details of ones caught cycling in Waverley station.
Minds are like parachutes - they only function when open
Thomas Robert Dewar(1864-1930)
Take the pledge
User avatar
Gareth
Member
Posts: 1729
Joined: Thu Jul 28, 2005 19:16
Location: Liverpool
Contact:

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

Andy33gmail wrote:The scenario painted amused me:

1) Cyclist jumps red light
2) There's a police car in the vicinity
3) They actually notice
4) They actually bother to react
5) The cyclist stops
6) The cyclist gives their true address
7) The police officer issues a FPN
8) However, the cyclist gets off on technicality because it was the wrong type of traffic light head

Apart from 1, how many of those ever happen?
Oh probably never. That said, the legal distinction still exists. A cyclist crossing a toucan on red is not violating any law. On a full-sized head which has green & amber cycle symbols but a full red, they are. The one Reiss posted has a farside two aspect red & green cycle signal head which is surely not legal, nor enforceable. In short, the whole design of that intersection is dodgy.
ianwallis
Member
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Oct 23, 2008 13:48

Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by ianwallis »

Gareth wrote:Oh probably never. That said, the legal distinction still exists. A cyclist crossing a toucan on red is not violating any law. On a full-sized head which has green & amber cycle symbols but a full red, they are. The one Reiss posted has a farside two aspect red & green cycle signal head which is surely not legal, nor enforceable. In short, the whole design of that intersection is dodgy.
Which brings me to the question I ask from time to time - who ever checks that Highway Authorities are doing things correctly? As a traffic engineer I see things regularly which don't follow advice or even regulations as in this case but who is tackling the problem. Surely the point of regulation is to create an element of uniformity throughout the country - if highway authorities are doing their own thing how can the average law abiding citizen know what is expected of him (ok a bit extreme but you get my point). Unfortunately DfT is such a wooly organisation, and has been for many years, that they no longer give strong steers on what should, or should not, be happening.

Rant over.
Post Reply