Botched Traffic Signals

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Gareth
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Gareth »

The box signs are a botch though; annoyingly a common one.

Have I ever mentioned that we need red and amber arrows in this country?
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L.J.D
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by L.J.D »

Gareth wrote: Tue Jul 26, 2022 21:52 The box signs are a botch though; annoyingly a common one.

Have I ever mentioned that we need red and amber arrows in this country?
Or a variant of the blue mandatory arrow sign but in a different colour instead of blue. Maybe black ? But that might be hard to illuminate. I think a white background with a black arrow outline would be better. A little bit like the exemption plates. Surely it's better than the current arrangement we have at the moment.

I've also noticed red light cameras are really common at signals where they are side by side due to a protected right turn phase. Surely that indicates that accident rates are higher at such sites due to reading the wrong signals. It's one big annoyance of mine with UK signals along with the exemption plate mess.
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MotorwayGuy
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by MotorwayGuy »

Most countries have red and amber arrows for these situations, the main problem is this reduces the surface area of the red signal which could lead to visibility issues, and would require more aspects for many junctions.

As for box signs, the exemption roundels are mess, This junction is a good example of inconsistency, with each head having a different arrangement. I quite like the square one though as it gives more surface area.

EDIT: Nearby we have a somewhat common example of a turn exception box sign on a signal that has a single arrow, meaning it's technically an offence for the exempted vehicles to turn anyway, and if it was a green ball it would mean cyclists could turn right, which obviously isn't intended. The other approach is the same. The next set has rouge roundels as well.

Does nobody check these things any more at all?
Last edited by MotorwayGuy on Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:28, edited 1 time in total.
WhiteBlueRed
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by WhiteBlueRed »

MotorwayGuy wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:15 Most countries have red and amber arrows for these situations, the main problem is this reduces the surface area of the red signal which could lead to visibility issues, and would require more aspects for many junctions.
With the advent of LEDs, visibility is no longer a problem. And still, instead of displaying red/amber arrows, black arrows could be applied on top of circular red/amber aspects. This is practiced in Germany and Poland. Image Image
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jervi
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by jervi »

Noticed this site today has a few issues.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.83855 ... 384!8i8192 - Each movement (left,ahead,right) has its own nearside and far side signal. For some reason the nearside ahead signal has a full bulb and not an ahead aspect.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.83879 ... 312!8i6656 - Here all movements (left,ahead,right) are made on the same signal (ahead traffic has red). Nearside lights have a full bulb. Far side has an ahead & right aspect, when it should be a full bulb & right aspect (right aspect is optional but recommended).
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.83863 ... 312!8i6656 - From this approach the nearside has a left & right aspect, but the farside only has an ahead aspect, seems a bit strange but not sure if that is an explicit error.

So by the looks of it when it was renewed someone mixed up an ahead aspect & a full bulb.
The junction was renewed in ~2017, they signalised the pedestrian crossing across the Southern arm, but not the Northern arm which is outside of a school.
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jervi
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by jervi »

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.22438 ... 312!8i6656

Shouldn't that have a full bulb with a mandatory turn left with "except buses" next to it? At the moment what are buses exempt from? The red light?
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MotorwayGuy
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by MotorwayGuy »

jervi wrote: Sat Jul 30, 2022 18:39 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.22438 ... 312!8i6656

Shouldn't that have a full bulb with a mandatory turn left with "except buses" next to it? At the moment what are buses exempt from? The red light?
I've seen that used on its own for a bus only lane as well so it's even more confusing. The whole layout there seems bad and overly complicated. Does there really need to be a dedicated left turn/bus lane there at all, it seems one lane would suffice. This must also qualify for one of the shortest and most pointless bus lanes in existence!
Skipsy
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Skipsy »

The new Hammersmith Broadway Gyratory works are finished but they messed up these new signals:
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.492785, ... 384!8i8192

The old setup that just had no left turn was much better
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traffic-light-man
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by traffic-light-man »

MotorwayGuy wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 12:15Does nobody check these things any more at all?
One of the biggest problems is that the folks checking them don't necessarily think there's a problem... I think that's plain to see by the amount of this rubbish that hits the streets in the first place.
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MotorwayGuy
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by MotorwayGuy »

"Guv, someone's smacked one of the traffic light heads! Don't worry, just go in the yard and pop a spare one up there, anything will do".
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.45652 ... 384!8i8192
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jervi
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by jervi »

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.72359 ... 384!8i8192

erm, where does that crossing lead? Also lacking zigzags
AlexBr967
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by AlexBr967 »

If you look carefully, the zig-zags have actually just worn away
WhiteBlueRed
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by WhiteBlueRed »

jervi wrote: Sun Aug 07, 2022 21:44 https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.72359 ... 384!8i8192

erm, where does that crossing lead? Also lacking zigzags
It's quite strange that they have a traffic light controlled crossing on a filter lane, while the busier Melton Road crossing remains uncontrolled. It would've made more sense for that to be the other way round.
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L.J.D
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by L.J.D »

WhiteBlueRed wrote: Mon Aug 08, 2022 06:30 It's quite strange that they have a traffic light controlled crossing on a filter lane, while the busier Melton Road crossing remains uncontrolled. It would've made more sense for that to be the other way round.
I suspect it's down to poor visibility as opposed to how busy it is. As a pedestrian you cannot see what's coming around the bend on filter lane so I imagine that's why the crossing was provided. In most instances though some good old vegetation cutting back would do the trick but the UK doesn't like doing this.
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the cheesecake man
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by the cheesecake man »

Just what does "except buses" stuck on the bottom of these traffic lights mean? :confused:
jnty
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by jnty »

the cheesecake man wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 13:14 Just what does "except buses" stuck on the bottom of these traffic lights mean? :confused:
All traffic in the bus lane that isn't a bus has to obey the signal, obviously...
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Big L
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by Big L »

jnty wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 13:16
the cheesecake man wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 13:14 Just what does "except buses" stuck on the bottom of these traffic lights mean? :confused:
All traffic in the bus lane that isn't a bus has to obey the signal, obviously...
And if you’re a bus driver it’s red for go and green for stop, I presume.
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traffic-light-man
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by traffic-light-man »

the cheesecake man wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 13:14 Just what does "except buses" stuck on the bottom of these traffic lights mean? :confused:
The same as it does on these, and these, and these, and... I'll stop now :evil: .
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by tom66 »

traffic-light-man wrote: Thu Aug 18, 2022 21:48 The same as it does on these, and these, and these, and... I'll stop now :evil: .
Ahead if green, but only if you're a bus or bicycle. Otherwise, you can... do whatever the hell you like.
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ReissOmari
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Re: Botched Traffic Signals

Post by ReissOmari »

Five Ways junction in Birmingham was signalled some years ago and I've always wondered why these signal poles are various heights, the other side of the junction has one as well, quite strange considering there isn't a secondary height signal.
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