Botched Traffic Signals

[Chris Bertram]

I hope they've removed those blue direction arrows telling people they must turn right. It's a pet hate of mine when such signs are used to show which direction of traffic the signal head applies to. It's also more reason why we should have arrows on the red and amber aspects.

Or, alternatively, a white-on-black arrow on a plate above the signal. I'm sure I've seen that, can't remember where.

[Bryn666]

It's actually unlawful to use turn arrows like that.

If the left turn lane had a splitter island it would be fine.

[Jam35]

I hope they've removed those blue direction arrows telling people they must turn right. It's a pet hate of mine when such signs are used to show which direction of traffic the signal head applies to. It's also more reason why we should have arrows on the red and amber aspects.

Or, alternatively, a white-on-black arrow on a plate above the signal. I'm sure I've seen that, can't remember where.

Or, best of all, make the arrow about 1½ times the size of a normal signal head, so that people can tell that it's an arrow before it comes on. I'm sure I've seen that before...

[traffic-light-man]

I hope they've removed those blue direction arrows telling people they must turn right. It's a pet hate of mine when such signs are used to show which direction of traffic the signal head applies to. It's also more reason why we should have arrows on the red and amber aspects.

Or, alternatively, a white-on-black arrow on a plate above the signal. I'm sure I've seen that, can't remember where.

Spain uses black/dark blue on white arrows to indicate what movement a signal applies to.
I'd be all for that in the UK, to be honest. I think it'd clear up a lot of messy situations with multiple signalled movements.

[hughster]

I hope they've removed those blue direction arrows telling people they must turn right. It's a pet hate of mine when such signs are used to show which direction of traffic the signal head applies to. It's also more reason why we should have arrows on the red and amber aspects.

^^ This. To me, that mandatory turn signs are misused on signal heads is clear evidence that red/amber arrows (or even black arrow stencils) are needed.

[wrinkly]

I was recently in Leigh and noticed these signals. You can't see it on Streetview because they're at red, but the green aspect of the left turn signals shows as a full disc, not a left arrow. is this normal/allowed?

[M4Mark]

I was recently in Leigh and noticed these signals. You can't see it on Streetview because they're at red, but the green aspect of the left turn signals shows as a full disc, not a left arrow. is this normal/allowed?

It's allowed. Normally I'd expect an arrow, if the movement runs onto a give way and there's other traffic coming through the junction then probably best not to use an arrow as the arrow gives expectation of no conflicting traffic.

[urbanfox]

Thought I was going mad for a moment earlier.

Sat at these lights. Saw the amber light up on the nearest lights so looked up to the far side for the green. 'Oh, the amber bulb is out' I thought. And then it lit up. Looked back to the near side and it turned green, followed by the far side about a second later.

Presumably some glitch has worked its way in, rather than it being deliberately bizarre.

[SuperCoolAl]

Kirklees Council just renewed these signals in Heckmondwike. They have replaced the green ball with an ahead arrow still coupled with a right filter arrow. However this came about, it beggars belief and I cannot believe such an elementary and potentially dangerous mistake was made.

[urbanfox]

These lights in Dunchurch, are set up to give right turners chance to go before the oncoming traffic get a green light. Not a problem in theory, it seems to work well all around Manchester I've noticed.

One key difference though: In Manchester, you have a green filter arrow, the disappearance of which gives you due warning that the oncoming lot are about to set off. In Dunchurch, you just get oncoming traffic launching towards you

[traffic-light-man]

Kirklees Council just renewed these signals in Heckmondwike. They have replaced the green ball with an ahead arrow still coupled with a right filter arrow. However this came about, it beggars belief and I cannot believe such an elementary and potentially dangerous mistake was made.

These were set up like that when they were installed. I wrote to the council several times regarding this installation and it was rectified not too long after being switched on, thankfully.

Know Your Traffic Signs actually lists this set up, with images too:

Although you may turn right on a full green signal, a right-turn GREEN
ARROW showing at the same time indicates that turning right should
be easier. Always check that opposing traffic has stopped before
proceeding. If the full green is replaced by an ahead or left-turn arrow,
you must wait until the right-turn arrow shows before you turn right

The other issue with the Liverpool example was that the detector for the right turn filter was in the centre of the junction, so if drivers were to wait at the stop line, the right turn arrow would never have come on.

[Gareth]

Not necessarily botched maybe, but these signals in Woolton Village seem a bit odd. On the left primary and the sole secondary, the left turn arrow is underneath the green, whilst the ahead arrow is to the right. Personally, I would've thought the straight on arrow should be underneath the amber and the left arrow to the left of that. As well as seeming a bit more natural, it would match the right primary signal which shows only an ahead arrow. Like I said, not necessarily botched but definitely sloppy.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@53.37252 ... !2e0?hl=en

[SuperCoolAl]

These were set up like that when they were installed. I wrote to the council several times regarding this installation and it was rectified not too long after being switched on, thankfully.

Know Your Traffic Signs actually lists this set up, with images too:

Although you may turn right on a full green signal, a right-turn GREEN
ARROW showing at the same time indicates that turning right should
be easier. Always check that opposing traffic has stopped before
proceeding. If the full green is replaced by an ahead or left-turn arrow,
you must wait until the right-turn arrow shows before you turn right

Very interesting. I wonder if there are actually any (intentional!) examples in place. I wouldn't like it personally because before switching on how are drivers supposed to know it isn't simply a broken bulb?

[traffic-light-man]

Is this for real?

[Fenlander]

2 way temporary lights for roadworks just up the road from where I work. Trouble is the road is narrow and there's 3 lots of signs before the lights and you have to go on the wrong side of the road to get round the signs, and to be in a position to trip the sensor on the lights you have to stop on the wrong side of the road next to a sign, which is alright if nothing's coming but if it is then it's stalemate as you have to reverse backwards round the sign. Been here a week so far, about 1 days work done.

[Johnathan404]

Not so much botched as it is a problem with LEDs.

Street View doesn't show it well but at normal driving level, the nearest red light can't be seen. The second two red lights visible in that picture are a different set of signals entirely. So even knowing the nearest junction is there, as you approach your eyes natrually focus on the second set of signals and you can easily be surprised when traffic in front stops before then.

[ianwallis]

Is this for real?

Yes that's bizarre. I wonder why that arrangement was chosen - not to the regs I'm sure.

[M4Mark]

Is this for real?

Yes that's bizarre. I wonder why that arrangement was chosen - not to the regs I'm sure.

It's unusual alright as now it runs full green and arrow together but I seem to recall seeing it run as filter before I started driving.

I think the signals on the left side of the road went to green as normal but the signals on the right stayed at red to allow the side road pedestrian to run/finish.
I think there was a filter ahead arrow on the right which was later changed to a full green aspect but the head arrangement remained the same.

I'm sure A303Chris is more familiar with this one and can probably ask someone in the signals team it's official history.

[L.J.D]

This in Coventry looks totally wrong the blurred out bit is a bus exemption plate ... But the green arrows look wrong. One green ball would have been correct
Thankfully the junction has now had the signals removed totally in favour of a shared space junction

[Big L]

In Edinburgh there is a terrific junction. One lane labelled with a left turn arrow, and two lanes both labelled 'Ahead Only'; traffic lights with filter arrows that you can see in the link.

The 'ahead, but very slightly left' arrow comes on before the 'ahead, but very slightly right' arrow. I wanted very slightly right, but found myself in the wrong lane. The taxi driver behind was very annoyed, but I wasn't prepared either to go the wrong way or to jump the red light.