3 ms·
We have the technology today to do this right - make the green and yellow lights have a countdown number, or blink slowly then quicker as time gets shorter (not
by cr0sh 7y ago
We have the technology today to do this right - make the green and yellow lights have a countdown number, or blink slowly then quicker as time gets shorter (not sure if that might cause a person to have a seizure though for those prone?)
The problem is people don't know how long the green then yellow really is, nor when it is about to change from yellow to red. I've been using crosswalk countdowns where they're available, but they aren't always reliable in my city (Phoenix). Sometimes, it will hit zero - and the light will stay green.
But most of the time, when it hits zero, it will go from green to yellow, then you have roughly 3 seconds left.
- krustyburger 7y agoThe time is also variable by location, even between proximate American cities. For instance, the yellows in Los Angeles seem to be substantially briefer than the ones in San Diego or Orange County.
- bgorman 7y agoEven worse, Chicago intentionally reduced yellow light times to increase the rate of traffic tickets to generate additional revenue.
- leetcrew 7y ago> But most of the time, when it hits zero, it will go from green to yellow, then you have roughly 3 seconds left. it depends a lot on the speed limit, at least where I live. the yellow light usually lasts a lot longer on a 45 mph road than a quiet 20 mph street. I think having a countdown on the green light would be very helpful, but I worry that a countdown on the yellow light could lead to people cutting the red light even closer. what I would really like to see in the US is a yellow light before the green so I know when it's time to put the car in gear. of course, this could also worsen the "drag strip" effect.