Good ideas from overseas (OT bit of fun)

[geoff]

That should be +2 rather than +1 I think

[Bob Minchin]

France: drivers eye level traffic light repeaters

[SteveW]

Germany used to have (may still have) traffic lights with three numbers next to them. Each in turn illuminated to tell drivers what speed to drive at to make it through the next set of lights before they changed.

But the cycle is that long that as a driver you feel that you have significantly aged between changes.

SteveW

[SteveW]

And also flashing amber instead of stopping traffic unecessarily at night, although I'd prefer the main road to stay green and the side roads to flash amber meaning stop-check and proceed rather than flashing amber in all directions as they do there.

SteveW

[jgharston]

Whereas in this country we learn *not* to pour bathwater on the floor :)

JGH

[John Williamson]

Flashing amber in France and other countries where it it used,means "proceed in accordance with the normal rules of precedence". In general, this means give way to traffic coming from your right, unless there is a sign that say otherwise. Effectively, at fixed installations, it means "This traffic light is not here". European drivers grow up with this, and it's second nature to them. Some junctions have give way and main route signs on them, and these are what control the junction when the amber is flashing.

[Gib Bogle]

Speak for yerself!

[Chris J Dixon]

[Nightjar]

I am suspicious about the long term practicality of the one-way valve designs, but both the microbiological and barrier fluid designs seem to work well.

Colin Bignell

[Nightjar]

I prefer the large repeater lights we have in the UK (any that are not at the stop line are repeaters).

Colin Bignell

[polygonum]

Each has its place. There are several traffic lights around here where, if you stop at the proper place, you cannot see the main lights without craning neck, etc. The small repeaters would help there. Of course, from a distance the large ones are good.

In these days of relatively inexpensive LEDs, I would have thought small repeaters could have been incorporated into the posts of many traffic lights at relatively small marginal cost.

[Scion]

DerbyBorn spake thus:

Portugal: Speed camera activated traffic lights.

[charles]

you mean they go red if you're approaching too fast?

Here all traffic lights (for about 30 years) monitor traffic approaching the lights. Even temporary ones have sensors on them.

[Nightjar]

So they can get the drivers for speeding AND for jumping a red light?

Colin Bignell

[harry]

Brazil Trucks and buses. Tyres are connected to truck air system and can be continuously monitored and pumped up on the move.

[Mike Barnes]

Trouble is, they've gone and put those entirely stupid low-level pedestrian lights on the posts. ISTM that confusion would be a risk.

[Apellation Controlee]

Germany - take a shower, open a window. Tells you everything, according to a friend of mine.

[Mark]

They do that here (when light goes green).

[polygonum]

Ah - the ones that make sure a pedestrian has to look away from traffic in order to see they are allowed to cross? Wonderful, aren't they... :-(

[charles]

[Snip]

DDA- they're for wheelchair users