Given what was behind at the time, I'd not have even bothered trying to stop. All well and good people saying keeping a distance that you know you can stop in, but can what's behind stop as quick?I must say the bit where you said, just before it turned to Amber, may have people thinking, how did he know that.
Given what was behind at the time, I'd not have even bothered trying to stop. All well and good people saying keeping a distance that you know you can stop in, but can what's behind stop as quick?
Most roadworks have a "Stop Here" sign in advance of the lights. You don't tend to get right up to the roadworks and then stop at the light. Do that and you're as well to carry on moving. Much as in the same way a second set of lights on the opposite side of a junction, facing you, controls trafficNot sure you have my post correct. Point being how do you know when the lights have just changed to Amber when you have gone through them.
Not looking hard enough!I think it must vary as I usually manage to get through before they turn green at the other end. Although I'd never go through on amber for that reason. Often if the coned off area is on my side of the road I'd use that in an emergency if I was in the way of oncoming traffic - checking for holes first, of course
The best ones are the ones with chaps with stop-go boards. Whenever I've seen those the guys have made sure I got through before changing the boards. Don't often see them now though.
Good move raising it with the local authority. I think @subaqua might know what the times should be, as I get the impression he gets involved in that sort of thing in his day job.
I can vaguely remember a time when it was common practice for the first vehicle stopped by a temporary light to wave the traffic coming the other way through, thereby saving everyone quite a bit of time. I'm particularly thinking of a family holiday in Pembrokeshire in 1967, and my memory may be a bit hazy. Of course, it all goes a bit wrong, for both cyclists and drivers, if it isn't a straightforward two-way set of lights.I had to decide what to do when i had to stop at some road works measuring about 100 yards. Shall i wait till the green light comes on them bomb it to get through before they change to green on the other side or should i wait till the cars stop at the other end them go through on red to get there without delaying those vehicles coming at me and those behind me. I decided to go on red when i saw the cars at the other end stop, only to look behind me to see this 4x4 thing intimidating me. He'd jumped the lights too! Guess what was waiting in the queue at the other end? Only a police car! I stopped (blocking 4x4's path) and told the copper my reason for jumping the red light. He ok'd it then asked the tool in the 4x4 for his explanation for jumping a red light.![]()
American timing methodGreen will have a minimum time (7 seconds I think) which then gets extended if cars are still approaching the signal, up to maximum, which could theoretically be any time, but is likely to be no more than 60s, usually less, unless the road is heavily trafficked.
The Intergreen (time between green in one direction and green in the other) is at least 4s (iirc), and should allow just enough time for traffic in one direction to be clear before the other traffic stream moves. While they will use an appropriate speed for pedestrians on ped crossings I suspect most 'traffic' phases are timed for cars.
There are exceptions, as noted previously, but you'll be unsurprised to know that most people calculating signal timings are not thinking about cyclists.
If you go through at amber you are breaking the law!