Traffic lights to be switched off in safety experiment

[Davidc]

Usually IME when traffic lights go out traffic works well. More courtesy, better flow.

I wonder though, once motorists get used to it, whether that will last or it'll degenerate into a Might Is Right situation?

Presumably, as said above, it'll be monitored closely.

Do away with motor vehicles and we wouldn't need traffic lights

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Hard to say. I've lived near a junction that got frequent power cuts and things flowed quite normally. I've also worked near a junction there was chaos when there were a power cut. It depends what type of traffic light they are and other factors such as is there a preferred orientation.

And the "natural" speed of the flows of traffic will most likely have an effect as well. Some junctions will be approached slowly 'cos of other factors, others will probably have one flow going quite (a bit) fast(er than the other). Though I guess "fast" is a relative term in rush hour London.

Usually IME when traffic lights go out traffic works well. More courtesy, better flow.

I wonder though, once motorists get used to it, whether that will last or it'll degenerate into a Might Is Right situation?

Presumably, as said above, it'll be monitored closely.

Do away with motor vehicles and we wouldn't need traffic lights

.. was just gonna post more or less the exact same thing.

 

[zimzum42]

Certain junctions really do need traffic lights, the junction of Baker Street and Marylebone road being one example I can think of right now.

But there are so many others that really don't, Old St for example.

I expect the project generally to be a success....

 

[Alan Whicker]

But there are so many others that really don't, Old St for example.

I find Old Street roundabout much more pleasant (actually, pleasant is probably the wrong word but y'know what I mean) with lights than without. The mahoosive roundabout at Hackney which joins Lea Bridge Road, too.

 

[zimzum42]

Fair enough, but am thinking in terms of total traffic flow, not just bikes....

 

[dellzeqq]

Certain junctions really do need traffic lights, the junction of Baker Street and Marylebone road being one example I can think of right now.

But there are so many others that really don't, Old St for example.

I expect the project generally to be a success....

I think the Old Street lights are probably there to stop the traffic going west, and then northwest blocking the traffic going east. And to give pedestrians half a chance - as they just about do at the Elephant. And, in a general way, that is a considertion. Those clever bods at TfL sequence traffic lights to stop gridlock, and they're pretty successful.

 

[zimzum42]

True - but this is how it works isn;t it, we put the ideas forward and then discuss the virtues, and arrive at something that works, we hope!

That the scheme is being started is the good thing, as there are still many lights which serve little purpose IMO

 

[dellzeqq]

The anarchist in me agrees with you!

 

[dodgy]

I love it when traffic lights fail, I feel safer (weirdly enough) and make more progress. Even major traffic lights like on the A540/A550 junction, which frequently break for some reason.
This is worth a watch -
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_YV3Cru7aE

 

[Dan B]

I find Old Street roundabout much more pleasant (actually, pleasant is probably the wrong word but y'know what I mean)

West -> East along Old St it can be almost joyous if you approach with a bit of vim and the light goes green at the right time. But I know what you mean. That narrow cycle lane up the left hand side of a left-curving approach road is one of the dumbest bits of traffic engineering I can think of right now.

 

[dellzeqq]

West -> East along Old St it can be almost joyous if you approach with a bit of vim and the light goes green at the right time. But I know what you mean. That narrow cycle lane up the left hand side of a left-curving approach road is one of the dumbest bits of traffic engineering I can think of right now.

I think Vim is what I'd use to clean my keks afterwards.........

 

[thomas]

I love it when traffic lights fail, I feel safer (weirdly enough) and make more progress. Even major traffic lights like on the A540/A550 junction, which frequently break for some reason.
This is worth a watch -
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_YV3Cru7aE

ohh. Just watched it not expecting much and I would agree. Going into Norwich I would hit about 4/5 sets of red lights. It is a mile and a half in.

Now, I don't believe in RLJing (most of the time), but some of them are on roundabouts, where like the video suggests...ped on wheels, I could quiet safely go at the roundabout, even if the light says I can't. Look left, nothing there? Go!

Certainly the lights within Norwich town centre are terrible for peds. Traffic is coming from so many direction, but it doesn't always come. So people go on the red man, to find someone coming around the corner where they weren't expecting.

It's quite tempting to go and put some bin bags over lights onto the way into town

My old commute only had a couple sets of lights so it didn't really bother me, most of the time they were reasonably sensible and gave me a chance to have a drink. If they weren't there though - it'd probably improve traffic flow, but drop the average moving speed of vehicles.