I drive to patients homes all day and I daily see people in the suburbs stop far enough back that they don’t always trip the left turn arrow, sometimes leaving that lane stuck an extra cycle. It would be infuriating, except that my drive time is paid and mileage reimbursed, so I’ve chosen not to let it bother me. I just roll my eyes and wait.
Generally when approaching a intersection on a red light you should stop the car so that you see the white line at the top of your hood. This allows you to also see the painted crosswalk and any pedestrians in the crosswalk (no matter their height) when sitting in your car.
If it’s a two lane or more roadway it also has the added benefit of letting the driver to your right see pedestrians more clearly if they are making a right turn.
The person in the car furthest right can now pull up and have their wheels touch the white line (if turning right) and not have to block a crosswalk, while having a full unobstructed view of the intersection to the left, it also allows a pedestrian crossing to see the car in the far right line as they approach the end of the intersection.
At least here in Austria we often have left turning lanes, that have a magnetic sensor/loop in the street and the traffic light only switches, when you’re on top off it.
People stopping way too early and especially people leaving too much space between cars is really infuriating in the city…
Those sensors are the apex of Modernist arrogance, where people just decide they know every detail about any system they look at and can control everything.
There is no single place where they work. But at least people have been steadily removing them for the last 30 years.
I’ve noticed more and more what look like cameras/infrared sensors on traffic lights instead of induction loops, much more “fault tolerant” and work much better for cyclists.
In streets with high traffic, the left turning red light only goes to green, if someone is actually there waiting. Because else it would make a longer red phase for the opposite drivers going straight
It’s not like the sensors override safe lighting patterns though, no two lights that interfere should ever turn green at the same time.
And the loops can reliably detect bicycles too, as they do in the Netherlands. And there’s usually several that detect vehicles early, it’s not like a car needs to sit right on top of them.
Basically they’re a proven technology that improves safety and convenience. Obligatory NJB: https://youtu.be/knbVWXzL4-4
Well, for pedestrians there is usually a button at the crossover, so they get priority and a green light soon
Bicycles at such crossings usually have a bike lane, because it’s (usually) only at high traffic crossings - and else they can use the pedestrian button
Not sure about motorcycles though.
Haven’t seen issues personally, but I can imagine, that the sensors aren’t trimmed to motorcycles sometimes.
But have to say, that in every occasion I’ve had a motorcycle in front of me on such a sensor, it worked.
Statistically probably not relevant though…
I’m not talking about hanging back 5 or even 10 feet from the intersection, but sometimes 15-20. I often see people sitting back this far on their phone, so I can only guess that they feel it gives them a buffer to not pay attention to their surroundings. A few years ago I was stuck in a left turn lane with a large number of cars behind someone sitting too far back to trip the light (a T intersection where the left turn was always red unless triggered.) By the third light cycle the person in the car behind them got out, knocked on the window and had to show them where to pull up to. It’s a big fat white line. It shouldn’t be that complicated.
I travel through the South and West Chicago suburbs, where generally intersections are designed with a gap between the white line and the crosswalk to allow visibility.
You’re right, this is worse.
So close. The first car is too close to the line.
I drive to patients homes all day and I daily see people in the suburbs stop far enough back that they don’t always trip the left turn arrow, sometimes leaving that lane stuck an extra cycle. It would be infuriating, except that my drive time is paid and mileage reimbursed, so I’ve chosen not to let it bother me. I just roll my eyes and wait.
Generally when approaching a intersection on a red light you should stop the car so that you see the white line at the top of your hood. This allows you to also see the painted crosswalk and any pedestrians in the crosswalk (no matter their height) when sitting in your car.
If it’s a two lane or more roadway it also has the added benefit of letting the driver to your right see pedestrians more clearly if they are making a right turn.
The person in the car furthest right can now pull up and have their wheels touch the white line (if turning right) and not have to block a crosswalk, while having a full unobstructed view of the intersection to the left, it also allows a pedestrian crossing to see the car in the far right line as they approach the end of the intersection.
At least here in Austria we often have left turning lanes, that have a magnetic sensor/loop in the street and the traffic light only switches, when you’re on top off it.
People stopping way too early and especially people leaving too much space between cars is really infuriating in the city…
Those sensors are the apex of Modernist arrogance, where people just decide they know every detail about any system they look at and can control everything.
There is no single place where they work. But at least people have been steadily removing them for the last 30 years.
I’ve noticed more and more what look like cameras/infrared sensors on traffic lights instead of induction loops, much more “fault tolerant” and work much better for cyclists.
I’m not really sure, if I understood you
In streets with high traffic, the left turning red light only goes to green, if someone is actually there waiting. Because else it would make a longer red phase for the opposite drivers going straight
So, it seems like an improvement to me
What am I missing?
Every traffic situation where people would need to cross but there won’t be a car stopper exactly over the sensor.
Not exhaustively:
pedestrians
motorcycles
bicycles
cars stopped at the wrong place
It’s not like the sensors override safe lighting patterns though, no two lights that interfere should ever turn green at the same time.
And the loops can reliably detect bicycles too, as they do in the Netherlands. And there’s usually several that detect vehicles early, it’s not like a car needs to sit right on top of them.
Basically they’re a proven technology that improves safety and convenience. Obligatory NJB: https://youtu.be/knbVWXzL4-4
Ah, I see, thanks
Well, for pedestrians there is usually a button at the crossover, so they get priority and a green light soon
Bicycles at such crossings usually have a bike lane, because it’s (usually) only at high traffic crossings - and else they can use the pedestrian button
Not sure about motorcycles though.
Haven’t seen issues personally, but I can imagine, that the sensors aren’t trimmed to motorcycles sometimes.
But have to say, that in every occasion I’ve had a motorcycle in front of me on such a sensor, it worked.
Statistically probably not relevant though…
Edit: auto correct fix
I’m not talking about hanging back 5 or even 10 feet from the intersection, but sometimes 15-20. I often see people sitting back this far on their phone, so I can only guess that they feel it gives them a buffer to not pay attention to their surroundings. A few years ago I was stuck in a left turn lane with a large number of cars behind someone sitting too far back to trip the light (a T intersection where the left turn was always red unless triggered.) By the third light cycle the person in the car behind them got out, knocked on the window and had to show them where to pull up to. It’s a big fat white line. It shouldn’t be that complicated.
I travel through the South and West Chicago suburbs, where generally intersections are designed with a gap between the white line and the crosswalk to allow visibility.