[tee-tea]

I have noticed a few high traffic stop signals in some cities have little clocks above them that show when they will turn yellow or red to warn drivers. I also noticed that some drivers use that clock to floor it and go through the intersection. A new concept traffic signal is sort of like that clock on the normal signal with a twist.




The light has the standard red, yellow, green drivers are used to. When the light is any of the colors, it also has an hourglass on the front. The lights flow through the hourglass to show when it’s almost time for the light to change.

That is really cool and while it would be useful, I think all the idiot drivers in my area would use them for racing or to gauge if they can run the light or not. The concept is cool, but I don’t see this ever happening.

http://www.slashgear.com/stop-light-concept-combines-hourglass-with-normal-lights-18114886/

to get or not to get?

[RCubed]

I think people will drive more aggressively to try to beat the hourglass as well as the yellow.

What I'd like to see is a yellow before the green like they have in Europe.

[hchang]

Definitely not.

It'll be a waste of taxpayers dollars, the C-lai's can barely understand the normal lights we have currently, and I can already picture in my head the Surrey jacks using that to race.

[hk20000]

woooo city funded drag racing tree lol.

[!Aznboi128]

I think people will drive more aggressively to try to beat the hourglass as well as the yellow.

What I'd like to see is a yellow before the green like they have in Europe.


This. It makes sence.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Greenstoner]

if they wanna spend the money, spend it wisely on the 'walk" and "no walk" pedestrian light. make it better or educate people better

so many stupid pedestrians thought they can still walk when the "no walk" light is already up even though it is still green light.

it is making the turning car so diffcult and dangerous to make the turn sometimes

[bloodmack]

http://www.yankodesign.com/2009/11/30/a-better-understanding-of-stoplights/
this ones better..

colour blind ppl would be owned if they used hourglasses Lol.

[TOS'd]

colour blind ppl would be owned if they used hourglasses Lol.
.

[ilvtofu]

I heard that LEDs are no good in colder climates because the snow/ice would just build up on them because there is no heat.


I think a better idea is to add a timer rather than something as distracting as an hour glass

[twitchyzero]

if they wanna spend the money, spend it wisely on the 'walk" and "no walk" pedestrian light.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-_Y-Hh8N_4

[bloodmack]

:facepalm:

what? .. I don't get the facepalm..



(i'm probably going to get owned for saying that).


@tiger_handheld seriously? You havent even made a post in the thread and your failing me? Lol

[RevRav]

I think people will drive more aggressively to try to beat the hourglass as well as the yellow.

What I'd like to see is a yellow before the green like they have in Europe.

Yup, they are quite effective in Hong Kong.

[flagella]

Definitely not.

It'll be a waste of taxpayers dollars, the C-lai's can barely understand the normal lights we have currently, and I can already picture in my head the Surrey jacks using that to race.

Took the words right out of my mouth lol. It's like the same thing as adding another light in addition to the yellow between green and red. People will just try to beat it.

[vanny_david]

if they wanna spend the money, spend it wisely on the 'walk" and "no walk" pedestrian light. make it better or educate people better

so many stupid pedestrians thought they can still walk when the "no walk" light is already up even though it is still green light.

it is making the turning car so diffcult and dangerous to make the turn sometimes

absolutely agree with you !!:thumbsup:

[Bath Tussue]

this will not work well with color blind people.

edit: i just read the thread, it was already mentioned...

[q0192837465]

Yellow before green doesnt work well. In HK, busses start going on yellow. It doesnt change anything.

[hk20000]

Yellow before green doesnt work well. In HK, busses start going on yellow. It doesnt change anything.

that is the whole point: you'd eliminate those times when you start to creep thinking the light is going green for you but it isn't (like the opposite side getting a green left arrow)

and then there are times when the driver ahead just blissfully unaware of the light already turning green...

a yellow before green would definitely make people move on time. The original intent was that people with manual transmission cars get a second to shift only when they know the light is going to go green at the next moment.

[RCubed]

that is the whole point: you'd eliminate those times when you start to creep thinking the light is going green for you but it isn't (like the opposite side getting a green left arrow)

and then there are times when the driver ahead just blissfully unaware of the light already turning green...

a yellow before green would definitely make people move on time. The original intent was that people with manual transmission cars get a second to shift only when they know the light is going to go green at the next moment.

I could see how the yellow before green wouldnt work though. People would probably want to use it to start right when it turns green; not clearing the intersection before proceeding.

[q0192837465]

^ I agree, it works in an ideal world. But for some reason most drivers just like to beat the green light so to speak. I really dunno what the hurry is. U'r just gonna stop at the next red light anyways. One time I was turning right on a red and the guy next to me just floored it when I turned. Everyone was like WTF. I bet he's thinking that I'll merge back in thus trying to beat me.

[slammer111]

North America is way behind. Even Cambodia had digital timers (they're made by Tyco) on ALL of their traffic lights when I went in 2007. :rolleyes:

They're one of the best inventions imo. Everyone knows exactly how much time they have left before the light turns yellow/red. When stopped at a red light, drivers also know how much time they have left to fumble with their mp3 players or GPS.

[RCubed]

North America is way behind. Even Cambodia had digital timers (they're made by Tyco) on ALL of their traffic lights when I went in 2007. :rolleyes:

They're one of the best inventions imo. Everyone knows exactly how much time they have left before the light turns yellow/red. When stopped at a red light, drivers also know how much time they have left to fumble with their mp3 players or GPS.

Well we're not supposed to fumble with mp3 players or GPS at a red light.

Not to mention that its going to cost a lot of money to upgrade from our current system.

If it aint broke, don't fix it.

[JSALES]

that's pretty cool but i think it would make drivers just more aggressive

[Ulic Qel-Droma]

Have you guys never left north america before? it's like, almost the standard everywhere else to have timers on crosswalks and red lights.

[Black240Sx]

They have these in China. All the traffic lights in the city I was in had big number screens beside the traffic light. When the light went red, big red numbers would start counting down from 30, then it went green the number would turn green and start counting down from 30 again etc.

IMO, the worst situation a driver can face is a stale green light with someone in the oncoming lane that is going to be turning left. There is always a point of no return and depending on your speed and the weather this can be hard to judge. If you try to stop to late, you will slide, the guy will turn and you hit him. If you dont stop when you should, he turns and you hit him. Having the counter makes it much easier to judge what other people are going to do and it makes stopping for a light much easier. Its just like the flashing amber lights at many large intersections that let you know the light is changing.

Its also nice if you're waiting at a light to know how long its going to take. Sitting at a red light can seem like forever when you dont know how soon it will change.