Smart Traffic Light
Very interesting tactic that Pleasanton, CA is taking to help solve the problem of drivers who speed. City engineers have created a traffic light that senses when a speeder is approaching and immediately turns from green to yellow to red. Nice idea! Read more about it: Stoplight to punish suburban speeders
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an unused console won't have any problems!
Nov 16th, 2004 at 18:27:47
Wow! That’s even worse than those lights that take pictures of people who run them!
Nov 16th, 2004 at 21:21:32
I think it’s great! Something needs to be done about the way people drive. I get angry every time I drive somewhere (not to mention scared). It’s ridiculous how fast people drive. There is a speed limit for a purpose. When people drive the speed limit and other people drive 15 miles per hour faster, it creates a very dangerous environment. My sophomore year of college I lost one of my best friends in a car accident. He was speeding and lost control of his car. Every since then speeding has really bothered me. I think they should put restrictors on engines. These restrictors would pick up signals from devices placed on road signs. The signs would transmit the speed to the sensors, and whenever the car goes 5 mph over the limit it wouldn’t accelerate any more.
Nov 16th, 2004 at 21:47:03
So… uh… when would the light EVER be green?
Nov 16th, 2004 at 23:30:42
It sounds like a pretty dangerous idea to me. Have you ever been on a highway travelling at some legal speed (55 we’ll say) and then the light turns yellow? At that high of a speed it’s harder to judge whether to stop or go through the light. I always wondered if they lengthened the yellow light for faster roads.
Well, by shortening the yellow light (if in fact that’s what the post is saying), that allows for less reaction time and causes a potentially dangerous situation!
If the length of the yellow stays the same, and the “immediate” is simply the change to yellow, then perhaps it’s not so bad.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 10:05:26
Jeremy,
I’ve often wondered why they make 4 cylender cars that register for 150+. It’s not like anyone will enter races with out a V6 at least.
Nick,
I agree about it sounding dangerous. I already hate yellow lights b/c I always have to make this quick decision of whether to try to stop or go through. Some lights that I see often I know how long they are so I can better judge which to do, but if the length of yellow lights were adjusted based on cars speeds, then I’d imagine there would be a lot more lights ran and isn’t the point of a traffic light to allow cars to cross intersections without being hit? So like you’ve said it seems this would cause more accidents.
In Mombasa we didn’t have any traffic lights and I’ve only seen one or two accidents in 2 years time. Granted there’s a few intersections that could have used a light, but not having lights means you have to look carefully before you cross any street. Here we trust the lights but I’m afraid these “smart traffic lights” will just cause trouble.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 14:17:06
“I’ve often wondered why they make 4 cylender cars that register for 150+. It’s not like anyone will enter races with out a V6 at least.”
I drive a turbo charged 4 cyl Eagle Talon. It races quite well. My engine has more power than many V6’s out there. There’s more to the motor that allows a car to go a certain speed (aerodynamics, type or tire, etc).
Personally, I’m one of those persons who always speeds (unless I am in a school zone or in a neighborhood). On normal city streets or 4 lane roads, I’ll go 10 over. Highway, my speedo is pegged around 80. Its just how I have always driven (for the last 13 or so years). Would I do the same thing if I drove a pickup or large SUV? probably not. I haven’t had a speeding ticket or accident in over 8 years. None of my accidents involved other vehicles, and most were weather related and never speed related. In fact, in the last two (of three) accidents I had, I was 10 under.
I don’t agree that speeding alone creates a dangerous environment. Punks going over the spee dlimit and driving wrecklessly (weaving in and out of traffic, tailgating, etc) are problematic. I think people driving the speed limit in the left “fast lane / passing lane” can cause more problems than just speeding alone. If you are not driving faster than other people, please move to the right. If traffic is moving smoothly in both lanes, then it shoudlnt’ be a problem.
Paul
ps - chris can you make this box bigger than 35 chars wide? kind of hard to type a long message if you can only see a limited number of words.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 14:18:32
and let me clarify by racing - I take it to the track, not on the street. Street racing is for punks who have no respect for other people.
Oh, and most FWD cars have speed limiters/governers on them, although usually it isn’t hit until 120+ mph.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 16:23:06
i’m with nick on the danger.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 17:18:56
Paul, why are you always speeding? I’m not trying to sound like a jerk, but is it worth the risk. Besides getting a ticket, what would happen if you have a tire blow out when your traveling that fast? Not to mention if you wreck for any other reason, it’s going to be a lot worse than if you were driving the speed limit. And you said the punks that drive crazy are what make the roads crazy…I agree. That’s why I drive the speed limit and am a very defensive driver. It gives me more reaction time to stupid people.
Nov 17th, 2004 at 21:59:52
I’ve taken two defensive driving classes, they are def. a smart thing to have.
Why do I speed? Not sure, always have. 80mph is comfortable driving speed to me. I don’t find it risky.
I’ll deal with a ticket when and if I get one. If you have a tire blow out at 65 or 80, i think the risk will be the same, especially if you are in traffic.
You drive “bad” long enough, and you eventually get “good” at it, especially if you know how your car reacts to envrionmental factors.
Don’t get me wrong, speed in bad weather? no way. Speed in heavy traffic? nope. There’s a time and a place. I also don’t think it is something to do when I become a parent. Nothing infuriates me more than seeing a mom or dad fly by me in their minivan with a load of kids. Or, when the kids aren’t buckled in. I’ve called the police while following behind people like that.
Paul
Nov 18th, 2004 at 17:21:18
Isn’t that kind of a double standard, though? If it’s dangerous, then why do it without kids? And if its safe, then why does it bother you if they have kids with them?
Nov 19th, 2004 at 09:03:42
I doubt I will be packing a bunch of kids in my eagle talon any time soon. I don’t normally speed if I am driving a larger, less able vehicle (for instance, my mother-in-law’s dodge caravan). Some vehicles are ’safer’ than others at higher speeds in my opinion (safer being more controllable and predictable).