Speed lights

[Gob]

Swindon is to trial a system that will use traffic lights that turn red if a speeding driver is approaching.

A sensor will determine if a car is travelling over the speed limit and switch the lights up ahead to red before it arrives.

Swindon council is thought to be the first to trial such a system in the UK, although similar systems are already used in European countries such as France and Spain. The trial comes two years after the Conservative council in Swindon switched off all of its fixed location speed cameras in 2009.

Councillor Peter Greenhalgh, cabinet member for transport, said: "We've seen it working elsewhere in Europe and what it does is it destabilises the driver.

"Frequently you see drivers just concentrating on themselves rather than what's happening in front of them. What this does is it takes those drivers out of that comfort zone and makes them concentrate on what's actually happening ahead."

Drivers will not be told the reason for the lights turning red, and nor will they be told the precise location of the lights that will use the new system.

Councillor Greenhalgh said: "The whole key is to monitor driver behaviour without beating them over the head.

"It may annoy them, but I think eventually people will work out that if they maintain a constant speed at or around the speed limit then actually their journey times will be much shorter because they won't be getting delayed by traffic lights."

Andrew Howard, head of road safety at The AA said that the scheme could be beneficial, but warned of the dangers of reducing respect for traffic lights.

"We must make sure there is still respect for traffic lights," he said.

"Red light running has always been a problem; we have to put cameras up to stop people running lights. If it does lower, even marginally, the support for red lights then that is the downside."

However, he said that it was a scheme that was worth investigating, saying: "Nearly everything in road safety is worth trialling."



http://uk.autoblog.com/2011/05/19/swind ... ntrollers/

[Scooter]

I remain a fan of photo radar traps myself. They were noticeably effective at reducing traffic speeds when put into use here, before they were removed because they were politically unpopular. None of the arguments against using them were ever convincing to me.

[quaddriver]

And the poor sot who is approaching NOT speeding, who sees a valid green light suddenly go red as Mr speeder approaches, goes 'oh fuck', stomps his brakes, loses it and collides with Mr Speeder?

Does anyone think these things thru?

[The Hen]

Do you?

A red light will occur, just like any other valid red light.

The only thing is, this one will be triggered by speed.

Anyone approaching that is not speeding, will do what they always do, stop.

[Crackpot]

and the others will run a light as well? seems stupid to create conditiond for a high speed collision (cars are only "safe" up to 35 to 45 miles per hour)

[The Hen]

They are creating an environment that penalises those drivers that think they can safely travel at speeds greater than the designated speed.

It all sounds good to me.

[Crackpot]

and the people they hit?

[Scooter]

Who are they going to hit? If there are cars in front of them travelling at a normal speed, they were already in danger of hitting them by speeding. How is forcing them to slow down for a red light going to increase the chance they will hit someone?

[quaddriver]

Do you?

A red light will occur, just like any other valid red light.

The only thing is, this one will be triggered by speed.

Anyone approaching that is not speeding, will do what they always do, stop.

dunno how it is where YOU live, but here our lights cycle 3 colors and the warning color is based on an average determined by the approximate average wet braking distance of the speed posted.

having some jackball (or an electronic jackball) switch from green to red instantly to deter a speeder is not going to create a good condition.

[Sean]

From the article:


I didn't read anywhere about the amber light being bypassed...

[Crackpot]

It does make one wonder about the time the amber is given. The whole mix seems like a recipe being worse than the cure

[Scooter]

A speeder approaching a red light that is not responsive to his/her speed would have to slow down and stop.

A speeder approaching a red light that is responsive to his/her speed would have to slow down and stop.

Where is the difference? None, except that a speeder under the second scenario will encounter more red lights, might get a clue that speeding is actually slowing him/her down, and that might induce him/her to slow down.

[Sean]

It does make one wonder about the time the amber is given. The whole mix seems like a recipe being worse than the cure

If the amber is given the same time as in normal use then there is no difference to traffic.

[quaddriver]

From the article:


I didn't read anywhere about the amber light being bypassed...

I didnt read anywhere about the amber light being used.

Nor did it state if the next event will occur: green for the other guys.

obviously, if the guy is in range of the sensors, if the yellow is used, he will clear with no problem, if the yellow is used with a shortened delay then he will run the light - about the same as not using yellow and if the green for the other guys shows up.

again....not smart

[Sean]

Traffic lights in Britain have amber lights (see pic for details). I would only expect it to be mentioned in the article if the amber light were not being used.

obviously, if the guy is in range of the sensors, if the yellow is used, he will clear with no problem, if the yellow is used with a shortened delay then he will run the light - about the same as not using yellow and if the green for the other guys shows up.

It depends how far from the lights the sensors are. I'm sure that some smarter people have thought this through...

[Scooter]

A more detailed description of how it will work:

Motorists driving at speed over a specific threshold, which Swindon Council will not reveal, are identified as speeding, triggering the traffic signals at the junction to turn to from green to red.

To ensure that speeding vehicles have enough time to safely stop when the signals change to red, the Data Logger is located well in advance of the junction.

The cameras will recognise emergency service vehicle number plates and ensure that a red signal is not triggered for emergency service vehicles.

Speed data for Thamesdown Drive and Queens Drive suggests that the signals are likely to operate to their usual phasing in the morning and evening peak when vehicles are likely to be travelling well within the speed limit to avoid congestion.

The system is therefore likely to be effective at off-peak times when traffic volumes are lower and vehicle speeds are higher.

[The Hen]

It will be a normal cycle change to red quad.

All that is happening is they are using technology to change the lights when a speeding vehicle is detected.

I am sure they thought all of that through in order to get it approved for operation.

I hope we consider it over here.

We are currently considering "point to point" cameras.

[The Hen]

Drivers will not be told the reason for the lights turning red, and nor will they be told the precise location of the lights that will use the new system.

Councillor Greenhalgh said: "The whole key is to monitor driver behaviour without beating them over the head.

I just quoted the above from the article in the OP.

If the system was, as quad so wrongly thought, then every driver would be aware precisely where these bloody speed lights were simply by them not changing exactly the same as all the others.

[oldr_n_wsr]

You guys are really behind the times. HEre on Long Island we let the speeders go and let them run hte red lights and then take a picture of their plates and give them tickets. It'a all about collecting money. Your focus on safety is so.....odd.

[Lord Jim]

I take it the concept of synchronized traffic light intervals for efficient traffic flow are not considered to be a priority since this would obviously throw that into a cocked hat....