Interesting article on traffic lights

[rastuscat]

During the last major auckland power outage (about 4 years ago maybe?) they were predicting traffic chaos because lights were out. But it was the quickest commute ever and auckland drivers were actually considerate.

Oh for heavens sake, don't be some damn sensible.

[MSTRS:Me]

That's the problem. Video is great evidence, but it's not possible to video every offence we see. If we use it too much, we set an evidential standard, that detracts from the basic form of evidence that has existed for decades ; a cop seeing something, telling the court what he saw, and the court then making a decision based on the facts they accept and the credibility of the parties..

Liking your earlier suggestion of removing much of the plethora of traffic signs...
But the above...what is wrong with holding to a standard of proof? And if it takes video to provide that proof for some offences, then why not all? We know that the defendant's word may usually be distrusted, but cops are not above a little creative accounting at times, either.

[bogan]

As a result, I am in a strong position to write about how people who have driven through late yellow or red lights who deny having done so.

How late is a late yellow anyway? Sometimes I go when it's a bit iffy, and barely make it to the other side of the lights before it goes red (so still ages before the other vehicle get the green), that count? Course sometimes when I do that I see in my rear view someone else has come through too, pretty sure they count

[Usarka]

Oh for heavens sake, don't be some damn sensible.

The funniest thing was all the motorists getting ticketed for running red lights. The Auckland coppas were running the first and only red-light running sting that day and it was playing havoc with their quotas!

[rastuscat]

Liking your earlier suggestion of removing much of the plethora of traffic signs...
But the above...what is wrong with holding to a standard of proof? And if it takes video to provide that proof for some offences, then why not all? We know that the defendant's word may usually be distrusted, but cops are not above a little creative accounting at times, either.

Quite agree. In an ideal world there would be video of every offence. Hard to argue with that. Trouble is, we don't work in an ideal world.

Here's a challenge. Leave your office some day and on the drive home, try to look for the offences we deal with. Seatbelts, cellphones, unsafe lane changes, following too close, crashing stop signs, ignoring traffic lights. Then ask yourself why a cop would have to make tickets up, when there are so many basic offences being committed all the time every day.

I seriously doubt that I'll ever be out of a job.

[MSTRS:Me]

Here's a challenge. Leave your office some day and on the drive home, try to look for the offences we deal with. Seatbelts, cellphones, unsafe lane changes, following too close, crashing stop signs, ignoring traffic lights. Then ask yourself why a cop would have to make tickets up, when there are so many basic offences being committed all the time every day.

I seriously doubt that I'll ever be out of a job.

Oh, I see that shit every time I go out on the road. Day, night, work, leisure, car, bike.
But I often see a cop in the vicinity also...must be concentrating on his donut. Cos the dickheads go on their merry way, unfettered by that awkward scrap of paper.

[rastuscat]

How late is a late yellow anyway? Sometimes I go when it's a bit iffy, and barely make it to the other side of the lights before it goes red (so still ages before the other vehicle get the green), that count? Course sometimes when I do that I see in my rear view someone else has come through too, pretty sure they count

In Chch the yellow light are almost all 4 seconds long. At 50km/h you are travelling at 13.7 metres per second. So if you cross the limit line (the fat painted one at the start of the intersection, 90 degrees to the direction of travel) when the light goes from yellow to red, you are over 50 metres back when it went green to yellow. It takes maybe 30 metres to stop from 50 km/h on a dry road, assuming 50km/h and a reaction time of 1.5 seconds.

That means that if you are just over the limit lines at the yellow/red change, you have at least 20 metres of extra time to have stopped. The yellow light law requires you to stop if you can do so safely before entering the controlled area, being the area past the limit line.

So, if you are just (1 or 2 car lengths, our basic yellow light standard) over the limit line when the light goes red, you had plenty of time to stop on the yellow. It's basic physics, time and distance.

So when people tell me they couldn't stop, having crossed the lines on the yellow/red change, I can only assume they are a totally incompetent driver who deserves the ticket they are getting.

The standard reason for not stopping was that the car behind them was forcing them to keep going. So they went through the traffic light in the interests of road safety. Yeah right.

[steve_t]

In Chch the yellow light are almost all 4 seconds long.

Is the duration of the yellow determined by anything such as the size of the intersection?

[rastuscat]

Oh, I see that shit every time I go out on the road. Day, night, work, leisure, car, bike.

I have been at the enforcement game for 22 years now, and even I can't see every offence that is ever committed in front of me. I go out looking for seatbelts, cellphones, traffic lights. I can only look for so much. Someone standing next to me might see totally different things, as they have their mind focussed on different things to what mine is.

Yes, people often do things in front of cops and nothing happens. It may be the bag of donuts on the Popos lap, but it might just be that he/she isn't all seeing.

[bogan]

In Chch the yellow light are almost all 4 seconds long. At 50km/h you are travelling at 13.7 metres per second. So if you cross the limit line (the fat painted one at the start of the intersection, 90 degrees to the direction of travel) when the light goes from yellow to red, you are over 50 metres back when it went green to yellow. It takes maybe 30 metres to stop from 50 km/h on a dry road, assuming 50km/h and a reaction time of 1.5 seconds.

That means that if you are just over the limit lines at the yellow/red change, you have at least 20 metres of extra time to have stopped. The yellow light law requires you to stop if you can do so safely before entering the controlled area, being the area past the limit line.

So, if you are just (1 or 2 car lengths, our basic yellow light standard) over the limit line when the light goes red, you had plenty of time to stop on the yellow. It's basic physics, time and distance.

So when people tell me they couldn't stop, having crossed the lines on the yellow/red change, I can only assume they are a totally incompetent driver who deserves the ticket they are getting.

The standard reason for not stopping was that the car behind them was forcing them to keep going. So they went through the traffic light in the interests of road safety. Yeah right.

sounds like a good metric to judge by to me, and have quite a bit more than two car length behind me whenever I see it go to red, so I shall carry on.

We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not forward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.

[Ocean1]

cops are not above a little creative accounting at times, either.

... in much the same way that the ocean is not above the sky.

[scumdog]

but cops are not above a little creative accounting at times, either.

I know what ya mean.

"OK, you weren't wearing your seatbelt but I'll ignore the fact ya ain't got your licence with ya"

"OK, you were doing 117kph but I'll ignore the fact your rego is nearly a month out"

"OK, your headlight is out but I'll give you a complaince ticket for that - and ignore that you didn't indicate at that last intersection"

Bloody dishonest creative arseholes, ain't we?

[Berries]

Is the duration of the yellow determined by anything such as the size of the intersection?

It should be. Then there is the added time where all of the lights are red. It is practically impossible to cross an intersection legally, ie at the end of the green phase or just as they change to amber/yellow, and get hit by crossing traffic that pulled away on their own green.

[scumdog]

It should be. Then there is the added time where all of the lights are red. It is practically impossible to cross an intersection legally, ie at the end of the green phase or just as they change to amber/yellow, and get hit by crossing traffic that pulled away on their own green.

True.

But those who say "It JUST went yellow as I got there" won't agree....losers.

[Mully Clown]

How many people jump the light just before it turns green?