Traffic light countdown

[sid]

I haven't seen one of these before. We have roadworks in the village and the temporary traffic lights have a countdown clock.

 

[IMG]http://i1118.photobucket.com/albums/k611/basstrom79/forum%20pics/trafficlights.jpg[/IMG]

[cooperlola]

Cor - even easier to win traffic light Grand Prix now.[Www]

[andyh4]

Good idea isn't it - at least you know the lights are working.

 

Parts of Istanbul have the same thing attached to the permenent traffic lights as well - and far from Coops suggestion about the traffic light grand prix start, it seems to calm the traffic.

[YCCMB]

Nice to see we're catching up with the third world....the first place I ever saw these was in Yangon in Myanmar in 1997. It certainly stopped the ox carts speeding away from the lights.

[powerdesal]

They have them in the UAE as well, or at least in Ajman Emirate. The countdown going from green to red is very useful when approaching a junction, you know exactly when the lights are going to change ( so you can really 'boot it' ) to get through with the odd second to spare !!!!!!

[AnOther]

Wish they'd use them here !

There are some very minor roadworks going on just on the edge of my village, only about 5m worth if that, so apart from the fact that the lights serve no useful purpose - it's not exactly a major highway - their timing is appalling.

Earlier today going into the village I approached it at red then sat there waiting. After maybe 30 seconds I saw a car emerge from the village a good 1/2 km in the distance (50kph limit) yet the light remained red not only for the whole time it took for it to reach and pass the lights but even after. I waited perhaps another minute by which time I had a queue of about half a dozen cars and not another vehicle in sight from the opposite direction so I said to myself &*ck this and just drove off, everybody followed. As I drove into the village I kept an eye on the light in my mirror and noted that it was still flashing amber (= GO) as I lost it from view.

I know they are not broken because they are virtually outside my friends house from where I have seen the queues build up and also, coming out of the village, I have actually seen them change from red. They are just very badly set up.

Just about everybody is ignoring them now.

[Bugsy]

I sat and watched one on Friday, on my bike in torrential rain.

That clock was going sooooooo slow.