Stop lights

I've always believed that stop signals should be set so that the amber lights lasts longer as the speed limit on the road increases. The proper timing of the amber should be determined by tests involving the heaviest allowable vehicle on that road, e.g. an 80,000 pound truck, going at the posted speed limit.

Also, every stop light on a highway-speed road should have a "be prepared to stop" light placed at a test-determined distance from the light so that it begins flashing when the light is about to change.

IMHO, setting up a fast light on a fast road should be a criminal act for which the light-setting officials should be liable, along with his/her agency.

 

Our training called it a "stale green light". If the light's been green the whole time it's been in your view, let off a bit and be prepared to stop. I still have a few close ones when i reach my decision distance and it goes yellow. But none bad enough that I could likely be cited for it.

 

Ohio used to have these all over. They have removed most, if not all, of them. Their reasoning was a study that showed more accidents with increased injury/death at those locations. The increase was blamed on 4 wheelers hammering the throttle trying to beat the light when they saw the warning signs flashing. I can believe it. As I used to do that too back before I started driving a truck and was a mere "stupid 4 wheeler".

 

I almost got it at one of these signals last week. on KY 9 AA highway they have these prepare to stop warning (I personally like them) but I'm at a red waiting to cross going straight and I'm glad I looked twice-- a little hyundai barreled through at 90 mph after I'd had a green for 4 seconds. A county cop was three cars behind me but didn't see it.

 

Normally there is a sign to alert you of approaching signals. When you see these signs look for a surge or non surge of approaching traffic in the opposite lane. This will give you an early warning of a new or stale light. This can help you in your Smith System analysis particularly aim high in steering. It can be tricky.

 

If the light is green then go. If it’s red then stop

 

Don't worry. Just wait until all the trucks are autonomous next year and you won't need to concern yourself with these "silly human problems"

 

When in towns drive slower than the speed limit , don’t speed up when nearing intersections with lights just hold that speed.

 

Leave the air horn alone. If you have tried to anticipate that light ahead of time and still don't have room to stop short, then take the #### thing. A ticket potentially is much much cheaper than say three coil coming off pallets on that flatbed on your 5th wheel or your tanker going nuts and hitting things or people. Or your freight shaking down in your reefer or van causing OSD rejections.

Some of my tickets are literally red lights. I'll take em. I don't abuse that too much. NJ Route One from Avenel to say I-287 comes to mind. miles and miles of lights. (They happen to be all sync's so the current speed limit of 35 will make you stop at about every other 5th light, but if you kicked her to between say 37 and 41 ish you can take em all green all the way down.)

Always treat potential lights as a stopping point. Make room where possible for that braking.

There used to be a light at what we called Battlefield Road in Manassas/Leesburg Area on I think US 15 or roughly way back then. You come around a curve northbound or over a hill southbound and there it is red in your face. With cars already filling that intersection. (Two 4 lane roads meet there)

Virginia wisely built a system where they emplaced 4 diamonds in each lane to and from that light so that when your 18 wheeler is on the first diamond while that light is still green or even changed to yellow, it literally will HOLD or postpone the cycle until you have gone through. It is NOT however a green light machine. They also built a advanced light signal past that curve so you know what is doing like almost a mile before you get there.

I hate to focus on that one intersection, but of all the ones Ive seen out there short of times square and other similar situations that particular light always was a problem.

Oh the airhorn?

Ha. Let me tell you this. One time in the milk truck a fast light which I should have known about from months of day in and day out changed in my face. I used the horn to pass through. All it did was attract attention of a state trooper with a very loud ... mating call of sorts to come out and write me a whole lot of tickets which he did. Pulled me over 2 miles down the road, after he ditched the gas filling situation he was in. Had I got through without attracting his attention he would probably knew nothing until maybe a bunch of brakes and skidding as cars tried not to hit me. Either way that would be that eh?

Your horn wont make any difference. You will need both hands on the wheel to potentially work a situation where a car has lawfully taken his or her green and now here you are fixing to hit it.