Stop Light With a Progress Bar to End Road Rage

[danimal_the_animal]

AWESOME!

STREET RACING!

 

[buwish]

It's a noble idea, but yes, I can see some idiots out there using the advancement as a means of drag racing...not cool at all.

 

[jacobdrj]

Israel has had the 'blinking yellow light' for a while now to indicate the change of red to green. I liked it.

In the USA: If there is a cross-walk, I often find myself looking at the seconds ticker to determine my red/yellow light-times anyways.

 

[Guest]

We don't need anymore traffic lights! We need roads that are designed better! We need more exit ramps and entrance ramps (This would help create jobs and save lives) Where I live the local government keeps putting up these lights and now our main highway is horrible. If you hit one red light you hit them all! this has really made traffic a lot worse. I know they do it because it's a cheaper solution and allows them to use money where it'll get them more votes from the special interest groups.

 

[NoCaDrummer]

Many cities already have timers showing on their "walk" lights 10... 9... 8... , but pedestrians who are too busy talking on their cellphones (or messaging) ignore the numbers, crossing the street even after the countdown finishes.
I agree that these progress indicators would lead to people trying to start ahead, and we have too many people who ignore the yellow-to-red transition as it is. I'd think they'll see a lot more car wrecks from drivers who run red lights crashing into those who hit the accelerator the moment the indicator is "done". It might be fine in theory, but practice will show otherwise.

 

[invalid777]

[citation][nom]homrqt[/nom]I'll be thinking of Mario Kart EVERY time... =D[/citation]

If you hit the accelerator at the right moment you'll get a speed boost and take the lead. Then just drag that green shell behind you and pray no one gets a blue or 3 reds.

 

[NoCaDrummer]

Hope the progress bar applies also to the Green light, so we'll know how much time we still have to beat the red light!

It's called a "yellow" light. Amazing invention. When it comes on, you have 3 seconds to clear the intersection.

 

[Clintonio]

I think they're a brilliant idea. It'll help people to know how far from "go" they are. It won't make people any more likely to rush out. But it will ensure that people will know how long left there is to wait.
I ask, what's worse? An application that tells you "PLEASE WAIT" with no progress bar, or one with an accurate progress bar? I prefer the latter by far.
My only issue is that people will have to get used to how the time left will vary!

 

[james_0505]

Would be great if someone jumps the green too early it sets a fault and traffic has to back up to start again lol

 

[Guest]

I think countdowns on red lights are SO USEFUL. I can get a rough idea of when I have to go, so I can take the time to change the CDs on my car stereo before the light turns green.

 

[elitepilot]

So, because some people are assholes, the rest of us can't have these lights? By this logic, we shouldn't have cars at all. Or any firearms. Or any form of knife. Or any other countless, potentially dangerous devices. This new traffic light can be handled the same way we handle cars, guns, knives, etc: enforcing the laws which punish the people who do stupid and dangerous things.

 

[rmse17]

I just think that all states should have legal lane splitting for motorcycles. If I am standing at a red light, the last thing I want is for a car to be in front of me. Cause I know for sure that it will slow me down, where as if I were to walk past it and stand in front, the car will not even notice my presence when the light turns green. *sigh* all cars on public roads are slow.

 

[Manos]

[citation][nom]Smochina[/nom]We had counters for red lights in Romania. They were removed because morons suddenly behaved like race drivers.[/citation]

Exactly what id expect while reading the article. "Burnout" was the first thought. Indeed will help some from stressing while staring at the light but there is a big ammount of ppl that will just use this the wrong way unfortunately.

 

[evolve60]

that's just retarded, if you get road rage from just waiting for the stoplight you shouldn't be driving anyways, sell your car, and buy a bike or learn to be a civil person and drive normally.

 

[clive_b]

Hmm.... Works well in Ra'anana Israel.. Maybe the Israelis invented it.

 

[tethoma]

I love this idea, I actually prefer a number counter that you can clearly see. I have seen some stop lights in the US have timers attached right to the light and it was great.

 

[fracture]

One thing I hate the most is dumb/bad drivers. This will only make more of those. People are gonna pay attention to the lights more than watching for people trying to cross and whatnot.

 

[kravmaga]

[citation][nom]jacobdrj[/nom]Israel has had the 'blinking yellow light' for a while now to indicate the change of red to green. I liked it. In the USA: If there is a cross-walk, I often find myself looking at the seconds ticker to determine my red/yellow light-times anyways.[/citation]

QFT
I think too many people here are jumping on the bandwagon and thinking that engineers must be complete morons who have no idea what timing margins or large model simulations are. Just because there are more loud people agreeing with you with unreferenced anecdotes doesn't mean you're right.
The fact that this kind of information is already more than widely available in urban settings with roadcrossing timers is proof that it can work and potentially make roads safer if implemented right.
A green light with a counter would not only equip drivers who value safety to make better decisions but it'll also probably save a bit of gas in the long run so that people won't be rushing with the illusion they can beat the next light.

People already do all of the above. It doesn't take a few days for local drivers to memorize the light patterns and try to anticipate the greens.
Of course, there'll always be morons who can use any new idea to hurt themselves and others but where the hell are your model simulations that say they outnumber the morons who would hurt themselves and others without this technology by playing indiana jones and the falling doors in the long corridor with traffic lights?

I think innovations like this are way too often dismissed by unqualified authority who simply use worst case scenario to scare people off. "Amagats! People are morons! What could possibly go right?"

 

[Guest]

But... will it hang for an eternity at "99% complete" like a real Windows progress bar? THAT would do wonders for road-rage...

 

[metalfellow]

jitpublisher, you made my day with your story about the "special" person who knows how the traffic lights work, haha.