Subject: Re: red light runners

From: Mike Lastort <[email-masked]>
Date: 7 Sep 1995 12:53:16 GMT

[email-masked] (Kevin Atkinson) wrote:
>In article <[email-masked]>,
>Earl Shoop <[email-masked]> wrote:
>>Red light runners can expect one of several things to happen: at best, they
>>*might* save a few moments on the trip(often, I stop at a light, someone goes
>>around me to run it, then we end up next to each other at the next light ("Was 
>>it worth risking lives for?" I want to ask) We don't need to discuss the other
>>possibilities... death, destruction, fines, imprisonment...  eXtreeem
>>embarrassment, even!
>
>Running a light to avoid hard braking and running a light to save time 
>are two diffrent things.  If you are in a large vehicle at a high speed 
>it can be downright dangerous to stop.  Espacally if the surface is 
>wet.  I run a light from time to time to avoid hard braking however I 
>try to never run a light to save time.  The two things are entirly diffrent.
>One is for safety and the other is to save time.  Yes sometimes I speed 
>up at a yellow light so that I can make it with out having to brake hard.

I have an Isuzu Rodeo, which has a curb weight of about 3995 lbs. That's pretty 
heavy. I also have a Mazda Miata, with a curb weight of about 2000 lbs. That's 
pretty light. I've never had a problem stopping when the light turns with either 
car.

Also, around here, yellow lights are pretty long. I've never actually timed one, 
but they seem to run about 5 seconds before turning red. If that's not enough 
time to slow down and stop before yellow turns to red, you may want to consider 
going to Midas to have your brakes checked. It sounds like you may have a serious 
mechanical problem with your car.

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From: [email-masked]
Date: 7 Sep 1995 12:24:21 GMT

In article <[email-masked]>,[email-masked] (Earl Shoop) 
wrote:
>... Just how close must you be, at the limit, to proceed when the light turns 
>yellow?  Two things might be helpful... 1)  a yellow line (or mark) to 
>indicate that you should stop unless you have already passed this point, 
>and...

But how about those who are going over the limit? :)

I've always believed that the point at which the dashed lines that mark the 
lane change to solid is the indicator you're talking about.  

Can anyone confirm?

--Girirajan--

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From: [email-masked] (Wotan)
Date: Thu, 7 Sep 1995 21:55:51 GMT

[email-masked] (Earl Shoop) wrote:

:Red light runners can expect one of several things to happen: at best, they
:*might* save a few moments on the trip

Depends on where you are.  I can think of several lights in VA that
have waits of several minutes, and then dump you into the next series
of reds due to poor timing of the lights.

[snip]

--

True freedom requires taking responsibility for your own life.
That frightens the hell out of too many people.  They prefer 
to have Big Brother holding a safety net for them, and they'll 
sell their own birthright and their children's as well to 
keep it.
                                --F. Paul Wilson

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From: [email-masked] (Kevin Atkinson)
Date: 7 Sep 1995 20:05:23 -0400

In article <[email-masked]>,
>mechanical problem with your car.

No, I just don't enjoy hard braking when a light pops up on me an I am 
going 10 mph over the limit (with traffic) and there is someone behind me 
that might rear end me.  Mind you If I can safely stop I will but with 
the many outrageously low speed limts some times that is just not possable.
Most of the time I make it but every now and than I don't.

-- 
* Kevin Atkinson, Clarknet I'net Serv., Maintainer of the Usenet Info Center *
*     Finger [email-masked] for more info on Usenet Info Center.         *
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*  This is in its beginning stages and I could use any help I could get!     *

---

From: [email-masked] (Paul S. Wolf)
Date: 8 Sep 1995 14:55:04 GMT

>lane change to solid is the indicator you're talking about.  

NO.  That varies all over the place, and is NOT a standard.  

The timing of the Yellow and All Red periods of traffic signals is one of
the most complex and misunderstood parts of traffic Engineering.  The
Dilema Zone (ie Do I Stop or Speed Up?) is a real problem and has no real
good solution.  Too many variables, such as the speed, perception time,
road conditions, width of the cross street, etc. make the calculation
difficult.  What most engineers do is find a REASONABLE compromise.  

In DC, when I was there in the 70's, all signals were set for a 3.5 to 4.5 
second Yellow period, then an optional 1.4 to 2.4 second All Red.  The odd 
lengths were due to mechanical constraints of the timers (They had to be an 
integral percentage of the overall cycle, 4% of 90=3.6, 5% of 80=4.0, etc.)  
The cycle lengths varied from 60 to 120 seconds, with 80 being the norm.

DC now has solid state equipment at all of their signals, and the timing
can vary by 0.1 second increments for the Yellow, and, I think, 0.01
seconds for the All Red.  They probably still use Yellows of 3.5 to 4.5
seconds, however.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Cyberspace Traffic Engineer,