Re:Traffic lights worldwide set to change after a Swedish en...
by 1123581321 on Monday October 21, 2019 @06:45PM
(#21318393)
Before turning, the time would be more like 8 seconds due to the need to slow down. It’s too long to be reasonable. And too much pressure to strictly adhere to the law would create perverse incentives to temporarily drop below 50MPH before signaling and to keep the signal constantly on in case one wants to pass a car. It’s better to have a reasonable law that’s easy to follow to foster a culture of high compliance rates.
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Re:Traffic lights worldwide set to change after a Swedish en...
by creato on Tuesday October 22, 2019 @01:27AM
(#21320607)
Maybe the point is to be signaling before you start slowing down? It doesn't sound unreasonable to me at all.
When I turn off of rural highways with 50+ mph speed limits, I signal about the same time I let off the gas to start slowing for the turn. Braking is at least a few seconds later, turning is well after that.
Re:Traffic lights worldwide set to change after a Swedish en...
by 1123581321 on Tuesday October 22, 2019 @02:39AM
(#21320919)
It does sound reasonable if most people know where their turn is, start planning for their turn far in advance and take some time to coast before starting to brake. That’s probably what the group who wrote the law was thinking. It is not how people actually drive and it’s too far in excess of what following traffic needs to exercise caution or slow down.
One of the challenges of traffic planning is that people will do what feels comfortable and is working; it’s not really worth writing laws to force them out of that unless there’s an oil crisis or a municipal revenue crisis.