On 15 Jan, 11:57, "Ian F." wrote:
"MIG" wrote in message

...

(Actually, in general, you seem to be proposing to do away with lights
so that everyone judges the conditions, but I don't think that could
work in practice.)

We know it wouldn't work but it's a great shame.

Every time traffic lights break down the traffic flows more freely and there
are no queues, but pedestrians, of course, suffer.

They've recently replaced a traffic light/pedestrian crossing near my
home. It was a T junction with a fairly minor road, and pedestrian
lights across the 3 gaps.

It's now a mini roundabout with a zebra across two of the gaps. It's
increased vehicle throughput of the junction, and reduced the time
spent waiting

They are supposed to be replacing the lights at a buisier junction
nearby. Currently, if you wait for a green man, it takes 6 minutes to
cross the 40 yards from one corner to the other. Again It's s standard
T junction, but with islands between lanes

| |
/ |
/ |
/ |
/ /| |
/ / | |
/ / | |--| |
/ / C | |D | | E
--/ /----+ |__| +---------


/----\
--- B |
\----/


--------------------------------
A


To get from A to E when traffic is fairly heavy, without hoping you
can run between traffic, you
1) Wait for traffic from right to go past to the left
2) Wait for traffic from top to go past to the left
3) Cross to B -- traffic still coming from left to right
4) Wait at B
5) Wait for traffic to go from top to left
6) Cross to C
7) If you run you can get to D, but you don't get very long once you
factor in late-turning Right-to-top people
8) Wait while traffic goes from left to right (and right to top)
9) Wait for traffic to go from top to left/right
10) Cross to D
11) Wait for traffic to go from left to right
12) Cross to E

You end up having 3 full cycles to cross the road. If you are daring
and going A-E, you can cross from further up, as most traffic goes
from Top to Left, and you can see if people are *turning* left. Coming
back you can't, as you can't see the traffic. There is a fork about 20
yards off to the right of the image which means you can't cross
further up without having to cross twice.

The junction always allows traffic to pass through, pedestrians are an
afterthought. Roll on zebra crossings.