Left turn arrow - traffic light

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tcpdump

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 77988 25-Feb-2011 08:52

Hi,

I had a look through: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/stop-and-goes-of-traffic-signals/7.html

It's clear that when the straight light is green and the arrow is green you have the right of way and when the arrow is OFF you have to give way to opposing traffic.

However, I have noticed a lot of situations where the light for straight ahead is RED and the arrow light is OFF. After a while (or before that), the arrow is RED.
I haven't seen a driver/rider that will turn left/right when the arrow is OFF and the straight ahead light is RED so, why is the arrow turning off?

Please let me know if I haven't been clear enough.

Thanks.

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3000 posts

Uber Geek

# 443284 25-Feb-2011 09:17

It would be clearer I guess if they have filters (The arrows) at lights that they always use them, but I understand that a single red light with nothing else visible means everyone stops.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

jbard

1371 posts

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# 443285 25-Feb-2011 09:18

If the straight ahead light is a circle it means all traffic must stop.

In some cases though the straight ahead light is physically and arrow pointing forward so in this case if this was read and left arrow was off then people could turn left but would have to give way to opposing traffic.

tcpdump

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 443287 25-Feb-2011 09:19

I also assumed that, but why sometimes the arrow turns OFF when there's RED straight ahead and sometimes the arrow turns RED?

There must be a reason as I've seen this all over the country.

Jaxson

6988 posts

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# 443288 25-Feb-2011 09:23

The main round traffic light takes priority.
The arrow is used for special cases when they won't let you go straight but will let you turn.
If the arrow is gone altogether, then control reverts to the main round traffic light.

Jaxson

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# 443293 25-Feb-2011 09:25

tcpdump: I also assumed that, but why sometimes the arrow turns OFF when there's RED straight ahead and sometimes the arrow turns RED?

The arrows dictate the turning and are used to ramp up flow by going green and then slowing it down, as in going red. Once this special case turning period has ended there is no need to maintain any arrow signals at all as control reverts to the main round traffic light.

wreck90

780 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

# 443298 25-Feb-2011 09:29

We should have free left turns around the curb on red traffic lights, like in america. It works brilliantly there and is so safe and reduces congestion (just have to watch for u-turners).

We spend so much money on sending idiot bureaucrats to do 'so-called' studies on foreign countries, why don't we bring back some of the great traffic rules.

Dratsab

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# 443306 25-Feb-2011 09:39

tcpdump: Hi,

I had a look through: http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/stop-and-goes-of-traffic-signals/7.html

It's clear that when the straight light is green and the arrow is green you have the right of way and when the arrow is OFF you have to give way to opposing traffic.

However, I have noticed a lot of situations where the light for straight ahead is RED and the arrow light is OFF. After a while (or before that), the arrow is RED.
I haven't seen a driver/rider that will turn left/right when the arrow is OFF and the straight ahead light is RED so, why is the arrow turning off?

Please let me know if I haven't been clear enough.

Thanks.

not sure what you mean by "straight light".

Are you saying a set of traffic lights with an arrow to go straight ahead + an arrow to turn left?

Or is your "straight light" a standard circular light?

tcpdump

311 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 443310 25-Feb-2011 09:42

Hi.

I meant a traffic light like this:

[- O
or
[- 0 -]
or
O -]

Please replace "[ with shift+," as the HTML code breaks my drawing :)

Dratsab

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# 443311 25-Feb-2011 09:45

Circular lights for "straight" traffic. Refer jbard and Jaxsons posts...

Because it's a circular light, it'll be better to think of it in terms of directing traffic in all directions, but it can be overidden by an arrow.

Gordy7

891 posts

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# 443325 25-Feb-2011 10:28

A green left arrow means cars do not care about pedestrians still legally completing a crossing.

Gordy

Dreamy

251 posts

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# 443332 25-Feb-2011 10:45

wreck90: We should have free left turns around the curb on red traffic lights, like in america. It works brilliantly there and is so safe and reduces congestion (just have to watch for u-turners).

+1 Coming from Canada, where we can do this, it's very frustrating to have to sit waiting and not turn left because the light is red, even though no traffic is coming down the street. There are intersections that have 'turn left at any time with care' signs on them, so why can't all intersections be like that?

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graemeh

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# 443389 25-Feb-2011 13:31

Gordy7: A green left arrow means cars do not care about pedestrians still legally completing a crossing.

I assume when you say "still legally completing a crosing" that the little red man is still flashing.

You should get a green left arrow while pedestrians are still legally completing a crossing. If you do, ring your local council and tell them as the lights are faulty.

If the car has a green arrow they have right of way over anything so there is no way the arrow should come on unless other opposing traffic (including pedestrians) stopped.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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# 443393 25-Feb-2011 13:44

graemeh: You should get a green left arrow while pedestrians are still legally completing a crossing. If you do, ring your local council and tell them as the lights are faulty.

It feels like you are missing a "not" there...

vinnieg

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# 443403 25-Feb-2011 14:21

Does the arrow, red or green, mean anything to cyclists? Or if they are turning and can keep within the cycle lane(if there is one)/not interfere with oncoming traffic, make it legal?

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

vexxxboy

2944 posts

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# 443423 25-Feb-2011 15:25

vinnieg: Does the arrow, red or green, mean anything to cyclists? Or if they are turning and can keep within the cycle lane(if there is one)/not interfere with oncoming traffic, make it legal?

it should mean the same thing for bikes as it does for cars, not many cyclists i have seen seem to know this but they seem to have a whole new set of rules they operate under

Common sense is not as common as you think.

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