Filter lights

Jamie-b

Can someone explain to me please?
I was turning left yesterday. There was a normal set of lights and a two beside it.
When I approach the green left arrow was up- Go.
Then the light above flashed amber-?
Then both were gone. I stopped and got beeped as the other light was green. I find it so confusing.
When can I go/not go?
When do I have to watch for other traffic also turning into roadfrom other direction?

DriveSkill

Jamie-b wrote: »

Can someone explain to me please?
I was turning left yesterday. There was a normal set of lights and a two beside it.

Not sure exactly what you mean by the part I've highlighted in your quote above but I'll try and explain - sorry about the long post and I cant find good pictures so have to go with text :-)

There are a number of different types of traffic light configurations :

Standard Traffic lights - sequence RED, GREEN, AMBER, RED :

RED CIRCLE - STOP, no ifs ands or buts :-)
AMBER CIRCLE - STOP, unless it is unsafe to do so
GREEN CIRCLE - PROCEED if safe in any direction (left, straight or right) while yielding to traffic who has right of way (i.e. oncoming traffic when you are turning right).

Pedestrian Crossing Traffic lights - sequence RED, FLASHING AMBER, GREEN, AMBER, RED :

Same as normal traffic light with the addition of the

FLASHING AMBER CIRCLE - Proceed with caution provided no pedestrians on the crossing.

Filter Traffic Lights

Filter traffic lights can exist in a number of configurations:

1. SOLID GREEN, GREEN RIGHT ARROW
In this configuration the sequence will be either :

RED, SOLID GREEN + GREEN ARROW, SOLID GREEN, AMBER, RED -or-
RED, SOLID GREEN, SOLID GREEN + GREEN ARROW, AMBER, RED

depending on the junction.

The purpose of the GREEN ARROW is to allow traffic turning right to proceed with right of way (oncoming traffic will have a RED light at that stage). The important point about these lights is that you can turn right even if the GREEN ARROW is not lit provided the SOLID GREEN is lit and there is no oncoming traffic.


2. GREEN LEFT ARROW, SOLID GREEN

The sequence here is most likely to be :

RED, GREEN LEFT + SOLID RED, GREEN LEFT + SOLID GREEN, AMBER, RED

In this situation the GREEN LEFT arrow is to allow traffic to turn left before the main flow of traffic goes straight ahead. It will generally come on before the SOLID GREEN although it may vary depending on the junction. If the GREEN ARROW is on together with the SOLID RED then you can ONLY turn left - if you are going in any other direction you must wait.

3. GREEN LEFT ARROW, GREEN STRAIGHT ARROW, GREEN RIGHT ARROW

In this configuration you may only have one of the left or right arrows and not both but the same logic applies. The basic rule is you can only proceed in the directions where the arrows are lit. So, if the GREEN STRAIGHT ARROW is only on you cannot turn right, you must wait for the GREEN RIGHT ARROW in this situation and hence is different from the case with the SOLID GREEN. Generally speaking (but not always) you will have a double set of AMBER and RED lights here so it will look something like :

RED...............................RED
AMBER...........................AMBER
GREEN AHEAD ARROW.......GREEN RIGHT ARROW

4. FLASHING AMBER LEFT ARROW

This is not very common but does exist at a number of junction. Even though it is an AMBER light it will be positioned at the same level as the GREEN lights. It will only ever exist on as a LEFT arrow (never as a right). Will look something like :

........................................RED
........................................AMBER
FLASHING AMBER ARROW.......GREEN

The Flashing Amber Arrow indicates that you may proceed left while Yielding to traffic on your right. If anyone has been in the US and took note of the driving you may have seen people 'turning right on red' - this is the Irish version :-)

In the original post you referred to a 'flashed amber' - do you mean flashing or just came on for a short period and then light went red ?

murrayp4

http://www.rulesoftheroad.ie/rules-for-driving/traffic-lights-and-signals/traffic-lights.html

Jamie-b

In the original post you referred to a 'flashed amber' - do you mean flashing or just came on for a short period and then light went red ?

I'll try to explain it better. There was a "normal" set of 3 traffic lights, your green red and orange and stuck onto the left were 2 more, a green arrow and and an amber. The green left arrow was lit up, then it went off and the amber flashed then went off so when i got there the only one lit up was the main lights circular green.

murrayp4- I saw that already but I'm still confused.

Does the circular green me we all can go, left right and ahead, but the green arrow is only left can go, and the amber we can go left if the way is clear- ie watch for people coming froim the right.

I would guess based on

you can turn right even if the GREEN ARROW is not lit provided the SOLID GREEN is lit and there is no oncoming traffic.

that you can still turn left even if it's just a solid green lit.
Does seem confusing though!

cruizer101

Jamie-b wrote: »

Does the circular green me we all can go, left right and ahead, but the green arrow is only left can go, and the amber we can go left if the way is clear- ie watch for people coming froim the right.

Yes circular green is green for all, green arrow means only green for that direction. The amber, i assume you mean flashing amber arrow, means yield to other traffic yeah. I have to admit when i was learning despite me going over this in Rules of Road it still confused me for a bit, not sure why as it is simple enough principal.

DriveSkill

Jamie-b wrote: »

I'll try to explain it better. There was a "normal" set of 3 traffic lights, your green red and orange and stuck onto the left were 2 more, a green arrow and and an amber. The green left arrow was lit up, then it went off and the amber flashed then went off so when i got there the only one lit up was the main lights circular green.

murrayp4- I saw that already but I'm still confused.

Does the circular green me we all can go, left right and ahead, but the green arrow is only left can go, and the amber we can go left if the way is clear- ie watch for people coming froim the right.

Yes, once the full green is lit you are allowed to proceed in any direction, so yes you should have continued to turn left. It is unusual to find an amber light on top of a green arrow if the solid green stays on afterwards - perhaps the sequence of the lights changed at some point.

Where you would see it if the solid lights go red but the arrow stays green then there will normally be an amber light above the green arrow to indicate that the lights are about to go 'Full Red' (i.e. everyone must stop). However in the scenario you describe the Amber above the arrow doesnt really make much sense - but then you will find that type of road planning in places :-)

BTW @murrayp4 - thanks! Could have saved myself some typing

**Timbuk2**

You can proceed in all directions on a solid green light, but remember to yield to traffic that has right of way. If you are turning right, and the full green light comes on but not the arrow, you may proceed to the middle of the junction but you must wait for a gap in the oncoming traffic to turn right.

Often there is a green arrow, which means that the traffic from other directions should be stopped for you. Sometimes the green arrow comes on first and then it's just a solid green light, but more commonly it's a solid green first and then an arrow