Irish Traffic Light Sequence ...

cbyrd

artanevilla wrote:

The problem in Ireland is that a lot of drivers would see the amber as put the foot down and accelerate off as fast as possible, like the orange before the red light means drive as fast as possible through the junction before it turns red.

This is called the pink light in my car, it's not quite red..
Or
The go faster light..
Who wants to sit waiting when you can 'just' make it unless you are driving behind a Toyota... Don't get me started.!

CelticRambler

InTheTrees wrote: »

The question is why the UK feels the need to have an amber warning before the green.

How many other countries do it that way, I dont think its very many?

Red straight to Green in France, and - like when I learnt to drive in Ireland :pac: - you know when it's going to turn Green by looking at the other traffic at the junction.

Anyone who's not looking at the road ahead isn't going to be ready for the Green, no matter what colour comes before.

(We have a filter system here that really messes with the heads of English drivers: a Red cross on the far side of the junction - means it's safe to turn left, i.e. the equivalent of a UK/Irish right turn )

Grayson

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

#learnsomethingneweveryday ....

It was mentioned on a radio show. Some disability group was petitioning the government to have the time extended to help those with low mobility

coastwatch

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

OK -the Irish Traffic lights. why are they sort of part UK'ish but not the full monty? - what I mean is they look exactly like the UK ones, but that why do they go directly from Red to Green and no amber (get ready to go) like the UK ones? - what is the idea ... I mean why?

The traffic light sequence in Ireland was the same as the UK, up until the 1960s anyway, according to the 1962 Road Traffic Regulations.
It would be interesting to find out the reason for the change and when it happened, but I would guess the Red & Amber was being treated as Green.

S.I. No. 171/1962 - Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1962.

3) (a) When a lamp shows a red light it shall signify that the stream of traffic controlled by such signal shall not proceed beyond the stop line on the roadway at such signal, or beyond the signal if there is no stop line.

(b) When a lamp shows an amber light while another lamp shows a red light it shall signify an impending extinguishment of the red light but shall not signify that the stream of traffic controlled by such signal may proceed before the extinguishment of the red light.

(c) When a lamp shows a green light (other than a green arrow) it shall signify that the stream of traffic controlled by such signal may proceed past such signal.

(d) When a lamp shows an amber light alone it shall signify that any portion of the stream of traffic controlled by such signal which is, at the beginning of the illumination of such amber light, so close to the stop line on the roadway at such signal that it cannot safely stop before crossing that line may proceed past such signal but that all other portions of the said stream of traffic shall not proceed beyond the said stop line.

(e) When a lamp shows, when lit, a green arrow it shall signify, notwithstanding any other indication given by the signals, that the stream of traffic controlled by such signal may proceed in the direction indicated by such arrow.

Shep_Dog

Shep_Dog wrote: »

If one is unable to stop on amber, it could be that you're very close to it or it could be that on approaching the traffic signals you were not prepared to slow down and stop should it change to amber. Traffic signals merely indicate that you have priority, not that it's actually safe to proceed. All junctions should be approached with due care.

Speeding is a factor and it's documented by the RSA that some 87% of motorists break urban speed limits. This could explain why drivers who would stop on amber, as required by the RoTR, are intimidated by others into breaking the law.

The last thing we need is to encourage faster driving.

I you really want improve traffic flow, get rid of traffic lights and put stop signs and cameras on all junctions.

Nothing I said was to do with speeding, simply that there's a culture of going through red lights here - driving through an intersection when it is red even before you get to the intersection.

Nobody is encouraging speeding, and if you've ever been to New Zealand, you will know that you won't get far speeding before getting a ticket. Here you're much more likely to get a fine for talking on a phone than speeding, even though speeding is much more prevalent. You say that 87% of motorists break urban speed limits, but how many urban crashes and deaths are caused by speeding?

My point: in a country where running a red is the norm, giving people an opportunity to jump a green will end in tears.

Andy From Sligo

DareGod wrote: »

Where are ya from OP anyway?

is not the clue in my name? lol :rolleyes:

Andy From Sligo

coastwatch wrote: »

The traffic light sequence in Ireland was the same as the UK, up until the 1960s anyway, according to the 1962 Road Traffic Regulations.
It would be interesting to find out the reason for the change and when it happened, but I would guess the Red & Amber was being treated as Green.

S.I. No. 171/1962 - Road Traffic (Signs) Regulations, 1962.

interesting that. that the sequence was the same as UK right up to 60's - seeing as we are closest neighbours to norn ireland and uk they should be all same sequence and work the same. By keeping the sequence the same would bring familarity I mean they have got to be the same traffic lights, just a different light changing sequence .

We share the same 13amp 3 pin sockets, the same white goods and electrical items and loads of other similarities (well apart from the Km/h speed signs - which in my view is sloppy and should maybe not have changed to Km/h unless definately NI or NI & UK changed from MPH to Km/h speed signs but thats a different discussion I suppose)

Who ever operates these things for roads in the republic dont seem to think much about familiarity for UK & NI drivers which there would be a lot of on the republics roads ... fair enough if your going to be travelling to france or some other european country you are going to expect things like road signs in Km/h and different light sequences and different road signage and driving on other side of roads . But republic could still have kept their independence but have kept MPH / UK traffic lights sequence / road signs perfectly without what we have at the moment of unfamiliarity where if you are travelling from NI or UK to the republic different road signs , traffic light sequence ... er but still driving on the left as in the UK and NI

Shep_Dog

Basil3 wrote: »

Nothing I said was to do with speeding, simply that there's a culture of going through red lights here

There's a culture of going through amber AND red lights....because people drive too quickly. Speed is a factor in the severity of the outcome of a collision. So, reducing it is necessary not just to prevent collisions but also to mitigate the results.

People who don't move off promptly on green are probably too busy checking their texts. An amber sequence won't fix that.

DareGod

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

is not the clue in my name? lol :rolleyes:

No I don't see it mentioned anywhere next to your posts.

CramCycle

You should only proceed on amber if it turns as you are moving through the junction or your distance is so close that stopping will leave you on the junction or blocking peds or crossing traffic. There is rarely another time where stopping is a dangerous or ignorant manoeuvre.

Several times I hear people say they had to keep going or else they would be rear ended.

What a lazy excuse, the driver behind you is either tailgating or your full of it. The former would be noticeable long before the junction and other measures can be taken.

I am shocked how many believe this is a viable excuse. I can't wait for the ANPR cameras to be rolled out nationwide.

dxhound2005

CramCycle wrote: »

You should only proceed on amber if it turns as you are moving through the junction or your distance is so close that stopping will leave you on the junction or blocking peds or crossing traffic. There is rarely another time where stopping is a dangerous or ignorant manoeuvre.

Several times I hear people say they had to keep going or else they would be rear ended.

What a lazy excuse, the driver behind you is either tailgating or your full of it. The former would be noticeable long before the junction and other measures can be taken.

I am shocked how many believe this is a viable excuse. I can't wait for the ANPR cameras to be rolled out nationwide.

I have never heard this mentioned by even one person, never mind several. In what context did you have these conversations or eavesdroppings about amber lights?

This source says that it is common for foreign visitors to get rear ended at amber lights. I have no idea where they got this information, to me it reads like something just made up.

http://www.dochara.com/info/driving-info/irish-road-signs/

In spite of the fact that legally an orange light means ‘stop unless it is unsafe to do so’, the reality is that Irish people tend to drive through much of the time. Many law abiding visitors, on obediently stopping when the lights go orange, have found themselves rear-ended by a motorist behind who was just speeding up to “make the lights”.

CramCycle

dxhound2005 wrote: »

I have never heard this mentioned by even one person, never mind several. In what context did you have these conversations or eavesdroppings about amber lights?

If you look at one of my previous posts you will see I quoted another poster saying it. I have also seen a few posters in the motors forum say it but they do not seem to be regulars.

Read the thread through and you will find your one person.

LordSutch

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

OK -the Irish Traffic lights. why are they sort of part UK'ish but not the full monty? - what I mean is they look exactly like the UK ones, but that why do they go directly from Red to Green and no amber (get ready to go) like the UK ones? - what is the idea ... I mean why?

Here's a few apologies in advance:

1.) Sorry (if) this has been done to death before
2.) Sorry if it sounds like I am saying the UK Traffic light operating system is superior to the Irish traffic light sequence and that the UK things are better than the Irish things, I'm not saying that at all and am not insinuating that it is.
3.) sorry if it sounds a very 'nerdy' and pointless thing to be posting about!

Done many times before, including once by myself I seem to remember.

And in my old thread I remember some poster telling my that there was a set of traffic lights near Sandymount which actually displayed the UK sequence!!!

I find this hard to believe, and I've never had a chance to drive up there to check it out.

PS; I prefer the UK sequence as it speeds up traffic "take off" when going from amber (let off handbrake) to green (GO) > > > > >

Hitchens

I much prefer our simple system here in ROI:

Green
Amber
Slightly Red
Red

:cool:

The_Valeyard

Hitchens wrote: »

I much prefer our simple system here in ROI:

Green
Amber
Slightly Red
Red

:cool:

A lot of people have an extra one 'invisible red'

Andy From Sligo

so how do people with colour blindness get on with traffic lights? - always wondered that lol :-)

Spook_ie

dxhound2005 wrote: »

In the North every time I was second at the lights the first driver always, always took off at amber. Nobody ever waited for green.

But did the others stop on amber/red unlike here where you see one or two chance the slow reaction time of the red to green change

Knasher

Andy From Sligo wrote: »

so how do people with colour blindness get on with traffic lights? - always wondered that lol :-)

The ordering of the lights of course. It goes red then orange and then lower orange.

Andy From Sligo

This Trafffic light system in Australia though is taking things too far I think - haha

http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x361/Andyr_45/Mobile%20Uploads/tlights.jpg

Andy From Sligo

im not saying im getting obsessed or anything but I just found this site - gonna have a good read when I have an hour or 2 to spare

http://www.thefullwiki.org/Traffic_light