Safe Speed Forums

This person got caught out.
This juction should be a box juction.



The car is turning right.
just down the road ~ three car lengths There is light controled crossing.
When this is on red the cars Q across the junction.
The lights at the junction are not lined to the lights at the crossing, so above is a result of the major road traffic not letting a car though dispite the light being on green at the time.

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But perfectly legal as long as they crossed the white line when the lights were green?

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Andrew.

Absolutely. Once you're over the line you're beyond the control of the lights. At that point if I was in the Astra (?) I would have proceeded as soon as there was a safe gap.

Having said that, I wouldn't have proceeded past the white line unless there was somewhere to go...

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Science won over religion when they started installing lightning rods on churches.

A box junction wouldn't improve things unless people are allowed to break the rules. The Astra wouldn't have been able to enter because his exit would be blocked by the queue at the other side. So you are back to square 1.

I don't think a box junction would make much sense here. Anyway the grey car isn't getting in anyone's way, they just have to wait there until they can go.

I always try to get past the white line before the lights change. I don't need their control.

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Andrew.

I've found that even with the best will in the world, it is still possible to get caught out on such junctions.

I think pedestrian needs here are interfering with traffic needs. Rightly or wrongly, pedestrians and their crossings in awkward (from a driving point of view) places can always succeed in cocking up traffic flow.

An Aberdeen favourite is pedestrian crossings around roundabouts.

The typical scenario being a few cars or an HGV proceeding correctly and safely, only to be stumped by a pedestrian crossing suddenly turning red (can't even use pedestrians as a clue, because often it's just been some knob head who's pressed the button as he was walking past and is now out of the picture). Hey-presto - the roundabout is blocked up in all four directions.

Similar things can happen at crossroads and T-junctions easily too as pedestrian crossings and road traffic facilities are rarely mutually advantageous.

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Roundabouts with light controlled crossings. A new relief road has opened in South Lowestoft, a roundabout has been increased in size from 4 to 6 roads everyone of them has a crossing about 2 car lengths in. The roundabout is just about wide enough for 2 cars side by side - if you can drive. Anything bigger chokes the lanes, even worse the lane and signalling discipline of most drivers is cr@p sheer bloody chaos.
And to top this if you have 2 lanes down to 1 90% of drivers will not use the 2nd lane and you have to force your way in if you do.
So if you want a safe pleasant driving experience avoid Suffolk like the plague as the county council is clueless

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