Safe Speed Forums

I have noticed my journey from work to home (mid evening) taking on average a few mnutes longer than usual, despite my journey from home to work (early morning) taking a few minutes less. The latter is due to reduced traffic (holidays have started for many), but I couldn't work out the former - until I analysed it this evening.

This year, for the first time I think, the blue LED has become suficiently cheap that it is included in abundance in outside christmas light sets. Unlike the larger bulbs (dim per unit area and invariably hung downward (ie minimal light pollution upward)), the LEDs are small and very bright per unit area, with some of them pointing up as well as down. The subtle glimpses of these through the loose hedging approaching bends and the blue tinge to the dust in the air above them doubles up as a very passable decoy for an emergency vehicle roof bar, particularly the type that dance to the music (and flash). I realised tonight that I've been taking the approach to and negotiation of several bends on my route dramatically slower than my normal rate of progress, to be greeted by no hazards other than these Christmas lights around the bend.

I'd not even realised I was doing this until I analysed it - but I do hope I continue to do so in case one of these decoys one day turns out to be real.

Three things:

1) Are flashing blue Christmas lights in front gardens legal - and if not are BIB policing them?

2) Has anyone else come across this phenomena?

3) Could this be partly the reason accidents increase at Christmas - people blasee with flashing lights are more inclined not to notice a real emergency vehicle on blues?

Can't really comment dispassionately on this, as my PC has four blue LED fans and is cuurently festooned with blue LED Christmas lights....

Not sure if it's a criminal offence for a pc to impersonate a P.C.

On a serious note, I've noticed that a hell of a lot of traffic lights seem to stay on red a lot longer than was the case a week or so ago- either it's so the heavily-laden pedestrians have ample time to cross, OR it's another attempt to p*ss us off and get us onto the bus (which ain't gonna happen!!)

Never. Ever.

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Pecunia Prius Equitas et Salus

Recently visited Croydon (had no choice...), amazed to find that the central bit has become a "buses and trams only" zone. I pull up at a set of red lights (junction with a tram lane) and wait. And wait. And wait. I get a green, clutch in and snick into first, and as I let the clutch out they go red again. 15 yards to another set of lights, same fiasco. And, in all this time, not a bus or tram in sight, in any direction.
It appears that the lights are permanently green for the bus/tram lanes, occasionally and briefly going green to let the odd cursed motorist across.