# Do you know how traffic lights work... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [September 14, 2006, 12:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475 "2006-09-14T12:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 12:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/1 "2006-09-14T12:52:55Z")
Because it sure as hell seems that no one else in WNY does. A large portion of traffic lights work on detectors. You approach the red light, it knows you’re there, and it eventually stops the cross traffic and turns your light green. Yep, almost everyone knows this, no big surprise here. BUT, what people seem to fail to realize, is the detector also continues monitoring after it gives you a green. Basically it watches the stream of cars passing through and will keep the cross street light green for a longer time if a steady stream of cars keeps going through. What pisses me off is that there is always some jackass who lets a huge gap form between them and the car in front of them. The jackass of course gets to go through because the light turns yellow, while all the people behind him get caught at the red. The sensor read the gap as the end of the line of cars waiting, so it turns the light back to red. So is this a complete revelation to anyone here? ---
**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/uploads/speedlife/original/2X/b/b7170c8eddc0b95ece6b88172b2f416a08489a45.png) [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 12:58pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/2 "2006-09-14T12:58:19Z")
i notice this one my way to school. Main St. in Williamsville is notorious for shitty prissy ass old woman bitch cunt drivers who lack common sense. Everyweek there is atleast one accident on my way to school. And there is always a middle age’d woman with a gucci bag involved. ---
**Author:** ![RedrRocket](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redrrocket/32/7193_2.png) [@RedrRocket](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedrRocket)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/3 "2006-09-14T13:17:25Z")
or I LOVE THE peeps who either dont pull up far enough when First at the Red to not trigger the light. Or the guy who just sits there and dosent move enough while waiting to trigger the light again. ---
**Author:** ![MaximaSE98](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/maximase98/32/7600_2.png) [@MaximaSE98](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MaximaSE98)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/4 "2006-09-14T13:20:33Z")
i also hate when they site so far back from the light that it doesnt trigger the light or turn arrow argghghghghg ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:27pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/5 "2006-09-14T13:27:31Z")
the inductive sensors are placed in the road surface… you can usually see them. However, i question whether or not they are used for anything more than initiating a timed sequence. Some traffic lights downtown use a timed rotating wheel, much like a player piano, to trip relays that change the lights… ---
**Author:** ![RedGoober4Life](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redgoober4life/32/7610_2.png) [@RedGoober4Life](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedGoober4Life)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/6 "2006-09-14T13:29:24Z")
I have more of a problem with people actually not understanding what a red light is. I always check to see if the other cars are stopping for THEIR red light now. The other day I was getting off the 290W at NFB when some person decided they were actually going to stop…about halfway through the intersection. Had I gone when it first turned green I would have been hit. And it was a new LR3, so somehow we know that it would find a way to roll over on top of me. ---
**Author:** ![JaysGreenLX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jaysgreenlx/32/7321_2.png) [@JaysGreenLX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JaysGreenLX)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/7 "2006-09-14T13:37:26Z")
> [@newman](#): > > However, i question whether or not they are used for anything more than initiating a timed sequence… Interesting. That would seem to hold true for Sweethome Rd. right now. There is a steady stream of traffic after work for about a mile and the signal times are pretty short. They change for a side road that has maybe 2 or 3 cars going through the intersection. ---
**Author:** ![jhenty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a183cd/32.png) [@jhenty](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jhenty)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/8 "2006-09-14T13:42:19Z")
buffalo, IMO has some of the worst drivers i’ve ever seen, period. ---
**Author:** ![66impalass](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/66impalass/32/7429_2.png) [@66impalass](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/66impalass)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/9 "2006-09-14T13:45:18Z")
NYS has some of the worse drivers I have seen ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:51pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/10 "2006-09-14T13:51:44Z")
I can guarantee the sensors detect the traffic gap. Watch how the turn arrows work on your commute to work for a week and you’ll see it too. If there are one or two cars, the arrow will stay green for only a short time after then 2nd car goes through. If there are 10 cars, all 10 will have time to get through assuming no asshole leaves a big gap. Obviously there is some time limit as well so a parade of 100 cars can’t all get through at once. While they were changing the intersection in front of Millard Filmore Suburban on Maple they had this feature disabled and it sucked going through that intersection. They had the whole road ripped up so my guess is they didn’t have a choice since the sensor weren’t working. ---
**Author:** ![focusinprogress](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/focusinprogress/32/7227_2.png) [@focusinprogress](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/focusinprogress)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/11 "2006-09-14T13:53:14Z")
everywhere has plenty of bad drivers, trust me. i went to toronto a few times and the canadian drivers on the QEW there are retarded drivers…aLL of them ---
**Author:** ![neurokinetik](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/neurokinetik/32/7270_2.png) [@neurokinetik](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/neurokinetik)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/12 "2006-09-14T14:02:55Z")
> [@jhenty](#): > > buffalo, IMO has some of the worst drivers i’ve ever seen, period. I guess you’ve never been to Florida then… Back on topic though, I definitely see people leaving huge gaps and causing problems unforeseen by traffic engineers. Who causes this? The driving schools. They tell people to leave these huge gaps as a means of “defensive driving”. ---
**Author:** ![Bacon](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bacon/32/7230_2.png) [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/13 "2006-09-14T14:13:15Z")
> [@neurokinetik](#): > > I guess you’ve never been to Florida then… Damn beat me to it. :lol: ---
**Author:** ![TgDn32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tgdn32/32/7360_2.png) [@TgDn32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TgDn32)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/14 "2006-09-14T14:19:29Z")
I just love it when I’m sitting at the No Turn On Red light at NFB and Main St. and people honk at me like I can go through (well lawfully anyway.) Open your eyes. ---
**Author:** ![JCuz](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jcuz/32/7338_2.png) [@JCuz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JCuz)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 2:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/15 "2006-09-14T14:49:13Z")
> [@66impalass](#): > > NYS has some of the worse drivers I have seen I see you have been to New York City, they obey almost no rules of the road, but in another sense they have some of the best driver perceptions and reflexes compared to other places ---
**Author:** ![Jack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jack/32/7613_2.png) [@Jack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jack)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/16 "2006-09-14T15:25:11Z")
> [@neurokinetik](#): > > They tell people to leave these huge gaps as a means of “defensive driving”. Not huge gaps, but ones large enough to move around the vehicle in front of you without having to back up. This gap doesn’t have to be large. Some people stop short because they stop paying attention and the car in front of them creeps up. Some people stop short so they can do something (dial a number, eat something) before the light goes green. **YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LEAVE A GAP IN FRONT OF YOUR VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU FOR EMERGENCIES AND IN CASE YOU NEED TO MOVE TO THE SIDE FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES AND/OR EMERGENCY ESCAPES.** This is probably the 3rd time it has been mentioned here… by me… but if there is an ambulance coming up behind you, and you are on the ass of the car in front of you and the car behind you is on your ass… none of you have anyplace to pull over to get out of the way. Now if the car in front of you stalls… and the car behind you is on your ass… where are you going to go? Nowhere. You are relying on the vehicles around you to let you move. Dumb move. I’ve seen accidents avoided, and avoided one of my own by having the “cushion of saftey” in front of my vehicle because I was at least slightly mobile while at a stop. You can pull up, back up (if the guy behind you follows suit) and or swerve around the vehicle in front of you. If a car is approaching to quickly from the rear, and is not going to stop in time, move up the 4’ in front of you to give her some extra space to stop/. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/17 "2006-09-14T15:28:38Z")
> [@Jack](#): > > If a car is approaching to quickly from the rear, and is not going to stop in time, move up the 4’ in front of you to give **her** some extra space to stop/. lol. ---
**Author:** ![Jack](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jack/32/7613_2.png) [@Jack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jack)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:10pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/18 "2006-09-14T16:10:48Z")
:word: 😉 ---
**Author:** ![redrum](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redrum/32/7398_2.png) [@redrum](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/redrum)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/19 "2006-09-14T16:12:55Z")
everywhere has horrible drivers, just in different ways. ---
**Author:** ![OfficerK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/4da419/32.png) [@OfficerK](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OfficerK)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475/20 "2006-09-14T16:32:13Z")
Most signals do not have sensors on them to see gaps… They are set to timers, depending on the time of day, amount of traffic yadayadayada back in my architecture days i took an urban planning class and they went thruogh and descriebd how the system works…and how much it costs to have a study done to see if an intersection needs more time, an arrow or whatever they also found that decreasing the amount of time a signal stayed actually increased traffic flow and made people happier. Instead of sitting around for 3 minutes (which seems like an eternity) they would have it at 2 mins or less maybe less cars went through per cycle but overall more traffic moved, and because people were moving forward regularly instead of just sitting and sitting they were happier [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/do-you-know-how-traffic-lights-work/17475.md?page=2)