Author Topic: Temporary Traffic Lights  (Read 2331 times)

Temporary Traffic Lights
« on: 16 November, 2020, 03:01:11 pm »
On one of my regular rides, there have been temporary traffic lights for some time; gas working I believe. They move along the road gradually.
In their present iteration they are about 300 metres between lights. To make things worse, the one end is just around a corner, so traffic stopped there cannot see any still oncoming vehicles etc.
This time around, the stagger is very short, certainly not long enough for a reasonably able cyclist to get through before the green shows for the oncoming ( unsighted) traffic.
Twice I’ve been badly caught out, even though I’ve gone through my side seconds after the green has started. The first time an oncoming car deliberately drove at me. I told him I’d come through on green, but he didn’t care. I sought out an orange clad doozer, and told him that there wasn’t time for cyclists to get through, could he alter the stagger. His answer was that I should ride on the pavement!
Today, same scenario. Different doozer. Quite aggressive and told me that cyclists should dismount at lights. Any lights - yes apparently!
Is it worth a letter - they’re obviously sub contractors to sub contractors etc. Probably not then .
Where do people get these weird ideas about what cyclists “ should” do though?

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #1 on: 16 November, 2020, 04:34:10 pm »
Writing to the contractor carrying out the works is probably pointless as you say, however writing to Transco who they will ultimately be working for might bear more fruit but only "might", they will at least have written standards for the work and may well be keen to make sure their sub-contractors maintain them.

I have never tried contacting the highways dept. of the local council, that might also be worth a shot as the lights, signs and site layout do have to comply with the Street Works Regs.  Not that I've ever read the regs to see what they actually say.  I do come across the street works gangs quite a bit during my work and I have generally been impressed with how they deal with the "public", I've always seen them being understanding and non-confrontational (seriously!).  I remember one job in a rural village that we were looking at where the lane would need to be closed for several weeks in order to replace the main sewer.  A very agitated lady came up to us and spoke with the foreman of the water utility company fairly brusquely as it was her daughter's wedding right in the middle of the works and the guests would all be coming back to a big tent in their garden after the church.  After about ten minutes the foremen had not only talked her round but had very nearly got an invite to the wedding!

Hopefully someone will be along shortly who does know about the Regs and can give you a better answer as to what should be happening.

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #2 on: 16 November, 2020, 04:58:09 pm »
I've been caught out like this a couple of times and the response from the traffic management people was that if they set the delay any longer then the drivers would jump the lights anyway.

D
Somewhat of a professional tea drinker.


Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #3 on: 16 November, 2020, 05:05:42 pm »
I'd speak to the Highways Dept at County Council (or equivalent).

Here's a bit of guidance that probably leads to further research.
It is simpler than it looks.

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #4 on: 16 November, 2020, 06:19:20 pm »
We have something similar in the town, not temporary lights, permanent. There's a section of the main road through town which is a bit narrow for lorries to pass each other so there's a light at each end. They are controlled be detectors and as far as I can work out they are deliberately set not to detect bikes. If I go through on green and there are no cars behind me, or the ones behind overtake, the light for the traffic coming the other way changes (and I occasionally get the wrath of the drivers who assume I jumped the light). On the other hand, if a car stays behind me the lights wait.

I've written to the council about this several times, but they don't want to change it because some cyclists are very slow, and there's plenty of space for a car and a bike in opposite directions anyway. Something else might be good to stop the righteous idiots who like to get angry at cyclists they think have broken the rules of the road (like they never have of course). Perhaps a permanently green cycle light, since the red triangle with a bike in it means nothing to most drivers.
Quote from: tiermat
that's not science, it's semantics.

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #5 on: 24 November, 2020, 04:07:59 pm »
I've been caught out like this a couple of times and the response from the traffic management people was that if they set the delay any longer then the drivers would jump the lights anyway.

D

In France the temporary lights often have a digital countdown telling the queue how long before the green.  So much more considerate.

Quite recently in E. Yorkshire I passed some roadworks where they were flying old dixie. It was gone when I repassed. Cowboys.
Move Faster and Bake Things

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #6 on: 24 November, 2020, 04:39:09 pm »
Ah, the Ku Klux Roadmenders.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #7 on: 24 November, 2020, 07:03:50 pm »
You’ve reminded me - the traffic signs were mostly in Welsh, with a smaller English translation. Problem is; Staffordshire isn’t in Wales!

Re: Temporary Traffic Lights
« Reply #8 on: 24 November, 2020, 07:06:56 pm »
We have something similar in the town, not temporary lights, permanent. There's a section of the main road through town which is a bit narrow for lorries to pass each other so there's a light at each end. They are controlled be detectors and as far as I can work out they are deliberately set not to detect bikes. If I go through on green and there are no cars behind me, or the ones behind overtake, the light for the traffic coming the other way changes (and I occasionally get the wrath of the drivers who assume I jumped the light). On the other hand, if a car stays behind me the lights wait.

I've written to the council about this several times, but they don't want to change it because some cyclists are very slow, and there's plenty of space for a car and a bike in opposite directions anyway. Something else might be good to stop the righteous idiots who like to get angry at cyclists they think have broken the rules of the road (like they never have of course). Perhaps a permanently green cycle light, since the red triangle with a bike in it means nothing to most drivers.

Add a sign saying traffic lights do not apply to bicycles. Look out for them....