When faced with an on-ramp red light... (1 Viewer)

[17seconds]

You're on an on-ramp which has a traffic control light onto the freeway. The purpose of these lights is to keep too many people from merging on the freeway at the same time. However, nobody else is in front of you and the light has been red for a while.

Do you run the red light figuring you're the first one and waiting at the red for 5 seconds makes no difference?

or

Do you stop at the red because its red, and go when it turns green?

 

[17seconds]

I always stop at the red myself, but I've seen people go right through it and thought... hmmm.. that makes sense, maybe I'm a chump.

 

[EYLive]

There should be a sensor in the ground to detect that a car is waiting. Trigger it with a tire and you should be good to go. If that doesn't work, and you've been waiting for over 15 seconds without heavy traffic, proceed with caution.

 

[butcher boy]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

 

[snore]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

People are the reason we can't merge at proper speeds. I swear 1 out of 3 drivers should have their license revoked for idiocy.

Regardless, I usually stop. Coincedentally in college we had to write a program in java to mimic a road system in a city including having to set the timing on the on ramp meters. Interesting to see how quickly a traffic system can get jammed up just based on volume of traffic not taking into account accidents and poor drivers.

 

[GOB]

Damn it, I voted without reading the scenario.

I would run that thing like a cheap pair of panty hose.

Also, I like to cross dress.

 

[tommyboy]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

People are the reason we can't merge at proper speeds. I swear 1 out of 3 drivers should have their license revoked for idiocy.

Regardless, I usually stop. Coincedentally in college we had to write a program in java to mimic a road system in a city including having to set the timing on the on ramp meters. Interesting to see how quickly a traffic system can get jammed up just based on volume of traffic not taking into account accidents and poor drivers.

half the people you meet are below average intelligence.

 

[tommyboy]

You're on an on-ramp which has a traffic control light onto the freeway. The purpose of these lights is to keep too many people from merging on the freeway at the same time. However, nobody else is in front of you and the light has been red for a while.

Do you run the red light figuring you're the first one and waiting at the red for 5 seconds makes no difference?

or

Do you stop at the red because its red, and go when it turns green?

never stop. The only function of the light is to meter the number of drivers trying to get onto the freeway during rush hour. if there is no line of cars waiting to get on the freeway, the red light is meaningless.

 

[sbonomo]

ummmm...i never stop at those things...i guess i never really thought about messing up the flow. Actually, i live in so cal so i am not going to worrry about it!

 

[Juxtatarot]

I go through such a light on the way home from work every day but it works a little differently. If no one is in front of me, it turns green the instant I get to it. I suppose if I was expected to wait five seconds I'd still run it. I agree with the poster mentioning improper speeds for the merge. The one I go through is on a hill and trucks sometimes can only get up to about 30.

 

[Politician Spock]

I've never seen one take longer than a few seconds to turn green. So I do a rolling stop. As soon as it's green I floor it.

 

[glumpy]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

People are the reason we can't merge at proper speeds. I swear 1 out of 3 drivers should have their license revoked for idiocy.

I consider it idiocy when people don't use the ramp to merge at proper speeds. The stoplight just encourages that.

Of course I do realize we don't have the same kind of crazy in NC as in SoCal.

 

[FUBAR]

trying to remember if I've ever seen one of these.

 

[FUBAR]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

People are the reason we can't merge at proper speeds. I swear 1 out of 3 drivers should have their license revoked for idiocy.

I consider it idiocy when people don't use the ramp to merge at proper speeds. The stoplight just encourages that.

Of course I do realize we don't have the same kind of crazy in NC as in SoCal.

Around Fayetteville it's a different kind of crazy, but still muy loco.

 

[dino259]

I go through such a light on the way home from work every day but it works a little differently. If no one is in front of me, it turns green the instant I get to it. I suppose if I was expected to wait five seconds I'd still run it. I agree with the poster mentioning improper speeds for the merge. The one I go through is on a hill and trucks sometimes can only get up to about 30.

This. Traffic would flow better if people would use the ramps to speed up and slow down instead of waiting until or when still on the highway.

 

[Herb]

You're in SoCal. Those lights are meaningless. In the 5 years I lived in SD, I only ever obeyed those signals in afternoon rush hour merging onto the 805 south from Miramar/Mira Mesa, which is a horrific cluster ####.

Run the sucker and never look back.

 

[cstu]

I always stop at the red myself, but I've seen people go right through it and thought... hmmm.. that makes sense, maybe I'm a chump.

Almost always stop - if there's traffic I always do but when there's no traffic I'll sometimes roll through.

 

[cstu]

You're on an on-ramp which has a traffic control light onto the freeway. The purpose of these lights is to keep too many people from merging on the freeway at the same time. However, nobody else is in front of you and the light has been red for a while.

Do you run the red light figuring you're the first one and waiting at the red for 5 seconds makes no difference?

or

Do you stop at the red because its red, and go when it turns green?

If I'm the first I don't stop.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

What the hell is an "on-ramp red light"? You people can't be trusted to merge on your own?

 

[jon_mx]

What the hell is an "on-ramp red light"? You people can't be trusted to merge on your own?

I think the concept is to spread out the number of cars tring to merge on a busy highway during rush hour so the highway flows better at the cost of backing up the cars on the on ramp.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

What the hell is an "on-ramp red light"? You people can't be trusted to merge on your own?

I think the concept is to spread out the number of cars tring to merge on a busy highway during rush hour so the highway flows better at the cost of backing up the cars on the on ramp.

Pffft...

 

[Insein]

Thankfully there are none in my state but I agree people dont know how to merge. So many times one person goes up and stops dead on the on ramp screwing everyone else behind them.

 

[Fat Nick]

Thankfully there are none in my state but I agree people dont know how to merge. So many times one person goes up and stops dead on the on ramp screwing everyone else behind them.

I'm getting good at spotting these people while on the ramp...I'll usually slow way down and leave a big gap behind them so I don't end up stopped right next to the freeway too. I'd rather stop 20 yards down the ramp so I have some room to get up to speed once they get their required 1/4 mile opening.

I wanted to kill a lady who came to a complete stop on the I-81 merge off the PA Turnpike a few months ago. Thank god I saw her granny driving style before we got to the on-ramp. I left enough room to get a run-up and was able to merge to the left lane before she almost got smashed by a truck. Not my safest driving maneuver ever, but it was probably safer than what she did!

 

[Insein]

Thankfully there are none in my state but I agree people dont know how to merge. So many times one person goes up and stops dead on the on ramp screwing everyone else behind them.

I'm getting good at spotting these people while on the ramp...I'll usually slow way down and leave a big gap behind them so I don't end up stopped right next to the freeway too. I'd rather stop 20 yards down the ramp so I have some room to get up to speed once they get their required 1/4 mile opening.

I wanted to kill a lady who came to a complete stop on the I-81 merge off the PA Turnpike a few months ago. Thank god I saw her granny driving style before we got to the on-ramp. I left enough room to get a run-up and was able to merge to the left lane before she almost got smashed by a truck. Not my safest driving maneuver ever, but it was probably safer than what she did!

Thats funny I do the same. If I see someone going 5mph just to turn onto the on ramp, I give them plenty of space to do the inevitable.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I've never understood why people run these lights. Their sole purpose is to help the flow of traffic and help speed up congestion. Isn't that what we all want?

 

[tommyboy]

I've never understood why people run these lights. Their sole purpose is to help the flow of traffic and help speed up congestion. Isn't that what we all want?

yeah, if theres a line of cars at the red light during rush hour, I stop like everyone else. If no line, I don't stop. In fact, I'll speed up to about 30MPH over the safe merging speed just to flip off "the man" that thought putting a stupid red light on the onramps was some super smart idea in the first place.

 

[butcher boy]

I've never understood why people run these lights. Their sole purpose is to help the flow of traffic and help speed up congestion. Isn't that what we all want?

Except they don't work, at least where I live. Stupidity cannot be solved with a traffic light. With the light you still end up with people slowly accelerating and merging at too slow a speed with a trail of cars behind them.

 

[17seconds]

I've never understood why people run these lights. Their sole purpose is to help the flow of traffic and help speed up congestion. Isn't that what we all want?

The poll is only for the case where there was no car in front of you. Therefore, stopping when it is red makes no difference in traffic flow. The last car that went before you may have been a full minute ago.

It's strictly following the law vs. common sense.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Id probably move if I was forced to drive on a road so busy that it required a red-light at the on-ramp.

 

[Spock]

I stop cuz I'm askeered there's gonna be a cop waiting to pull violators over.

 

[Arizona Ron]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

 

[belljr]

trying to remember if I've ever seen one of these.

i went 41 years without seeing one ...took a work trip to California to get confused by one

 

[sbonomo]

Those lights are ridiculous. All they do is make it so that people can't merge at proper speeds.

People are the reason we can't merge at proper speeds. I swear 1 out of 3 drivers should have their license revoked for idiocy.

Regardless, I usually stop. Coincedentally in college we had to write a program in java to mimic a road system in a city including having to set the timing on the on ramp meters. Interesting to see how quickly a traffic system can get jammed up just based on volume of traffic not taking into account accidents and poor drivers.

I thought about your post as i was speeding through the red light this AM......The freeway was just busy enough for me to believe i did not single handedly mess with the traffic flow.

 

[belljr]

My other angry merge is how around philly the on ramp merge lane is like 30 feet long....you have no chance half the time

 

[Insein]

My other angry merge is how around philly the on ramp merge lane is like 30 feet long....you have no chance half the time

Definitely one of the oldest highway systems in the country. 76 is gridlock 18 hours of the day 7 days a week. Theyre slowly fixing the on ramps on 422 to be longer.

 

[NutterButter]

Never seen one. Should definitely be a poll option.

 

[MaxThreshold]

The light turns green the second you hit the sensor (provided no one else is at the light). Even if you're going 50mph on the on-ramp the light will turn green AS you hit the line. I always blow by them if no one is there. As you speed by one time, watch the light and you'll see that it turns green as you're even with it.

So..technically, you haven't run a red light.

 

[dancingbones]

We have a ton of these in the Mpls area.

When Jesse Ventura was elected, one of the first things he did was have them all turned off. Didn't notice any difference one way or the other personally.

They are starting to come back on now on some ramps. I never stop if there is no one ahead of me.

Edit: Didn't notice any difference re: gridlock on the actual highway. Noticed a big difference having multiple stop lights added to my commute.