The point of red/amber?

Lots of other countries manage to go from red to green without the need
for our annoying red/amber. What is the point of it? From the highway
code: "RED means 'Stop'. RED AND AMBER also means 'Stop'. Do not pass
through or start until GREEN shows". So why the hell have it then?!

Paul

 

To stop people from having to slam their brakes on at the last minute, if
they are approaching the lights as they change from red to green?
I guess it's also to give the pedestrians (or vehicles) a chance to get
out of the way in case they're still on the road, as the highway code says
you're supposed to give way to other vehicles whilst the lights are on
amber, if it's clear then you go.

Oh, and it would be a bit expensive to replace the lights needlessly with
red/green ones rather than tricolour.

 

I think both you and Rexx have grasped the wrong bit of the sequence
here.

Lights go:
GREEN
AMBER
RED
RED AND AMBER
GREEN

it's the RED AND AMBER bit paul was asking about. The bit before you
accellerate away, and I suppose the answer is, to give you time to
find first gear.

 

It to help you at the traffic light Grand Prix.

 

Because it's very pretty, especially at night.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Sean Doherty said:

*Proud*

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Jeremy said:

I don't know where you come from but have you seen those ones in
Westferry road (Canary Wharfish) where the roundabout is by Marsh Wall.

Now *that's* pretty...

 

I don't get much opportunity to visit that area, but have made a note to
keep a special look out for these if I should happen to be in the area.

 

Indeed, thank you.

What does it matter whether you have time or not?

Paul

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, Jeremy said:

Yeah, whatever ;-)

You can't miss them anyway. Like a giant christmas tree made out of
redundant traffic lights..

 

No.

Paul

 

But, what with you being a courier and all that, Shirley you go when
the adjacent lights turn amber or, better still, when they're simply
"not green"?

 

somehow managed to post:

Do you often find yourself at traffic lights, puzzled, revving away
like a bastard and not actually going anywhere?

 

http://www.artofthestate.co.uk/subpages/pglondonCANARYtrafficlights.htm

You have to wait until they all go green before you can set off.

 

It's only theory anyway. This is how it works in practice, IME.

Green: you can go across the lights.
Amber: you can go across the lights.
Red: you can go across the lights as long as you are one of the first
three
cars to go across under red, otherwise stop.

Red (but you can see the other lights go amber): you can start moving
forward.
Red/Amber: Go, but beware of first car going through on red in other
direction.
Green: Go, but beware of the other three cars going through on red in
the other
direction.

HTH

 

No. I select first gear when I see the opposing lights turn amber and
set off when my lights turn red/amber. Though if I'm feeling particularly
relaxed or can't see the opposing lights, then I wait until I see red/amber
then select gear and set off. Almost invariably before green has appeared
unless I'm next to a plod car.

Paul

 

You forgot to add the clause to the last one; so long as there are no
police nearby.

 

In uk.rec.motorcycles, HooDooWitch said:

Usually when the little green man turns to red actually )

 

ITYM stupid. It ain't half confusing when it's dark,pissing down and you're
trying to find a flat from directions scrawled on the back of a fag packet.
Who ever thought it would be a good idea to put it on a roundabout is a bit
of a knob really.