tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post5068136838868388469..comments2024-03-27T12:53:39.298+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: Countdown timers on cycle traffic lightsDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-25014198418910035152016-11-03T17:46:15.794+01:002016-11-03T17:46:15.794+01:00But the London amber countdown timers simply repla...But the London amber countdown timers simply replace the blackout period that follows the green figure's 'invition to cross'*: in my opinion a positive amber indication is better than a long blackout where no figures are lit. If a person arrives at kerb whilst amber countdown is running and they don't like working out whether they can start and cross in that time they can just Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-27088298957793152462011-07-12T11:20:40.824+02:002011-07-12T11:20:40.824+02:00Very nice post. Your last two bullets ring very tr...Very nice post. Your last two bullets ring very true as I am enjoying touring the Netherlands and all of the bicycle infrastructure. It is extremely well done. Do you think the reason it is supported by the masses is that you end up with everyone associating themselves with a cyclists (which can't be said most other places)?pkooncehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13685359921487183869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-52242015872130046542010-12-01T09:03:04.789+01:002010-12-01T09:03:04.789+01:00@Rob, in fact, most traffic lights in the Netherla...@Rob, in fact, most traffic lights in the Netherlands are also demand-actuated, so (simply speaking) only turn green for any direction or mode when there is demand. So it is not always possible to calculate ETA at all times.<br /><br />In fact, sometimes you see funny lights in Amsterdam which speed up counting down, when the line of cars is over :)Daniel Sparinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07770694012992195852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61413481726196159652010-12-01T00:04:32.622+01:002010-12-01T00:04:32.622+01:00Heh, to this U.S. rider it looks very much backwar...Heh, to this U.S. rider it looks very much backwards. The "latest and greatest" technology here presents large, numerical digits to the peds and bikes. Still, I use it to regulate my speed all the same (in this case, should I slow down expecting a yellow?)<br /><br />A major disadvantage is that the numbers are only active if a pedestrian or bicyclist has gone before you. 95% of the Robert Guicohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06388103684697773466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-50208724254362961632010-11-30T23:42:01.627+01:002010-11-30T23:42:01.627+01:00Daniel: I don't like that type of system eithe...Daniel: I don't like that type of system either, for the same reason.David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-58883294020493259352010-11-30T23:10:44.896+01:002010-11-30T23:10:44.896+01:00I am not a fan of "cyclist alert" system...I am not a fan of "cyclist alert" systems like the Fietsberaad video or other lights flashing when they detect a cyclist:<br /><br />- they don't scale well. when the goal is achieved and there are a lot of cyclists then it just blinks all the time. It is designed with some rare cyclists in mind which should not be the goal if all works.<br /><br />- it shifts the responsibility to Daniel Sparinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07770694012992195852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-17952470387352503672010-11-30T22:22:05.595+01:002010-11-30T22:22:05.595+01:00@Colibri and @David I hadn't yet seen that vid...@Colibri and @David I hadn't yet seen that video. But I agree with David, that probably looks much worse than it is. I have two videos of round-abouts more from the perspective of a cyclist. Looks much more inviting.<br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkPbTvJZFSI" rel="nofollow">video 1</a> (in HD) and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYpiMjmhJB0" rel="nofollow">video 2</a> (Mark W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07882028603632115187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-44546404122760869642010-11-30T21:58:12.041+01:002010-11-30T21:58:12.041+01:00Colibri: With these things you really need to look...Colibri: With these things you really need to look at the overall picture and not individual examples. It's quite possible that it might be slower on a bike across the particular example of a junction shown in that Fietsberaad post. However, any journey by bike would not consist entirely of junctions like that one. It's clearly a way of trying to rectify a bad situation.<br /><br />In theDavid Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-56597556555731566802010-11-30T21:30:38.188+01:002010-11-30T21:30:38.188+01:00@Colibri. That is correct and as a cyclist I reall...@Colibri. That is correct and as a cyclist I really like that. In Den Bosch several junctions were changed to round-abouts (also places I thought would never ever have room enough!) and you can really pass much faster through a round-about than through a junction with traffic-lights. Much more pleasant.Mark W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07882028603632115187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-71679597821671640152010-11-30T18:12:41.733+01:002010-11-30T18:12:41.733+01:00Speaking of intersections managed with traffic lig...Speaking of intersections managed with traffic lights, I have the feeling that there seems to be a general movement in NL to favour roundabout-based intersections.<br /><br />For instance, through the Fietsberaad website, I've come into <a href="http://www.papendrecht.nl/papendrecht/actueel/werkzaamheden/werk-in-voorbereiding?waxtrapp=tvybdEsHknOtiOfMCeBDfB" rel="nofollow">this project near Colibrinoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-24294187125126207242010-11-30T16:52:02.982+01:002010-11-30T16:52:02.982+01:00@Chris, @David, I believe the countdowns in Amster...@Chris, @David, I believe the countdowns in Amsterdam (and Copenhagen) count both red and green light time, and I find the green countdown also useful.Daniel Sparinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07770694012992195852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-44158967180981912102010-11-30T09:16:09.520+01:002010-11-30T09:16:09.520+01:00@Micheal: they are only useful while you are waiti...@Micheal: they are only useful while you are waiting right in front of them, not from a distance. I know the Assen type from 's-Hertogenbosch (a.k.a. Den Bosch). What might not be clear from the text or video is that they do not always count down in the same speed. That is also the reason that displaying a countdown in 'seconds' would not be possible. Almost all traffic lights in the Mark W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07882028603632115187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-11214201318099236272010-11-29T18:09:24.548+01:002010-11-29T18:09:24.548+01:00Yes, nice. Except the example ligt from Assen is ...Yes, nice. Except the example ligt from Assen is too small to see from any meaningful approaching distance. Toronto has timers for how long the green pedestrian will last. This is very useful for seeing if I can make it to the lights or if I should slowly coast and wait for the next traffic light cycle. Of course, this doesn't tell when the light will turn green again. In some cases thisMicheal Bluenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-29380571551527939292010-11-29T12:22:14.931+01:002010-11-29T12:22:14.931+01:00evil doppelgangers indeed - it's that attitude...evil doppelgangers indeed - it's that attitude of "pedestrians shouldn't be on the road".Neilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11443493823465136241noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-41685264520840057582010-11-29T11:48:48.408+01:002010-11-29T11:48:48.408+01:00Chris: Those are the evil doppelgängers of our lig...Chris: Those are the evil doppelgängers of our lights ! What on earth do they think they're doing in London, actually making it <i>more difficult</i> to cross the road ?David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-63764283541435186192010-11-29T11:44:00.380+01:002010-11-29T11:44:00.380+01:00Of course, they have countdown timers in London, b...Of course, they have <a href="http://www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/projectsandschemes/15490.aspx" rel="nofollow">countdown timers in London</a>, but these tell you how much (or rather, how little) time you have to dash across the road.christhebullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18058394246399615754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-32282190718801712132010-11-29T03:47:04.519+01:002010-11-29T03:47:04.519+01:00Little touches like these make all the difference ...Little touches like these make all the difference in making cycling more convenient. Very nice.<br /><br />Here in Brisbane (Australia) there is no such indicator at crossings for pedestrians or cyclists. I often press the button to cross and have to wait a full cycle of the lights before I'm allowed to pass - even if there is no traffic... in the middle of the night!<br /><br />All the Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com