Traffic Lights: Duration, Timing, and What to do when Flashing

Duration of Signal Changes in Walk Lights

Someone asked on how long walk lights change as he found that they change so soon. I wasn’t able to ask his physical condition, and so I would assume that he is in good health condition – that means he is no handicapped.

Walk lights are timed in relation with the traffic lights. If traffic signal goes green for 30 seconds, changes to yellow of 3 seconds, and then to red, you’ll have a total of 33 seconds all in all. This is solely an example for the sake of discussion. Furthermore, 15 seconds in that cycle, walk signals may start flashing, though that indicates a warning, you still have another 15 seconds to walk across to the side you are crossing.

When the walk light signal flashes, it alerts you to pace up as it is expected to change in a matter of seconds. In case you haven’t noticed, the signal tends to flash faster the sooner it changes its light sign suggesting you better hurry up. In some areas, there is a timer showing the number in seconds, which is pretty much better.

Why are Traffic Signs not timed together?

Have you ever wondered why traffic signs aren’t timed together in uniform to reduce some delay? If you really want to know specifics, you better contact traffic engineers in your own city or state. In most places in the US, the traffic lights are being timed.

There was a time when I stayed in Portland several years ago where you can drive along the highways without getting trapped at red lights, averaging speed at 17 MPH. I think that may have been the reason. I wasn’t speeding up that much. There are times that I tend to always be in a hurry that I try to speed up to pass one after another, but then hit the red light at the next signal. If you get the chance to understand how much speed traffic engineers designed that matches the timing with traffic lights, you may be certain that they are all timed after all. Perhaps, it isn’t the timing you would want, but maybe around 2/3 of the speed limit.

What to Do when Traffic Signs Go Flashing

I’ve been driving in the US for years and, fortunately, I haven’t been able to experience traffic signs flashing. This actually reminds me of someone close to me.

A friend of mine underwent a driver’s lesson in the year 1977. The instructor drove her to her school in Washington where she once attended. They drove along roads, with the instructor giving her directions while she was driving. And then there was a moment when she came across with a Stop Signage. She hit the break. She waited, waited, and waited. Ultimately, the instructor asked what she was waiting for. She said to him she was waiting for the signage to shift to color green. Haha! I thought I’d share it.

Anyway, traffic and school zone signals flash yellow, construction lights flash somewhat orange, and railroad crossing signals flash red. When you view a traffic light that keeps on flashing yellow, it is best for you to hit the break before it turns red. When construction lights are flashing, slow your speed down. For flashing railroad lights, stop before you reach the railway. Traffic tickets are nothing compared to what can possibly happen when you hit the track. Yikes. And then for school zone signals, you are reminded that you are in a student prone area and kids may be everywhere within the vicinity.

Traffic tickets can be bothersome. Why deal with it when you can drive safely in accordance with the traffic regulations. If you intend to break the rules, go drive in third world countries as tickets are cheaper and you can bribe traffic officers. But can you risk your own or other’s life for irresponsible driving?

Slow Children Signage

It's hard not to notice a slow children signage, especially if you are driving on a regular basis. Most are placed on areas like schools and neighborhood with a lot of kids. You should be informed that, once you get to see one of this sign, there are children in the area that may pop out any minute. It is wise, of course, to slow down. 

There are certain speed limits when you pass by zones with these traffic signage. You can watch the video on youtube if you want to get more info about them.

Materials for Making Traffic Signs - Reflective Sheeting, Posts, and Aluminum

Starting off with the traffic sign posts, learn what they are made of. The thing is that it usually depends on the jurisdiction of the local area, state, or county.

If you are going to place your sign along the interstate highway, you will have to consult or follow the rules specified by the US Department of Transportation. They are assigned on the regulation of signs in such area.

In other jurisdictions, woods are allowed as a material for posts. However, this material is not often used for the big highways and directional signagge compared to the previous years. Often these traffic sign posts, big or small, are crafted with steel frames welded together.

Read more at https://www.visigraph.com/traffic-signs/reflective-traffic-control-sign-how-road-signs-and-posts-are-constructed/

What Drivers Must Do When Traffic Signal is Flashing

As a driver in a small city in Washington, I haven't experience driving through a flashing traffic signal. Well, this reminds me of the story of my sister way back in 1977.

When she had her driving lesson, the instructor drove with her from the town to her school. They drove around Spokane. And then there was this point where she came across a stop signage.

Obviously, she stepped on the brakes and waited. They waited... and waited. Ultimately, the instructor inquired about why she was waiting that long. And then she told the instructor that she was waiting for the signal to turn from red to green.

I figured out that this is a good story to reflect upon. Traffic lights can flash the yellow color, construction lights flash a somewhat orange color as well as the school zone sign, and railroad crossing lights flash red....

Read here to finish reading the whole article.

Traffic Signs - Illuminated Versus Digital

You'll find a lot of digital and illuminated traffic signs all over the city. But then, of course that's if you know how to distinguish the difference. The digital types are commonly lighted with Light Emitting Diodes or what they call as LEDs. On the other hand, illuminated types are those lighted with lamps. They are mostly internally illuminated.

The Significance of Traffic Sign Colors

You should notice that every sign has its own color. Most traffic signs along the city highways, interstate, and county streets in the United States use various colors in them. This is with the exception of Europe and Canada as the regulations are a bit different and they have their own color standards for their directional road markers.

Rather than giving out a simple and plain presentation, let me educate you more about this topic. I'll present the different color codes for specified types of signage for you to be able to understand how most of these guide highways signs work.

Most common signage you can see in the streets are those that make use of the colors red, black, or white, except for yield and stop signs. These types are the ones known as regulatory traffic signposts which include...

You can view the rest of the article at https://www.visigraph.com/traffic-signs/significance-of-various-colors-of-highway-road-street-signs/

Traffic Signs with Reflective Sheeting

In the US, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices specifies not only the materials to be used on certain types of reflective road signs, but also determines the designs to be used, the shapes of the signs...

Custom Designed Traffic Signs

Private developments are able to customize traffic signs to their own specs as long as it's approved by some money-sucking inspector from the county or state....

How Local Governments Regulate Traffic Signs

Generally, yes. Unless it had a traffic light and now you’re replacing it with signs. Of course, if there’s little traffic at that intersection anyway, it won’t make much actual difference where safety is concerned.

The newer USDOT codes, and I believe most “First World” nations as well, though, require the “diamond grade” reflective materials to be the basis for most intersection signs, so it’s almost like having a traffic light anyway.

Now, if there was no control at an intersection previously (a.k.a. an “unmarked intersection”), then it will be very likely that it is now a 4-way stop or that one direction will consistently have the right of way, and the other direction will be required to stop. Either way, if it is a semi-busy street or road, stop signs should make that intersection safer.

Full details of this posting can be found HERE.