On Wed, 12 Sep 2018 10:03:03 +0100
"NY" wrote:
wrote in message news
Unfortunately it would seem most of the crossings in this country have no
pedestrian or traffic detection systems built in or are just poorly
programmed. There's one in my high street that seems to have been
programmed
to stay green to traffic when the road is clear but as soon as a car comes
along to switch to red and let the pedestrians cross. But as you say, by
this
time the person who pressed the button has already crossed.

There is a very long bridge across the Thames near where I used to live.
It's only wide enough for one lorry (though two cars can just about pass in
opposite directions) so it has single-alternate-line working, controlled by
traffic lights which have sensors.

Late at night, when there's very little traffic, the lights tend to stay
permanently on green in the direction that the last car passed. However if a
car approaches from the green direction, the lights always turn red for a
few seconds as you approach and then back to green as soon as you've stopped
at the line - it is guaranteed that traffic from either direction will
*always* have to stop. I'm not sure what the logic is for that perverse
programming.

Possibly some kind of speed detection system so if you approach above 20mph
(or whatever) they go red to slow you down? They use those systems in Spain
quite a lot especially in small villages. There'll be an otherwise pointless
traffic light that will turn red if you approach it too fast. In the end I
started doing what the locals did and just ignored them.