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Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 13th 09, 07:30 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
Doug[_3_]
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Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

Its not difficult to see where pretend cyclist Boris is coming from.
Has anyone seen him using a car recently? How are people with walking
difficulties and who are slow on foot supposed to cross the road? They
aren't even allowed enough time at crossings already.

"Pedestrians will be made to walk faster on crossings under a plan
favouring motorists that Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, has
proposed.

Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars get a green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights. Those on foot will lose
up to six seconds of crossing time during each phase.

The signs are part of the mayor’s plan to give more green time to
traffic at the expense of pedestrians. He hopes that pedestrians will
either speed up as they see the countdown approaching zero or, if they
are slow walkers, wait at the kerb for the next green man phase.

Mr Johnson hopes that the extra green time will smooth the flow of
traffic and help to cope with the increase in cars expected next year
when he halves the size of the congestion charge zone..."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle5883358.ece

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  #2  
Old March 13th 09, 09:01 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
POHB
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Posts: 131
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

Sounds like good new for cyclists...

Pedestrians will be made to walk faster on crossings under a plan
favouring motorists [and cyclists] that Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London,
has
proposed.

Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars [and cycles] get a
green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights. Those on foot will lose
up to six seconds of crossing time during each phase.

Mr Johnson hopes that the extra green time will smooth the flow of
traffic and help to cope with the increase in cars [and cycles]

.... less time waiting on red staring at an empty crossing, less temptation
to jump the lights, a countdown until they change so you can judge whether
to speed up and get to the front of the queue or slow down and tuck in
behind as you approach. As someone who has around 50 sets of lights to
negotiate each morning and evening it sounds good to me.


  #3  
Old March 13th 09, 09:35 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
Paul - xxx[_2_]
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Posts: 1,739
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

Doug wrote:

Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars get a green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights.


Good.

Those on foot will lose
up to six seconds of crossing time during each phase.


Not good.

Mr Johnson hopes that the extra green time will smooth the flow of
traffic and help to cope with the increase in cars expected next year
when he halves the size of the congestion charge zone..."


Beats me why he can't just increase the green for traffic time, and
keep the same time for pedestrians. This might keep a better flow
going, and not inconvenience pedestrians at the same time.

--
Paul - xxx

'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp
  #4  
Old March 13th 09, 09:36 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
Clive[_3_]
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Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

In message
, Doug
writes
Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars get a green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights.

These "second count down time" on the crossing phase of lights are
normal in several foreign cities and give people an idea whether to
cross or no, instead of "I'll take a chance whilst the green man is
flashing".
--
Clive
  #5  
Old March 13th 09, 10:11 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
lardyninja
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Posts: 194
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.


Paul - xxx wrote, On 13/03/2009 08:35:
Beats me why he can't just increase the green for traffic time, and
keep the same time for pedestrians. This might keep a better flow
going, and not inconvenience pedestrians at the same time.



It would inconvenience pedestrians, because having to wait for ages for
a pedestrian phase is very annoying, especially if you can see your bus
coming on the other side of the road. It encourages people to cross
against the light.

LN


--

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the University of Myhouse

  #6  
Old March 13th 09, 10:17 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
[email protected]
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Posts: 37
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

On 13 Mar, 06:30, Doug wrote:
Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars get a green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights.


This bit is a good idea, we have it already in places and it also
counts down to the next crossing phase.

Cutting the time by 6 seconds is a bad idea though. What would be
better is only having pedestrian phases if they are needed ( often
they are automated rather than button press). Another would be more
sensors that detect if there isn't any traffic. Why stop the flow for
no reason.

Fod

  #7  
Old March 13th 09, 10:30 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
Daniel Barlow
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Posts: 883
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

"POHB" writes:

Digital signs that count down the seconds until cars [and cycles] get a
green light
would be introduced at 6,000 sets of lights. Those on foot will lose
up to six seconds of crossing time during each phase.

[...]
... less time waiting on red staring at an empty crossing, less temptation
to jump the lights, a countdown until they change so you can judge whether
to speed up and get to the front of the queue or slow down and tuck in
behind as you approach. As someone who has around 50 sets of lights to
negotiate each morning and evening it sounds good to me.


If the goal is to minimise time spent waiting at an empty junction,
the simplest solution would be to shorten ped phases but paint the
pedestrian crossing with zebra stripes, then put cameras on it and
come down like a tonne of bricks on anyone who thinks green means "go"
not merely "go if the way is clear". Then the wait is short if the
road is empty but pedestrians still have as long to cross as they
need.

Waiting at empty junctions annoys me as much as anyone, but the way to
fix that is not by penalising the elderly, infirm, or disabled by
putting pressure on them to stay off the road if they can't sprint it.
Sounds like a return to the 1970s


-dan
  #8  
Old March 13th 09, 10:33 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
Paul - xxx[_2_]
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Posts: 1,739
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

lardyninja wrote:


Paul - xxx wrote, On 13/03/2009 08:35:
Beats me why he can't just increase the green for traffic time, and
keep the same time for pedestrians. This might keep a better flow
going, and not inconvenience pedestrians at the same time.



It would inconvenience pedestrians, because having to wait for ages
for a pedestrian phase is very annoying, especially if you can see
your bus coming on the other side of the road. It encourages people
to cross against the light.


Fair point.

Maybe pedestrian button controlled lights for ped crossing. That'd
stop unnecessary traffic queues forming when no-one's crossing, and
could possibly even lengthen the ped crossing phase.

--
Paul - xxx

'96/'97 Landrover Discovery 300 Tdi
Dyna Tech Cro-Mo comp
  #9  
Old March 13th 09, 10:35 AM posted to uk.transport,uk.rec.cycling
JNugent[_5_]
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Posts: 3,985
Default Pedestrians made to walk faster so that cars can go faster.

lardyninja wrote:

Paul - xxx wrote, On 13/03/2009 08:35:
Beats me why he can't just increase the green for traffic time, and
keep the same time for pedestrians. This might keep a better flow
going, and not inconvenience pedestrians at the same time.



It would inconvenience pedestrians, because having to wait for ages for
a pedestrian phase is very annoying, especially if you can see your bus
coming on the other side of the road. It encourages people to cross
against the light.


And do you imagine that it somehow isn't annoying to have to wait four
minutes at red in a motor vehicle, only to find that the (eventual) green
phase is eight seconds long and allows five vehicles through, when you are
sixth (or perhaps sixteenth) in the queue?
 




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