I happened upon a short video about Dutch traffic lights and how they differ from US ones, and are way more complex and traffic friendly, for all traffic.

I'd never given traffic lights any thought, unless it's red, hihi.
Funny to hear him start off with saying Dutch traffic lights are way more complicated than in Canada or US.
But when he starts explaining how ours work... I agree!! I wouldn't like to design that system, hihi. I never thought there was so much behind it all. You never think about it, it just is.

The US caters for cars as much as possible while we cater for all traffic, and public transport has right off way in the sense that if a tram or bus approaches their light goes green and everything else is made to stop. Everyone knows this so you can simply slow down and brake when you see a bus approach an intersection. And always wait for the tram to pass. It will not stop!

Ours go from green to amber to red, then green again. The one time I drove in the UK it went to amber again after it'd been red. I didn't know what to do?! Do I still have to wait? Can I drive? I still don't know to this day. Very confusing.

I found it an interesting watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knbVWXzL4-4

In UK Amber light (on its own) means Stop...


Traffic lights UK
In Britain, normal traffic lights follow this sequence:
Red – Stop, do not proceed.
Red and Amber - Get ready to proceed, but do not proceed yet.
Green – Proceed if the intersection or crossing is clear, vehicles are not allowed to block the intersection or crossing.
Amber - Stop, unless it is unsafe to do so.

After Amber it goes back to red...


Traffic light - Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Traffic_light

Traffic light system in Dublin: When I approach a traffic light, it turns red automatically

Anyway, the Dutch made a great invention with those sensors for public transport. Some bigger cities in Germany, like Dortmund where I lived, have introduced them as well years ago. As far as I remember, buses were bought from the Netherlands as well Dank u wel

Graag gedaan! Haha.

Traffic lights with sensors are great. As long as no one is coming from the right or left your light stays green :)
This is not the case everywhere (yet). Some crossings still have static lights that change at regular intervals regardless.

I knew the following order, just not what to do. good to know, thanks!
I find it highly confusing to do the amber a second time, glad we don't have that. Over here it just means, pay attention, it's going red any second now!

I remember the UK also had roundabouts, just as we do. We have lots of 'em as they help keep traffic going.
I saw a clip the other day on that, and apparently they don't really have them in the US, or very few. Have to admit when I was in Alabama I didn't see a single one.

Most people here in certain areas pay no attention at all to traffic signals other than to stomp on the gas when they turn yellow even if they are two city blocks away.

Many places in the U.S. are switching over from cross road intersections to roundabouts. Some roads have two or three in a row. There are more accidents at roundabouts than crossroads here, mainly because folks don't know how to use them and just plow through or stop unexpectedly. But the wrecks are less severe at roundabouts than crossroads. So states and counties keep adding more.

There were introduced here yonks ago, when I was about 5 or 6. Then they got rid of them again only to not that much later re-introduce them.
We have many now, 3 on one road is nothing unusual. Often there are more.
People will get used to them. We did too :)
A few years ago they changed the design and made heightened ridges between the 2 lanes on the roundabouts. And they aren't round anymore either but elongated, or more kidney-shaped. That does help, makes it easier and I think it helps with the safety of the roundabout too.

My ex wife struggled with roundabouts, but managed to master them on her 3rd driving test...

I guess the crazy roundabout in Swindon doesn't help either...

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/m306q5/7circle_roundabout_intersection/


The magic roundabout, Swindon UK
Source Reddit

Here in Pa redneck country;

Green = go
Amber = slow down, stop if you wanna tick off the one in back of you.
Red = Look around, if you see no cops, go like heck. If you see a cop, stop and have a drink.

This ^^^