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Traffic Light Timing
By Peace | March 4, 2009
Traffic Light at Woodlands Ave 2, a road that my family always use.
A Continuation from the previous post: Road Safety.
Safety Assurance Road?
This is a common traffic light that pedestrian used everyday — They are the people who walks and cycle to Woodlands Bus Interchange or Causeway Point MRT Station, Civic Centre or library or back from these places to their homes. Having no car, our family always use public transport. As we walk to Causeway Point MRT Station, we need to use this traffic light to cross the road.
Follow The Law: Red Green Man
Before the introduction of traffic light timer, we had to hurry to cross the road (the green man changed very fast to red man). With the introduction of timer at the traffic light, the duration for pedestrian to cross the road does not increase at all. It is similar to old ones, just that now we can see the timing (how much time we are left to cross the road — count down). Before this, when we saw blinking green man, we would not cross the road as we do not know when the green man will turn red. After the introduction of timer, even though the green man is flashing, we can see the timer and some people can dash/run across the road in time or before the red man appear.
“Children, Don’t Run!” said the teacher.
One thing that never change is the DURATION for pedestrian to cross the road. When I was not pregnant, and when I was working last time, I can walk very fast. Crossing roads at traffic lights had never been easy/relaxing. It is always Fast and FASTER you need to walk, otherwise you would see yourself in the middle or perhaps 3/4 of the road and the red man appears. This is especially so for me now. I cannot walk fast now, neither can I run. My tummy was painful most of the time. I had to walk slowly and a sick old lady. I cannnot imagine how the elderly or handicap can cross the road if they are not able to walk fast! This includes the small children. Everytime when using the traffic light to cross the road, Richard would shout at the children, especially Clara, “Walk Faster lah!” NEVER one time he does not need to say that. In the past, I was the one who need to hold their hands, told them to walk faster and we ran together across the road(at traffic light — GREEN MAN (Legal Crossing but imagine, need to run!!) If we don’t run, the cars would come after us already! How many kind souls are there who would let people like us (small kids, people who cannot walk a normal FAST pace) to cross the roads patiently despite the red lights? Even if there are, we the pedestrian would feel bad for ‘delaying’ the time of the motorists, since that is the allocated time GIVEN to pedestrian to cross the roads.
Healthy Lifestyle – RUSH RUSH RUSH
Singapore RUN RUN RUN
Why use the tr
affic lights when you have to run across the road also? Just last Sunday, my tummy hurts as usual. I was walking so slowly. Richard is always the first one to cross the road. Reaching the end of the road, he would told us to walk faster. I also know. I also can see! But I cannot walk fast! I cannot run! PAIN! So many other pedestrians NEED to RUN. What kind of lifestyle and Road Safety are we promoting?
How pedestrians are detected
On the left, picture taken from onemotoring.com, we can see “Walk with CARE”. This is their so called GLIDE(Green Link Determining) system. This is installed on most of the traffic lights at Woodlands. Pedestrian need to press the buttons in order to cross the road (activate the green man, otherwise, green man would not appear at all).
What are the benefits of GLIDE?
GLIDE provides these benefits for road users:
* Allocates green time for motorists and pedestrians based on demand
* Provides “green wave” link between adjacent junctions to minimise the number of stops by vehicles
* Allows traffic signal faults to be rectified quickly
How does GLIDE work?
The GLIDE system detects the presence of vehicles and pedestrians at the junctions of major roads. It allocates green time based on the traffic volume in each direction.
How vehicles are detected
Detector loops are laid beneath the road surface of junctions to sense the presence of vehicles. Each time a vehicle moves over the detector loop, it causes a change in its magnetic field. This change activates a local controller which in turn adjusts the traffic light timing so that more green time is given to the direction with a higher traffic volume.
How pedestrians are detected
The GLIDE system tells the presence of pedestrians through push buttons, placed at traffic signal poles. Pedestrians have to press the push button before the green man will appear.
Previously, the green man would appear at a fixed time, whether or not there are pedestrians crossing the road. This means motorists have to wait at the red light unnecessarily.
These waiting woes are a thing of the past as the green man now appears only when pedestrians press the push button. Motorists are also given more green time when there are no pedestrians crossing the road.
Pedestrian, do you pay road tax?
I wonder where Pedestrian stands? Motorists are given such importance emphasis. Little waiting time, no waiting time, no stops…. no wonder more motorists getting impatient. They enjoy NO STOPS, and faster journey time for them. Pedestrian? As for time, Pedestrian who are rushing for time are mostly the working people, or the ‘energetic’ people with good health — able to walk with big strides. Frail people, weak people, sick people with injured legs, children (with their legs so short), can only take small steps at a time. These people cannot walk very fast, like me now. Yet we are told to ‘WALK WITH CARE’.
Change In Traffic Timing
Change I saw — the blue sign, but not the duration, the pace we need to walk. We must walk with big strides, otherwise RUN! RUN WITH CARE children?
Road Safety — Everyone is Responsible
This is Traffic Light at Woodlands Ave 1, opposite Marsiling MRT Station. I had not finished walking and the flashing green man turned red. We started off right from the start, pressing the button and waiting for the green man to appear to start crossing the road.
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