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From: prgclb@ihuxm.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Blinking Green Traffic Light
Message-ID: <406@ihuxm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Aug-83 13:33:32 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihuxm.406
Posted: Wed Aug 10 13:33:32 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 12-Aug-83 14:54:22 EDT
References: <278@dciem.UUCP>
Organization: BTL Naperville, Il.
Lines: 34

I've visited Boston only two or three times in my life,
so don't consider me an expert.  But the last time I was
there, a student friend told me that blinking green signified
that traffic on the cross street had a blinking red light
(the typical indication for stop first, then proceed if-and-when clear).
In most places, a blinking yellow is used for this purpose.

Actually, the blinking green concept could be very useful,
especially on side streets with traffic-actuated signal controls.
Take our entrance to Bell Labs in Naperville, for example.
During non-rush hours, there are few cars entering and leaving,
and only moderate traffic on the main roads.  Yet when
leaving the premises, we have to wait at least 30 seconds
for the traffic-actuated lights to turn green.
If we had flashing red during non-rush hours,
we could turn immediately if there wasn't any traffic,
yet have the option of getting a green thirty seconds later
if traffic happened to be heavy.
Traffic on the main street would see a blinking green most
of the time, but it would trip to a solid yellow and red
if the signals were activated.

By existing traffic standards,
the only signal that drivers on the main street
could get in this case is blinking yellow.
Sure, the blinking yellow could turn solid yellow,
but only the most alert drivers would notice the change.
You'd have a lot of whammies when the light turned red.
A change from blinking green to solid yellow would be
far more obvious!
				Carl Blesch
				Bell Labs - Naperville, Ill.
				IH 2A-159, (312) 979-3360
				ihuxm!prgclb