Damn traffic lights with louvres over the lights.

[Rajagra]

Q: What's the difference between traffic lights with louvres over the green light, and a set of failed lights?

A: None, at least until you're going through them, by which time it may be too late.

This is the second time recently I've gone through failed lights and initially assumed I was just not seeing the green light because of those louvres.

Did the people who dreamed up these crazy louvres not anticipate the confusion and danger they would cause???

 

[Gibson99]

they installed a set of those louvers on some green lights here, and rear-ender accidents went up something like 5-fold at that intersection. the second time i drove through that intersection after they installed them, i decided that from then on i'd choose a different path that added 5 minutes to my previously 10-minute trip... but was a hell of a lot safer and easier to deal with.

the ONLY reason they should ever install louvers on a light is to install VERTICAL ones to prevent cross-traffic from being able to see your light, so they can't jump the gun and start going the instant yours turns red (or yellow!).

 

[Error7]

Louvres on traffic lights is just one of the stupid ideas our local authorities dream up to make life as difficult as possible for motorists.

 

[flank]

Could be for when the sun hovering around it.

 

[Rajagra]

Could be for when the sun hovering around it.

The problem is if your position is higher than a standard car, you sometimes can't see the light at all until you pass the stop line. It's insane.

 

[Error7]

Could be for when the sun hovering around it.

Sun in the UK. We wish

It only rained once last week. It started on Monday and stopped on Friday

 

[DT MI]

...
It only rained once last week. It started on Monday and stopped on Friday

 

[Gibson99]

The problem is if your position is higher than a standard car, you sometimes can't see the light at all until you pass the stop line. It's insane.

Being in a car doesn't help. You can't get much lower than a miata or delorean, and I still couldn't see the damn light until I was almost directly under it, by which time it's WAY too late to do anything about it. Here, you're supposed to treat a broken or powerless traffic light like a 4-way stop, but with these louvers you can't tell if it's out or just blocked.

 

[efcm]

It's just the stupidest idea i have seen...

 

[sludgeguts]

It has to be THE stupidest idea 'they' ever had. Only reason I can think of is where you get a couple of sets close together & they don't want you moving when the far set is on green (and yours are still red).

 

[kandrey89]

they installed a set of those louvers on some green lights here, and rear-ender accidents went up something like 5-fold at that intersection. the second time i drove through that intersection after they installed them, i decided that from then on i'd choose a different path that added 5 minutes to my previously 10-minute trip... but was a hell of a lot safer and easier to deal with.

the ONLY reason they should ever install louvers on a light is to install VERTICAL ones to prevent cross-traffic from being able to see your light, so they can't jump the gun and start going the instant yours turns red (or yellow!).

Also when two roads merge at ~45 degrees or less, there's one near Costco in Redwood City California, two roads merge pretty much side by side to each other, <25 degrees.

 

[Genki]

I have seen such lights around Michigan, they are generally vertical oriented so people in adjourning lane at odd angled intersection can't see and get confused.

The lights shown in the video however is bad, I have not seen such light whose slats are making it impossible for driver to see anything at all.