Demi-rant: Stoplight visibility.

[MinisterofDOOM]

Why on earth are stoplights always placed spot-on at the corners of intersections, regardless of how tiny the intersection is? I recently noticed that, at a good number of stoplights, I end up having to lean forward over my steering wheel in order to see the light. This is because at most intersections, the roof of my car is obstructing my view of the light. Which is stupid. How has no one ever thought of this?

I'll give an example:



I stop at that light every morning. I practically have to crawl onto the dash to see the light. Why is the light so close to the stop line? Why not move it 15 feet back? Why does it have to be RIGHT THERE on the corner of the asphalt? If you're not driving a convertible or a pre-2000s pickup truck, you're not going to be able to see that light from any kind of normal driving posture.

And while that's an extreme example, there are plenty of small 2-lane roads that provide only slightly more space between stopped vehicles and the stoplights.

Stuff doesn't get much more basic than this. Stoplights have to sit at a certain height to clear commercial vehicles. So since we can't lower them, we should obviously locate them at a distance that provides an ideal viewing angle.

Anyone else run into this?

[Kompresshun]

I've never seen one like that, but I would be raising hell to the city if I had to deal with one like that. That's quite a hazard for drivers.

[AppleBonker]

I've seen some that are bad, but not that bad. I've always kinda wondered the same thing...

[Bubba1]

I've seen some that are bad, but not that bad. I've always kinda wondered the same thing...

A dumb question. If you know the visibility to see the stop light turn green is poor if you're the first car at the red light, couldn't you simply stop for the red light 15 feet earlier??

There are many cars where forward/upward visibility is poor. I'm sure there are new Camaro, Audi TT, and 1st gen. Viper owners that have the same complaint.

[AppleBonker]

Not a dumb question. And that's generally my response. I still wonder about the design though.

[MinisterofDOOM]

A dumb question. If you know the visibility to see the stop light turn green is poor if you're the first car at the red light, couldn't you simply stop for the red light 15 feet earlier?

Or they could just design the intersection to not be stupid in the first place. I don't want to work around the problem, I want it to not BE a problem.

[Bubba1]

Or they could just design the intersection to not be stupid in the first place. I don't want to work around the problem, I want it to not BE a problem.

It's highly unlikely the town is going to move a traffic light just because you are either unwilling or unable to determine where to stop at a red light so you can see the light change. How about you petition the town to paint a big "stop here on red" line on the pavement. They actually do that in many towns around here. Heck, they could even add a "stop here on red" sign with an arrow to make it even easier.

[MinisterofDOOM]

You've completely missed the point. This isn't about that one traffic light. It was simply an example. I don't want the light MOVED. I want to know why lights aren't installed sensibly FROM THE START.

Moving the painted stop line back is a fine solution in my book. But it is still entirely beside the point. And the point is this: why is a solution needed at all? Why not think about this in the first place?

[breadbox]

Let me just say that I live in hampton roads. We have the third worst traffic nation wide on an average basis, due to lots of drawbridges and bridge tunnels( closterphobic nightmare I'm sure).

Also we have the worst signage, if you had no map in Hampton Roads and tried to use street signs you'd get nowhere. Needless to say our city planners must be F'n stupid.

We have several of these lights, mostly around military bases where they built random back roads for seemingly no ones gain.

There is a light where its really close but besides that, so many people turn right from both lanes that they scoot up to see oncoming traffic and only know its green when on coming traffic slows significantly.

[Ace2cool]

[couldn't you simply stop for the red light 15 feet earlier??

There are many cars where forward/upward visibility is poor. I'm sure there are new Camaro, Audi TT, and 1st gen. Viper owners that have the same complaint.

And 300ZX owners.

But as far as stopping early, most traffic lights run off a magnetic coil sensor in the asphalt that tells the light when there is a car there. When a large body of metal disrupts the magnetic field, it starts the timer to change the opposing traffic light to red and yours to green.

[Bubba1]

You've completely missed the point. This isn't about that one traffic light. It was simply an example. I don't want the light MOVED. I want to know why lights aren't installed sensibly FROM THE START.

Moving the painted stop line back is a fine solution in my book. But it is still entirely beside the point. And the point is this: why is a solution needed at all? Why not think about this in the first place?

I didn't miss the point at all. Hindsight is always 20/20. You're complaining about something that's already built. But it sounds like you would not have a problem with that light's location had they included a simple "stop here on red" line for you when they installed the light.

[Jesda]

I see lights like that in the city because the intersections used to carry tall carriages and horses along with automobiles. They're about a century overdue for modernization.

[orangeNblue]

hmm..we didn't learn about that type of intersection in traffic engineering classes.

would make sense for them to just move the light further back

[Rev_D21]

If you're not driving a convertible or a pre-2000s pickup truck, you're not going to be able to see that light from any kind of normal driving posture.

Think about when those lights were installed. Probably pre-2000.

[IanS]

Thats what you get for living in Utah......

Just sayin.