Traffic light compo

Mussels

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 17, 2008
3,207
8
Crowborough
One thing I think is great about pedelecs is they make traffic lights much more bearable. Something in another thread prompted me to do a count of how many I pass on the way in, in 17 miles I was expecting about 35 or so. I lost count a couple of times so I may be a few out but this morning I counted 80 separate sets of lights, that's more than one a minute average for the whole journey! Some of my commute is along cycle routes that avoid a lot of lights so I reckon if I came in on normal roads there would be 20 more. They were all separate sets of lights with their own stop lines, I didn't count zebra crossings but I'd guess there are about 12 of them as well.

This might be a London centric thing but as a lot of my riding is through suburbs I'm wondering if anyone has more or a higher rate on their travels?
 

tillson

Esteemed Pedelecer
May 29, 2008
5,249
3,197
I thought that I had it bad, 17 sets of lights, including pedestrian crossings in 10 miles.

Some of the lights are bias in favour of the side roads and my bike will not trigger them to change. I have no alternative but to go through on red. I've written to the council about it, but I suspect it has gone in the, "insufficient ability to resolve" bin.
 

thunderblue

Pedelecer
Aug 4, 2009
116
1
Manchester
I have 10, including pedestrian crossings to travel 5 miles. Averaged=s 1 every half mile but the reality is that they are bunched together - a lot after about a mile and then a couple of miles for the rest, with a single set near the end. This last set cross a major route into Manchester, with 5 lanes of traffic. Ideally, you could turn left onto this road and then right into the street I need, but there is no right turn at the traffic lights. Instead, traffic has to turn left just before the main road, go along parallel to it for approx a quarter of a mile, then turn right and go straight across the junction controlled by lights. Yes, you've guessed it - the lights only turn to green if triggered by a car, forcing bikes to cross when the lights are on red. :eek: Fortunately there is enough of a delay, but how silly! The alternative is to wait a few cycles until a car comes, or dismount and use the pedestrian crossing if all else fails.
 

stevebills

Esteemed Pedelecer
Dec 14, 2010
443
4
bloody hell counting traffic lights u lot must be bored
I will be counting pints drunk tonight :D