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Have any of you seen a traffic light go out (or come back on) in front of you?

Started by KCRoadFan, May 30, 2022, 01:16:52 PM

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mrsman

Good topic.  This is what I observed.

1:30 a.m. - (My neighborhood in MD)  Main street green, Side street red.  As this is the beginning of flashing mode, the main street transitions to a solid yellow, a very brief red and then a flashing yellow.  The side street flashes to red as soon as the main street flashes to yellow.

5:30 a.m. - (My neighborhood in MD)  Main street FY, side street FR.  Main street goes solid yellow, very brief red, and then green.  Side street transitions to solid red as soon as main street transitions to solid yellow.

Ramp meters.  In CA, some ramp meters are 3-aspect and some are 2-aspect.  Sometimes both are displayed at the same time, with the 3-aspect up high and the 2-aspect at eye level.  When a meter first comes on from no-power, it goes green, yellow, red (like a normal signal with relatively normal amount of time for each phase).  Then, it goes red-green relatively rapidly (at the metering rate).  When the meters go dark, the signals simply turn off after the last brief green aspect.  So the only time I see a yellow signal on a meter is during the off-on transition.

[The ramp meters that they have recently introduced in MD do not go completely dark.  They flash yellow when not in operation.  I don't like it because there is nothing to be cautious of when going down a normal ramp.  Also, they are confusing, since there are flashing yellow beacons at the entrance to warn of the metering lights.  So one has to really be paying attention if the flashing yellow means that the metering is on (at beginning of ramp) or that the metering is off (in the middle of the ramp).  I simply don't like it, and so many states like CA that have had ramp metering for years do fine with simply turning the meter lights off in non-busy times.]


WNYroadgeek

Saw the signal at NY 277 and NY 354 go out and come on again back in December.

Scott5114

Quote from: roadfro on May 30, 2022, 11:50:19 PM
Quote from: ilpt4u on May 30, 2022, 08:33:59 PM
I went thru one on Rt 13 in Carbondale when it when it was switching from Blinking Red/No Power mode to "Normal"  phazed operations (or vice versa): Literally had the Blinking Red and the Solid Green Ball on at the same time, the direction I was traveling. I went thru without stopping. And I still am not sure what the Rules of the Road suggest to do in that scenario

Rules of the Road have nothing to suggest for you...that scenario should never happen. Even if transitioning from a red flash to stop-and-go, red and green should never be displayed simultaneously in the same signal face (5-section PPLT heads notwithstanding).

I seem to recall the driver's manual for Oklahoma stating that any malfunctioning (including dark) signal is to be treated as a four-way stop. If I were to encounter this particular failure mode, I'd stop and then proceed only when it was clearly safe for me to do so.
uncontrollable freak sardine salad chef

ilpt4u

Quote from: Scott5114 on June 24, 2022, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: roadfro on May 30, 2022, 11:50:19 PM
Quote from: ilpt4u on May 30, 2022, 08:33:59 PM
I went thru one on Rt 13 in Carbondale when it when it was switching from Blinking Red/No Power mode to "Normal"  phazed operations (or vice versa): Literally had the Blinking Red and the Solid Green Ball on at the same time, the direction I was traveling. I went thru without stopping. And I still am not sure what the Rules of the Road suggest to do in that scenario

Rules of the Road have nothing to suggest for you...that scenario should never happen. Even if transitioning from a red flash to stop-and-go, red and green should never be displayed simultaneously in the same signal face (5-section PPLT heads notwithstanding).

I seem to recall the driver's manual for Oklahoma stating that any malfunctioning (including dark) signal is to be treated as a four-way stop. If I were to encounter this particular failure mode, I'd stop and then proceed only when it was clearly safe for me to do so.
Bumping this thread, because this particular signal was doing it again tonight. I took pictures and a 10 second video (on a dark and rainy night, so not high quality). Only the IL 13 Straight Thru movements had Blinking Red + Solid Green. Protected Lefts from IL 13 and Cross traffic/Striegel Rd all had normal Blinking Reds. Tonight was at 8 pm CST, so way before "overnight"  Blinking Yellow/Red mode, so not a standard mode transition

There was an IDOT truck parked next to the signal control box, fyi. Still odd that this is the second time I've seen this signal do it

I may get the pics uploaded to flickr and link them here later

Troubleshooter

Quote from: ilpt4u on February 08, 2023, 09:37:43 PM
Quote from: Scott5114 on June 24, 2022, 10:33:52 PM
Quote from: roadfro on May 30, 2022, 11:50:19 PM
Quote from: ilpt4u on May 30, 2022, 08:33:59 PM
I went thru one on Rt 13 in Carbondale when it when it was switching from Blinking Red/No Power mode to "Normal"  phazed operations (or vice versa): Literally had the Blinking Red and the Solid Green Ball on at the same time, the direction I was traveling. I went thru without stopping. And I still am not sure what the Rules of the Road suggest to do in that scenario

Rules of the Road have nothing to suggest for you...that scenario should never happen. Even if transitioning from a red flash to stop-and-go, red and green should never be displayed simultaneously in the same signal face (5-section PPLT heads notwithstanding).

I seem to recall the driver's manual for Oklahoma stating that any malfunctioning (including dark) signal is to be treated as a four-way stop. If I were to encounter this particular failure mode, I'd stop and then proceed only when it was clearly safe for me to do so.
Bumping this thread, because this particular signal was doing it again tonight. I took pictures and a 10 second video (on a dark and rainy night, so not high quality). Only the IL 13 Straight Thru movements had Blinking Red + Solid Green. Protected Lefts from IL 13 and Cross traffic/Striegel Rd all had normal Blinking Reds. Tonight was at 8 pm CST, so way before "overnight"  Blinking Yellow/Red mode, so not a standard mode transition

There was an IDOT truck parked next to the signal control box, fyi. Still odd that this is the second time I've seen this signal do it

I may get the pics uploaded to flickr and link them here later

I have seen this several times. The double illumination means the lamp driver has shorted and is always on.

One time I saw a signal with every lamp in the entire signal installation lit at the same time. I later found out lightning hit it.



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