Traffic signal

[CJResotko]

Very cool! Green for walk (when on a dedicated signal) is quite uncommon in the US, is it not? As well as that countdown time with blinking hand?

Usually the walking man/WALK lenses on pedestrian signals in the US are white.

[Big John]

Very cool! Green for walk (when on a dedicated signal) is quite uncommon in the US, is it not? As well as that countdown time with blinking hand?

Usually the walking man/WALK lenses on pedestrian signals in the US are white.

as specified in MUTCD

[Dirt Roads]

Very cool! Green for walk (when on a dedicated signal) is quite uncommon in the US, is it not? As well as that countdown time with blinking hand?

Usually the walking man/WALK lenses on pedestrian signals in the US are white.

as specified in MUTCD

My understanding is the "non-green" pedestrian signals (ergo, white lenses) was a railroad recommendation consistent with railroading operating rules.  The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

[kphoger]

The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

That's a good point.  I can see why you wouldn't want a green signal of any kind to be mounted next to an intersection if the actual traffic light is red.

[riiga]

My understanding is the "non-green" pedestrian signals (ergo, white lenses) was a railroad recommendation consistent with railroading operating rules.  The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

I don't think that's ever been a problem in countries which use a green man for "walk", but interesting nonetheless.

[kphoger]

The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

That's a good point.  I can see why you wouldn't want a green signal of any kind to be mounted next to an intersection if the actual traffic light is red.

It just occurred to me to ask:  does that even ever happen?  A 'walk' signal on the same approach as a right-sight red light?

[jakeroot]

The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

That's a good point.  I can see why you wouldn't want a green signal of any kind to be mounted next to an intersection if the actual traffic light is red.

It just occurred to me to ask:  does that even ever happen?  A 'walk' signal on the same approach as a right-sight red light?

In Japan (which uses green and red pedestrian signals), all-way walks were very common (most famous being Shibuya). From a distance, when this happened, you could squint your eyes and see green lights on the post and red lights overhead.

Similarly from a distance, if both the walk sign and vehicle signal were green, you could squint your eyes and see four or more green "lights" from a distance (the two overhead green lights and two pedestrian signals).

I've never known of confusion arising from this. Of course, the pedestrian signals are mounted on poles (extremely rare for vehicle signals in Japan) and are also pedestrian shapes instead of orbs. Though my anecdotal evidence is hardly comprehensive.

Should be noted that not all countries use phasing where the walk sign is in concurrent with through traffic, requiring turning traffic to yield. For example, the UK doesn't do this to my knowledge. Japan was more like the US with concurrent phasing.

[Dirt Roads]

The thought is that from a distance, anything that is illuminated "green" in the area of the signal mast can be misconstrued as a "proceed at normal speed" aspect. 

That's a good point.  I can see why you wouldn't want a green signal of any kind to be mounted next to an intersection if the actual traffic light is red.

It just occurred to me to ask:  does that even ever happen?  A 'walk' signal on the same approach as a right-sight red light?

I don't recall ever seeing such an arrangement, but there were big concerns about this in cities that utilized side-mounted traffic signals with the ped signal mounted below on the same masts.  In places like Washington D.C., it is commonplace for the side-mounted top red signal to be dark (burnt-out bulb as the most likely culprit) while the pedestrian signal below is illuminated for the cross walk.  Even if you could see the "red ball on the side-mounted traffic signal on the opposite side of street, it might not be in time.

For the record, the railroads were mostly concerned about how a green pedestrian signal uphill from a "grade crossing" in a curve might lead to confusion for locomotive crews.  But my boss (who was the American Association of Railroads representative to MUTCD for many years) was an expert in signal lighting and lens designs, so it wouldn't surprise me if he was more concerned about highway traffic implications.  (He was in his mid-90s when he passed away a few months ago).