I agree that a green ball signal worked for how many decades without confusion? How do you get confused when to go, if oncoming traffic is approaching and gonna hit you if you make the left turn, common sense says, "wait till there is a gap"!!! Also, someone doesn't know what a flashing yellow arrow means, they should not be driving! Flashing yellow anything means approach with caution, and the arrow shows the direction you need to go! How difficult is that? Not rocket science!!!
Flashing yellow arrows were introduced locally in a suburb near me. My wife glanced at the light and saw a yellow arrow. I screamed for her to stop because I saw it was flashing. She almost pulled across traffic with the right of way because she was watching oncoming traffic more than the light. I worked over 13 years as a traffic signal technician and knew about the flashing yellow arrow but SHE DID NOT. We didn't get hit because I stopped her. That's the downside of the flashing yellow arrow. Someone glances at the light and sees yellow arrow and tries to make the light on the yellow... I've seen enough of these wrecks to say that the 'old green ball indication' was well understood and did NOT cause accidents like this. This is an example of some idiot engineer thinking they know what is best and, in the end, where the rubber meets the road, they do NOT.
Because people are stupid. I almost hit a car because the driver was sitting in the middle of the intersection. I didn't see the driver sitting there because I driving up hill. It's like a blind spot.
@@jimroberts2647 well a solution to that specific dillema exists. the flashing yellow doghouse. it separates the green arrow and flashing yellow on a seperate collumn and the flashing yellow goes where the circular green on a doghouse would be. then make the circular yellow and red into arrow indications only because MUTCD requires that for this installation to work
Indiana is a Big user of these. Don't understand why its confusing when there is a CLEAR sign that says that if its a flashing yellow then yield to oncoming traffic and turn. Its just drivers not paying attention to signs.
Sorry that this is long, but I haven't found a short explanation for this yet. The flashing yellow arrow was an attempt to help improve traffic flow at intersections where left turn can yield on green. So, you're sitting at the red light going westbound. There are three cars waiting to turn left next to you. There are ten cars waiting to turn left on the eastbound side and the through lanes are three cars deep. The left turn arrow comes on. The three cars turn. The left turn signal then cycles back to red. The eastbound vehicles are still turning left because there were more of them waiting. Now, another vehicle pulls up next to you waiting to turn left. There is a gap in eastbound traffic where this person could have made their left turn, however, because they are facing red, they cannot turn despite the way being clear. So, this left turner has to wait on green, and then wait on another gap to turn, when they could have taken the first one. Dallas (and other places I am sure) tried to address this problem by having only the left turn signal show a green light. Under these circumstances, that last left turner would have waited for a gap and had been able to turn once there was a gap. However, this caused drivers in the through lane to malfunction, thinking that the green they see in the lane beside them means they can go on through the intersection, even though the signal directly in front of them is showing red. The flashing yellow arrow was supposed to address this problem by signalling to left turners that "you can turn after yielding to oncoming traffic" without having to show a green and causing drivers in the through lanes to malfunction and go through the intersection even though the signal head in front of them is still red. Like any change in traffic signals or traffic control, it takes time for people to adjust to it. What blows my mind is that there is a sign right next to the signal that explains what that flashing arrow means, but too few are bothered to take the half-second to read it. That alone would eliminate much of the confusion.
It does two things it tries to eliminate extra wait time for late arrival traffic at a protected left turn signal that went yellow this way if there's a clearing in the opposing traffic, they can safely turn without needing to wait. And it prevents the yellow trap where one direction goes all yellow and its indeterminate that other direction is still full green. The yellow trap has been explicitly outlawed since 2003 as it causes accidents to people queued up to turn left not knowing the opposing traffic still has a green light.
This instance is not correctly signed, as the phasing is considered nonstandard, it technically isn't legal unless it has a sign on all intersections that use it saying something to the effect of "delayed left turn green arrow".
We have those in Texas so I understand those lights very well. The lights that I've seen in Colorado that are confusing as hell are the ones where it has two columns of lights going down and one light on top of them, making a sort of triangle
Those are the doghouse traffic signals. They have the left or right turn signals (depending on which it serves as) built right into the normal red yellow green signal
Responding to a 4 year old comment, but oh well. Idaho uses these doghouse signals as well. I had the misfortune to be in the passenger seat of a vehicle where the driver didn't understand how they worked and got a very close look at the front end of an oncoming vehicle as a result. Nobody was injured, but caused a lot of damage to both vehicles. I have never liked the solid green on these lights as it still means yield to oncoming traffic before turning. The flashing yellow arrow has always made much more sense to me. Yield on solid green goes against the normally understood traffic rules. Red = stop, Yellow = yield or prepare to stop (or floor it to many motorists), & Green means go. Now, Green can equal either go or yield. To this day I see too many accidents at these intersections from out of state drivers that are unfamiliar with (and cannot read the sign next to) the signal heads. There should be an enforced federal standard that states must follow so drivers across the country don't have to figure out local regional signals because reading instructional signage next to a signal is too much work for many American drivers.
They put a loop detector in the road under the signal if you get there before the next cycle...... depending how DOT configures the signals inside the grey box you will see by the traffic lights......the yellow turning signal will come on and let both sides go if there is no cars waiting to turn left... But you have to get there before the traffic light changes to a flashing yellow which will will let both sides go instead of holding for a green turning signal.
Short explanation here : a FLASHING yellow light has ALWAYS meant to proceed with caution !!! Regardless of whether the light was going to turn RED OR GREEN AFTER the flashing yellow light, you should ALWAYS make sure your path is actually CLEAR before you cross the road in front of oncoming traffic !!! Seems to me that the man involved in the wreck WAS at fault as he was charged !!! I, myself, ALWAYS make sure my path is clear, and, I ALWAYS slow down and look ALL WAYS, even at a green light - there may be a car going through who doesn't notice the red light on their side. It's called defensive (and being attentive, to me) driving.
I bet if you were to go back a number of decades when both mast-arm mounted and five-section doghouse signals first became popular, you’ll discover the drivers of that era had the same confusion and reservations about the changes.
Mr. Nationwide This model eliminates yellow trap and allows for traffic flow where drivers can go straight but not left. The doghouse model always lets people turn left when there’s a green light, either protected or unprotected. This new model just gives traffic engineers more options.
Bullshit! This does NOT eliminate yellow trap. If you have protected/permissive left turn heads facing each other, the only way to eliminate the yellow trap is to keep it from backing up to the green left turn arrow.
well there is a problem. when running a doghouse, you can't indicate a permissive turn on circular red. the green ball releases left turns and thru traffic. but the flashing yellow arrow can 1: be easier to wire and confuse less drivers had it been installed in a doghouse formation where the green ball is replaced by a flashing yellow, and the yellow and red become arrows. 2: it prevents yellow trap. any time you see the light flashing yellow while the thru heads are red, the signal has protected you from yellow trap. if you are IN the junction (being behind the stopline isn't considered in the intersection, so you are also safe to wait behind the line for doghouse signals that do yellow trap) so you are waiting IN the intersection. the doghouse turns yellow. well now the law you are concerned with is getting out since you right of way is ending, and assume oncoming traffic also has the yellow. well you didn't read the sign they hung next to the signal sayin "ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAY HAVE EXTENDED GREEN" and you are in the junction. a 1 in 2 chance that by going beyond the stopline, you're screwed. well in this scenario, you are. the oncoming traffic has a lagging left turn. one that goes after the permissive phase unlike a leading turn, where your left turn went first before the permissive phase. the law the car that hit you was cincerned with is yielding. ultimately, both drivers were following the law. it's the signal's fault and both should sue whatever administration put it up. long and compicated. but with the flashing yellow arrow, you still have the permissive turn even afther the thru signals turned red. find gap, go thru and if it turns yellow, so is oncoming traffic. nice and simple
There's alot of those kinds of traffic signals on Randall Rd. & Algonquin Rd. Which are 2 roads by where I live & sense we take both of those roads to get to my grandparents I've noticed that those signals start of red then go to green then to solid yellow then back to red then once the actual light turns green the arrow goes to flashing yellow then when the light turns yellow the arrow goes to solid yellow & when the light turns red the arrow turns red So basically I've got the cycle in memory
Not every state sequences those flashing yelly arrows in the same way. They just leave the yellow arrow an flashing all the time. This happaning the entrances of supermarkets in particular in Massachusetts.
The state of Oregon has these lights however they operate a little different. The yellow flasher is incorporated into the green signal. The signals work like ordinary red, yellow, green - stop and go, but then after the red and once most of the oncoming traffic clears the light will flash yellow for a yield left turn to prevent a backup of the left turn lane. Oregon does not treat arrowed signals as protected signals, instead the arrows serve as traffic directional guides. You can legally turn on a left or right red arrow unless signage explicitly states otherwise. I suspect that their thought process on these non-protected arrow signals has to do with Oregon having a lot of one-way streets.
The way to explain this is that when they installed these new signals...if you notice in the road under the signals they have cut out slits in the pavements .....the one where the flashing yellow is......has what is called a loop detector......so if a car comes within range the signal will recognize that there is a car that has to make a left turn and usually it will give you a green turning signal.....if you are not under it in time then it will give you a flashing yellow signal which let both sides pass......you will just have to proceed with caution.
The loop detector works through a change in the magnetic field that a large metallic object such as a car or motorcycle presents. Some bikes don't have enough metal to set the detector off so placing a strong magnet on the bike will help to trigger the detector. I grew up with a security system that used a linear probe for its detector that worked under the same principles as a loop detector but even a person or livestock animal could trigger the security detector.
This is stupid actually. Also the arrow arrow on them street lights. Very confusing!!! Why can't they just make it just green means go and red means stop! People coming in america from other countries are getting confused! Where in other countries, they only have green yellow and red and flashing yellow for proceed with caution. Why can't they make it as simple as that so everyone will be safe! 🙄🙄🙄
A Flashing Red arrow was tested in Michigan, and the standard was not adopted. Michigan was ordered to change the signals to a conforming flashing yellow a few years later when the current standard was adopted. The reason is that the FHWA does not like the idea of a flashing red for anything but important reasons to stop, such as a crosswalk, railroad tracks, and stop signs and it was found to be even more confusing than the flashing yellow Oregon developed.
I prefer the green arrow. In Massachusetts the never turn the green arrow on anymore. the green arrow shoud turn on first. There are still a few places in MA that that do it that way.
Are some intersections where the Green Arrow was with out the blinking yellow works best they still make sure my path is clear. Some ways that don't need green arrows have them. Some cases around here that's the best solution
So many intersections are confusing, overwhelming, and misleading. The Department of Transportation will always say that any danger posed by an intersection is not so inconspicuous as to constitute trap and that virtually every intersection may be inherently dangerous. DOT always argues it cannot be held responsible based on "sovereign immunity" and the courts will always conclude that sovereign immunity applies, insulating DOT from liability. DOT will always be immune from liability under the doctrine of "sovereign immunity".
I agree that a green ball signal worked for how many decades without confusion? How do you get confused when to go, if oncoming traffic is approaching and gonna hit you if you make the left turn, common sense says, "wait till there is a gap"!!!
Also, someone doesn't know what a flashing yellow arrow means, they should not be driving! Flashing yellow anything means approach with caution, and the arrow shows the direction you need to go! How difficult is that? Not rocket science!!!
Flashing yellow arrows were introduced locally in a suburb near me. My wife glanced at the light and saw a yellow arrow. I screamed for her to stop because I saw it was flashing. She almost pulled across traffic with the right of way because she was watching oncoming traffic more than the light.
I worked over 13 years as a traffic signal technician and knew about the flashing yellow arrow but SHE DID NOT. We didn't get hit because I stopped her.
That's the downside of the flashing yellow arrow. Someone glances at the light and sees yellow arrow and tries to make the light on the yellow... I've seen enough of these wrecks to say that the 'old green ball indication' was well understood and did NOT cause accidents like this.
This is an example of some idiot engineer thinking they know what is best and, in the end, where the rubber meets the road, they do NOT.
@@jimroberts2647 this way is actually the best. I disagree with you. The flashing yellow arrow is great.
Because people are stupid.
I almost hit a car because the driver was sitting in the middle of the intersection. I didn't see the driver sitting there because I driving up hill. It's like a blind spot.
@@jimroberts2647 well a solution to that specific dillema exists. the flashing yellow doghouse. it separates the green arrow and flashing yellow on a seperate collumn and the flashing yellow goes where the circular green on a doghouse would be. then make the circular yellow and red into arrow indications only because MUTCD requires that for this installation to work
Stupid. Most people floor it when they see a yellow light, not take caution.
stay yellow stay yellow!!!
It's like suicide.
It goes from red to flashing yellow. Not to flashing from green.
Cool traffic lights. I just don't see why they're confusing in the first place.
Indiana is a Big user of these. Don't understand why its confusing when there is a CLEAR sign that says that if its a flashing yellow then yield to oncoming traffic and turn. Its just drivers not paying attention to signs.
Only americans can get confused by an obvious flashing amber light with a turn arrow..
Sorry that this is long, but I haven't found a short explanation for this yet. The flashing yellow arrow was an attempt to help improve traffic flow at intersections where left turn can yield on green.
So, you're sitting at the red light going westbound. There are three cars waiting to turn left next to you. There are ten cars waiting to turn left on the eastbound side and the through lanes are three cars deep.
The left turn arrow comes on. The three cars turn. The left turn signal then cycles back to red. The eastbound vehicles are still turning left because there were more of them waiting.
Now, another vehicle pulls up next to you waiting to turn left. There is a gap in eastbound traffic where this person could have made their left turn, however, because they are facing red, they cannot turn despite the way being clear. So, this left turner has to wait on green, and then wait on another gap to turn, when they could have taken the first one.
Dallas (and other places I am sure) tried to address this problem by having only the left turn signal show a green light. Under these circumstances, that last left turner would have waited for a gap and had been able to turn once there was a gap. However, this caused drivers in the through lane to malfunction, thinking that the green they see in the lane beside them means they can go on through the intersection, even though the signal directly in front of them is showing red.
The flashing yellow arrow was supposed to address this problem by signalling to left turners that "you can turn after yielding to oncoming traffic" without having to show a green and causing drivers in the through lanes to malfunction and go through the intersection even though the signal head in front of them is still red.
Like any change in traffic signals or traffic control, it takes time for people to adjust to it.
What blows my mind is that there is a sign right next to the signal that explains what that flashing arrow means, but too few are bothered to take the half-second to read it. That alone would eliminate much of the confusion.
It does two things it tries to eliminate extra wait time for late arrival traffic at a protected left turn signal that went yellow this way if there's a clearing in the opposing traffic, they can safely turn without needing to wait. And it prevents the yellow trap where one direction goes all yellow and its indeterminate that other direction is still full green. The yellow trap has been explicitly outlawed since 2003 as it causes accidents to people queued up to turn left not knowing the opposing traffic still has a green light.
Confusing as hell! Someone needs to stop these flashing yellow turns!! I’ve been driving for 20 years and it confuses the shit out of me!
Where I live the turn signals activate before the flowing traffic signals, not after.
This instance is not correctly signed, as the phasing is considered nonstandard, it technically isn't legal unless it has a sign on all intersections that use it saying something to the effect of "delayed left turn green arrow".
That large sign next to the turn signal which reads: “Left Turn Yield On Flashing (yellow) ⬅️” seems really clear to me.
"If it aint' broke, don't fix it"
ikr
Yes
it was broke. This way is far better for traffic engineers.
2:04 All Green All Yellow All Red!
We have those in Texas so I understand those lights very well. The lights that I've seen in Colorado that are confusing as hell are the ones where it has two columns of lights going down and one light on top of them, making a sort of triangle
Those are the doghouse traffic signals. They have the left or right turn signals (depending on which it serves as) built right into the normal red yellow green signal
Responding to a 4 year old comment, but oh well. Idaho uses these doghouse signals as well. I had the misfortune to be in the passenger seat of a vehicle where the driver didn't understand how they worked and got a very close look at the front end of an oncoming vehicle as a result. Nobody was injured, but caused a lot of damage to both vehicles. I have never liked the solid green on these lights as it still means yield to oncoming traffic before turning. The flashing yellow arrow has always made much more sense to me. Yield on solid green goes against the normally understood traffic rules. Red = stop, Yellow = yield or prepare to stop (or floor it to many motorists), & Green means go. Now, Green can equal either go or yield. To this day I see too many accidents at these intersections from out of state drivers that are unfamiliar with (and cannot read the sign next to) the signal heads. There should be an enforced federal standard that states must follow so drivers across the country don't have to figure out local regional signals because reading instructional signage next to a signal is too much work for many American drivers.
Oh, America...
thekerbal oh you
Seriously, there's a sign next to the light that says "Yield on flashing yellow arrow".... I don't understand the confusion.
Critical thinking is becoming increasingly scarce in the world
They put a loop detector in the road under the signal if you get there before the next cycle...... depending how DOT configures the signals inside the grey box you will see by the traffic lights......the yellow turning signal will come on and let both sides go if there is no cars waiting to turn left...
But you have to get there before the traffic light changes to a flashing yellow which will will let both sides go instead of holding for a green turning signal.
We have these in NC to me the flashing yellow is like you can make a U turn or left turns but look out for traffic incoming
Short explanation here : a FLASHING yellow light has ALWAYS meant to proceed with caution !!! Regardless of whether the light was going to turn RED OR GREEN AFTER the flashing yellow light, you should ALWAYS make sure your path is actually CLEAR before you cross the road in front of oncoming traffic !!! Seems to me that the man involved in the wreck WAS at fault as he was charged !!! I, myself, ALWAYS make sure my path is clear, and, I ALWAYS slow down and look ALL WAYS, even at a green light - there may be a car going through who doesn't notice the red light on their side. It's called defensive (and being attentive, to me) driving.
I bet if you were to go back a number of decades when both mast-arm mounted and five-section doghouse signals first became popular, you’ll discover the drivers of that era had the same confusion and reservations about the changes.
We had these on courthouse road for a long time
What was wrong with a dog house style traffic light?
You can get a protected left turn.
Mr. Nationwide The flashing yellow light does give you a protected turn, just not all the time.
Also, doghouse signals can cause yellow trap if they are used for lagging left turns or cross-street phase skip with leading left turns.
Mr. Nationwide This model eliminates yellow trap and allows for traffic flow where drivers can go straight but not left. The doghouse model always lets people turn left when there’s a green light, either protected or unprotected. This new model just gives traffic engineers more options.
Bullshit! This does NOT eliminate yellow trap.
If you have protected/permissive left turn heads facing each other, the only way to eliminate the yellow trap is to keep it from backing up to the green left turn arrow.
@@jimroberts2647 you poor sad misinformed soul
If the FYA is too confusing for drivers, then reinstall the damn less confusing doghouse.
well there is a problem. when running a doghouse, you can't indicate a permissive turn on circular red. the green ball releases left turns and thru traffic. but the flashing yellow arrow can 1: be easier to wire and confuse less drivers had it been installed in a doghouse formation where the green ball is replaced by a flashing yellow, and the yellow and red become arrows. 2: it prevents yellow trap. any time you see the light flashing yellow while the thru heads are red, the signal has protected you from yellow trap. if you are IN the junction (being behind the stopline isn't considered in the intersection, so you are also safe to wait behind the line for doghouse signals that do yellow trap) so you are waiting IN the intersection. the doghouse turns yellow. well now the law you are concerned with is getting out since you right of way is ending, and assume oncoming traffic also has the yellow. well you didn't read the sign they hung next to the signal sayin "ONCOMING TRAFFIC MAY HAVE EXTENDED GREEN" and you are in the junction. a 1 in 2 chance that by going beyond the stopline, you're screwed. well in this scenario, you are. the oncoming traffic has a lagging left turn. one that goes after the permissive phase unlike a leading turn, where your left turn went first before the permissive phase. the law the car that hit you was cincerned with is yielding. ultimately, both drivers were following the law. it's the signal's fault and both should sue whatever administration put it up. long and compicated. but with the flashing yellow arrow, you still have the permissive turn even afther the thru signals turned red. find gap, go thru and if it turns yellow, so is oncoming traffic. nice and simple
Pennsylvania got these confusing lights in 2020.
That new flashing 0:36 yellow light will never make the doghouse traffic light to not be the most popular 😊
An Elderly woman in Janesville WI was killed becasue her driver thought a flashing yellow meant go like a green one.
There's alot of those kinds of traffic signals on Randall Rd. & Algonquin Rd. Which are 2 roads by where I live & sense we take both of those roads to get to my grandparents I've noticed that those signals start of red then go to green then to solid yellow then back to red then once the actual light turns green the arrow goes to flashing yellow then when the light turns yellow the arrow goes to solid yellow & when the light turns red the arrow turns red
So basically I've got the cycle in memory
Not every state sequences those flashing yelly arrows in the same way. They just leave the yellow arrow an flashing all the time. This happaning the entrances of supermarkets in particular in Massachusetts.
I found out that the flashing amber arrow tells you to watch for cars then yeild if clear.
The state of Oregon has these lights however they operate a little different. The yellow flasher is incorporated into the green signal. The signals work like ordinary red, yellow, green - stop and go, but then after the red and once most of the oncoming traffic clears the light will flash yellow for a yield left turn to prevent a backup of the left turn lane. Oregon does not treat arrowed signals as protected signals, instead the arrows serve as traffic directional guides. You can legally turn on a left or right red arrow unless signage explicitly states otherwise. I suspect that their thought process on these non-protected arrow signals has to do with Oregon having a lot of one-way streets.
The way to explain this is that when they installed these new signals...if you notice in the road under the signals they have cut out slits in the pavements .....the one where the flashing yellow is......has what is called a loop detector......so if a car comes within range the signal will recognize that there is a car that has to make a left turn and usually it will give you a green turning signal.....if you are not under it in time then it will give you a flashing yellow signal which let both sides pass......you will just have to proceed with caution.
The loop detector works through a change in the magnetic field that a large metallic object such as a car or motorcycle presents. Some bikes don't have enough metal to set the detector off so placing a strong magnet on the bike will help to trigger the detector.
I grew up with a security system that used a linear probe for its detector that worked under the same principles as a loop detector but even a person or livestock animal could trigger the security detector.
Im very into traffic lights, been my whole life now, I hate the flashing yellow signals. All left turns should have a standard 3 section signal. R Y G
This is stupid actually. Also the arrow arrow on them street lights. Very confusing!!! Why can't they just make it just green means go and red means stop!
People coming in america from other countries are getting confused! Where in other countries, they only have green yellow and red and flashing yellow for proceed with caution.
Why can't they make it as simple as that so everyone will be safe! 🙄🙄🙄
The protected phase should always be leading, not lagging.
Keep some of the held turn yeld arrow
Would a flashing red make more sense? Stop then proceed when clear like a solid red flashing light.?
T. Wing I suppose, though if drivers wern’t co fused about a flashing red light, I’d think they’d also know what a flashing yellow light means.
it's actually used: ua-cam.com/video/NLbPka-JUxo/v-deo.html
A Flashing Red arrow was tested in Michigan, and the standard was not adopted. Michigan was ordered to change the signals to a conforming flashing yellow a few years later when the current standard was adopted. The reason is that the FHWA does not like the idea of a flashing red for anything but important reasons to stop, such as a crosswalk, railroad tracks, and stop signs and it was found to be even more confusing than the flashing yellow Oregon developed.
A solid green light would accomplish the same thing as a flashing yellow arrow.
I prefer the green arrow. In Massachusetts the never turn the green arrow on anymore. the green arrow shoud turn on first. There are still a few places in MA that that do it that way.
Robert Knight Green arrow implies opposing traffic is stopped. This keeps opposing traffic moving and allows a left-turn when traffic is clear.
Are some intersections where the Green Arrow was with out the blinking yellow works best they still make sure my path is clear. Some ways that don't need green arrows have them. Some cases around here that's the best solution
adding to dan snake, he specifically meant permissive turns. this ability cures yellow trap
These new lights ruin the symmetry on the metal arms.
We have them in Indiana so we are used to it
that flashing yellow light then green light scene is what I saw :O
So many intersections are confusing, overwhelming, and misleading. The Department of Transportation will always say that any danger posed by an intersection is not so inconspicuous as to constitute trap and that virtually every intersection may be inherently dangerous. DOT always argues it cannot be held responsible based on "sovereign immunity" and the courts will always conclude that sovereign immunity applies, insulating DOT from liability. DOT will always be immune from liability under the doctrine of "sovereign immunity".
No one knows is the light about to turn red
I don't go until.the green arrow
i prefer green arrow yellow arrow
I think that way is dumber.
They stole the idea from the uk
This is dating men to me. Ill never trust the signals againg ill just do what i want😅
Doghouse signals, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it
🙃