290 - Petty People With Inflated Egos and Asinine Notions Vex Me
Note, after putting this in the queue for today I fully intended to log on and change the tile and eliminate the text below, now wanting to come off like some kind of intolerant jackass, but time got away from me, so here it is in all its unexpurgated glory.
The title to this was originally even longer (Petty People with Inflated Egos and Asinine Notions Spouting Off Their Mouths Vex Me) but the ABC compiler I use seems to have a length limit on titles - I can make as long a title as I like, but when it’s turned into a PDF (which is what I create to make these posts) the words run off the margin on each side instead of wrapping like they should.
I’m the first to admit I need to get over my impatience and intolerance with what I consider to be “stupidity,” especially when it comes to inanimate things like traffic lights, but it’s probably too late for me to change now. Typically when I sit at a light waiting for oncoming traffic to complete their left turns so I can go on through I think about how stupid this is and how the smart move would be to eliminate the arrows and let oncoming, non turning traffic (me) go on their way through the intersection then ALL the traffic from the opposite direction can make their left turn, which wastes much less time all around, but no, I have to wait because, frankly, with the poor state of drivers education these days, many drivers don’t really understand how to make left turns anymore without an arrow, so it’s become a safety issue.
The last 24 hours I’ve been dealing with an issue via email that is on par with this kind of thing - a totally unnecessary waste of my time that didn’t need to happen at all, yet I couldn't ignore it. Coming off of that I’m in what you might characterize as a foul mood, hence todays anti-social title.
Really, most of the time I’m pretty mellow and easy to get along with, as long as I’m not confronted with stupidity that is.
The best reason to ignore the many many stupid people, who insist it is their right to be that way, is to ignore them.
Don't do it for them; do it for yourself.
As a child, I used to imagine roads, highways, cloverleafs, and all manner of road connections. I should have studied civil engineering but even that might not have properly prepared me for the truth.
It begins (in Toronto) with a blinking green light. This was a cue that the other direction would be red. Such intersections often had a sign "Advanced Green when Flashing" or equivalent. The city experimented with different things. The best throughput came from a single direction getting a green with advanced, turning yellow then red. People really hated how long it would take for the signal to get to them, as much as three minutes. They tested "Delayed Green when Flashing" which is what you propose. These were often wasted.. drivers would stare at the light but not enter the intersection.
At Toronto's Wilson and Dufferin intersection, was where the city tried out its first LED green arrow light. It had four oversize lights in the frame, and the bottom one was green left, amber left, or off (so lefts were permitted when safe). At many intersections, this was the best option. Even most of them.
Remember the people with egos? After the signal turns red, perhaps six cars would steal their turn. Oh yes, someone would get upset and drive their car directly into Number Six.
It requires a death in Toronto for people to make changes. Such road crossings were rebuilt with dedicated lanes, and left turn signals would prevent turns unless green. Also there were Red Light Cameras installed, to make certain people paid attention to the rules.
Ok, I've said it.
I have the same, or less patience as you. I really want to ram the bad guys. I just returned from a Doctor's visit, and people continue taking the space in front of me. I'm just not good enough to tail gate like they all do.
I don't think it is our imagination. There seem to be more bad guys than before.
Our city, perhaps our province (Ontario) has a new things which truly irks me. Advanced walk signals.
I am not opposed to pedestrians and bicycles. But if a light gives up the first five seconds to non-existants peds and cyclists, I get upset. Also we have signaled intersections every three or four blocks. Such wasted time accumulates.
If it required a button press (the equipment exists at most intersections) then I'd let up. Right now the button turns on an audible crossing alarm when held for 6 seconds. Otherwise it does nothing.
I don't have the statistic, but let us assume our city grows by 4% each year. The roadway doesn't get that much wider each year, even when they improve the infrastructure. Like it or not, our roads are becoming full, and growing the worst drivers to the surface.
I can talk, but I cannot offer you a solution.