I know running these red lights probably won't hurt anyone but they're still red lights. I'm sure the fine for running these are just the same as running a redlight at an intersection. Sure you'll save 3 seconds by running it but what's the point when you'll just get stuck down the on ramp just like everyone else who is trying to merge into traffic.
Why do people run the red lights at freeway on ramps like it's no big deal?
- Thread starter jtvang125
- Start date
I think it's because on an onramp, it's considerably easier feel sure there aren't any cops around. So the sense of immunity is ramped up.
DivideBYZero
Lifer
- May 18, 2001
- 24,117
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funboy6942
Lifer
- Nov 13, 2001
- 15,295
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- 126
Most of the time those things are a waste anyway and dont work. They turn green once you get to them (the one in Chicago did) just to make a gap between you and the guy in front of you but it didnt ever work because there is always the gramps in the group and by the time he hits the end of the ramp everyone behind him is on his ass and there is no gap.
In Chicago IMO they were just point less, never went with the real traffic below, jsut a stay and wait make a gap thing that never made a gap anyway.
In Chicago IMO they were just point less, never went with the real traffic below, jsut a stay and wait make a gap thing that never made a gap anyway.
Linflas
Lifer
- Jan 30, 2001
- 15,395
- 78
- 91
It's called ramp metering. The theory is that they restrict the frequency of cars merging into traffic to eliminate backups. It is another way for politicians to avoid spending money and political capital by standing up to the NIMBY's that hate roads and automobiles.
funboy6942
Lifer
- Nov 13, 2001
- 15,295
- 391
- 126
Thats because In TN you dont have real traffic
I love what you all call traffic here and get a chuckle when people bitch talking about it like its something huge. I moved here a year ago from Hammond Indiana just south of Chicago, and lived in Chicago before that and thats traffic. 40 minutes on the road to go 5 miles, rush hour traffic where your in it for a hour when you can literally walk and get to where you need to be faster. Your whole life planning where you need to be and time there based on traffic. Leaving your home at 4 am because you have to be somewhere at 7 am 15 miles away, then your 20 minutes late anyway.
Thats traffic
Im so glad to be out of that and traffic I get now is a old fart doing 50 in a 55.
I don't mind them - otherwise I'm bound to get stuck behind some bumbling idiot whose ideal merge speed is 10-20 mph below the actual highway speed, which forces a tightly clumped queue of vehicles to merge with a significant delta v. With meters on, I gun it and have no problem attaining the proper speed.
HannibalX
Diamond Member
- May 12, 2000
- 9,361
- 2
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We don't have these in Florida. I understand their purpose though.
Any time there is a traffic light that means that traffic engineers have determined there is a high risk of a crash in that intersection - hence traffic must be controlled.
Anyone who runs a red light is an asshole.
Any time there is a traffic light that means that traffic engineers have determined there is a high risk of a crash in that intersection - hence traffic must be controlled.
Anyone who runs a red light is an asshole.
Exactly. I live in Chicago, and I know those things are pointless. They turn green as soon as you get to them and don't really help congestion, so after a while you just start ignoring it.
Also, unless a police car is right behind you, nobody's going to know you ran it.
Not seeing a point + no fear of getting caught = running the light
Am I wrong or are these lights yall are talking about not at intersections? There aren't any here in DFW as far as I know.
HannibalX
Diamond Member
- May 12, 2000
- 9,361
- 2
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Any time one road meets with another road that is an intersection. A highway onramp is a road - a highway is also a road.
The idea is a car is not permitted to go from the onramp to the highway until there is sufficient room to enter safely. The red light keeps you there until there is enough room to safely enter.
The idea is a car is not permitted to go from the onramp to the highway until there is sufficient room to enter safely. The red light keeps you there until there is enough room to safely enter.
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,924
- 45
- 91
If there's a line of cars, they stop each car for a short time. The point is to control the flow of cars onto the highway so as not to cause a jam up. Highway traffic is a fickle woman, one guy hitting his brakes can cause a chain reaction that causes a slow spot.
I don't know what you guys are talking about saying they are pointless. In Seattle they back up traffic on the onramps considerably, but cars on the highway are still moving along at a decent pace for heavy traffic (5-20mph). If these lanes were allowed to merge all at once it would back up traffic considerably and turn it into stop and go.
We have a stop sign at one particular on ramp that I always run. The highway it merges into is right before a split so there's alot of moving back and forth between the lanes. I'm positive its there purely for the lowest common denominator: the people who don't know how to merge. So if there's noone in front of me, I don't even pause. I treat it like a yield and merge quickly and safely. You have to realize that alot of traffic devices are in place for the people who shouldn't even be on the road in the first place.
Of course this is all purely hypothetical...
Of course this is all purely hypothetical...
Originally posted by: Minjin
We have a stop sign at one particular on ramp that I always run. The highway it merges into is right before a split so there's alot of moving back and forth between the lanes. I'm positive its there purely for the lowest common denominator: the people who don't know how to merge. So if there's noone in front of me, I don't even pause. I treat it like a yield and merge quickly and safely. You have to realize that alot of traffic devices are in place for the people who shouldn't even be on the road in the first place.
Of course this is all purely hypothetical...
Did you even read what you just wrote?
The lights are there to distribute traffic evenly. They also prevent that one jackass from ignoring the "Left lane ends" sign and running up the shoulder to get ahead. Had them in Phx and I wish we did here.
Same here in SoCal. I'd imagine it'll be a total mess at the merge if there wasn't these lights to control the flow. Luckily the ones here seem to know when to control the flow based on traffic conditions and when to just stay green and let all cars through.
child of wonder
Diamond Member
- Aug 31, 2006
- 8,307
- 175
- 106
Isn't it obvious?
Because they're more important than you and you should just accept that and stay out of their way.
Because they're more important than you and you should just accept that and stay out of their way.
what's hilarious is to see those people get pulled over by cops... twice i've seen that happen, and twice, it was hilarious.
Demon-Xanth
Lifer
- Feb 15, 2000
- 20,551
- 2
- 81
Picture of a place where there's an onramp light for those not familiar with them:
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=19&ll....219706&spn=0.001056,0.001945&t=k&om=1
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&z=19&ll....219706&spn=0.001056,0.001945&t=k&om=1
mugs
Lifer
- Apr 29, 2003
- 48,924
- 45
- 91
Originally posted by: Minjin
We have a stop sign at one particular on ramp that I always run. The highway it merges into is right before a split so there's alot of moving back and forth between the lanes. I'm positive its there purely for the lowest common denominator: the people who don't know how to merge. So if there's noone in front of me, I don't even pause. I treat it like a yield and merge quickly and safely. You have to realize that alot of traffic devices are in place for the people who shouldn't even be on the road in the first place.
Of course this is all purely hypothetical...
High school or college student?
Originally posted by: mugs
Originally posted by: Minjin
We have a stop sign at one particular on ramp that I always run. The highway it merges into is right before a split so there's alot of moving back and forth between the lanes. I'm positive its there purely for the lowest common denominator: the people who don't know how to merge. So if there's noone in front of me, I don't even pause. I treat it like a yield and merge quickly and safely. You have to realize that alot of traffic devices are in place for the people who shouldn't even be on the road in the first place.
Of course this is all purely hypothetical...
High school or college student?
Moronic or just ignorant?
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