Countdown timers for traffic lights.
Oct. 19th, 2003 09:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
randomnessI'm sure you've seen those countdown timers for walk signals. There are a number of them around in the States. I'm not sure how places decide where to install them.
Here in Bangkok, they've installed countdown timers for the traffic lights at some major intersections. I'm not entirely sure why. On the one hand, I suppose having a bright red "15" next to the red light, counting down to "14", "13", etc. might get one to wait more patiently. On the other hand, seeing a red "89" counting down might encourage one to run the light. And I'm not sure which a yellow "3" encourages.
Here in Bangkok, they've installed countdown timers for the traffic lights at some major intersections. I'm not entirely sure why. On the one hand, I suppose having a bright red "15" next to the red light, counting down to "14", "13", etc. might get one to wait more patiently. On the other hand, seeing a red "89" counting down might encourage one to run the light. And I'm not sure which a yellow "3" encourages.
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(no subject)
Date: 2003-10-21 02:08 am (UTC)The ones that confuse me are for the overhead traffic lights controlling *vehicle* traffic.
What's really wacky is the way two consecutive light cycles can vary radically. I saw one that was twenty-five seconds green, then the other side got fifteen, then the first side got twelve seconds. Phase of the moon and Taksin's mood, indeed.