Comments on: Lights http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/ Usability an' that Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:14:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: calum http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-563 calum Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:08:11 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-563 @rvl: No :) @rvl: No :)

]]> By: rvl http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-562 rvl Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:53:38 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-562 Do you have a solaris bumper sticker or anything like that? Do you have a solaris bumper sticker or anything like that?

]]> By: Roshan http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-558 Roshan Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:47:35 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-558 Wow, that's a fancy diagram. The exact opposite happens here, at one particular junction I have to pass through. There is one lane for left, one for right and one in the middle for those who want to go straight. Unfortunately, the thing that usually happens is that everyone wanting to turn right takes up the right lane, and then the center lane too, so those who want to go straight have to go to the left lane and then shift back to the center lane. It would be funny if it weren't so frustrating. Wow, that’s a fancy diagram.

The exact opposite happens here, at one particular junction I have to pass through. There is one lane for left, one for right and one in the middle for those who want to go straight. Unfortunately, the thing that usually happens is that everyone wanting to turn right takes up the right lane, and then the center lane too, so those who want to go straight have to go to the left lane and then shift back to the center lane.

It would be funny if it weren’t so frustrating.

]]> By: calum http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-557 calum Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:05:14 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-557 @Janne: unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), driving to work takes a much smaller chunk out of my day than public transport-- it's only a 15 minute drive on a good day, but it's impossible to do it in less than 30 minutes on the bus, if you're lucky to find one running on time. At least the parking is free at both ends, for me... @Janne: unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), driving to work takes a much smaller chunk out of my day than public transport– it’s only a 15 minute drive on a good day, but it’s impossible to do it in less than 30 minutes on the bus, if you’re lucky to find one running on time. At least the parking is free at both ends, for me…

]]> By: calum http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-556 calum Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:50:38 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-556 @Christopher: yeah, they seem to like their straight-on filters here. Mostly they're synced up with a pedestrian crossing on the side road, so when the straight-ahead filter is green, the pedestrian crossing is (potentially) showing green too, so the traffic has to be stopped from turning into the side road. That said, I'm sure I don't remember nearly so many junctions that work like that in the UK, yet pedestrian crossings and traffic lights seem to co-exist quite happily together there... @Christopher: yeah, they seem to like their straight-on filters here. Mostly they’re synced up with a pedestrian crossing on the side road, so when the straight-ahead filter is green, the pedestrian crossing is (potentially) showing green too, so the traffic has to be stopped from turning into the side road.

That said, I’m sure I don’t remember nearly so many junctions that work like that in the UK, yet pedestrian crossings and traffic lights seem to co-exist quite happily together there…

]]> By: Janne http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-555 Janne Tue, 16 Dec 2008 01:20:29 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-555 I have a driver's license, but I have never driven since I moved to Japan five years ago, and I'm going to let it expire. Driving is no fun, but stressful and a hassle, and driving to work takes a big chunk out of your day completely unnecessarily. When I go by train I can spend the time reading or studying; good luck with that in a car. Besides, where we live the monthly parking at home alone costs as much as my train commute. No way do I want to spend twice or three times as much money every month just so I can lose my daily relaxing reading time. I have a driver’s license, but I have never driven since I moved to Japan five years ago, and I’m going to let it expire. Driving is no fun, but stressful and a hassle, and driving to work takes a big chunk out of your day completely unnecessarily. When I go by train I can spend the time reading or studying; good luck with that in a car.

Besides, where we live the monthly parking at home alone costs as much as my train commute. No way do I want to spend twice or three times as much money every month just so I can lose my daily relaxing reading time.

]]> By: Christopher http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-554 Christopher Tue, 16 Dec 2008 00:53:46 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-554 It seems odd that there's a junction that has a straight-on filter, yet when that goes green you're *not* allowed to turn left. It seems odd that there’s a junction that has a straight-on filter, yet when that goes green you’re *not* allowed to turn left.

]]> By: Chris Irwin http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-553 Chris Irwin Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:15:56 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-553 @Sean: Canada has the same issue across provinces. I drove "across" the country a few years ago (okay, from London to Vancouver) and each province had it's own rules: Alberta had horizontal lights, a flashing green in Ontario means you have an early advance, whereas in British Columbia it apparently means you have an advance but any pedestrians present have the right-of-way and you must yield to them regardless. Don't even mention areas that don't observe daylight savings time (I'm looking at you, Saskatchewan) Granted, London to Vancouver, while being half the continent, is still only five provinces.. @Sean: Canada has the same issue across provinces. I drove “across” the country a few years ago (okay, from London to Vancouver) and each province had it’s own rules: Alberta had horizontal lights, a flashing green in Ontario means you have an early advance, whereas in British Columbia it apparently means you have an advance but any pedestrians present have the right-of-way and you must yield to them regardless. Don’t even mention areas that don’t observe daylight savings time (I’m looking at you, Saskatchewan)

Granted, London to Vancouver, while being half the continent, is still only five provinces..

]]> By: calum http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-552 calum Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:58:35 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-552 @Lee: that certainly wasn't the case when I learned to drive in the UK-- a red light for *your* lane meant you weren't allowed to cross the solid white line, regardless of what the other lanes were doing... To be honest, there's part of me that quite enjoys pissing off the people behind me by making them wait, but today I just wasn't in the mood for their arseyness. I'd *never* drive through a red light at an ordinary red-amber-green set of lights, so I don't see how it's any more acceptable to do it in this case... @Lee: that certainly wasn’t the case when I learned to drive in the UK– a red light for *your* lane meant you weren’t allowed to cross the solid white line, regardless of what the other lanes were doing…

To be honest, there’s part of me that quite enjoys pissing off the people behind me by making them wait, but today I just wasn’t in the mood for their arseyness. I’d *never* drive through a red light at an ordinary red-amber-green set of lights, so I don’t see how it’s any more acceptable to do it in this case…

]]> By: Lee http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/2008/12/15/lights/comment-page-1/#comment-551 Lee Mon, 15 Dec 2008 20:22:10 +0000 http://blogs.gnome.org/calum/?p=381#comment-551 Hmm. Are you driving forward into the junction? Here (which is northern ireland, by the way. Hi :D), when the forward light is green, you're supposed to drive forward 'til you're perpendicular with the road you want to turn onto and be ready to turn, even if the light says you can't turn yet. Err... I think :D Worst case scenario, you turn as the lights change, just before people come out of the road you want to turn into. Also, if it says you can't turn right, but you can go straight and nothing is locking the left lane, I generally just turn right anyway. No point being anal about the signs and sitting in the junction for ages, unless cops are around. Hmm. Are you driving forward into the junction? Here (which is northern ireland, by the way. Hi :D ), when the forward light is green, you’re supposed to drive forward ’til you’re perpendicular with the road you want to turn onto and be ready to turn, even if the light says you can’t turn yet. Err… I think :D Worst case scenario, you turn as the lights change, just before people come out of the road you want to turn into.

Also, if it says you can’t turn right, but you can go straight and nothing is locking the left lane, I generally just turn right anyway. No point being anal about the signs and sitting in the junction for ages, unless cops are around.

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