Horizontal vs. Vertical Traffic Lights

[runawayjim]

Here's an interesting traffic light setup in Pleasnton, CA

Its a bit overkill. But I like how the lights are flush-mounted.

those are just weird.

[tamias6]

Traffic Light that punishes speeders

Article

[runawayjim]

Traffic Light that punishes speeders

Article

that's pretty sweet. it's not as bad as the cameras in england (i think) that take your picture when you speed and give you a ticket (like our red light cameras).

[DigitalSky]

Pleasnaton's lights look like the traffic lights of the future!

[Snowguy716]

I think it's pretty stupid... it would definitely snarl up traffic in a high-volume area in no time.

The cameras in Europe though are very big-brotherish. People get tickets all the time if they go anything more than 6 or so mph over the speed limit. It's a good revenue producer though!

[Rardy]

Memphis puts vertical lights over the travel lanes, but at the four corners they put another vertical light midway up a pole, i guess for people making left turns.

Those Pleasanton lights are cool! Very minimalist. Eero Sarinaan would be proud!

[dgreco]

I find those very ugly, but overally vertical ones seem easier to read than horizontal... atleast when you have left or right only sections on the lights.

[jazzman]

What about color-blind people. Everyone knows the red is on top and green is on the bottom. With horizontal lights, I could see a big safety issue.

[dubone]

I don't see this mentioned, but the third photo is clearly not a real traffic light . It is public art. It is Pierre Vivant's Traffic Light Tree in Canary Wharf in London.

http://www.canarywharf.com/lifestyle/arts/...ierrevivant.htm

In general, I think vertical lights are considered better because they are okay for color blind people, and because most people are used to them. The only place I have seen the horizontal type are in Seoul, Korea, and in Texas. I think that it only takes a few passes to get used to them, and they are probably there simply to allow mast arms to be shorter, but with the same vehicle clearance.

[tamias6]

Neat!

I don't see this mentioned, but the third photo is clearly not a real traffic light . It is public art. It is Pierre Vivant's Traffic Light Tree in Canary Wharf in London.

http://www.canarywharf.com/lifestyle/arts/...ierrevivant.htm

In general, I think vertical lights are considered better because they are okay for color blind people, and because most people are used to them. The only place I have seen the horizontal type are in Seoul, Korea, and in Texas. I think that it only takes a few passes to get used to them, and they are probably there simply to allow mast arms to be shorter, but with the same vehicle clearance.

[convulso]

Pure speculation to follow, but I'd guess that someone has done a study on it...

It would seem that vertical orientation has a greater impact on the thought process of the viewer. When red is at the top, we know that stopping is important. Likewise any additional turning arrows can be placed beside the vertical bank of lights already in an obvious place. For right turn lights, they will be on the right.

nice speculation. i agree.

- - - -

and the pleasanton lights...what an over-organization of space! check how it kills the mountain vistas. needless.

[dtown]

why waste all that material when 1 thin mast will do the job and still look good.

[tamias6]

Some more weird traffic lights to confussed the mind.

Its a part of an art installation called "Traffic Light Flower".

Linky

[cozmosis]

What about color-blind people. Everyone knows the red is on top and green is on the bottom. With horizontal lights, I could see a big safety issue.

All of the horizontal traffic lights I've seen have placed the red on the left, so unless a color-blind person has never seen one before... there is no safety issue.

Here in Arkansas, the vast majority of lights are vertically mounted. However, there are random places across the state with horizontal lights. Some -- like downtown Little Rock -- appear to be for aesthetics alone. In other places, they appear to be installed that way for clearance issues.

[dgreco]

All of the horizontal traffic lights I've seen have placed the red on the left, so unless a color-blind person has never seen one before... there is no safety issue.

Here in Arkansas, the vast majority of lights are vertically mounted. However, there are random places across the state with horizontal lights. Some -- like downtown Little Rock -- appear to be for aesthetics alone. In other places, they appear to be installed that way for clearance issues.

I think in RI we only have them in 1 spot near our airport, and they are also for clearance, because the overhead ramp is so low, there isn't room for veritcal lights underneath.

[Cotuit]

I think in RI we only have them in 1 spot near our airport, and they are also for clearance, because the overhead ramp is so low, there isn't room for veritcal lights underneath.

There's a set at Empire and Westminster in Downtown Providence too.

[Dylan]

You also see horizontal lights throughout Canada.

[michguy582]

Being a color blind person, I always look for the vertical lights, I have had to slam on my brakes a few times when I visited Chicago, because of horizontal lights inder bridges and just not seeing the red light. I have the most trouble at night and seeing when the light goes to a flashing red or yellow light and I can tell what one it is by the location of it. Otherwise I am always asking the passenger what color it is.

[dtown]

Wow, i dont think of that. That seems like it could be a big problem.

[Pappster85]

The only problem I can think of goes back to a story a co-worker of mine told me. A friend of his is color blind and on a road trip once he came upon horizontal traffic lights. He had to watch what the other traffic was doing seeing as how he was used to red being on top and green at the bottom. Something to think about.

[Choirboy622]

I never seen a Horizontal light before.

All of the overhead traffic lights in Wisconsin are horizontal. The ones adjacent to the streets are vertical.

[Choirboy622]

Nope. Michigan is unique with most of their traffic signals providing the 4 way boxes (or this) as well as their Michigan Left Turns that have SLOWLY infiltrated the Tar Heel State.

Another anomaly I've noticed in Michigan is that sometimes the left turn signals flash red while the straight ahead signals are on green.

[A Slice of Pie]

^ Permissive left turn. Same as a "Left turn yield on green ball" in most places. Also equivalent to the flashing yellow arrow being introduced in some places. But yes, Michigan is quite unique. Between the flashing red ball for permissive turns, diagonal wire-span set-ups, back-lit "LEFT" and "RIGHT" (and occasionally "THRU") face plates and street signs... it's an interesting state to drive in.

Texas and Wisconsin are the states that overwhelmingly use horizontal overhead setups. Wisconsin's are typically always black.

[rawmustard]

What about color-blind people. Everyone knows the red is on top and green is on the bottom. With horizontal lights, I could see a big safety issue.

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices specifies the proper order for both vertical and horizontal signal heads, including placement of arrow lenses within them.

[dgreco]

^people are always thinking