this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2023
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I saw a good article on c/upliftingnews about AI improving traffic signal controllers. It's good and all, I just can't help but think of the "look at what they need to have a fraction of our power" meme while reading it

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[–] charlietango@lemmy.ml 42 points 1 year ago (5 children)

Aren't bikes also required to stop at red lights?

[–] Isoprenoid@programming.dev 26 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

Yes, but you don't need lights if there are only bikes. Lights are there to prevent heavy vehicles from colliding. If there are no heavy vehicles, then the lights aren't needed.

[–] Pietson@kbin.social 15 points 1 year ago

Also since bikes take up less space more can cross in the same time

[–] jungle@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago (2 children)

So you're ok with getting hit by another bike (or several) when you go through an intersection.

Unless you live in a small town, if everyone used bikes, city centre intersections would be mostly mountains of crashed bikes and people trying to get out of that mess while more bikes continue to pile on.

[–] Tom_0334@lemmy.world 18 points 1 year ago (1 children)

All green on a large car intersection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIqCei97M74

Intersection designed for bikes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RQrKP9a0XE

People on bikes naturally avoid and communicate with each other non-verbally.

[–] maynarkh@feddit.nl 16 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I live in the Netherlands. There are so many bikes there is traffic jams out of bikes, there are piles of bikes everywhere.

No, you don't need traffic lights for bikes, only if there are high speed heavy vehicles. I wouldn't even say it's just the heaviness, it's the heaviness coupled with speed that makes them necessary.

[–] jungle@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Ok, I need to experience this myself, but I'll take your word for it.

I was just thinking of the normal speed I cycle at when going to work, which is 25 - 30 km/h, and can't imagine that not causing issues on intersections if there were no red lights.

Of course the answer is to slow down at intersections :)

[–] kimpilled@infosec.pub 10 points 1 year ago

Yes, but depending on the locality they may only need to treat it as a stop sign (and can proceed if it’s clear) instead of waiting for a green.

[–] jeffhykin@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not always (which I'll mention in a moment) but:

  • The trivial point was; car wait times are reduced when there are less cars.
  • The main point is; even from a bike perspective its not about stopping/not-stopping, it's about wait time. I have NEVER had so many bikes in front of me that I missed the cross-walk signal and had to wait a whole other red-light cycle. Comparatively I regularly have that happen to me in a car. Idk if its a 30% improvement but its less time waiting at red lights.
  • Finally, technically no, bikes don't always have to (legally) wait at red lights. This is only a technicallity but some crosswalks, like several in my town (or the iconic one in Japan), we get the walk signal on red. My town is also unusual by officially allowing bikes on pedestrian paths. So bikes can legally cross on red.