Having grown up in rural PA I'm used to seeing blinking yellow, proceed with caution, and blinking red, treat as stop sign, traffic lights. This morning on East Liberty Blvd. @ Negley run the traffic lights were alternating between blinking yellow and then red in the same direction? I stopped because there was a red light but I've never seen this before. I wonder if PA changed the rules on blinking traffic lights?
Everytime I encounter blinking traffic lights in Pittsburgh drivers do not take approiate actions, driving through red blinking lights and stopping at yellow blinking lights for what its worth.
this was a clusterf**k yesterday on the way into work and back. Red is stop, yellow is go with caution. Most were stopping on yellow and those that obeyed the law; slowed and then went on yellow, were being honked at etc by those driving through the red. I just waited for a car to go then rode alongside it so as to not get hit.
The fustercluck intersection at Perry Hwy, 3-degree Rd and Sewickley-Oakmont Rd operated this way until 2010 between 11p and 6a, so they're not just rural.
heh. In my dad's neck of the woods they have blinking green to inform drivers of "pedestrian controlled" intersections. This means if the perpendicular street has a blinking green (yours will be solid red), and you're in a car, your passenger has to get out and push the crosswalk button for your red to turn green. Also known as a literal "tourist trap" when posted with "no turn on red" signs. It's fun to sit at sidewalk cafes and watch the drivers try to get through the light.
At East Ohio st, near Penn Brew Works and the 28N onramp, DPW has taken lately to simply shutting off those lights in the middle of rush hour, creating a semi-organized free-for-all. "malfunctioning lights" are supposed to be stop signs, but when there are six lanes of traffic each way and over half of them turning, it's difficult for even the most alert and considerate person to figure out when it is and is not their turn.
Blinking red means stop AND you don't have right of way, until you enter the intersection.
Blinking yellow means you have right of way and can proceed with caution BUT someone else could be in the intersection and thus has right of way instead - slowing down to stop is not an unreasonable thing to do with piss poor sight lines.
I think we underuse some forms of traffic control (the blinking lights, roundabouts, Michigan Lefts, etc) that would not only lend more interesting variety to traffic patterns but could potentially more effectively control it.
What does it mean when the same light is blinking yellow and red?
What does it mean when the same light is blinking yellow and red?
Bug?
Does this qualify as a 311 complaint. It was a little difficult riding past this in the morning rush hour traffic.
@mr m absolutely.
That light was blinking on Sunday evening too, same things happening, some people stopping, some people rolling through.
Pretty amazing the amount of people who don't know how to treat intersections that fall outside of the norm of working stoplights and stop signs.
Pretty amazing the amount of people who don't know how to treat intersections that fall outside of the norm of working stoplights and stop signs.
less so, when you consider the amount of people who don't know how to treat working stoplights and stop signs.
I guess I'm not understanding this. It's malfunctioning somehow? Is there video?
@ejwme - Canada has had "advanced green when flashing" lights for as long as I can remember (early 1970s or before), but I always thought they were the equivalent of our green left arrow. I'm working from the experience of Fort Erie, Ontario (across from Buffalo), Ottawa, and Montreal. But then again, it's been 10 years since I was in Canada, so maybe things have changed.
Binking red is a stop signal. Blinking yellow means that people in the other direction have a stop signal.
Blinking red AND yellow? How could this be anything but a multiway stop?
I heard there were a bunch of emergency vehicles in highland park this morning. Wonder if these things are related.
With all the "except" signs in the area (eg. STOP except right turns) I wouldn't be surprised if some people thought it was "Your choice! Stop or use caution! Whatever you like!"
I've seen flashing red lights on 22 through Murrysville being blown through at 50+mph. It was a strange moment to consider that my adherence to the law by stopping at the flashing red was endangering more people than speeding through them with traffic. Awful.
a rave?
a glitch in the matrix?
a quality chinese made circuit board?
You decide. 
Somewhere an ink cartridge is empty.
I think 311 worked. Lights work now
Holy crap, I cannot tell you how much I love the idea of people in cars having to push buttons to get a green light. I say that all the time - honestly - ask anyone who has had the pleasure of walking around with me. I can't believe that actually exists.
yup, it's super common in mixed/shopping districts in BC. Stu - i think these kinds of things may be provencial, so i have no idea if Ontario or Quebec would be similar. Haven't driven enough in either to know, though as a passanger I've never been asked to get out and push a button so we could go, but I'm not sure if that's because it's not there, or the driver was clever enough to avoid it.
Salty - I love it too. They also have high speed rail, and bike lanes on the Sea to Sky highway, and understand how to cook salmon. Inadequate number of bridges, though, the Frasier really needs more.
"and understand how to cook salmon."
THIS!!!
"and understand how to cook salmon." til it turns grey and oozes stringy white lipids, right?
"Until it stops trying to wriggle off the stick."
