Traffic Lights At Crossings

[fuzzo]

I would like something clarified

there are numerous places in town with traffic lights at crossings. Such as near university and at the turn to MC. do we need to stop for those in the night and at low traffic times. i see some cars stopping and some going right ...

i also notice that the cops don't pull you over for running the red light. well not yet atleast.

what are we supposed to do?

[Duncan]

Hi there

I am not sure as to how the law is in SL (as I don't live there). However, in many countries after a certain time in the evening (low traffic levels) the lights are more of a precautionary warning than an obligatory stop.

I have also noticed in some cities, when it is no longer a must to stop, the lights keep flashing. Indicating that the drivers can drive through cautiously.

I think a telephone call the a local traffic police in SL should help you with your question.

Cheers

Duncan

TeamAutolanka

[Watchman]

i have had really bad times with trafic cops.

you guys know the traffic lights on Elvitigala Mw (Baseline) near Vijaya Kumarathunga Mw right? once it was like 11.50pm and i wanted to come on baseline from V.K Mw. the light was red but there wasnt a SINGLE vehicle on the road. i still stopped for some time and made sure there were absolutly no vehicles. and ran the red light.. mind you i still didnt speed off or anything.. and i was driving pretty slow.. and i was with my parents ni the vehicle (meaning i didnt look like a person who was out street racing). and as i reached the turn near Aravinda's house trafic cops pulled me over and just simply asked me for my lisence. they very well saw that there wasnt a single vehicle was there, and i told them so as well. but it didnt affect them when writing me a fine for 1000 bucks.. and thats 1100 when you go to pay it at the post office.. so i guess traffic lights are pretty serious... but i dont see the point in preventing a person running a red light if there's no other trafic.

[unknown]

RED means STOP!!!!!!!

[sharkster]

RED means STOP!!!!!!!

hehe nice one dude

[Pericles]

Think u missed the point man. What Fuzzo is asking is the light at pedestrian crossings, not the ones at junction. No question, if the light is red at a cross road, or T-junc, then u stop, but at ped crossings, like MC, Col uni, and Bamba flats. I would like to figure out this too. No use asking the police, they will just stay stop. Actually, if the cops are being real pricks on the day, they can write u up for not stopping at a normal ped crossing (yellow lines) when people are waiting to cross. I've heard that happen once. Apparently, this is applicable even if the ppl are on the pavement still looking trying to make up their mind while u are in the center lane. Now, I usually stop when its a pretty girl in this sorta situ, but then traffic is flowing and I'm center and ppl are still on the pavement, if I think I can get thru before they get on the road, I just go. I'm thinking that accroding to those rules, the same would apply at the light, but the lights stay red even when there is no one around, so cant really say what happens after ppl have crossed and before the lights change.

Anyway, it might be a nice system if ppl actually crossed at those points without darting around all over the road in all sortsa traffic conditions. They need to bring a law saying if a vehicle knocks someone down and the ped is not at a crossing, or the pavement, then the vehicle owner can sue the ped for damages. That should reform a few peds

[fuzzo]

just passed the colpity junc (towards dehiwela) there is a ped light. Its right after the turn to station road - near NSB

well last night, i passed the junction light and the pedestrian light was red. I was going to run it coz there was no one there but then i saw the cops standing near carnival and when they saw me coming, they moved to the center of the road. so i came to a screeching halt at the light and so did all the trraffic behind me and next to me but the bike guys kept going on. they weren't stopped.

i waited till the light turned green and headed to the cops. According to the cops, i have to stop at the light because i'm a car. the bikes are ok to run the ped crossing light. i started to argue and say that was stupid but it was cut short when he asked me for my liscence. i said thanks for the info and drove off..

[Nozozo]

I also had enough wasted my time and gas waiting in vain at red lights, RED means stop, so we’re bound to do so. There’s no hard feeling when somebody’s crossing while stop. But in the middle of the night, when the red is ON but nobody’s on the crossing line, I will scan around, if no copes, naturaly floor the paddle. Copes know “RED means stop, but nothing else”.

Before installing a Traffic system, they do a comprehensive survey and get the timing approximately right, and corrections should be made as time goes. But I don’t think many of RED lights are properly programmed here, or timers not working correctly.

[ash]

The colour light at the turn from the Baseline road (pass Narahenpita junction) to Kirimandala Mawatha has the most stupid and the annoying timing.

It just allows 5 secs (from Green back to Amber) for you to turn from Baseline rd to the Kirimandala mw. It’s only enough 3-4 vehicles to pass. If you have a slow vehicle in front of you, that’s it. And vehicles turn even after it turns Red.

On top of that when you stop for the Red all these 3 wheeler idiots and motor bikes come from the next lane and park in front of you. They even don’t have the power to move quickly when the lights go green. And I’ve noticed some vehicles move even before the Green (when they get a chance). Some cars and vans also come passing the turning lane from the second lane and stay there to turn.

On top of all that there’s pedestrian crossing in front. Footers just cross ignoring the 5 sec Green to the turning vehicles.

If some accident or if any one dies on this spot, I imagine it’s not the drivers fault, the authority who maintains this place should be totally responsible. This place encourages vehicles to break the law!!!

[Elvis_Pil]

just passed the colpity junc (towards dehiwela) there is a ped light. Its right after the turn to station road - near NSB

well last night, i passed the junction light and the pedestrian light was red. I was going to run it coz there was no one there but then i saw the cops standing near carnival and when they saw me coming, they moved to the center of the road. so i came to a screeching halt at the light and so did all the trraffic behind me and next to me but the bike guys kept going on. they weren't stopped.

i waited till the light turned green and headed to the cops. According to the cops, i have to stop at the light because i'm a car. the bikes are ok to run the ped crossing light. i started to argue and say that was stupid but it was cut short when he asked me for my liscence. i said thanks for the info and drove off..

he he he this is Sri Lanka man! you can do what you want as long as you dont get caught!! And by the off chance that you do get caught, just act normal like you would get got anyday any time if you were to commit the same offence.. the cops our id10ts after all right we all know that!!

[Kim]

fuzzo is da MAN! dude dont mess with cops. their MOOD changes so as the trouble will have to face. keep in mind to call them as ' gentleman style' lesser trouble..

ppl with high authority and levels will call them ' like SHIT! and cops cant do nething for dat, ther' are helpless, havent u seeeeen?? so address gud, this will result no additions from them' atleast.

[Watchman]

The colour light at the turn from the Baseline road (pass Narahenpita junction) to Kirimandala Mawatha has the most stupid and the annoying timing.

It just allows 5 secs (from Green back to Amber) for you to turn from Baseline rd to the Kirimandala mw. It’s only enough 3-4 vehicles to pass. If you have a slow vehicle in front of you, that’s it. And vehicles turn even after it turns Red.

On top of that when you stop for the Red all these 3 wheeler idiots and motor bikes come from the next lane and park in front of you. They even don’t have the power to move quickly when the lights go green. And I’ve noticed some vehicles move even before the Green (when they get a chance). Some cars and vans also come passing the turning lane from the second lane and stay there to turn.

On top of all that there’s pedestrian crossing in front. Footers just cross ignoring the 5 sec Green to the turning vehicles.

If some accident or if any one dies on this spot, I imagine it’s not the drivers fault, the authority who maintains this place should be totally responsible. This place encourages vehicles to break the law!!!

hey! i feel you man! this is the traffic light i was talking about as well! i agree it has the worst timing ever... so i guess you'd understand how annoying it is to be stuck at that light at midnight with no vehicle in sight for like a LONG time, and running out of patience and driving on against the red light AND being flagged down by a cop..

and 3wheelers are really annoying .. they think they cal just take the other lane and go right to the top of the que... i at times block them if they're taking the wrong lane and coming against me.. its so much fun making them go back in reverse (like on park road where there's no space to just move over) ...

[Dominic]

The colour light at the turn from the Baseline road (pass Narahenpita junction) to Kirimandala Mawatha has the most stupid and the annoying timing.

It just allows 5 secs (from Green back to Amber) for you to turn from Baseline rd to the Kirimandala mw. It’s only enough 3-4 vehicles to pass. If you have a slow vehicle in front of you, that’s it. And vehicles turn even after it turns Red.

On top of that when you stop for the Red all these 3 wheeler idiots and motor bikes come from the next lane and park in front of you. They even don’t have the power to move quickly when the lights go green. And I’ve noticed some vehicles move even before the Green (when they get a chance). Some cars and vans also come passing the turning lane from the second lane and stay there to turn.

On top of all that there’s pedestrian crossing in front. Footers just cross ignoring the 5 sec Green to the turning vehicles.

If some accident or if any one dies on this spot, I imagine it’s not the drivers fault, the authority who maintains this place should be totally responsible. This place encourages vehicles to break the law!!!

Couldnt have put it better myself.

[unknown]

the annoying ppl are the three wheelers.

past i hate them

now i hate them

future i hate them

no changes for them no mercy for them