Reader comment: "I have yet to hear the term 'unprotected light.'"

www.accidentsinla.com has left a new comment on your post "OPEN DISCUSSION #12: "what does an unprotected lig...":

I deal with a lot of traffic accidents in my practice, but I have yet to hear the term "unprotected light."

What seems to be common these days is for people to receive a citation for making a right turn at a red light. Although, they are legal in California, drivers are required to stop (like at a stop sign) before making their right turn.


Posted by www.accidentsinla.com to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 9:36 PM

I don't know how many technical terms there are to refer to this, but as far as I know, an "unprotected light," or perhaps more rightly, an "unprotected left," is a green light that allows you to turn (usually left) without an exclusive right-of-way. In other words, you can turn (usually left) but only after all oncoming traffic coming straight at you in the opposite direction to yours has passed. A "protected left turn light" would be a green light with an arrow giving you exclusive (e.i. protected) right-of-way to turn left. There are very few such "protected left turn lights" in L.A., and it is my contention that that fact contributes to the traffic problem as I explained in several posts.

The right terminology is only incidental. Call it what you will. It is the concept, and its effect on traffic, what matters...

Thanks for the comment.

[Reader comment] "SPEED CORRIDORS: North-South": worst ideas ever.

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "SPEED CORRIDORS: North-South":

worst ideas ever.

Posted by Anonymous to L.A. traffic sucks: Let's fix it! at 11:12 PM

nando replies:

Thanks for the comment and for reading the blog.

With such an attitude, though, I very much doubt that any traffic problem in L.A., or in any other complex metro area, will ever be solved.

ANY ideas, even the "worst ideas ever," are better than none. And I've said it before and I'll say it again, this unbelievably complex and multi-faceted problem of traffic will never be solved unless a mosaic of solutions is TRIED, at least TRIED, to see what works and what doesn't. We'll never know if it will work unless we try. No one solution will work. There is no panacea to the traffic problem. Multiple ideas in a well-orchestrated attempt will need to be tried.

Sure, there is a cost in trying any idea. But who says that it has to be implemented in a large area at a high cost. It should be tried in a small area first and at the lowest possible cost. And go from there...