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Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Rick ()
Date: January 03, 2009 10:43PM

Am I the only one here that notices that the traffic lights here aren't timed right? For example, my commute from Herndon to Reston (neighboring towns) can take at least 20 minutes mostly because of the ill timed lights on Sunset Hills Drive. Yeah, thats an awesome commute compared to most people, but that doesnt justify having to stop at every light.

Most progressive cities time lights so that the signals on a major street such as Sunset Hills in Reston will go green at the same time allowing one to travel quite a few blocks before encountering a red light -thus enabling East-West traffic to flow relatively well. Then the North-South traffic would get their series of green lights that allows that traffic to move freely.

(And then there are the notorius lights (such as the one on Sunset Hills and Reston Parkway) that are stuck on red waaay too long!
Is there anyone (who cares) that you can complain too?

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: VDOT ()
Date: January 03, 2009 10:52PM

VDOT handles the traffic signals but they are horrible and most likely won't do a thing.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: G-dawg ()
Date: January 03, 2009 10:54PM

I'm sure if you visit the county website you can find out what department you need to contact.

Keep in mind that the setup that you feel is a problem might just be the best option. They have people who set that stuff up for a living and are educated in this field.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: mjs ()
Date: January 04, 2009 12:10AM

jusat use the toll road....better to spend money than be tied up in traffic. IMO

IMO th eproblem is there are too many "sensor driven" lights and timed lights. they just need to decide to gowith timed and be done with it. the sensor driven lights F everything up... hit 123 in vienna , you'll feel like running out in front of bus....UGH...

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Old Guy ()
Date: January 04, 2009 12:50AM

You must be new here.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: tubby ()
Date: January 04, 2009 01:13AM

Timing lights wouldn't work around here. For it to be effective, one has to drive steady and near the speed limit.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Snap ()
Date: January 04, 2009 03:14AM

Speaking of Sunset Hills Rd, they really need to put in a left-turn arrow at Isaac Newton Square. When you're coming from the east, it's almost impossible to turn into the Kaiser Permanente.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Client 9 from Outerspace ()
Date: January 04, 2009 08:38AM

What I can't stand are the phantom red lights. Especially, the Leesburg Pike intersections at Springhill and Lewinsville, the lights will change even though no other cars are near those roads. Then, the light remains red on RT 7 for a minute.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Suburbanite ()
Date: January 04, 2009 11:56AM

Funny, the lights in the Springfield Burke and Fairfax area seemed to be timed quite well. THey even adjust for lighter trafic patterns. Though I have seen the annoying lights in Reston/Herndon area. I suspect they do it on purpose to slow traffic.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: BreakingTheLaw ()
Date: January 04, 2009 11:59AM

If theres no other cars around and you come to a stop first to look around then just run the red light.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: G-Man ()
Date: January 04, 2009 03:55PM

I like how everyone is an expert. How would you like it if I called your job and give you advice on how to run your cash register more effectively?

EoM



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/04/2009 03:55PM by G-Man.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: po po ()
Date: January 04, 2009 08:46PM

Suburbanite Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Though I
> have seen the annoying lights in Reston/Herndon
> area. I suspect they do it on purpose to slow
> traffic.

No it is so we can see more stopped cars and look in to see if there are any illegals in there with the traffic cameras

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: mjs ()
Date: January 04, 2009 09:15PM

> No it is so we can see more stopped cars and look
> in to see if there are any illegals in there with
> the traffic cameras

nothing wrong with that....

Not a traffic expert by any means, but when you mix technologies (sensor and timed) it just doesn't work well

now if they can combine a timed light durring rush hours but they become sensor driven at other hours...of course meybe they already have that, but the timers are off.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Janz ()
Date: January 04, 2009 09:37PM

I notice that for some reason, the traffic lights seem to be unusually long, especially around the vicinity of banks. Also, at some intersections, you actually need to have two cars behind you in order to activate those sensors.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: 496 ()
Date: January 05, 2009 09:36AM

You whiny faggot, stay the fuck out of Reston.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: no more space ()
Date: January 05, 2009 10:09AM

496 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You whiny faggot, stay the fuck out of Reston.


... because we're already full of them

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Lefty ()
Date: January 05, 2009 10:15AM

Janz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I notice that for some reason, the traffic lights
> seem to be unusually long, especially around the
> vicinity of banks. Also, at some intersections,
> you actually need to have two cars behind you in
> order to activate those sensors.


That is sometimes true for double left turn lanes. At the new Harris Teeter in Herndon, there has to be a car in each left turn lane before the light turns green. At these intersection I back up and go over the sensor in both lanes (if there are no other cars around) with hopes that the stupid light changes.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: inkahootz ()
Date: January 05, 2009 10:34AM

Nothing in Northern Virginia is EVER timed right!

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: ITRADE ()
Date: January 05, 2009 03:15PM

Snap Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> it's almost impossible to turn into the Kaiser Permanente.


Many people would consider this to be a good thing.............

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Frank ()
Date: January 05, 2009 07:14PM

BreakingTheLaw Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If theres no other cars around and you come to a
> stop first to look around then just run the red
> light.

Better yet, don't look around first -- it wastes time!

You can get great driving advice from people on FFU.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: driving advice ()
Date: January 05, 2009 10:07PM

Is that driving advice from boo?

Frank Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BreakingTheLaw Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If theres no other cars around and you come to
> a
> > stop first to look around then just run the red
> > light.
>
> Better yet, don't look around first -- it wastes
> time!
>
> You can get great driving advice from people on
> FFU.

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Re: Traffic Lights in NOVA arent timed right!
Posted by: Boo-rometer ()
Date: January 05, 2009 10:14PM

driving advice Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is that driving advice from boo?
>
> Frank Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > BreakingTheLaw Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > If theres no other cars around and you come
> to
> > a
> > > stop first to look around then just run the
> red
> > > light.
> >
> > Better yet, don't look around first -- it
> wastes
> > time!
> >
> > You can get great driving advice from people on
> > FFU.


No but this is...
Better yet, close your eyes and floor it.

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