Why

I LOVE TRAFFIC LIGHTS!

Just plain old, color lenses are enough.  But the new light emitting diodes are so much better!  Even, we male drivers, challenged with red/green color blindness, can see the red and green, signals in daylight and dark.

The cycling lights are waiting for me!  I will wait for them.  Their programmed cycle, portions out a turn for me.  Many times, where it would NEVER be my turn.

(In an unprotected intersection with only two stop signs, one can only cross or turn when no one else is there!) When everyone else has left the playground, you may use the swing!

QUOTE:  "When you leave the sanctuary of the stop sign, you become the only car in the intersection with NO Right (of) away.  Any bad thing that happens is 100% your fault." (Your Insurance Co.)

But, with traffic signals, you can follow the green knowing that not only is it your turn, but you have the right away.  Others are waiting for you!

If the traffic lights controlling the intersection include the luxury of green turn arrows, you can experience the "glow" of making the protected left turn! 

These are earned green seconds!  You earned them by waiting!

Add up the seconds of the other waiting cars, now waiting for you!

"Green arrow, seconds are priceless."

*My first crash in 75 years cost more than $6,000.  That is about $1000 per second.  I was trapped and hit, while turning left, and Stopped, with the brake on.  The impact didn’t even knock my hands off the wheel.  I could drive the car away.  I had no loss of air, oil, fuel or water. (Half the damage was in broken -hidden welds.)  (The car was built to crumble as it absorbed the impact.) It uses thousands of welds instead of a box frame.)

Waiting time is measured in minutes but may seem longer.  Time lost from not waiting is measured in weeks!  No one here was hurt!  But many are hurt or worse.

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Much risk is from vehicle maneuvers. Ours was an attempted, left turn.  Other risks are from passing, lane change, parking, and backing.  In-attention covers a lot of operator failures.

Think of the Signal Protected, Intersection as the toll bridge, we can cross safely, in both directions.

nw