is wasted, waiting at traffic lights during the night while we sit there doing sod all but wait for them to change? It’s surely time to go to the european flashing amber approach. Aztec West is top of my list to sort out! 
Couldn’t trucks have stop-start like some cars do now??
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Start-stop_system
Might be a bit of a pull on the batteries but presumably its not a problem with cars??
some trucks already do. I’ve driven DAf’s and mercs with the stop start system fitted, can’t say whether they are factory fitted of retro fitted by company.
Also, I think that in america at night the traffic lights flash amber and can be treated as give way signs, and i think if you are turning right, you can drive through a red light so long as it is safe. I’m sure someone with more experience in america will correct me if I’m wrong!
only problem there is they will eat starter motors and batterys i suppose , also when the engine is off there will be nothing keeping the brake pressure up (not that it should matter because no one drives with air leaks do they … mmmmmm they dont mmmmmm)
truckerjon:
I think that in america at night the traffic lights flash amber and can be treated as give way signs, and i think if you are turning right, you can drive through a red light so long as it is safe. I’m sure someone with more experience in america will correct me if I’m wrong!
Having lived out there for 2 and a half years ago in a previous life I can confirm this to be true.
The flashing amber will be for the “main” road at the lights, the others will flash red.
Amber = Give way.
Red = Stop sign.
Turning right on a red can be done unless signposted that you cant.
I agree with wibble, traffic lights in much of mainland Europe only do the red/amber/green sequence when it is needed, at quieter times all signals show an amber flash and effectively become a “give way” sign, and it works very well.
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.
The US Department of Transportation states:
There are more than 330,000 traffic signals in the United States. It is estimated that over 75% of these signals could be improved by updating equipment or by simply adjusting and updating the timing plans. It is further estimated that poor traffic signal timing accounts for 5-10% of all traffic delay on highways or 295.8 million vehicle-hours of delay on major roadways alone. Traffic signal retiming is one of the most cost effective ways to improve traffic flow and is one of the most basic strategies to help mitigate congestion. Optimizing traffic signals can produce benefit cost ratios as high as 40 to 1. The costs for retiming traffic signals generally range from around $500 to $3,000 per intersection.
This report estimates that:
Reduction in fuel consumption of up to 10%. Nationwide this would amount to a savings of almost 17 billion gallons of motor fuels per year.
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.
Does that work tho 
bazza123:
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.Does that work tho
Not with them all the diamonds you see in the road by some traffic lights are weight sensors so when you go over them it registers a vehicle is there, so no triggering that but flashing for your life will achieve nothing!!
bazza123:
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.Does that work tho
Funny you should ask that on this particular day, 
No it doesn’t work and is just a popular urban myth with the built in advantage that when you see people do it you know they are complete ■■■■■ and should be avoided.
Temporary traffic lights at roadworks have motion sensors, and these will change the lights on detecting an approaching vehicle. Because some drivers flash their lights, and then the lights change, they assume that it was the flashing lights which made them change, but they would have changed anyway.
do what i saw a copper do at the roundabout at deerpark one night. ignore the red light and drive straight through it. if they can do it so can anyone else. they are not above the law after all 
NB it was not a police car, too old to be an unmarked car
Coffeeholic:
bazza123:
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.Does that work tho
Funny you should ask that on this particular day,
No it doesn’t work and is just a popular urban myth with the built in advantage that when you see people do it you know they are complete ■■■■■ and should be avoided.
It’s a good job I’ve never done it then
garnerlives:
bazza123:
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.Does that work tho
Not with them all the diamonds you see in the road by some traffic lights are weight sensors so when you go over them it registers a vehicle is there, so no triggering that but flashing for your life will achieve nothing!!
theyre actually metal sensors,much the same as a goods in door when a forklift approaches the door lifts
maverick72:
garnerlives:
bazza123:
FarnboroughBoy11:
Does anyone else use the the trick of flashing your lights on approach to a set of traffic lights on red… baring in mind there is nothing else on the road that time of night.Does that work tho
Not with them all the diamonds you see in the road by some traffic lights are weight sensors so when you go over them it registers a vehicle is there, so no triggering that but flashing for your life will achieve nothing!!
theyre actually metal sensors,much the same as a goods in door when a forklift approaches the door lifts
Yeah I suppose they would have to be - if a motorbike came along probably wouldn’t be strong enough to trigger a weight sensor?