N400QX From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (12 years 3 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 3016 times:
Can anyone explain the concept behind blinking green lights at intersections in Canada? Being from the States, if struck me odd last time I was visiting our neighbors to the north that the green traffic lights blink.
Driving in Canada is stressful! I can handle Seattle's highways, but Canada...
N400QX From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 4, posted (12 years 3 weeks 14 hours ago) and read 2978 times:
No... from the red light it would go straight to a blinking green (sometimes), then to a solid green, then a little later yellow then red. Sometimes vice versa (solid then blinking).
Canada Mike From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 149 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (12 years 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 2974 times:
I'm not sure, but I think it has something to do with turning lanes or something (i.e. if you're at a major intersection, people turning left might get a blinking green light, then a solid green light for people going right or straight on through).
Driving in BC *is* nuts. Alberta, Ontario, and others are much better. Quebec is all right if you know French, but watch out for some of the other drivers there!!! Like the song says, "...I may not be able to turn right on a red light, but, tabernac!, I can go right through it..."
FLYGUY From Canada, joined exactly 14 years ago today! , 137 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (12 years 3 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 2971 times:
Hey Guys.
I'm a Vancouver local and here's the scoop:
When a light is blinking green, this means that the traffic light is controlled by pedestrians. So, as soon as a pedestrian hits the button to cross the street, the light will go from blinking green to solid green, then to yellow and red. Make sense?
And yes, driving here is nuts! I've driven in the states and in Mexico and Vancouver is the worst! Police are pretty brutal. They gave me a nice little gift of a $115 ticket for going 100 in an 80 at 8am on a sunday morning on the highway! Grrrrrrrrrr.........
Mls515 From United States of America, joined Jun 2000, 3069 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (12 years 3 weeks 9 hours ago) and read 2965 times:
I know you're a local, but when I encountered the same in Toronto, the light went from red direct to blinking green. Since traffic facing the opposite direction at the intersection did not move, we assumed that it meant that we were clear to go forward and that also we had a protected left turn, meaning that we were clear to turn left without yielding to opposing traffic as per normal. Were we wrong?
In the States, our intersections are fitted with a green arrow that will light up to indicate the possibility of turning left without having to yield to opposing traffic. Otherwise, if you just have a green light you can turn left, but you have to wait for opposing traffic to clear because they have the right-of-way.
Rindt From Germany, joined exactly 13 years ago today! , 930 posts, RR: 14 Reply 9, posted (12 years 3 weeks ago) and read 2953 times:
An intersection with a blinking green light signifies that it is a pedestrian crossing. If someone pushes the button to cross, the light goes from a blinking green to a solid green like at all the other lights. From red, it goes back to blinking green, until someone presses the button again. It does not signify that you can turn left... that's what the "left-turn" arrows are for!
Driving in Canada and the US is all the same... except here in Vancouver, we've had an invasion in the past 10 years of really bad drivers. Those of you who catch my drift know EXACTLY what I'm talking about
Regards,
Rob
What other people think of you is none of your business!
N400QX From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (12 years 2 weeks 6 days 21 hours ago) and read 2946 times:
Now that you mention it, having something to do with the turn lane does ring a bell... when the green light changed (from blink to solid or vice versa) so would the traffic flow. Hmm....
AC320 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 11, posted (12 years 2 weeks 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 2942 times:
Where I used to live in Montreal, a blinking green light meant that cars in your direction had a protected left turn, when it turns solid, cars going straight have the right of way.
Nicolaki From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (12 years 2 weeks 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 2926 times:
Yes Green lights means you can make a protected turn on your left, which means that the facing traffic will not move. I never heard of the pedestrian thing, must be a BC thing.
Cpdc10-30 From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2000, 4759 posts, RR: 26 Reply 13, posted (12 years 2 weeks 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 2919 times:
This is called an "advanced green" light...we have had them in Ontario for at least ten years. The point is to use them in high-traffic intersections where people need to make left turns. When the green light is flashing in one direction, it stays red on the other. That way people are able to turn without having to worry about oncoming vehicles. It replaced the old traffic signals that have a yellow and green arrow for left turns.
Pedestrians cannot cross the street when the light is flashing green.
Watewate From Canada, joined Nov 2000, 2283 posts, RR: 2 Reply 14, posted (12 years 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2904 times:
Cpdc10-30 is right.
It is like that on many streets where disproportionate amount of traffic at a particular intersection needs to make the left turn. But there are intersections where dedicated left turn green signals are present.
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