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Comment by lisper | Hacker News Reader

> So a sign on an intersection can be rendered void/meaningless if the traffic light is operational.

But that's a moot point if the light isn't there in the first place.

I'm sorry, but no matter how you slice it, this light is stupid. What is needed is simply a pair of signs: STOP and RIGHT TURN ONLY.

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This light is an at intersection, the other three roads leading to the intersection have traffic lights too.

If there is a power cut, then the other three roads will have no lights, drivers there will treat the intersection with one set of rules. Whereas the driver on this road with a sign will treat the intersection with another, potentially causing an accident.

There is no more possibility of an accident with a stop sign than with an always-red light because the rules for both are exactly the same: stop, and proceed only when there is no conflicting traffic.

"But that's a moot point if the light isn't there in the first place."

When I said "traffic light" I meant the entire set of traffic lights of the intersection. You can't have just one lane without traffic light and all the others with. It would be highly confusing, also probably against the road laws.

The point of the traffic light taking precedence over road sign is actually part of the rules of the road. It is also required knowledge for driver exams.

> You can't have just one lane without traffic light and all the others with.

Of course you can.

> It would be highly confusing

Why?

> also probably against the road laws.

Laws can be changed. The fact that "it's the law" is a stupid reason to keep doing something that doesn't otherwise make sense. Germans of all people should understand this. (And BTW, I am German.)

It is mandatory for there to be a light at the intersection by law

Yes, I get that. But it's a stupid law, and it should be changed. Traffic laws are not handed down by the gods.

Yes great idea. Build a new rule into a nation-wide law just to solve a problem that needs no solving as "red light with static green right arrow" is a typical sight over here in Germany and drivers DO understand it.

It would be much better to change traffic la nation-wide so we can get rid of this ONE traffic light in Germany. Isn't it?

Yes, that light is costing tax payers every year to operate it. The law should be changed so that there is no need to do this.

How much do you think it will cost to verify that such a legal change will not have unintended side effects?

Changing the law and checking correct enforcement costs way more in people hours than the cost of operating a single traffic light. People underestimate the cost of regulation. Also, a consistent and simple set of rules should always be preferred and causes less human errors.

Changing the law costs a lot, lot more you know..

Yes. It's stupid for a law to vest absolutely no discretion in the engineers so they may adapt to peculiar local situations.

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