Lubbock Traffic Lights Could Use a Tune-up
Luckily, I normally don't have to deal with too many lights, but some of these are really dumb.
I'll be honest: I have no idea how Lubbock traffic lights work. It appears that they are timed based on moderate traffic. If there are any sensors that let them know someone is at a light, they sure don't seem to be any good.
I ventured in on city streets during our recent snowstorm, having to cut a huge swath around Lubbock from 34th to University to 50th and finally to Quaker Ave. It sure didn't seem like there was much intelligence going on with the system, especially since I was the only one on the road at 3 a.m.
I was a good boy and I sat idling at any number of red lights with no one else around. It seems like if Lubbock knows about inductive loop traffic signals/sensors, it sure hasn't bothered installing them.
I remember in the 1970s when the busy street behind our neighbor's house installed a smart traffic light to improve the flow of traffic. We thought it was an awesome space-age thing, even though we were far too young to drive. May I now remind you that the 70s was nearly 50 years ago. We have the technology. But apparently, we're just not using it.
As I write this though, I'm a little torn. It seems like speeding, street racing, and general driving like an a-hole are pretty commonplace around here, and maybe, just maybe hitting these folks with some reds instead of hitting green after green will lead to some better driving habits.
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