[ LETTER ]
Traffic Light Timing Bad
Published: Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 3:48 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, August 28, 2014 at 3:48 a.m.
The traffic signal at the corner of Memorial and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards in Lakeland is poorly programmed. The problem is, when westbound on Memorial, a vehicle enters the left turn lane (to turn south into MLK).
If five, six or seven vehicles in the left turn lane stop at the red light, they will move in unison when the arrow turns green. However, the amber arrow comes on, and is so brief that only two or three cars get through. The cars behind, expecting the programming to accommodate their number due to ground sensors, proceed at risk of running a red light.
To make matters worse, if the drivers in the lead vehicles hit their brakes or fail to increase speed, the slowing chain of vehicles causes one to involuntarily run a red light.
The programming of the lights needs to be recalculated and most, if not all, tickets issued under these conditions should be voided, expunged and refunded.
Good drivers should not have to pay for incompetent programming that results in a revenue-generating ambush.
TIM LYNCH SR.
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