Flashing Traffic Signals

... if municipalities in BC were forced (by over-riding provincial legislation) to employ flashing green (i.e. pedestrian-controlled) lights the way they were originally intended back when they were introduced circa 1960.

That is, for mid-block use only (NOT at an intersection) where there is a need/demand for pedestrians to cross the road without having to walk to the nearest intersection.

That way, these devices can best accommodate all road users to get where they're going safely and efficiently; once the pedestrians are out of the way, drivers can continue without hanging around needlessly.

Flashing green traffic lights at intersections - where there are Stop signs facing the drivers on the cross street - have devolved into a confusing mess, with almost constant legal infractions both by pedestrians who walk on the main road in defiance of the solid red light; and drivers who belt through the Stop signs when they think they see a brief opportunity to cross or turn onto the main road.

It's all wrong.  Where are the cops?  Where are the bylaws officers?  Where are the Traffic Engineers who understand how this stuff is supposed to work?  Sheesh.

I am lucky enough to be able to spend winter in Baja, Mexico. Many of the traffic lights here have an additional feature: a "stale" green will flash 4 times before turning amber (takes about 3 seconds). I like this feature very much, as it gives me time to prepare to stop without slamming on my brakes. Alternately, it also lets me know that I have a few seconds before it changes, and can better assess the risk of entering the intersection on an amber. Certainly, there are those poor drivers who will speed up, but I believe there would be more drivers who would lift their foot.

"A driver facing a flashing green light must approach so that they are able to stop, should a stop be necessary, before reaching the crosswalk or the signal as the case may be." Highway code quote???

In Mexico - at least on the Baja, a green traffic light will flash 4 times before turning yellow. To me, this is an excellent way to highlight a stale green. Allows the driver to assess and adjust his speed before the light goes yellow. Certainly, there will be drivers who will tromp on the gas to beat the yellow, but on the whole, it seems a Good Thing, and I for one would welcome this modification of traffic signals in BC. To me, right up there with the quiet campaign to "Keep Right Except to Pass".

"A driver facing a flashing green light must approach so that they are able to stop, should a stop be necessary, before reaching the crosswalk or the signal as the case may be." Highway code quote???

Well, we don't use the Highway Code in Canada, but this sounds like sound advice from the basic 'Road Sense for Drivers' guide which is our equivalent.  But if you think about it, that same advice would apply to drivers approaching any green light.  Even better advice would be to scan for pedestrians who might have pushed the button to activate the light, approaching a flashing green.

In most BC municipalites, the flashing green will change to a solid green for several seconds before changing to amber, as a preliminary warning.  In Vancouver City, it just changes from flashing green to solid amber, but after the light has turned red there will still be a deliberate delay before the pedestrians are shown a 'Walk' signal just in case.  Nuts that all municipalites aren't using the same system, of course.

These days, many pedestrian signals (facing pedestrians heading the same direction as the traffic flow) will change from a 'Walk' symbol to a 'Countdown' to assist drivers in anticipating the change of the light from solid green to solid amber.  This is great, except that it encourages pedestrians to dash across too late - and illegally - which makes it much harder for turning vehicles to exit the intersection.

Being as Pedestrian signals were only invented to stop pedestrian movement - for the purpose of allowing turning vehicles to get around the corner - I see this as a big step backwards in terms of traffic management.

Decades ago, (in Quebec) I was driving on an 80 km/h two-lane highway approaching a rural intersection controlled by traffic lights. A red light to the highway traffic was displayed. Roughly 500 metres in advance of the intersection was a sign warning that the light will remain red until 50 Kmph was noted radar, at which point, the light would turn green. I did slow to 50, and the traffic light changed to green. At the time, I thought that was a terrific idea. I have not noticed that system in place anywhere else. Is this system not allowable, and if not, why not?

Is there a gap in time between pedestrian light going red and traffic light going green?

At some intersections in Richmond, there is a single flashing green light, what's the reason for this? 

Thanks so much. The light is forever green and flashing, similar to some of the red flashing lights in Richmond. 

My comment is about standardizing traffic lights. Advanced left turn green arrows are common and at a point the green changes to yellow. In Victoria I would say this is the norm and we as drivers expect this. However there is one intersection that instead of using an Advance left turn arrow, it is a Delayed arrow. I have not one situation like this.

Another point I again saw for the first time the yellow Advanced instead of stopping it changed to flashing yellow before it stopped.