Joa Fa Traffic Light Sequence Much Better This Week

[stevehaigh]

Maybe I’m tempting fate by saying this but this week I haven’t hit one red light on Jao Fa West for the last few days, good job Phuket traffic department for fixing that mess. So long as you can maintain about 50km/hr you can get from the circle to Kajonkiet and back without stopping now.

[Valentine]

I still reckon the lights by TOT are badly configured. The 2 side sois get separate green lights when they could both be on together as it is very rare for a vehicle to cross from one soi to the other. Most are turning left or right.

[KarenBravo]

I still reckon the lights by TOT are badly configured. The 2 side sois get separate green lights when they could both be on together as it is very rare for a vehicle to cross from one soi to the other. Most are turning left or right.

So, what happens if a car from each Soi wants to turn right at the same time, or one wants to turn right and the other wants to go straight?

Better to have separate greens IMO.

Edited February 1, 2012 by KarenBravo

[Valentine]

I still reckon the lights by TOT are badly configured. The 2 side sois get separate green lights when they could both be on together as it is very rare for a vehicle to cross from one soi to the other. Most are turning left or right.

So, what happens if a car from each Soi wants to turn right at the same time, or one wants to turn right and the other wants to go straight?

Better to have separate greens IMO.

From my observations it is very rare for anyone to go from one soi to the other. The sois are offset from each other so there would be no crossover of vehicles turning right. There are 2 lanes on the main road which should mean those turning left do not get in the way of those turning right from the other side.

[KarenBravo]

If both parties are turning right, with the stopped cars on each side, their paths would cross. It may be rare to go straight across, but, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Safety First.

[pagallim]

If both parties are turning right, with the stopped cars on each side, their paths would cross. It may be rare to go straight across, but, that doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Safety First.

Actually, no. I live very close to this junction, and as Valentine points out, with traffic turning respectively right at this staggered junction, they would be circa 10 metres apart going in different directions. Agree with the scenario of occasional traffic going straight (or a dog leg) across, but no different from any other 4 way junction methinks.

That all said, these lights have helped prevent what was becoming an all too familiar scene of injury (and occasional fatality) that occurred prior to them being placed, both at this junction, and several turn offs either side.

[thaiIand]

they still need to remove that market. People around market are completely retarded, just stopping in the middle of the road without putting their flashers

[digitalchromakey]

I don't think that there is any traffic flow measurement or associated computer synchronsation between the lights on the Chaofa Roads.

Personally think it's purely random from day to day, however that's not saying Phuket shouldn't have such systems.

[steelepulse]

I just traveled from the circle to Central, and indeed it was moving a bit better, but traffic was considerably lighter than it has been the past two months. I still hit red lights and I'd tend to agree with digitalchromakey that it'srandom, and that timers would definitely help, but aren't used.

[pagallim]

they still need to remove that market. People around market are completely retarded, just stopping in the middle of the road without putting their flashers

Agree the market is a primary source of problems on the Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sunday afternoons/early evenings that it takes place. Prior to the lights being installed, there used to be a noticeable police presence to direct traffic, but I'm not certain that still occurs.

[Jimi007]

I don't think that there is any traffic flow measurement or associated computer synchronsation between the lights on the Chaofa Roads.

Personally think it's purely random from day to day, however that's not saying Phuket shouldn't have such systems.

Exactly! Luck of the draw. Early in the morning maybe no one is triggering the sois off to the sides, if they even have a sensor! I came back on Choa Fa West this afternoon and hit a bunch of red lights!

[stevehaigh]

I don't think that there is any traffic flow measurement or associated computer synchronsation between the lights on the Chaofa Roads.

Personally think it's purely random from day to day, however that's not saying Phuket shouldn't have such systems.

i drive that road twice a day every day for the last 9 months and i can assure you they are synchonized. i agree the TOT light was the big fly in the onitment but i can tell you the last 7 days or so i've had green lights all the way, i doubt that is just luck.

[BanglaMayor]

Chao Fa East or West????? See if we can get it right!

[digitalchromakey]

Being fair minded, I decided to wait and further check out the traffic flow before posting further.

Having driven the roads in question every day over the past week (not during peak times), I still cannot see any evidence of traffic light synchronisation.

Even on a 'quiet' road doing a steady 50-60 kph you still regularly hit red lights further down the road; if there was computer traffic light flow control then surely it would be evident at times of light to medium traffic flow.

The OP mentioned travelling north to Kajonkiet, which I guess would normaly involve a journey at peak times, so maybe the police who control the lights then could be using their radios to try to manange the flow.

Here is a corollary to my postulation that there is no trafffic flow control on the Chaofa Road West:

How many times you have started off (driving at a sensible speed) from green at Central going north and then hit green at Tesco? (I suspect not very often). If there is no traffic flow phasing here, then I doubt if there is anywhere else in Phuket..

[LivinginKata]

Completely agree with the above. Just last week we drove from Central to Chalong Circle. I was thinking of this topic as I could see every light turning red as we approached. Sequence control... I don't think so ....

[stevenl]

Being fair minded, I decided to wait and further check out the traffic flow before posting further.

Having driven the roads in question every day over the past week (not during peak times), I still cannot see any evidence of traffic light synchronisation.

Even on a 'quiet' road doing a steady 50-60 kph you still regularly hit red lights further down the road; if there was computer traffic light flow control then surely it would be evident at times of light to medium traffic flow.

The OP mentioned travelling north to Kajonkiet, which I guess would normaly involve a journey at peak times, so maybe the police who control the lights then could be using their radios to try to manange the flow.

Here is a corollary to my postulation that there is no trafffic flow control on the Chaofa Road West:

How many times you have started off (driving at a sensible speed) from green at Central going north and then hit green at Tesco? (I suspect not very often). If there is no traffic flow phasing here, then I doubt if there is anywhere else in Phuket..

I don't think any of the lights between Chalong Circle and Kajonkiet is police controlled. And radios to communicate and improve traffic flow, I don't believe in that for a second.

[Valentine]

A few days ago I got all the way from Chalong to Central without having to stop but have no recollection of this ever happening before except in the pre traffic light era.

[petercallen]

the traffic lights here are controlled by timers not

computers and pressure pads in the road

They are all set on different times according to the traffic

flow and the sequence will line up on occasions so you get a

good run of green lights

[LadyinRed]

For the small sois they could do with putting sensors into the traffic lights, so one doesn't need to wait in the red for no traffic pulling out, but I am taking a yard here. I welcome the traffic lights - annoying for driving but much safer for everyone - although that cannot be said for those who uses the timer to dash across the lights instead of slowing down!

[Valentine]

For the small sois they could do with putting sensors into the traffic lights, so one doesn't need to wait in the red for no traffic pulling out, but I am taking a yard here. I welcome the traffic lights - annoying for driving but much safer for everyone - although that cannot be said for those who uses the timer to dash across the lights instead of slowing down!

After a while they eventually reconfigure the timing & sequences which make for smoother traffic flow. It only took about 5 years to get the lights properly configured at the Central junction. However, all lights when under manual control do not seem to allow for smoother traffic flow even allowing for the fact of peak hours.

[stevehaigh]

the last few days in morning and evening rush hour they have put the TOT lights on blinking yellow and that cirtainly helps a lot

i have no idea why they put those things there in the first place

[pagallim]

the last few days in morning and evening rush hour they have put the TOT lights on blinking yellow and that cirtainly helps a lot

i have no idea why they put those things there in the first place

Because of the number of accidents at those junctions.