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A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
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rickster999
12/01/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
Good idea, but put in practice it'll just end up with people gunning it after 99%Red, then 98, then 97; and it will become expected/socally accepted. Stop lights need the unknowing of when they'll change; to be effective. comment based on 13 years driving in UK.
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SewerShark: LOOK BEHIND YOU, A THREE HEADED MONKEY!!!
12/01/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
We already have some of those here in Brazil, but they have a different design.
When the top red light reaches the bottom, the green light goes up.
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TheLostVikings R.O.A.C.H.
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
In Japan the crosswalk signs already do this, it's pretty handy since it also shows how much time left until it turns back to red, so you know whether you have to hurry or not.
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maven2k
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
I think this would be far more useful and safer on the green light. People already try to anticipate the red light and go too soon and get nailed by people running the "orange" light.
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nhowar02
11/30/09

@maven2k: accucaly no, it wouldint be safer, maybe better for us cause we can speed towards it at the right times and not at other times. but anyway if it had a progress bar people would end up speeding to make lights, when its a mystery you dont know so the number of speeders decreases, instead of having the green progress bar they need to make the yellow or "orange" lights longer... much longer.
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maven2k
12/01/09

@nhowar02: You might be right. By "orange" light, I meant the old joke about going through a light that just turned red and saying "ah it was orange".
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fuchikoma
12/01/09

@maven2k: As I see it, now people on the "orange" will smash into people who were already starting to roll at 95% who would have otherwise had to see it turn green, react, and put their foot to the pedal and get their engine up to speed to pull them.
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nutbastard
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
someone should open a tavern called "The Progress Bar". you have to sit to the right of whoever is already there (no skipping seats!) and there's a sensor that constantly weighs your drink and combines that data with a timer in your seat that determines, via progress bar, when you ought to take a piss next. then your bar is put against all other bars chronologically to create a lineless bathroom queue.
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GreyHammer
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
thats such a great idea
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rott
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
I've seen some stoplights like the one on this picture. Pretty much does the same thing as the concept.
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diesel828
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
"We already crane our necks to see the perpendicular streets' lights cycles through, so the Eko stoplight concept, intended to let drivers know if it's ok to shut off your car to save gas at a light..."

Funny. The designers should stick to doing just that -- designing. You'd waste way more gas shutting off your car and starting it back up than just letting it idle for the duration of the light. Also, imagine the damage you'd do to your car if you were constantly shutting it off and restarting it at every light.
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Awax
11/30/09

@diesel828: Fail.
If the stop is longer than 15s, then stopping the engine is gas effective.
And if my car can handle stop/start, then it's a huge crap.
Actually, you can already find cars that automatically stop the engine when at full stop and restart when you release the brake. There is a place called Europe where 45+ mpg cars are common.
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diesel828
11/30/09

@Awax: Fail? Try starting and stopping your car about 12 times per trip on every trip and we'll see what kind of maintenance your car needs after 7,500 miles. Your response to me is completely inane. As a car enthusiast, this "automatic start/stop" car you speak of is BS and in Europe, where I have lived, there aren't any more 45+mpg cars than there are in the U.S. What are you, in high school?
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Curves
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
I like it. At a traffic light I will actually know how long I have to apply lip stick and mess with my hair till I can go.
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I-Love-Gizhacker
12/01/09

@Curves: Don't you know, you're supposed to do that *while* driving, and talking on a cell phone.
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Curves
12/01/09

@I-Love-Gizhacker: I am so paranoid, I cant do that. I know I WILL slam into someone, and I just dont take that risk. (I know, I have serious issues.)
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I-Love-Gizhacker
12/03/09

@Curves: I know where you are coming from, I can barely bring myself to text while driving.
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RoboBagins
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
My old toaster already had a progress bar.
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Bos'un's Mate
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation

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Bandit
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
I nominate this for line of the year:

"I mean, what is a line if not a progress bar made of people?"
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beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
Only problem with this, is that it will cause people to immediately push on the gas once they see the progress bar fill up.

It will somehow excuse people from feeling like they still need to be patient and use some part of their brain, that causes them to be alert for the safety of themselves and others.

Everyone is in such a GDAMN hurry these days. Slow the fuck down people!
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icy_one
11/30/09

@beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid: Sorry, I didn't have time to read this entire post.
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beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid
11/30/09

@icy_one: would you hurry up and read it... HURRY!
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Scotland
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
In North America (with some exceptions) one may turn right during a red light (after coming to a complete stop, traffic and safety permitting.) - Scotland (the commenter) approves this.
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beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid
11/30/09

@Scotland: from what I have heard in most states, the opposite is true. Cali is one of the few states where this IS legal, but people abuse the crap out of it. Especially in downtown areas. Example, you shouldn't be "turning" on a red, when you are crossing traffic. Like turning left on a red, when the road is a 2 way, and your on a one way. You are illegally crossing traffic, and asking to get hit.
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diesel828
11/30/09

@beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid: Have you driven in Cali? No one turns left on a red coming out of a one way onto a two-way. We only turn left on a red going from a one-way to another one-way and it's perfectly safe. Again, I repeat: NO ONE turns left to cross traffic onto a two-way street coming out of a one-way street.
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beekerstudios: you are inane and stupid
11/30/09

@diesel828: come to the silicon valley, you will see it, trust me. I live in Cali, I see it, and my jaw drops.
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papaguru
11/30/09

In reply to A Stoplight for the Progress Bar Generation
Ehm... isn't this tha same as these, only with LED's?
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Digo
11/30/09

@papaguru: That's what I was thinking.
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