Are Yellow Lights Shorter in Chicago?

"Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis" (Dwhite95)
02/08/2015 at 14:31 • Filed to: None

I had a swim meet at Northwestern yesterday and when we were driving in Chicago my friend ending up running a few soft reds because the lights switched so much faster than we were expecting.

DISCUSSION (13)

Arben72 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 14:38

Yea, they got sued for it recently. Being Chicago though I doubt they changed anything.

MossInTheUSA > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 14:38

From my experience, as the city has increased the number of red light cameras, those yellows have also shortened. I hope your friend doesn't get a thanks for visiting us card from the city in the mail. I got my last red light ticket from the city a few years ago, and it wasn't cheap then.

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 14:39

Yes.

Steve in Manhattan > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 14:43

Don't know about Chicago, but here it's computerized - the yellow (and green, for that matter) are controlled to keep traffic moving. I've seen a light on 5th as you cross in Central Park at 66th go on forever, other times you can be 1/2 a block from it and never make it.

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > Steve in Manhattan
02/08/2015 at 14:45

Yeah, there were a few lights where it turned when we got into an empty left turn lane with it green and by the time we started to make the turn it flipped to red.

Steve in Manhattan > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 14:52

I would guess that a city with Chicag0-style traffic - including Chicago - would time their lights. I forgot where I saw it, but some documentary somewhere showed the NYC control room where they decided what was what. It was pretty impressive. Still, it doesn't help when you're trying to get downtown at 9:30AM on a Monday. Take the subway.

Kailand09 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 15:15

yes. It's a way of getting money and nothing goes on your records for it because they know it's unethical.

There were big news stories about it but no change came of course, that's Chicago politics.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 15:16

Probably. I had this same problem when I moved from Minnesota to Oregon years ago. The yellow lights in Oregon only last half as long. It's a weird thing to get used to.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 15:25

(I do live in Chicago) I think they conform to the 3 second yellow for 30 mph and under, 4 seconds for 35 mph and over. But I can't think of a street in the city that has a speed limit of 35 or higher, except maybe LSD, Columbus, some of the Boulevards(?), but people still do over 30 cause it feels right. So if you're used to suburban driving, they will seem a hell of a lot shorter. The few red light tickets I have seen have been accompanied by a web site with video footage and the yellow definitely is at least 3 seconds. After you learn which intersections have cameras you find yourself, knowing which ones to approach with caution and the ones to which you can say "Suck it Rahm." It seems most of the intersections with cameras at least have the crosswalk sign that counts down so you know when the light will be changing.

Little Black Coupe Turned Silver > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
02/08/2015 at 15:29

Yep! Especially if it's a red light camera intersection. Because Chicago. Use the crosswalk timers when you can, that's your best bet on what the light is doing.

Spoon II > MossInTheUSA
02/08/2015 at 15:43

I came to say the same thing. It's cruel trickery

105 HP of fury > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
02/08/2015 at 20:29

Although if you're Rahm, you can just barrel through the reds.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > 105 HP of fury
02/09/2015 at 12:26

lol oh yea I remember that now. You don't even have to be king Rahm. As long as you're one of his henchmen you get a free pass.