@JasonThorne These are very commonplace in Europe, both in cities and suburban areas. I’m personally happy they’re making their way into North America!

@JasonThorne We have them in France, known as what could translate to "reward traffic lights" (feu récompense). The experiment was successful and the road traffic regulations were updated in April 2021 to define them as a new type of traffic lights to give them a legal basis.

@JasonThorne Seems like their data show it works. My concern would be reverting to high speed once you get the green light. IOW, it affects entry speed, but perhaps not max speed thru residential area, depending on driver's objective function.

@JasonThorne They’re experimenting with this near my house right now. I think it’s a great idea. I’m all for basically anything and everything traffic calming.

@JasonThorne It'd be constantly red where I live.. lol. Christ, a lot of drivers here are fucking dense.

@JasonThorne this had been introduced in Italy, and then it has been declared illegal about 15 years ago. https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semaforo_dissuasore Many many local administrations had them installed, and they just had to be turned off. Many of these traffic lights are still there after all these years, perhaps in the vague hope that a new law will be made. But honestly, this has been completely out of the public debate for ages.

It was claimed that they are off-label use (according to law, traffic lights can be used only to manage traffic at intersections), they were risky (as they may lead to abrupt stops), they were unfair (as they "punished" other drivers who had to wait, but did nothing wrong), and even unjust (since they recorded someone breaking the law, but they just gave a red light, not a fine). Link at random:
https://www.sicurauto.it/news/codice-strada-fuorilegge-i-semafori-intelligenti/

Honestly, as I remember from those years, these traffic lights were actually working, and drivers did drive more slowly not to trigger the traffic light. I'm not even sure if the risk issue was real, or if it was just theoretical... all the rest could possibly be regulated by law, I suppose.

@JasonThorne I drive through red lights anyway if nothing is coming. Unless the cops are sat there of course. I wouldn't do it on a busy major road or anything. I think of them more as a polite suggestion.

@wikinaut
Erpressung! Ich lasse mir doch von niemandem vorschreiben, wie schnell ich fahren darf. Zur Not brettere ich mit 60km/h über Rot.