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Four-way hazard
Page 32
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I wonder how many light-controlled cross-roads have differently timed red phases for opposing streams of traffic for instance, for the eastbound and the westbound? I've known a few in my time, and have always thought them a bit dodgy from a driver's point of view. Now, having witnessed several near-misses at one particularjunction on a route! now use. I think they may be potentially more dangerous than I'd imagined.
The problem arises with rightturning traffic. Taking the example of the junction I mentioned, in south London, where the South Circular Road crosses Burnt Ash Lane; the eastbound South Circular traffic gets a longer green than the westbound. A westbound driver waiting to turn right (north) sees his "own" lights go red and starts to turn, only to discover to his horror that the eastbound traffic is not stopping but is heading straight for him.
If there's a good reason for the red phases being different, the least the authorities could do is put a repeater light on the back of the signals, so that right-turners know when it is safe to go.