After the Netherlands, Germany is testing this new concept which does not benefit motorists…
When driving, many motorists quickly become annoyed by the new infrastructure. Between the cycle paths which encroach on the traffic lanes, the 30 zones which are multiplying, the poorly thought out roundabouts or the signs which are difficult to understand… Certain arrangements are sometimes considered impractical and make each journey by car more complicated than it should be. And it is not this novelty, which has been established in Germany, which risks improving the situation.
Indeed, a brand new traffic light was recently installed in the city of Münster, after having been tested in Oldenburg in Germany and the Netherlands. This is an “anti-bad weather” or “anti-rain” light which is mainly aimed at cyclists. Its principle is quite simple: if a cyclist is riding in rainy weather and approaches a bad weather light, it automatically turns green so that the cyclist can pass without having to brake suddenly, thus avoiding possible accidents if the roadway is wet for example.
The device has access to weather data and works using thermal cameras installed to detect cyclists arriving within 50 meters. The idea of such a light was imagined in the Netherlands, where the Dutch government has for several years invested in infrastructure specially adapted for cyclists in the city. After the city of Münster, this anti-rain light should be tested in the Rhineland region, in western Germany.
In any case, such a device risks further fueling the anger of motorists, because these lights, designed to guarantee the safety of cyclists, automatically lengthen the waiting time at red. Drivers have to wait longer to let bicycles cross safely, which can be seen as an additional constraint for some users. In France, for the moment, “no project of this type has been launched”Road Safety informed us.