HAWK Beacon Signal

[@truckinman86]

I would change the wig wag red lights to a standard flashing red. Many drivers associate a wig wag red signal as a solid red light much like a railroad crossing.

[@NipkowDisk]

That is precisely what the City of Bellingham, Washington, did when they first installed them- both red lights flash in unison. Much more logical.

[@quinton1661]

FHWA: No. /sigh

[@truckinman86]

@@NipkowDisk I actually came across that when I was in Bellingham a while ago.

[@kocourmacek7216]

in my country flashing red lights are not used only for railroad crossing but also in crossroads of ambulance or fire stations, but for crosswalk, it looks weird. For crosswalks we use regular three-color traffic lights. I miss here the green color anyway 😭😭🟢💚

[@Tree_Drinker]

Even the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices states that if two red lights are added to a stop sign they have to flash simultaneously if placed horizontally to avoid being confused with level crossing wigwags

[@kidsafe]

There's so many layers to this onion...An unfamiliar triangular array, dark until activated, flashing yellows, wig-wagging reds... Every single time I've seen a HAWK beacon signal activated, there's been motorists totally confused by the light patterns. I've never used one as a pedestrian, just sat behind cars who don't proceed after a full stop on the wig-wag. Also I've seen the occasional motorist have a brain hiccup and slam on the brakes at a dark signal because, well, they've been trained to treat dark signals as stop signs.

[@ZakWolf]

Today was the first time I crossed at a H.A.W.K. signal setup, in Quincy, MA. It wasn't too hard, but someone did run the red light before I entered the crosswalk (at least I always make sure I look when I cross streets, even if the walk signal is on!)

[@vince5202]

Does the background music play while I'm crossing the street? If not, I am not on board with this. Too progressive if you ask me, my son would probably hit me while I was crossing because he gets confused easily. Also, have you heard taylor swift's newest album?

[@pedoublenizzle]

They seem to be standard signals (flashing yellow for caution, solid yellow = be prepared to stop (many drivers incorrectly think this means speed up to beat the light, but that is not actually the case), Solid red = full stop, flashing red = stop and proceed (like a stop sign))

[@kindnessark8064]

Its like the UK Pelican Crossing, only without the green lights for cars, and the name sounds much cooler!!! I'd stop for a hawk! LOL

[@NeoFalcon69]

Great idea - I don't know how well it would work here in New Zealand - flashing red lights are usually ONLY reserved for train crossings - if we had that here and the flashing red lights meant "go if safe" I bet we'll have idiots here would apply the same rule to flashing red lights at train crossings. I would suggest they use flashing orange ones instead of the red like they do in the UK on some of their crossings to indicate the same thing.

[@rdspam]

2:00 Did I suddenly go color blind?

[@squidgrill]

Seems like it would be more efficent to use a normal traffic light, similar to a pelican crossing in the UK.

[@pedoublenizzle]

Although @liamlunchtray does make a good point that the flashing reds are set up like a wig-wag for a railroad crossing. In fact, I came to this video thinking it was a rail signal.

[@lcrr700]

Doesn't the driver hand book say if a signal is dark you must treat it as a stop sign?

[@arizonagarcia1514]

Not For A HAWK Beacon

[@pups7685]

Firstly its clearly red secondly i would be so confused if i saw this

[@jspang31]

Did anyone else hear "solid yellow must stop"?

[@jovetj]

It's supposed to be Amber, but instead they showed a red light. Don't ask me why...

[@wca4242]

People STILL don't know how to properly use this signal. Most cars just sit stopped until all the lights turn comletely off. It happened to me twice this morning that cars will not go, even if there are no bikes/pedestrians, until the entire signal goes dark. Please try again to get the word out to people that live in this area. Apparently no one reads (or understands) the sign at the side of the road that says "Proceed when Clear".

[@SnownelVEVO]

@Ryoukun16 Sorry once again, but I have never seen a stop sign with a wig-wag flasher.

[@kjrehberg]

We have had one of these in a town near us for the past five years. I had no idea that you are allowed to drive through during the flashing sequence.

[@newmanc6619]

You should continue to stay stopped until the signal goes dark. The driving school I went to drummed into us safety first, even if it annoys others behind you. That is one reason I put in one of these loud "boom car" stereo systems. If someone behind me starts honking and cussing at me, because I want to be safe, I turn the stereo up and drown them out.

[@kjrehberg]

The horizontal flash-flash looks exactly like a railroad crossing signal. I'm supposed to drive through it, but my driving training told me that you should never drive through a railroad crossing signal. This is a really bad design. If you need to install a sign with instructions on how to stop and go at this kind of crosswalk signal, then you have failed. JUST INSTALL A REGULAR TRAFFIC LIGHT. Everyone will understand how it works.

[@acedriverboi2429]

@@kjrehberg Hey idiot the solid red light means stop like a normal traffic light the flashing red means treat like a stop sign if you can't learn the difference on how flashing red lights work then you shouldn't be driving.

[@kidsafe]

@@newmanc6619 The wig-wag means treat it as a stop sign. Stop and proceed if safe.

[@DriftedDriver33]

These are still till this day confusing to motorists. Spokane Wa. Buying these lights.

[@TheKillzone69]

It not hard yellow means yeald. Red means stop. flashing red means stop then proceed when clear like a 4-way stop sign.

[@Rhomega]

These are currently being installed at an intersection in Anthem, AZ. I thought the idea of triangular traffic lights was so weird. Then my mom found a video about these.

[@gerhardlamprecht1098]

A dark traffic signal means 4 way stop, except hawk. A yellow signal says stop, except hawk. A flashing red traffic signal means stop, except hawk. It is generally not a good idea to complicate an already complicated road environment to drivers. Luckily the motorist will flaw on the safe side. He would rather stop at the wrong time than go at the wrong time.

[@DestinyTheRealPurpleSparkle]

people ignore the Proceed on flashing red when clear making them wait till the hawk signal flashing red bulbs turn off.

[@SnownelVEVO]

@Ryoukun16 How? Are you a traffic engineer? Do you have some sort of proof that motorists interpret wig-wag red ball signals as "stop then go when it's safe" moreso than your typical flashing red, taught in most states to be "stop then go when it's safe"? Even a regular R/Y/G signal would be better.

[@TxJuggernaut]

How does it affect coordinated intersections?

[@V8FordTempo]

why not just have a normal signal with a shorter walk sequence, unless the button is pressed.. "press button for extended walk" signs are 1/ cheaper, 2. better understood, 3. non interfering with 'normal' traffic signal styles… I would think this as some sort of urban railroad crossing or something if I was to visit, and not proceed until it was off… and if it was yellow, visitors may interpert it as "clearance of vehicle within intersection" (a standard yellow signal) and most people tend to zoom thru those.

[@jovetj]

I agree. I think these signals are dumb and confusing.

[@acedriverboi2429]

@@jovetj If you think the rules of the road is dumb and confusing then you shouldn't be driving.

[@jovetj]

*@Stephen Sullivan* It's ironic you would say that. I don't find them confusing, myself. It's the plebs I'm surrounded by on the road that worry me. But, my biggest gripe is that people already do not obey dark signals as a Stop sign. These types of signals (which ARE normally dark) only exacerbate that behavior.

[@acedriverboi2429]

@@jovetj Those hawk signal don't create confusion it's stupid drivers like you who don't have common sense the red solid light means stop like a normal traffic light the flashing red light means treat it like a stop sign stop check to make sure it's clear then drive thru once it's clear if you find that confusing then you shouldn't be driving.

[@jovetj]

*@Stephen Sullivan* You must be fun to be around. You don't actually read or pay any mind to what other people say or write, you just babble right on with your drivel. For one thing, they're not officially called HAWK signals anymore. That name didn't last very long, Second, they _are_ confusing to drivers-go read about it. I am not talking about myself, I am talking about the general population. There's lots of evidence that drivers (stupid or not) have trouble with them. Third, the flashing phase is meant to mimic a railroad crossing signal, which is also usually legal to pass if it is safe after you have first stopped. I agree, by your ruler, about 75% of drivers should not be on the road because they're too stupid or careless. Are you driving around and texting on your phone, too? If so, you are also on that list. Teaching people not to text message while driving is much more important than learning this silly signal which emphasizes mixed safety messages and solves a problem that is not so important (cost of constantly-on green lights. Since you insist on being an asshole, I will stoop to your level and point out that people like you who cannot write worth a damn should not be writing, especially on the internet where someone might accidentally read it. Seriously, find the period key.

[@PhalosSouthpawsBastelstube]

Seriously, this version of signal is unnessessarily complicated...

[@kocourmacek7216]

I miss the green lights 😭😭🟢🟢💚💚

[@Blinkpower11]

i love those lights

[@DestinyTheRealPurpleSparkle]

people ignore the Proceed on flashing red when clear making them wait till the hawk signal flashing red bulbs turn off.

[@AggieTrafficEngineer]

We have successfully implemented two HAWK's in our mid size Texas city of 125.000 over the past two years. I find some of the comments strange since the mentioned device was pioneered in Tucson, AZ starting in 2000. It may be slightly confusing at first, but can be understood. As for wig-wag reds at stop signs, you would only encounter those is the local agency uses two and they are mounted vertically. If you need for information on the HAWK, check out Tucson's web page or Wikipedia..

[@AmtrakProductions]

Song

[@3crowns21]

Please put one up at the canal and the golf course. People won't stop even though I'm walking my bicycle.

[@theswordsmith]

This new signal is very confusing.Why?Because you are doing a double flashing red, similar to a train crossing, however with a train crossing you cannot pull through if there is no train and yet this one, the car can pull through if the intersection is clear. It needs to be a single flashing red. On my road, many drivers reuse to pull through once the crosswalk is clear because they are reacting the same as a train crossing! This impeeds vehicle traffic on busy roads. Secondly, what constitutes a clear intersection? Cops will interpret the clear intersection differently for violators. For a normal crosswalk you can cross through it if you do not imped the pedestrian when turning a corner, however O cannot find the HAWK system in the DMV rules and the video is not clear if you pass though this cross walk while there is a flashing red and after the person has passed, but is still in the cross walk, have you violated a crossing, as the intersection is not clear? It will be interpreted differently by different people, especially localpolice. It needs to be a single flashing red and not two at the end or a cautionary flashing yellow to proceed after flashing red for a long time.

[@newmanc6619]

It is also safer to wait from the flashing red lights to go off before proceeding. Safety first, even it it annoys other drivers behind you

[@kjrehberg]

So stupid that they expect us to proceed through the red horizontal flash-flash, when all drivers have developed the reflex that a red horizontal flash-flash signal means "train approaching, stop to avoid a violent death." The designers of this ridiculous signal should have had a focus group to judge how people in the real world would react to it.

[@acedriverboi2429]

@@kjrehberg Hey idiot if you can't how flashing red lights work then you shouldn't be driving.

[@Neddyfram]

It looks like the uk level crossing thing

[@newmanc6619]

There are a couple of those in one town near me, and I do not go until flashing red lights switch off, if other drivers behind me don't like that, they can go to hell When I am behind the wheel, I put safety first, no matter who behind me gets irritated

[@jacquicordwell9798]

Chilly Willy Every

[@acedriverboi2429]

The flashing red means treat it like a stop sign meaning stop first then go when clear if you can't learn that then you shouldn't be driving.

[@jovetj]

I still think these signals are stupid. The only positive I can see is that the signals consume little power when not being used. But with LEDs available that consume so little power to begin with, that advantage is reduced significantly. The negatives are numerous: ■ Expense of installing a complete system that is just different and unexpected from what every driver is already used to. ■ Flashing amber to steady amber transition violates MUTCD principle, even if it's obvious to color-blind drivers the uniqueness of this signal and its application. ■ The distinction between the solid red phase and the alternating red phase is not intuitive to drivers. ■ The alternating red phase is too reminiscent of a railroad crossing, where all traffic must remain stopped. ■ A flashing red phase could be added to a regular pedestrian signal and most drivers would understand its meaning.

[@kjrehberg]

From what I have seen in Vienna, VA, this signal was deployed to save energy costs because it is dark most of the time. I assume that they designed it years ago without the knowledge that a real traffic light with LED lamps would cost only a tiny bit more in terms of power consumption. A real traffic light is easy and obvious to drivers. This signal is a solution waiting for a problem that doesn't exist anymore. It's even more funny when you see the signs posted with instructions on how to interpret this weird signal. If they used a real traffic light with LED lamps, none of this would be necessary.

[@jovetj]

@@Finn-sm3jf No.

[@erk-1]

My eyes are data. Data lol.

[@throughsusanseyes5773]

I would love to have hawk signals in Ireland safer than crossing with no signal

[@liamlunchtray]

Terrible. Traffic lights are standardized for a reason - So you know wtf to do. I’m a car nerd, and a fan of urban issues, but if I came up to this I would have no idea what to do or expect. I would associate the toggling red to mean STOP like at a railroad crossing - I wouldn’t interpret it as a standard flashing red like a stop sign. What is the purpose of this over just having a standard traffic light that is green all the time unless someone presses the button?

[@newmanc6619]

This bullshit, like "permissive" left hand turn signals that you let you go before the green arrow comes on, comes from Obama's "Green Initiative". In short, this crap was invented by environmental wackos who think that if you have to stay stopped, it is going to pollute the envoroment. So blame Obama's EPA for that.

[@angiereeves7305]

My cousin got hit by an SUV last night in Cottonwood AZ because of this light. He didn't make it. Very dangerous!!

[@newmanc6619]

I wait for the hawk signal to complete turn off. In other words I will not go on the flashing red. I will wait. If other drivers behind me don't like that, tough, I don't care. I put safety first, even if it irritated other drivers behind me

[@AmtrakProductions]

Chilly Willy even thought that is illegal

[@Ryoukun16]

@OfficerNelson I'm pretty sure your suggestion is two TIMES worse.

[@SnownelVEVO]

That's a pretty stupid design. Why not just use a standard 3-head emergency signal - red on top, solid yellow in the middle, and flashing yellow on the bottom? Or even a 2-head? That way when it flashes red, motorists might have a bit more of a clue that it's more of a stop-and-go signal than the current wig-wag red that imitates more of a railroad signal, which obviously you shouldn't go through.

[@Ryoukun16]

@OfficerNelson It turns out you need some common sense as you have to remember most 4-way stop signals had the red flash.

[@curtstachowiak1211]

Very confusing

[@SnownelVEVO]

@Ryoukun16 If you don't have proof otherwise, you can't argue with common sense. Sorry.

[@Ryoukun16]

@OfficerNelson Ok, seriously, I was about to reply, but seeing how arrogant you typed it, I think not. Come back to me VIA PM once you figure it out, then I'll be more than happy to explain.

[@buddyclem7328]

This is a confusing, unsafe idea. Traffic signals are standardized for a reason. I hope these signals have been removed or updated to conform with the MUTCD.

[@acedriverboi2429]

No it's not confusing unsafe idea it's stupid drivers like you who have no common sense the solid red light means stop like a normal traffic light the flashing red lights means stop like a stop sign then drive thru when clear if you can't learn that then you shouldn't be driving.

[@JoshuaPutnam1]

These are *in* MUTCD, Chapter 4F. But they still confuse many drivers -- dark signals = 4 way stops in many states, and alternating red (as opposed to flashing red) is do not cross for railroad crossings.

[@erk-1]

This system is a lawsuit waiting to happen. I deal with this system and I don't recommend it at all. I have no idea who thought of this system but it is super dangerous.

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

LMAO, it's the safest system currently in place...

[@erk-1]

@@MustachioFurioso9134 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣, If you say so.

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

@@erk-1 the federal DOT studied them, found them safer than all current systems in place except for signaled 4 way intersections. So places that don't need a full signal, this works very effectively. Compared against yellow lighted intersections, it reduced pedestrian accidents by 69%. It also had a 97% compliance rating on drivers following the signal. So yeah, it's pretty good

[@erk-1]

@@MustachioFurioso9134 I've seen many close calls of pedestrians getting killed with this system and also the cars do not stop. I don't understand why they don't go with your normal signal operation.

[@MustachioFurioso9134]

@@erk-1 have you? Because the data doesn't support your anecdote