Amber gamblers’ high stakes

Press, 8 April 1978, Page 4

Amber gamblers’ high stakes

Ihe Automobile Association (Canterbury) is worried about the “almost daily contemptuous disregard of traffic signals,” and has suggested experimental measures to stop the “amber gamblers.” Christchurch already had an unenviable record of motor accidents, said the general manager (Mr E. S. Palliser). The unusually large num-

ber of intersections in Christchurch probably contributed to the accident rate, but overseas trafficsignal methods could be experimented with. In Australia, normal traffic signals were not displayed outside peaktraffic hours. Instead they were set up to continuously flash amber, like amber lights at some New Zealand pedestrian crossings. This would probably create better compliance at

peak traffic times when lights were on normal cycles, Mr Palliser said. Another method might be to turn both the amber and the red signals on together, and after an interval fade out the amber, leaving the red. The Christchurch City Council had indicated its willingness to experiment, and it was hoped that the Ministry of Transport would find ways of surmounting any legal diffi-

culties, he said. The traffic regulation requiring motorists to stop when the light turned amber—evcept when danger would be created for other traffic—was either misunderstood or ignored by many motorists. “Many seem to be under the erroneous impression that the amber signal means keep going, or accelerate,” said Mr Palliser. “These people are the amber gamblers.”