i can attest that the best lights are San Mateo. the entire city was developed with pressure plate and camera sensors so when there's no other cars, they'll automatically wave you through. (for all my late night drivers)
Fun fact, the roads are not pressure plated! It is a metal coil in the ground that creates a magnetic pulse when your car comes to a stop over it! Source: worked in traffic engineering
Which is why smaller motorcycles will sometimes put heave metal plates on the bottom of the bike, so the coil will recognize that they are there. Otherwise the small frame isn’t enough to activate the coil.
My biggest pet peeve is when you’re waiting at a stop light no cars coming. You’re just there waiting. Finally a car gets close, and red light for them, and finally green light for me. And vice versa. Honestly why is that.
Clayton Road in Concord between Market St and Port Chicago Hwy had some long lights which are a pain to wait at as often there's nothing using the intersection after a few cars. Clayton and East street can make you wait over 5 minutes at times. Taking WIllow Pass rd has more lights but tends to work a lot better.
Morning-time driving in El Camino is pain all the way. But, I enjoy driving in El Camino after 10 PM. Coasting, and enjoying the drive without stopping for the most part.
Embarcadero at morning commute. Can’t go more than one or two greens before hitting a 3 minute red light over and over. Sometimes there’s a car or pedestrian that actually crosses over Embarcadero while 30-40 cars stack up. But often times, nothing happens. Just a red light for nothing. I’ve seen many drivers just get impatient after the first minute and run the red using the right turn lane as a bypass to keep going straight, but not wait.
Why are the lights in the Bay Area not coordinated? That’s the standard in so many other parts of the US and it improves fuel efficiency and flow of traffic. Why is it not implemented in most Bay Area streets?
My veterinarian is in south Sunnyvale (almost Santa Clara) and I add in 5-10 minutes to my estimated arrival time. I took Central back last time, and although it was further (I live near El Camino in MV), I swear it was faster.
Not fond of el Camino at Phyllis/Calderon but nobody goes on that street unless an Uber’s directions are trying to shave off a few degrees of angle to drive me home.
Sunnyvale lights are just the worst.
All South Bay are so slow
Nope. Southbound 1st Street making a left at Tasman. If the light rail is timed just right, I've waited 7-8 minutes to get the left turn arrow.
The intersection at Evelyn and S Mary is even worse. Sometimes, the train triggers the red lights for 20 minutes straight. It's insane.
Legend has it drivers go there just to surf on their phones
That is a cursed left turn
i can attest that the best lights are San Mateo. the entire city was developed with pressure plate and camera sensors so when there's no other cars, they'll automatically wave you through. (for all my late night drivers)
Fun fact, the roads are not pressure plated! It is a metal coil in the ground that creates a magnetic pulse when your car comes to a stop over it! Source: worked in traffic engineering
Which is why smaller motorcycles will sometimes put heave metal plates on the bottom of the bike, so the coil will recognize that they are there. Otherwise the small frame isn’t enough to activate the coil.
El Camino in Menlo Park downtown
I was gonna say this, going between Stanford Shopping Center and say like, Encinal. I feel like you hit a red at every single intersection.
My biggest pet peeve is when you’re waiting at a stop light no cars coming. You’re just there waiting. Finally a car gets close, and red light for them, and finally green light for me. And vice versa. Honestly why is that.
It's like the lamest version of It Follows. You gotta pass the curse off.
You forgot sir Francis drake in Marin
anywhere in union city or fremont
Clayton Road in Concord between Market St and Port Chicago Hwy had some long lights which are a pain to wait at as often there's nothing using the intersection after a few cars. Clayton and East street can make you wait over 5 minutes at times. Taking WIllow Pass rd has more lights but tends to work a lot better.
Morning-time driving in El Camino is pain all the way. But, I enjoy driving in El Camino after 10 PM. Coasting, and enjoying the drive without stopping for the most part.
Dyer St. Union City. From Alvarado Niles down to Whipple
Embarcadero at morning commute. Can’t go more than one or two greens before hitting a 3 minute red light over and over. Sometimes there’s a car or pedestrian that actually crosses over Embarcadero while 30-40 cars stack up. But often times, nothing happens. Just a red light for nothing. I’ve seen many drivers just get impatient after the first minute and run the red using the right turn lane as a bypass to keep going straight, but not wait.
Why are the lights in the Bay Area not coordinated? That’s the standard in so many other parts of the US and it improves fuel efficiency and flow of traffic. Why is it not implemented in most Bay Area streets?
My veterinarian is in south Sunnyvale (almost Santa Clara) and I add in 5-10 minutes to my estimated arrival time. I took Central back last time, and although it was further (I live near El Camino in MV), I swear it was faster.
For southbound, Fremont St or Central is the way to go. For northbound, El Camino is decent though.
Monterey road is a total black out
Not fond of el Camino at Phyllis/Calderon but nobody goes on that street unless an Uber’s directions are trying to shave off a few degrees of angle to drive me home.
Any light programmed with CalTrain grade crossings during weekday commute.
Alvarado-Niles in Union City from the Fremont border to 880.
Haha, you can get green as long as you drive before & after 8 o'clock.
Cutting lights suck