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The Intersection saga...


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Well, the traffic control lights at the intersection of the carretera and libramiento have been off for a few days.  Guess what!  No problems with traffic jams, accidents, and no transito cops trying to direct traffic or stopping cars to ask for bribes when they can't figure out the WalMart entrance.  People seem to be careful and polite and Mexican anarchy proves once again to mostly function OK if you can keep government and other "experts" out of the situation.  Think how many uncontrolled intersections are in our area and folks make them work fine on their own.  In several places in Europe, traffic controls are being removed and results are similar.  People enter the intersections with caution, they let pedestrians cross, and traffic flows much easier.  I like to think somebody is looking at that mess and trying to decide how to best change (and hopefully improve) that intersection.  I could be wrong...it could just be a faulty light controller.  Alan

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Every time a carretera light goes out or goes into flashing mode, traffic improves immensely. This has happened many times during holiday weekends, and instead of nasty snarls, we get through town a lot quicker and with less grief. Right now it's tricky at Allen W. Lloyd for those trying to get out or across, because for some reason drivers are not paying attention there.

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When the lights in Ajijic and La Floresta were all on flashing yellow one weekend a couple of years ago there was almost no backup. People were entering from the side streets without problem. When following weekend they were working normally the traffic was backed and it took forever to get through town. 

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3 hours ago, barrbower said:

Well, the traffic control lights at the intersection of the carretera and libramiento have been off for a few days.  Guess what!  No problems with traffic jams, accidents, and no transito cops trying to direct traffic or stopping cars to ask for bribes when they can't figure out the WalMart entrance.  People seem to be careful and polite and Mexican anarchy proves once again to mostly function OK if you can keep government and other "experts" out of the situation.  Think how many uncontrolled intersections are in our area and folks make them work fine on their own.  In several places in Europe, traffic controls are being removed and results are similar.  People enter the intersections with caution, they let pedestrians cross, and traffic flows much easier.  I like to think somebody is looking at that mess and trying to decide how to best change (and hopefully improve) that intersection.  I could be wrong...it could just be a faulty light controller.  Alan

Also they have removed the barrier blocking the Walmart entrance directly past the light going south on the libramiento, so now you can go straight through and into the parking lot. What took them so long?  

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All that was needed was the traffic light at the intersection to have a right turn arrow, left turn arrow and a turn arrow on the Walmart side. No need for the extra right turn lane. Just widen to another lane at the light. One lane for left, one for straight into Walmart, one for right turn.

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BeanRoy-"Right now it's tricky at Allen W. Lloyd for those trying to get out or across, because for some reason drivers are not paying attention there".

We live on Allen W Lloyd and without the light it is very difficult sometimes mainly trying to turn left. If only people would just be courteous and let you out. 

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1 minute ago, BeanRoy said:

I heard the entrance that opened yesterday, at the foot of the libramiento, closed up again almost immediately, but I haven't been by.

I didn't notice or bother to look; happy to sail by on the carretera.  

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I have to say the last three days that I drove past, in both directions, all the drivers were most courteous; stopping to let traffic from all directions pass.

Yes it was faster than when the lights were active.

SunFan

 

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On 6/8/2021 at 6:05 PM, elevator said:

All that was needed was the traffic light at the intersection to have a right turn arrow, left turn arrow and a turn arrow on the Walmart side. No need for the extra right turn lane. Just widen to another lane at the light. One lane for left, one for straight into Walmart, one for right turn.

Yep.  Just like almost every WalMart in the U.S., one traffic light suffices.

 

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I've been by/through the intersection, from 3 directions, 4-5 times in the last 3 days. Lights not on, once had traffic directors but otherwise never a real problem. Drivers nice about letting traffic flow reasonably from all directions. 

 

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Last time through there was a Mexican one armed man directing the lights, and he was doing a very good job. I never seen anyone give him any money however.

Thought I should promote the State to hire him. But then again what a job, out on the black top, baking in the sun. More like a prison sentence. For that to work they would need half hour shifts.

Maybe the disrupter approach. With all those lanes and the Walmart parking lot. Great location for a gocart racing track.

 

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It's funny, no one noticed that the traffic was already very low and I think that is WHY all those signals weren't working.  They just turned them off.  Mon., Tues., Wed., the traffic was way down from usual levels starting in Ajijic, going all the way to Chapala what a breeze!  I thought it must have something to do with Mexican Election day, since nothing else was out of the ordinary.  I discussed that with a Mexican friend, and he thought maybe so many Tapatios that usually come here stayed home to vote in the their own area.  Don't know.   It was closer to normal today, but still nothing like what we have seen in recent months.  Under normal crowded conditions, no way could people navigate the Walmart intersection without those lights, which are still confusing.  It only worked because the traffic was already so low.

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The traffic was already low  for some reason!  The lights simply got turned off.  Gee, wouldn't it be nice if you could actually make traffic disappear by turning off the signals?  They do that on a lot of normal Sundays in Ajijic, it does not improve anything.

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Traffic does seem to move better with no lights. It looks problematic where the road comes down from the libramiento and crosses the carretera. Will they turn some of the lights back on?

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I had the strangest out-of-body experience yesterday.

About 1:00 PM I drove from San Antonio to West Ajijic.

All the traffic lights were out, even through Ajijic. The only one working was just East of Superlake.

Traffic was smooth. Cars stopped for pedestrians to cross as soon as they approached the curb.

Cars trying to enter the highway from North or South were let in immediately.

I wonder how long this dream will last?

SunFan

 

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