So whats this oddity of the north?
 

So I was in Canada last week exploiting your natural resorces and came across something I had not seen before, well not since the last trip but I didn't ask it then.

Now I only saw this in Kenora but its not like I spent a lot of time putzing around Canada, I'm there for fish (4 trophy Walleyes thanks).

What I saw was this.....

A flashing green light. The guys with me, who were mostly 2 generations older didn't know what it meant either.

So what does a flashing green traphic light mean? From what I could tell it means, 'oh the light is going to go yellow soon, eh?' but that was all we came up with.

I'm pretty sure that it means you have the right of way making a left turn.

Mostly replaced by green arrows at this point, but still used in small, middle of nowhere places where modernizing isn't an issue, like at the highway bypass interchange at the small town in the middle of rural central Alberta where I attended school. Oncoming traffic would have the 'proceed with caution' flashing yellow.

A flashing green light is an "advance green".

I thought this was just a Toronto thing... It means that if you are making a left hand turn, the on comming traffic still has a red. Additionally, pedestrians are not supposed to cross on flashing green, allowing cars to turn right without impediment.

Ahh that would make sense.

not a toronto thing..same down here in NS preceeding green light...most have switch to arrows now

I think Vancouver has flashing greens too, cept that they simply mean "everyone is going." Or I could be wrong.

It is all over the place in Montreal.

yes, it's an even mix between the green arrow and the flashing advance green here in the GTA.

I think that in Montreal, the flashing green is at the end of the cycle (confirm sticky?) not an advance green. they also have a long notice on a sign that says something like: "Attendez pour le feu verte clingonment" or some such thing. First time I saw that, I missed my turn because i was busy trying to mentally translate the sign.

I've seen an occasional flashing green in the northeast US, generally in front of fire stations. It that usage, it says "This light is green, and will essentially be green forever." It'll only change if there's a fire alarm.

They are all over the place in Hamilton, I can assure you.

From http://answers.yahoo.com/question/in...202224AAlrkwi:

Explains it better than I could have.

I have never seen a sign saying, "Delayed Green Wait for signal."

How odd.

Yeah, like said above, in BC it means you need to be aware that there's a pedestrian controlled crosswalk there.

I can say that PEI doesn't have them, and I was a bit confused when out-of-province. We do have the blinking left arrow light instead though.

There are signs like this in Montreal. it keeps (or it is supposed to keep) people from jumping the gun at the end of the yellow in the perpendicular direction.

I have also seen the opposit sign - something like "you have an advanced turning green".
I guess the purpose on this one is to keep people from entring the intersection to run left so that they don't get stuck there on the red. The sign is saying, don't worry about trying to slip through, you will get your chance in a minute.

We have a couple of these in Pembroke, not really too sure why though, it isn't like I live in a thriving metropolis, or have tons of traffic.

Have you made it to the cottage yet this year Charlatan? I haven't made it out to the relatives cottage yet, hopefull one of these weekends.

I made it to the cottage at Easter and again on the second weekend in July (annual family reunion).

Sadly, I do not think I will be back for a couple of years...

Anyone heard of "green arrow with a circle around it"?