Stupid Traffic Lights

Have you ever driven up to a traffic light, usually at night, and have it turn amber just as you reach? It's happened to me on several occasions. I've used to most foul of languages on the fellows responsible for this travesty of justice.

It is a known fact that Singapore car drivers pay the most vehicular taxes in the world. You name it, we have it. So, is it too much to ask for the same standard of traffic light management as in, say, Australia?

I don't have it in black and white, but it is my observation that they bury sensors some distance away from traffic lights. When traffic is light, it will not change the lights until a passing car has gone through. Conversely, it will change a red to green for you if the cross road is clear. You don't have to slow down. They've had this system for at least 10 years and it beats me why LTA doesn't implement it here.

I guess they are not as people-, customer- and service-oriented as Australians. Sometimes the Australians can be too PC, too soft when they should be hard, but in this they're dead on. Go Aussies!

In other news, I just took delivery of my spanking new Dell Dimension 5100 1 week ago. Bumped up the RAM to 1GB, Video card is middle-of-the-road ATI X600 256MB, DVD burner and 17" LCD screen, McAfee antivirus, 3-year warranty. Suh-weeeet! Cost me about $1800. Much cheaper than my last computer. I've been playing a lot of Dungeon Siege II. Fun. Have Doom III and expansion lined up. Waiting for Civ IV, F.E.A.R and others. Also rubbing my hands in anticipation of X-Box 360. Yum.