Go, Let Go, and What? Understanding the strategic flow of the traffic light

A traffic light switches from green to yellow to red, but from red to green.

Which stratagem is in use?

Stratagem 16: "To catch something, first let it go". This emphasizes the need to (sometimes) slam on the brakes first so that you can make progress faster later (Senger 1993: 253-294).1

In the case of a traffic light, yellow is used as a signal color to initiate letting go - "Attention". Red means danger or release - "Let Go" -, green stands for safety or catch - "Go".

When the traffic light switches from green to red, the freedom of movement is temporarily restricted on your side so that congested traffic elsewhere can move off and ease up. This ensures a more fluent flow of traffic, allowing all road users to reach their destination more quickly. Because standing still doesn't mean standstill, moving doesn't mean advance. The traffic lights are intended to prevent both, as simultaneous and uncontrolled movement results in standstill. Congestion.

Letting go is a slow process that must be announced and prepared for everyone's safety. At traffic lights, you must reduce your speed gradually so that the driver behind you doesn't crash into you.

Catching, on the other hand, is a quick process. Signaling to the prey in advance that it's about to be grabbed would be ineffective or even counterproductive, as it would also use the signal as a cue.

Applying this principle to traffic lights means that a further yellow phase between red and green could lead to misunderstandings. Some people might see yellow, as before the red phase, as the last opportunity to catch and (automatically) accelerate while oncoming traffic is still moving or the vehicle in front is stationary.

And this is why it makes sense (not only) in terms of stratagem that yellow is sandwiched between green and red, but not vice versa:

Green doesn't mean safety, but that it's currently safe to proceed. Yellow doesn't mean attention, but that you should now be attentive and get ready to brake. Red doesn't mean danger, but that it's now time to wait so that others can make progress and everyone can reach their destination more efficiently and quickly.

So why should you brake after red?

Last but not least, as a fun fact: if you mix the colors red, yellow and green, you get brown.

You don't have to see this in political terms, of course. Otherwise, we could conclude that Germany's traffic light coalition consisting of SPD, FDP and Green cannot fulfill its natural functions in the current ministerial constellation, which usually should result in chaos and gridlock: congestion.

Source:

1. Senger, Harro von (1993): The Book of Stratagems. Tactics for Triumph and Survival. Under participation of Myron B. Gubitz. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

#36stratagems