# How many stoplights on your typical commute? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623 "2014-11-14T16:27:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/1 "2014-11-14T16:27:35Z")
Just something I was thinking about as I drove to work this morning. The usual way I drive into work, I only have seven traffic lights, and one of them is a right turn with a yield turn lane, so I almost never have to stop there for long. Six are on the road I use to get to the freeway, (including the right turn at the end,) and one is just off the freeway exit, leading to the service road. Since I can’t use the shortcut to the service road on the way back, I generally have three more, for a total of ten. What about you? Do you have too many to count them all? Or only a couple? (Should I add a poll? I wasn’t sure what brackets to set up.) ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/2 "2014-11-14T16:34:20Z")
If I count correctly, it’s six. Seven if you include stop signs. A stop sign out of my subdivision, turn right at the first stop light. Then one more on the way to the entrance to the freeway. Then a left turn onto the on-ramp. Right turn at the top of the exit ramp, thru another stop light, then a left onto the street where my office is. Only about a fifteen minute commute, if it doesn’t snow. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/3 "2014-11-14T16:36:33Z")
07 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/4 "2014-11-14T16:36:48Z")
3 stoplights, in a small town. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/5 "2014-11-14T16:37:59Z")
If I go the “back way” there is only one. If I go the other way to stop for coffee, it’s three or four. about 6 miles either way. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/6 "2014-11-14T16:43:04Z")
One stop sign, zero lights. I often have to brake for deer, squirrels, turkeys, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/7 "2014-11-14T16:43:44Z")
Exit neighborhood, turn on to main road. Stop lights at 75th, 79th, 83rd, 87th, 91st, 95th, 99th, 103rd, 107th, ramp before overpass, at left turn onto interstate, exit ramp to state highway, and at outer road to work. So, 13. Add 6 if I’m taking my son to day care/school that day. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/8 "2014-11-14T16:46:37Z")
24, the majority come on two major streets. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/9 "2014-11-14T16:47:29Z")
I cycle to work. There’s probably about seven on Götgatan alone. And that’s about a fifth of my commute. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/10 "2014-11-14T16:48:01Z")
14 stoplights, 3 stop signs ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/11 "2014-11-14T16:54:10Z")
1 stop sign. 8 traffic lights and one railroad crossing to get to the freeway, plus one fire station exit that’s 99.999% always green for us. Then about 4 traffic lights and one stop sign at the other end between the freeway and employee parking. If I take the train to work it’s 2 more traffic lights and a 2nd railroad crossing at my end and nothing at all at the far end; the train goes right to work. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/12 "2014-11-14T16:57:16Z")
My “typical” commute is back and forth 24 miles to the store. Zero. When I worked in town, round trip was 50 miles and two lights. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/13 "2014-11-14T16:59:53Z")
Nine stoplights, 4 stop signs. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/14 "2014-11-14T17:03:39Z")
Somewhere around 16. It could be less if I didn’t take the backroads that parallel the freeway, but my commute would be longer. That doesn’t count one metering light when I do get on the freeway. I stay on the major road mostly, so they aren’t that bad unless the traffic is very heavy. ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/15 "2014-11-14T17:05:15Z")
Four stoplights, two stop signs, and two roundabouts. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/16 "2014-11-14T17:08:50Z")
I had one. Small town. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/17 "2014-11-14T17:19:56Z")
4 two are right turns for me not bad at all ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/18 "2014-11-14T17:27:55Z")
11, plus two stop signs. And they’re always red. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/19 "2014-11-14T17:32:23Z")
1 stop sign and 3 lights ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2014, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623/20 "2014-11-14T17:33:22Z")
It depends on my route. During winter, I take the freeway in to work, and only encounter two traffic lights. On the way home, and early spring through late summer on the way in, I drive through the city and there are ten to twelve lights, depending on the route. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-stoplights-on-your-typical-commute/704623.md?page=2)