Its not the lights stupid its the culture

It’s the stupid, not the lights. That’s the response of Panama’s transit authorities to criticism of the city’s new  "intelligent" traffic lights.

166 sets of  lights have been installed with 14 more to come, with , many drivers believing  they cause more traffic problems than they solve.
Ulises Lay, a member of the Road Commission of the Panamanian Society of Engineers and Architects, said that he thinks the lights have caused more congestion instead of expediting the flow of traffic.
But Nicholas Samaniego, of the Technological University of Panama, defends the lights and says that three months is a short time to judge the new system.
"You have to give them time to handle the information that reaches the sensors so they can adapt the times," said Samaniego.
ATTT authorities note that part of the problem is Panama’s driving culture, which makes it difficult for the lights to operate as they are supposed to. This is especially true when motorists block intersections, and tie up traffic in all directions.