Although the lights themselves are not that confusing (read comments above as to what each of them refers to) the sequence of lights is.
The left and right arrows go green at the same time but the straight circle never goes green. This is because the part of Swanston St ahead is not designed to take a large amount of traffic. Taxis (and others familiar with the intersection) routinely ignore the red light and cross anyway.
It is quite common to see confused motorists opposite these lights waiting to go straight only to have 50 cars pile up behind them beeping them through a few sequences until they give up and turn left or right.
I know all of this as I used to attend RMIT university which is just around the corner from here.
The left and right arrows go green at the same time but the straight circle never goes green. This is because the part of Swanston St ahead is not designed to take a large amount of traffic. Taxis (and others familiar with the intersection) routinely ignore the red light and cross anyway.
It is quite common to see confused motorists opposite these lights waiting to go straight only to have 50 cars pile up behind them beeping them through a few sequences until they give up and turn left or right.
I know all of this as I used to attend RMIT university which is just around the corner from here.