Actually it works pretty well. I quite like it in comparison to NZ where it goes straight from red to green. I think part of the idea here is Germany is that you can turn your motor off while you are stopped at the lights, and the amber before the green gives you enough time to get it going again without holding things up. You are taught to turn the motor off whenever you can to reduce fuel consumption and pollution when you get you drivers licence here. The timing of the lights is usually quite well set up too, and if someone is still sitting in the intersection when you get the amber/green people are *usually* reasonably patient. Well that's my experience.