Never liked this style as it's too high a wattage and directs most of its light outward into neighborhood windows. Really a poor design for residential streets unless it's at low wattage at low mounting heights like original coach lights were.
I agree. Around here the ones they used had the lamp mounted in the top canopy horizontally but with the same prismatic side panels, which helped direct the light downward more but cobraheads are much more effective than any style post light. The ones used were were typical GE Town & Country lights on 14ft poles. 50W HPS and sometimes 100w HPS.
A few versions of these "coach top" fixtures have been used in my downtown (Brampton Canada). They are clear panels. Model from the 80's has clear plastic stepped panels, most now yellowed and scuffed. And since 2005 a model with real glass panels. Since last year new installs has an LED matrix where the lamp is like Mike says, and the sides have no panels so are fully open. The LED models light pretty decent.