Traffic Lights

[Jonners]

I'm having a convo with my fellow friend Pac2007, now he says that them wee boxes ontop of pedestrian crossings and some sets off traffic lights are sensors and not camera's to click people going through on red and get a NIP sent out asap? Is he wrong or right? I always thought they were camera's

 

[j0s]

camera's have to be painted yellow dont they nowdays?

I thought they were a sensor that changed lights when needed. ie if one road was clear and the traffic was running smoothly on the other side the lights would stay green, till a car come to the other set then the senso would kick in and change lights.

 

[Jokester]

The cameras facing the traffic as they approach the lights are motion sensors to trigger the lights to turn to green if they're green on the otherside without traffic (or even red on both sides to save time).

They can be triggered at night by flashing your full beam at them so that the lights are green by the time you reach the lights if the road is clear.

Jokester

 

[chesterstu]

i thought, the little boxes on top of traffic lights had something to so with the emergency services, they had a special a device to change the lights but red light cameras looked loike gatsos and had sensors in the road and u can see where they have been dug up and put in

 

[Jonners]

Theres a cluster of 3 on each side sat ontop of the traffic lights here, one pointing at the oncoming traffic, one pointing downwards at pedestrians and other down the road(cars rear end).

So I wouldn't go through a red light if I could help it, but these are no more than sensors even if in clusters of 3 on each light?

 

[DannyDan]

Theres a cluster of 3 on each side sat ontop of the traffic lights here, one pointing at the oncoming traffic, one pointing downwards at pedestrians and other down the road(cars rear end).

So I wouldn't go through a red light if I could help it, but these are no more than sensors even if in clusters of 3 on each light?

Red light cameras are never on top of the traffic lights themselves. They are positioned a few metres back from the traffic lights, normally bright yellow, big, and point towards the junction.

 

[chesterstu]

Theres a cluster of 3 on each side sat ontop of the traffic lights here, one pointing at the oncoming traffic, one pointing downwards at pedestrians and other down the road(cars rear end).

So I wouldn't go through a red light if I could help it, but these are no more than sensors even if in clusters of 3 on each light?

i would be more worried about an unmarked car following you through a red than a hidden red light camera

 

[Rabble0]

I'm having a convo with my fellow friend Pac2007, now he says that them wee boxes ontop of pedestrian crossings and some sets off traffic lights are sensors and not camera's to click people going through on red and get a NIP sent out asap? Is he wrong or right? I always thought they were camera's

OMG

the ammount of times ive had this conversation with my boss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hes convinced they are cameras when they blatently are not

 

[Jonners]

Yeh theres only like 1 red light cam down here, and its centimetres from the traffic light itself, only problem is its on a busy box junction and the mini gatso itself is just grey, not a single spec of yellow paint on it

 

[Morba]

traffic light cameras do not need to be coloured, the fact you are at a junction with lights on should be warning enough to not go through.

 

[BenST]

Actually most traffic light cameras are grey not yellow and situated a few metres back from the traffic light. They are triggered by induction loops in the road.

 

[Simian]

The cameras facing the traffic as they approach the lights are motion sensors to trigger the lights to turn to green if they're green on the otherside without traffic (or even red on both sides to save time).

They can be triggered at night by flashing your full beam at them so that the lights are green by the time you reach the lights if the road is clear.

Jokester

Being I work in Traffic Planning... I can say this is true!!... and exactly what they are!..

Some also have Heat sensors for either Pedestrian Body Heat or Car Engine Heat, and some new ones even have Motion sensors!... and I've seen CCTV cameras on top (these are for the safty of drivers from Car Jacking at specific 'Hot Spots')

The 'Red Light' Cameras are big yellow box's (slightly smaller than a GATSO) just before the Traffic Light... They're not usually mounted on the Light Stand its self!... You need both the Car and the Red Light in shot for a prosecution!. They become active just before the Red Light shows and are Motion or Induction loop triggered!.

 

[R220]

Typical red light camera :

Traffic light with sensor on top :

Slight difference between the two, one being the red light camera is totally disconnected from the traffic lights and on a huge square pillar. If you think about it how would a camera ontop of the lights proove you were going through on red ? the traffic light cameras are pointing at the lights so that you get a picture of your car going through the red lights.

 

[AtomicBanana]

They can be triggered at night by flashing your full beam at them so that the lights are green by the time you reach the lights if the road is clear.

Wow, so this really is true? I heard people talking about this and assumed it was bull! Will have to give a go next time at some traffic lights back home.

 

[Dj_Jestar]

They are motion sensors for detecting traffic and pedestrians waiting to cross, to operate the lights according to the needs of said traffic and pedestrians.

Toucan crossings, for one example.

 

[Simian]

Wow, so this really is true? I heard people talking about this and assumed it was bull! Will have to give a go next time at some traffic lights back home.

Doesn't work on all of em!... mainly on main routes that Ambulances/Fire/Police need to negotiate at speed on a regular basis... Like Thamesdown Road in Swindon... Long stretch of Dual Carriageway with Lights almost every 500 yards ( ) the flashing headlights of the emergency services trigger em to Green (they CAN still get prosecuted for running a Red!!)... I've tried it!... if speeds up my Journey home from one end to the other (past Adsa) quite nicely!

 

[Guigsy]

Doesn't work on all of em!... mainly on main routes that Ambulances/Fire/Police need to negotiate at speed on a regular basis... Like Thamesdown Road in Swindon... Long stretch of Dual Carriageway with Lights almost every 500 yards ( ) the flashing headlights of the emergency services trigger em to Green (they CAN still get prosecuted for running a Red!!)... I've tried it!... if speeds up my Journey home from one end to the other (past Adsa) quite nicely!

99% of the sensors are just to detect whether there are cars or not, they aren't set up for emergency services. Unless you know where they are, flashing your lights is pointless.

Some of these sensors are set up so all the lights go red in advance of emergency services in all directions. The police/amulance/fire can then go through the junction on the wrong side of the road and turn any direction without any cars getting in the way. Flashing these isn't going to make your journey easier.

 

[RoboCod]

99% of the sensors are just to detect whether there are cars or not, they aren't set up for emergency services. Unless you know where they are, flashing your lights is pointless.

Being I work in Traffic Planning... I can say this is true!!... and exactly what they are!..
.

 

[Jonners]

So I've gone and done it like a fool

No Gatso(of any type) around. Just one of them sensors, am I gonna need lube or be fine you think?

Totally mad with myself.

 

[ZG002]

So I've gone and done it like a fool

No Gatso(of any type) around. Just one of them sensors, am I gonna need lube or be fine you think?

Totally mad with myself.

I get this feeling from you.. .that you are quite stupid... i could be wrong.. but why dont you try reading what has been posted above and work it out for yourself? hell you started the thread!!!