🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Aug13.150929.28525@kronos.com> richb@kronos.com (Rich Braun) writes:
>rhl@valhalla.mitre.org (Roger Lincoln) writes:
>>Is it just blind luck or are the traffic lights on Rt 2, between 128
>>and the Concord Rotary, *purposely* timed to make you stop ...
>> after a year I've noticed a pattern
>
>Traffic lights are driven by synchronous motors similar to electric
>alarm clocks.  In the past, at least, traffic engineers deliberately
>set up the timers along fairly long stretches so they'd have the same
>overall cycle time.  That means that if two of them are on the same
>circuit, they'll stay in sync regardless of power outages, because
>they essentially count off ticks of the 60-Hz line frequency.

Do they still have this on Rt. 2?  I thought since they now buried sensors
on each intersection they should have something more modern than that to
regulate the cycles.
One possible reason for the original question might be because the lights are
synchronized for the 45 mph. speed limit.  Of course nobody drives within the
speed limit on Rt. 2.

About the sensors, they can make a very dangerous situation.  This happens
at the next light after Rt. 126 intersection (by the Texaco gas station).
At night, trying to turn left at this intersection, you have to wait right
under the sensor.  If not, you will be stuck at the red light forever.  People
unaware of this sensor might think it is a faulty light.  Even worse, if you
are in front of a pack, people behind you start honking.  They think after
the light at the other road turns red, it should be their turn and proceed
although the left turn light is still red.  Well they don't realize the Rt. 2
side of the light also turns green at this time.  This is an accident waiting
to happen (luckily Emerson hospital is at the next block over).  What people
should do instead, is to pull the car right before the white line which where
the sensor is.

>
>-rich
>

-- 
Santa Wiryaman

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