$300 device changes red traffic lights to green

[erik]

prolly not against a traffic law but tampering with traffic safety equipment is a felony...

 

i think i would rather have a ticket from running the red light.

 

and yes the county/ fire agency does hold some liability for accidents that may occur during an emergency. tho all drivers are required to yield to emergency vehicles with lights and sirens wheter they have the right away or not. and claiming you did not see them is not an excuse.

 

 

 

 

[klenke]

Like Bungler said, just run the red light. I often do this in the middle of the night when there aint no one around. Why sit at the light for a minute waiting for it to turn when you can blast through it with no change whatsoever in the time continuum?

 

Scrambler: it is NOT TRUE that the device emits no radio signals. Unless it communicates with the traffic light by way of acoustic signal (i.e., sound waves), then the signal emitted is radio in nature. Radio covers the whole spectrum of EM radiation (from ultraviolet through the visible spectrum to infrared). All of these are jurisdiction of the FCC. So, in a way, Thinker was not in compliance with the FCC when he created a stroboscopic effect with his headlights back in the Midwest.

 

Also, as Erik said, tampering with traffic safety equipment is a felony. This law initially applied to doing hands-on messin' with the equipment. But hands-off messin' (like with your funky device) would also qualify. Think of someone disconnecting the alternating red lights of a railroad crossing signal and then having a car attempt to cross the tracks when the train arrived simultaneously. This is why it's a felony to tamper with traffic equipment. Because of the significant risk of someone else's life, this cannot be a misdemeanor.

 

In the event of an accident, it would be easy for the prosecution to argue in court that your activation of a light change caused the accident. People are slaves to habit. This device would break that rhythm. If you picture the event in your head, you can see why this would be the case. However, I will say that your chances of winning the case might be at the mercy of the skill of your lawyer.

[JoshK]

To assist with the devil's advocate's point of view emitting IR signals isn't technically tampering. In fact, you are affecting the device in a way it's designed to respond to. I also *highly* doubt it would instantly change the light to red. It would simply signal the traffic software to do it's normal yellow->red countdown. It would appear no differnt to another driver than a regular yellow light when they are approaching the intersection.

 

This is much more likely to cause gridlock than accidents. I would love this thing if I could be guaranteed I was the only one that had it. As it is, every schmuck will get one and it'll just make matters worse.

[bunglehead]

JoshK said:

To assist with the devil's advocate's point of view emitting IR signals isn't technically tampering. In fact, you are affecting the device in a way it's designed to respond to. I also *highly* doubt it would instantly change the light to red. It would simply signal the traffic software to do it's normal yellow->red countdown. It would appear no differnt to another driver than a regular yellow light when they are approaching the intersection.

 

This is much more likely to cause gridlock than accidents. I would love this thing if I could be guaranteed I was the only one that had it. As it is, every schmuck will get one and it'll just make matters worse.

 

Correct use and spelling of Yiddish slang: "Schmuck"

 

Josh K: 500 points. You win one of these traffic thingys

[klenke]

Josh, what a bunch of nonsense you spew! Emitting IR signals IS tampering. It really doesn't matter how you affect the action, it is the result that is the point. By your reasoning, it would be okay to shoot out the light with a gun or pull down the whole structure with a wench on the front of a pick up. The result being that you unlawfully tampered with the normal operating procedure of the light. It is okay for law enforcement and ambulances to have such devices but not for ordinary citizens. Just think if it were okay for everyone to have police car lights on their car. Note that it is illegal to impersonate a police officer--this goes for his/her vehicle too.

 

It is illegal for any device to emit a radio signal that has not been made FCC compliant. It is illegal for someone to use such a device. These are active devices. A radar detector is a passive device AND it has been granted compliance by the FCC. A radar jammer is illegal, but it may still have been given compliance by the FCC (I really don't know the truth about that having never seen one to check the certification mark on the product body).

 

Like I said, people are slaves to habit and often "learn" the rhythm of a light and thus stop paying attention to a changing one if they don't expect it to change. They sort of start fiddling with the stereo or recommence the cell phone dialing procedure. They may be looking at the actions of the car in front of them but may not be looking at the light because they assume it'll be green for longer (because that is how it has always been). So, yes, the device in question would initiate the normal light change cycle (green-->yellow-->red) but during a time when it is not normal for it do be doing so (i.e., not when it is a stale green).

 

You are right, though, in that the device would make gridlock worse as a whole (while making it better for the device owner). These things are also illegal for the very reason you make mention of: just think if everyone had one. It'd be chaos at every traffic light. Then road rage would kick in. People would put down their signal change device and go for the pistol under the seat.

[EWolfe]

...to meaningful conversation.

 

I'd miss all the Trask posts, though.

[JoshK]

Klenke, whatever anybody's POV on the issue, I highly doubt any claim against the decice would stand up in court until an actual law change happened. With the various loopholes people use for real crimes, I can't imagine something like this would stick. The simple fact that the signally mechanism for the lights can be so easily fooled (at least according to this article) is just plain stupid to begin with. It's just asking people to fuck with them.

 

My main point is to dispute erik's claim that the lights would simply change to red instantly or something. If this were the case you'd have accidents at intersections every time a fire truck approached.

[adventuregal]

This thread reminded me of the time I saw a firefighter fall off a fire engine when it made a sharp turn from main street onto a side street. The truck didn't stop and the dude just got up and started running. It was funny as shit!!!

[scrambler]

Klenke, you were a boy scout weren't you? You sure sound like one.

 

Radio refers to the radio frequency spectrum. Radio frequency communications is the long wavelength, low frequency range of the EM spectrum. The microwave frequency ranges covers TV communications and radar. The millimeter wave range is also used in communications. All of these communications wavelengths are regulated by FCC. I saw no reference in the FCC site that discussed regulation of the infrared light or visible light ranges, which are higher frequency, shorter wavelength than the radio and microwave frequency spectrum.

[E-rock]

JoshK, just so you know, Klenke fully admitted that he was full of shit with that last post, when he was at pub club tonight, and regretted ever posting it. So let his dumb-ass have it!

[cj001f]

scrambler said: I saw no reference in the FCC site that discussed regulation of the infrared light or visible light ranges, which are higher frequency, shorter wavelength than the radio and microwave frequency spectrum.

If IR were regulated the Fat Asses of America would unite to overthrow the FCC - TV remotes are IR emitters.

[Ursa_Eagle]

cj001f said:

If IR were regulated the Fat Asses of America would unite to overthrow the FCC - TV remotes are IR emitters.

 

so that's what FAA really stands for!

[arlen]

bunglehead said:

Flash your lights six times? Damn, I thought it was blast off six caps in a row at the light!! Damn, I'm all wrong.

 

My pal from Lander WY loves to tell the one about the cowboy who couldn't bring himself to run the stuck redlight, so he grabbed his rifle and shot it out. Then he lawfully went on his way.

[allthumbs]

arlen said:

My pal from Lander WY loves to tell the one about the cowboy who couldn't bring himself to run the stuck redlight, so he grabbed his rifle and shot it out.

Ah yes, the days when men were men and sheep were scared.

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

trask said:

 

Ah yes, the days when men were men and sheep were scared.

 

Ya must be proud keeping those nostalgic days of yore alive and well there at Trask's High Boots Ranch, eh, Mr. Woolrich?

[rbw1966]

Dru said:

hoax

 

fire engines and ambulancves dont need to change the light to green, that why they have sirens and flashers.

 

Bullshit.

 

Fire engines in Portland (and ambulances as well) are equipped with devices that change the lights. I don't recall what they are called but they have them, and I used them. They are intended to reduce the amount of accidents emergency vehciles become involved in due to the abundance of idiots with massive stereos that dont hear sirens.

[allthumbs]

flash - don't fret, life's short, it'll be over before you know it

[klenke]

A new article on Yahoo concerning this device:

All Hell Breaking Lose?

 

Scrambler: I'm pretty sure the FCC has jurisdiction over IR wavelengths. Remember, it's the Federal Communications Commission. Any device that communicates with another via some transmitted signal (be it IR or UV or anything in between) ought to be covered by the FCC. If not, then there's a big loop hole just waiting to be taken advantage of. Highly doubtful.

[Thinker]

I found out yesterday that some or all Seattle city buses have this device. Not all traffic signals have the recievers yet, but the city continues to update the signals according to some sort of schedule. Installing the receivers triggers various environmental requirements, 'hot spot' analysis of CO and PM10 is one of them in most cases

 

GOD it's scary when work overlaps with cc.com topics......

[scrambler]

traces of the cosmic joker

[allthumbs]