In the book DOS for Dummies, there was a tongue-in-cheek sidebar that stated: "If you press the command key repeatedly, DOS will sense your urgency and move the data along faster. Hint: This also works for crosswalk signals and elevator call buttons." People were even more gullible about technology in 1991 than they are today, as if that's even possible.
I think this system can be programmed to take pedestrians as a top priority. This features would be useful in school zone, popular parks and crowd beach, etc.
When working at a traffic signal and I saw someone push the button more than once, I would always tell them that when you press a second time it turns the call off. It is really funny watching people trying to figure out how many times they pushed the button. Lol.
Sorry to burst your bubble but don’t bother, pushing that button puts a call onto the phase your currently sitting on. It won’t change the time of the other direction. The other direction still has to finish its timing whether you push the button or not.
@@Liam_Wa That only applies to pre-timed intersections. There are scenarios where the light would change faster than not having pressed the ped request. There are also scenarios where it won't effect anything like you mention. So there are two bubbles, no need to pretend to pop anything.
I have a cross walk in my town that will change the wait message the more times you press the button in one cycle. The crosswalk connects two neighborhood parks together. I think the person that man’s that light was giving the kids something to do while they were waiting for the light to turn.
Pres-and-hold, however, does have some interesting easter eggs. It can provide alternate languages, alternate voices, or you can upload your own audio... They're a lot of fun.
I’m thinking of writing a logic statement so when you push the button so many times in a certain sequence (like that old RUclips video on how to change traffic lights), it would actually force off the lights and give you a walk sign. Obviously it would be a lab experiment only!
I lived in Fort Worth Texas in the 1980s and they actually USED the state of the art technology in Traffic lights. They calibrated their traffic lights so that if you pull up to a red light and there is no cross traffic, it would be 3, 2, 1, GREEN. Same with turn arrows. If nobody was turning across your lane then your side would turn green even if your side's turn lane was still turning across the oncoming lanes. It only makes perfect sense. NOWHERE else in the US calibrates their signals....with the possible exception of Chicago. California....Colorado.....NOBODY calibrates their traffic signals. Oh....we tax payers paid for the technology.....it's in the box......but no cities actually uses the features that I know are in the signal box. In a large metropolitan area like any major city....it is SHOCKING at this late date that they don't engage the modern features that we KNOW is in the equipment. It's appalling.
When several traffic lights are blocks away on the same road, I've often wondered if they deliberately put them out of sync, or they just weren't really thinking about the impact on traffic. I'm a nerd, and that's how I think.
@@Dwigt_Rortugalsome signals in some towns and cities are intentionally set to make traffic stop in an irregular pattern, especially down the main streets. It causes drivers to look around, which increases foot traffic in c stops and small shops… the more you know!
@@Liam_Wa Yes, Polara has been around for a while, although many places still have older systems or placebo buttons that don't do anything (mostly because they used to and were later disconnected and are still awaiting servicing, etc.)
@@TheTrafficTech yeah, I can be bad with that too. While I'm on startups I get hyper focused and don't really want to talk to anyone. Kinda similar. Thanks!
Thats cool and all. But can yall just start making sure all the lights turn red & stay red when & till a pedestrian pushes the button to cross the road. Theres always one light thats green & its always a light that allows cars to run over pedestrians. & have flasher indicators that drivers can actually see for when pedestrians cross. Crosswalks are NOT safe.
I absolutely hate when people spam the crosswalk button, but this seems like a really poor design choice. So if a second person walks up and presses the button, the light won't change? I'm 99% sure it doesn't work that way in BC, Canada, as I've seen multiple people press the button and never seen it not change.
No, they're saying pushing it multiple times does nothing. It's idempotent. The first press registers the call, subsequent presses change nothing, they just replay the audio. The call remains registered.
In the book DOS for Dummies, there was a tongue-in-cheek sidebar that stated: "If you press the command key repeatedly, DOS will sense your urgency and move the data along faster. Hint: This also works for crosswalk signals and elevator call buttons."
People were even more gullible about technology in 1991 than they are today, as if that's even possible.
I think this system can be programmed to take pedestrians as a top priority.
This features would be useful in school zone, popular parks and crowd beach, etc.
When working at a traffic signal and I saw someone push the button more than once, I would always tell them that when you press a second time it turns the call off. It is really funny watching people trying to figure out how many times they pushed the button. Lol.
Nobody presses the button more than once because they think it’ll change the lights faster, it’s done out of sheer impatience.
Most press it multiple times to start put with. No impatience, just needa make sure that jawn worked
Where I live the pedestrian walk symbol won’t actually turn on until you press the button. Even after multiple green/red light cycles.
I get out of my car to push the button on those long lights 😂❤
🕵💢♥️ shout out for showing the guts....saved forever 🧠🤌
The real MVP clearing up the line for us all right here.
Sorry to burst your bubble but don’t bother, pushing that button puts a call onto the phase your currently sitting on. It won’t change the time of the other direction. The other direction still has to finish its timing whether you push the button or not.
@@Liam_Wa That only applies to pre-timed intersections. There are scenarios where the light would change faster than not having pressed the ped request. There are also scenarios where it won't effect anything like you mention. So there are two bubbles, no need to pretend to pop anything.
I have a cross walk in my town that will change the wait message the more times you press the button in one cycle. The crosswalk connects two neighborhood parks together. I think the person that man’s that light was giving the kids something to do while they were waiting for the light to turn.
NGL, sometimes I do this and I'm a grown adult. It's kind of funny that the second message is louder and sounds a bit annoyed
Pres-and-hold, however, does have some interesting easter eggs. It can provide alternate languages, alternate voices, or you can upload your own audio... They're a lot of fun.
Definitely looks like Downtown Gulfport!
What if you press and hold it? Sometimes it will switch languages.
I’m thinking of writing a logic statement so when you push the button so many times in a certain sequence (like that old RUclips video on how to change traffic lights), it would actually force off the lights and give you a walk sign. Obviously it would be a lab experiment only!
I lived in Fort Worth Texas in the 1980s and they actually USED the state of the art technology in Traffic lights. They calibrated their traffic lights so that if you pull up to a red light and there is no cross traffic, it would be 3, 2, 1, GREEN. Same with turn arrows. If nobody was turning across your lane then your side would turn green even if your side's turn lane was still turning across the oncoming lanes. It only makes perfect sense. NOWHERE else in the US calibrates their signals....with the possible exception of Chicago.
California....Colorado.....NOBODY calibrates their traffic signals. Oh....we tax payers paid for the technology.....it's in the box......but no cities actually uses the features that I know are in the signal box. In a large metropolitan area like any major city....it is SHOCKING at this late date that they don't engage the modern features that we KNOW is in the equipment. It's appalling.
When several traffic lights are blocks away on the same road, I've often wondered if they deliberately put them out of sync, or they just weren't really thinking about the impact on traffic. I'm a nerd, and that's how I think.
@@Dwigt_Rortugal The answer is.......that they were totally mindless in how they set up their traffic signals. That's the sad truth.
@@Dwigt_Rortugalsome signals in some towns and cities are intentionally set to make traffic stop in an irregular pattern, especially down the main streets. It causes drivers to look around, which increases foot traffic in c stops and small shops… the more you know!
We know but it gives us something to do before we can’t take it anymore and jay walk across 6 lanes of traffic.
That system look fairly modern, is it the same for older systems?
The pedestrian system he described has been the standard for about 20 years.
@@Liam_Wa Yes, Polara has been around for a while, although many places still have older systems or placebo buttons that don't do anything (mostly because they used to and were later disconnected and are still awaiting servicing, etc.)
You should explain what some of the acronyms are, such as CCU
Central Control Unit for the Polara buttons. I’m bad for that too. I know all the acronyms and assume everyone does too!
@@TheTrafficTechnot an accurate assumption.
@@mcleodautomation oh I realize that lol. I’m just bad for it in general! Sometimes I just gotta slow down and explain things!
@@TheTrafficTech yeah, I can be bad with that too. While I'm on startups I get hyper focused and don't really want to talk to anyone. Kinda similar.
Thanks!
@@mcleodautomation oh trust me, I feel that! ADHD is almost a requirement in this industry though haha
The iNS have a machine gun noise
Now imagine a passive-aggressive traffic control system: It makes you wait longer every time you push their buttons ;)
Lol, exponential back-off
WAIT!
Thats cool and all. But can yall just start making sure all the lights turn red & stay red when & till a pedestrian pushes the button to cross the road. Theres always one light thats green & its always a light that allows cars to run over pedestrians. & have flasher indicators that drivers can actually see for when pedestrians cross. Crosswalks are NOT safe.
I absolutely hate when people spam the crosswalk button, but this seems like a really poor design choice. So if a second person walks up and presses the button, the light won't change? I'm 99% sure it doesn't work that way in BC, Canada, as I've seen multiple people press the button and never seen it not change.
Canada uses the same traffic control standard as the US. You only need to press the button once. Pressing it more won’t change anything.
@@Liam_Wa ....but it won't hurt anything either, will it?
@@rael5469it will prevent you from using the time to contact the traffic department about how bad corsswalk buttons are !
No, they're saying pushing it multiple times does nothing. It's idempotent. The first press registers the call, subsequent presses change nothing, they just replay the audio. The call remains registered.
@@rael5469 Correct.