Things you often Wonder

[Mandy Lifeboats]

 

When I started to drive it was said that temporary traffic lights had a sensor that would automatically change the light to green if an emergency services vehicle approached.  It was said that the sensor picked up the flashing lights.  

The story goes that you couldd trick the sensor by simply flashing your lights.  But you had to hit a sweet spot where your much headlights were in the sensors viewpoint.  

Myth or reality?  

I certainly remember doing this and the lights changed. But maybe that was a coincidence? 

[Follyfoot]

16 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

 

When I started to drive it was said that temporary traffic lights had a sensor that would automatically change the light to green if an emergency services vehicle approached.  It was said that the sensor picked up the flashing lights.  

The story goes that you couldd trick the sensor by simply flashing your lights.  But you had to hit a sweet spot where your much headlights were in the sensors viewpoint.  

Myth or reality?  

I certainly remember doing this and the lights changed. But maybe that was a coincidence? 

I do this all the time based on the above and have done so for donkeys years, the results are varied, sometimes they do sometimes they don’t. The fact that I click them on and off continuously until they change probably forfeits it as an experiment and has also almost caused some bad accidents. The kids find it hilarious (not so much the wife) which is all that really matters 

[Xann]

Depends on the setup, sensor type and alignment. 

Drive around the same area in the sticks late at night, you get to know which lights it works on?

[Rds1983]

Might potentially be a better thread for this, but I often wonder what the USAs response would be if the Hague did charge their soldiers with war crimes?

Would they actually use the 'Hague Invasion Act' and invade the Netherlands, try a different method to get the people released or just accept it?

What would other countries response be? The UK and other nations are signed up to defend the Netherlands if they're invaded, would they declare war on the States?

Edited September 6, 2023 by Rds1983

[bickster]

1 hour ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

 

When I started to drive it was said that temporary traffic lights had a sensor that would automatically change the light to green if an emergency services vehicle approached.  It was said that the sensor picked up the flashing lights.  

The story goes that you couldd trick the sensor by simply flashing your lights.  But you had to hit a sweet spot where your much headlights were in the sensors viewpoint.  

Myth or reality?  

I certainly remember doing this and the lights changed. But maybe that was a coincidence? 

Myth. Some temporary lights have light sensors on them, usually in areas with less traffic at night, others are just set to a sequence.

Flashing your lights just makes the sensor react to you from a greater distance than it would is you hadn't put full beam on

[chrisp65]

I’ve been reading up on this and legally you can just drive straight through temporary traffic lights if you shout ‘I am a free man’.

 

[Follyfoot]

Just now, chrisp65 said:

I’ve been reading up on this and legally you can just drive straight through temporary traffic lights if you shout ‘I am a free man’.

 

Do you not have to shout ‘I am not a number’ in front of it first ?

[chrisp65]

Just now, Follyfoot said:

Do you not have to shout ‘I am not a number’ in front of it first ?

No, that’s just TV bollocks.

Though you may have to have a sturdy lance and one of them shiny flippy helmets.

 

[Seat68]

In the centre of Stafford, we have an Island, lets call it New Look Island, and that has in total 6 sets of lights with pedestrian crossings. Pressing the button for the pedestrian crossing does absolutely zero. Nothing, the lights are on a sequence and never deviate from that sequence, but no, people still press the button. 

[mjmooney]

2 minutes ago, Seat68 said:

In the centre of Stafford, we have an Island, lets call it New Look Island, and that has in total 6 sets of lights with pedestrian crossings. Pressing the button for the pedestrian crossing does absolutely zero. Nothing, the lights are on a sequence and never deviate from that sequence, but no, people still press the button. 

Lots of pedestrian crossings are like that when they are at road junctions. I've told people they are wasting their time manically pushing the button, but they just look at me pityingly and carry on. 

[bickster]

3 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Lots of pedestrian crossings are like that when they are at road junctions. I've told people they are wasting their time manically pushing the button, but they just look at me pityingly and carry on. 

The only reason these lights have the push button is for blind people

[Mandy Lifeboats]

17 minutes ago, bickster said:

The only reason these lights have the push button is for blind people

Nah.  

I've pressed loads of those buttons.  It's never given me a blind person. 

[mjmooney]

24 minutes ago, bickster said:

The only reason these lights have the push button is for blind people

Most of them have a knurled knob (KW) underneath, that rotates when the green man lights up. Tactile signal for blind people. 

[Mandy Lifeboats]

1 hour ago, Rds1983 said:

Might potentially be a better thread for this, but I often wonder what the USAs response would be if the Hague did charge their soldiers with war crimes?

There is a very simple answer. If there was credible evidence of a war crime the USA would undoubtedly prosecute and punish those concerned with a reasonable penalty.  

The Hague would not repeat the process in order to implement a similar penalty.  

It's no different to existing legal practice in most European Coutries.

As an example - 

Mr X is in prison for 15 years for undertaking 10 armed robberies.  If other crimes come light they would be ignored UNLESS it would lead to a significant increase in his sentence.  

[bickster]

21 minutes ago, mjmooney said:

Most of them have a knurled knob (KW) underneath, that rotates when the green man lights up. Tactile signal for blind people. 

Yep exactly they used to make units with the button panel blanked off for the types of junctions we’re talking about but I guess it actually cost more to blank the button unit off

[Rds1983]

6 minutes ago, Mandy Lifeboats said:

There is a very simple answer. If there was credible evidence of a war crime the USA would undoubtedly prosecute and punish those concerned with a reasonable penalty.  

Would they give a reasonable sentence though?

It was being reminded about Sabrina Harman (the female soldier from Abu Ghraib who helped torture prisoner's and then posed with them or their bodies) that caused me to post. She was sentenced to 6 month's in prison, discharged and lost her benefits. I'd hope the Hague would have given a stricter sentence.

I'm also not convinced the USA would act with integrity as you suggest. Situations like the death of Harry Dunn and Sacoolas only being given an 8 month sentence for killing him and fleeing to the State's under false diplomatic immunity. 

[Mandy Lifeboats]

36 minutes ago, Rds1983 said:

Would they give a reasonable sentence though?

It was being reminded about Sabrina Harman (the female soldier from Abu Ghraib who helped torture prisoner's and then posed with them or their bodies) that caused me to post. She was sentenced to 6 month's in prison, discharged and lost her benefits. I'd hope the Hague would have given a stricter sentence.

I'm also not convinced the USA would act with integrity as you suggest. Situations like the death of Harry Dunn and Sacoolas only being given an 8 month sentence for killing him and fleeing to the State's under false diplomatic immunity. 

I can only really talk about the UK legal system. 

Every crime in the UK has a maximum and minimum penalty.  But the starting point is specified in the "Sentencing Guidelines".  This sets a typical penalty.  That penalty is then increased or decreased if criteria are met. These guidelines are in the public domain.  You can make the calculations yourself if you have heard everything said in court.  

I would imagine the US has something similar and the sentences you mention are compatible with that standard.  

[Mandy Lifeboats]

Here are the sentencing guidelines for the offence for which she was convicted  - Death By Careless Driving

https://www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk/offences/magistrates-court/item/causing-death-by-careless-or-inconsiderate-driving/

8 months seems completely compatible. 

Quote

Offence range: Community order – 4 years’ custody

Obligatory disqualification: minimum 12 months.

 

[sidcow]

2 hours ago, chrisp65 said:

I’ve been reading up on this and legally you can just drive straight through temporary traffic lights if you shout ‘I am a free man’.

 

And set fire to them. Perfectly allowed. 

[foreveryoung]

2 hours ago, chrisp65 said:

I’ve been reading up on this and legally you can just drive straight through temporary traffic lights if you shout ‘I am a free man’.

 

The short ones, f I can see it's safe and nothings around, I take no notice of them anyway. Some take forever, who wants to sit at a set of lights on the middle of a village if there's no one waiting, not me!