Buses can change the lights at an intersection.

[iLLlegal]

For some time now I have noticed transit buses in my neighbourhood can change the lights at an intersection so they can continue on their route, to save time and such. It only works at certain intersections that are equiped with this type of "garage door opener" as I think it is. Now there is one intersection in by my place that is extremely hard to get across and well buses get it easy. Now im trying to find out how these systems work and if I can build a remote to communicate with these lights.

 

ya so thats my kinda rant and I want to know if anyone else knows of this and knows how they work. because if I can make one of these remotes that would be AWSOME!!!. :bow:

 

anyway im going to keep trying to find info on this subject and get closer to finding out how to build one.

 

[Slick]

i know some chick just went to jail here for buying a "light changer" on ebay.. cops busted her using it at a light........ 2 yrs in jail. it's illegal here except for ambulances and police.

[iLLlegal]

aaahhhhh realllly??!!? I guess if its used for ambulances and police. I wonder if the one im thinking of goes on the same principle. I dont want to do it if its that bad :confused:

[iLLlegal]

I found this dandy little article if anyone wants to read.

 

http://www.i-hacked.com/index.php?option=c...ask=view&id=176

 

kinda interesting.

 

 

I in no way agree or encourage illegal operations of these devices.

this is solely for the purpose of information.

 

I have come to this conclusion on finding out how against the law they accually are. this is also stated in that link above.

 

hmmp well my idea has come to an end. I MIGHT make one just to see that I can. and thats all.

 

sssh

[GrimGreg]

Don't know what system they are using in CA now, but the old system would change the light if you flashed your headlights (alternate high-low beams). :secret:

[dagwoodzz]

As nice as it would be... don't do it. It would put you in the same category with the jack legs that ride the emergency lane past the bottleneck on the interstate. Try to leave a little earlier and take pride in knowing civilization doesnt exist to let us go first.

 

okay off the soap box now. whew.

 

I agree it would be cool.

[Trainman]

:idea: Just follow the bus through the light

[94extreme]

:idea: Just follow the bus through the light

yup. lol.

[Mr. Pickles]

:idea: Just follow the bus through the light

Captain Obvious to the rescue!

 

I know around here (western WA) the flashing light deal doesn't work. I knew a gal who swore by it and would sit at an intersection flashing like crazy. Does that really work somewhere, or is that an urban legend? I'd 2nd the idea of keeping yourself out of tickets and out of jail.

 

Regular commuters would probably skin you if you build one. I was over on the highway a few days ago trying to cross and come home, and there was a pretty decent rear end wreck. One by one, the cops, a fire truck, and a fire dept med truck came rushing... right on by and down the highway. So they flipped the light and went by on down the semi-divided highway, and held me up. This already is a very slow light, taking several minutes to cycle during peak times, and the pros had to go about half a mile, then turn around the divider and come back. So of course they come back just as the light was gonna change. About the same time, another cop decided join the show, and by the time all was said and done, resetting the @#$%&* signal, I was hanging out at this light for like 10-15 min. These are times where you thank yourself for a good stereo.

[vengeful]

The systems used by Fire, EMS and Police use actually have two systems.

 

System 1 is an RF Transmitter that activates a receiver at the intersection.

 

System 2 is an Infrared Strobe that is mounted near the rearview mirror or in the center of the light-bar on the roof that will strobe at varying frequencies when running different levels of code. The RF transmitter is always on, but the strobe is only on when the lights/sirens are on, which trigger the light to change.

 

The purpose of systems like this is to clear an intersection and give the emergency vehicles a clear path through.

 

In New York State, they turn ALL lights RED, so all the traffic is stopped and the emergency vehicles can whip around all the traffic and continue on their merry way.

 

In Virginia, it will turn the light that the EV is coming from GREEN so that the traffic stopped there will move out of the way, but it will stop all the other traffic, including oncoming (so you don't get left turners smashing into your bus).

 

These systems are designed to decrease response times by allowing the EVs to have to stop and wait for traffic to get out of the way at intersections, and it also increases the safety of the Emergency personnel responding to the calls, as the likelihood of an accident is far lower.

 

As for the Busses, they usually DO NOT have a light-changing tool. The bus drivers have just driven the same roads so many times they know how to time the lights.

[Slick]

Don't know what system they are using in CA now, but the old system would change the light if you flashed your headlights (alternate high-low beams). :secret:

no. people try that allt he time. if i am all by myself and i want the light to change.. i pull just over the white line and it usually changes

[iLLlegal]

:idea:  Just follow the bus through the light 

lol accually thats what I usually do. if I see a bus at that intersection I rush over

 

As for the Busses, they usually DO NOT have a light-changing tool. The bus drivers have just driven the same roads so many times they know how to time the lights.

 

accually they DO have a light changing device. mabey this is ONLY in canada, but I know they have it. The intersection I am talking about only has lights for pedestrians to cross so it will NEVER change red if you are waiting there to get accross.

 

I know the bus uses it because there are notification lights that turn on just above the crosswalk sighs when it is safe to go. it is a white light and I dont think many people have paid attention to it. but when I see that on I know its safe to go. realisticly I only wanted to try it on these lights and these only.

 

it really wont effect anything because that light only changes when people press the button. sssh

 

 

its a horrible intersection really. its due to a T interesection down the road. so when that light turns red you still get all the left turning people coming down the road anyway. so there is basically no window of opportunity to get accross.

[vengeful]

I have my own means of getting across.

 

I still have all the EV equipment on my Pathy from when I was an EMT.

[OBXbeachpathy]

They just installed a new light by my house. I can change it (seems to only work after 2:00 AM though) just by really quickly flashing my lights between high and low beam. It's nice when I have a red light and I want to go and there is nobody coming.

[88pathoffroad]

The headlight flash used to work around here, but I haven't tried recently. *shrug*

[OR99.5Speed]

Now I see where you came up with your username.

[RedPath88]

i pull just over the white line and it usually changes

You one of those people who drives over the sensors, over and sometimes past the white line thinking that it will really change the light faster?

 

Do you also stand there and repeatedly hammer on the buttom at the crosswalk??

 

 

 

Along the lines of the first statement, I my butt off at those people who stop way short of the white lines (missing the sensors) and then get pissed because the light won't change... or those who drive over them and past the line on low prioity lights.

The last place I lived had one of those lights at the end of the street, I used to mess with people so much by stopping short of the sensors and laugh at them. More times than not, they would get so pissed and just speed off to the right, turn around and come back. But as soon as they would take off I would move up and by the time they got back to the light, it was red for them and I would pull out and wave at them

[GrimGreg]

I used to stop short on some turn lanes on purpose, because they put the magnetic plate 3 cars back so that it wouldn't give a turn arrow unless there were at least 3 cars turning. Screw that, I don't wanna wait 10 cycles of the light to get a turn light

 

Actually around here they have moved te magnetic plates up on most lights so that there is one past the stop line for those who have no idea what that wide white line at the intersection is for.

[mws]

Some of the first generation systems reacted to stroboscopic lights.

Those are likely the ones that would react to flashing headlights.