Fixing Bad Drivers with Radar Detection
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- čas přidán 7. 09. 2024
- Even the best laid out traffic signal detection at an intersection cannot help bad drivers. All too often a driver will pull past the stopbar or stop way too far back from the intersection. Today, I show how to help fix the latter when using a radar detection system.
I guess lining up your front bumper with the stop line is too much for people to ask for. Even in Canada where pavement markings get scraped up every year from snow removal, you can always find a stub of paint to tell where the stop line is. I line up my front bumper with it and it works like a charm 100% of the time.
If it was all that easy Mike! Please forward to all drivers out there! LOL
Like another user mentioned - in this left turn lane example, many drivers will stay back on purpose to allow trucks and busses to make the right turn.
Ah hah! This all makes sense now. I bought myself a Uniden R7 radar detector for Christmas 2022. Sometime around March of 2023, the city installed a bunch of new highly unnecessary traffic signals on a divided feeder road to interstate 35, and every time I'd approach one the K-band would light up like a Christmas tree. It got me curious if any traffic signals used radar for vehicle detection, but naturally not knowing any brands or models, that was frivolous and didn't really answer any of my questions. You mention "M S Sedco" detectors, which from a quick google search, their datasheet shows they operate at 24GHz which is smack dab in the middle of the K-band. Neat. I got so tired of thousands of false K-band bogey alerts that I disabled detection of the band all together. Ya can't drive a mile in this city without at least 3 false alerts. IDK if the police even use K-Band around here anymore, one day I might find out the hard way, or maybe not? I don't really speed unless I'm on an open interstate, but even then I'm more of a 5mph over kinda driver.
I don't know why or how, but, CZcams just started showing me these videos. It's interesting, for sure, more so about HOW the lights work, rather than the repairs. I'll never see or operate the inside of one of those control boxes, and I'm sure there's millions of variants.
One thing I have seen in my neck of the woods (Ontario) is there's pavement patches where I thought sensors were (And probably are, given previous comments). I try to roll up on those. I didn't know there was radar involved, but I guess that'd change light to light, district to district, traffic volume to traffic volume, and dollars and cents. :P
Radar, video, microwave, inductive loops, proximity sensors...all kinds of detection could be used. But yes you are correct, it varies all over the world. Thanks for your comment!
I've enjoyed your videos, and you're a good presenter, but I'd encourage you to provide context for lay people as you tell your stories. For example, I had no idea some intersections used RADAR instead of inductive loops. How does that work? What do the transponders look like? And I bet there a lot of people who don't even know about inductive loops. I've always understood the theory, but it wasn't until your videos that I realized how sophisticated the detection circuitry had become and -- by doing web searches on the names of some of the equipment shown, how few companies were making the stuff and selling into governments. And what exactly IS your job anyway? Is this your whole gig? Or are you responsible for other systems and/or a lot of paperwork?
Also, worth always taking a moment to orient geographically. The "northbound lane" is obvious to you, but means nothing to us.
I think you've a very interesting topic here, and, obviously I haven't watched everything you've done, but the more self-contained and explanatory your videos are, IMHO, the better story they will tell and the more people will be interested.
Keep up the good work, and thanks.
Hey Ward! THanks for your feedback. Although, this channel is geared more towards people either A) Are a signal maintainer or B) looking to enter the field... I strongly agree with your statement! I get ahead of myself and take things for granted--even with the guys I help in other agencies that are responsible for the signal maintenance. Here's a recent conversation:
Me: "OK open the door and look at the conflict monitor fault. Then go over to the controller alarms log and"
Them: *Interrupting me* "Is it the little black box or the big black box?" LOL
As far as my job--paperwork, timing of signals, install, troubleshooting & repair, assisting our engineers with signal design, signal component programming, networking (fiber & radios), assist contractors/agencies/public works dept in our region, etc. If it involves a signal, I'm involved. Signal tech by title.....but what's in a name?!
If I'm out doing the work, I usually am recording it while I'm doing it. I have found over my 20+ years in multiple jobs that span alot of states, there is a lack of good foundational knowledge among people in charge of maintaining signals. So the CZcams videos are my free content. (I also have a paid traffic signal membership for people who want to go deep into the traffic signal industry) found here: www.streetsmartstraffic.com/join-waitlist
I thank you again for your feedback. Much appreciated!
@@streetsmartstraffic Thanks for taking the time to write.
Yeah, there's always a tension between whether to narrow or broad cast. I admit, I'm a geek, but I do think you work in a field that is interesting to a lot of folks in the general public. I mean, who hasn't sat at a traffic signal and pondered its (possible non) operation?
Within your framework then, might I suggest a series of tutorial videos for lay slime like me? I think they could be quite popular. There are lots of topics: how traffic control works "from a height," block diagrams, inductive and radar signalling, state machines, how the industry is set up, networking, etc.
And there's also the popular questions people REALLY want to know: Can emergency services push a button in their vehicles and change lights (and can I get one)? How do red-light camera work and how separate a system are they from traffic control both operationally and administratively? What's the best strategy for driving through a series of timed signals and how are they synchronized in the first place? etc.
I get that it's really hard to shoot when working. I find filming anything I do slows me down by half and that's hard to justify when you're on someone else's dime. But, you know, lots of service workers do okay with a chest-mounted GoPro and iphone on a flexi tripod for wide stuff. You do seem to know your way around a video editing console okay and do a good job "fixing things in post."
Rock on and thanks for making this stuff.
@@WardCo Thanks again Ward. All good information. Some of your comments are already in the pipeline. I appreciate all your feedback!
Yes; first I've heard of radar for automobile detection rather than inductive loops which can be a big problem for motorcycles.
@@WardCo "Can emergency services push a button in their vehicles and change lights"
Buddy of mine demonstrated this in Anchorage; he just flashed his headlights about twice per second and every signal for the next ten blocks turned green. There's optical sensors that see the flashing emergency lights.
Make em wait.
Seen a wire in road sensor where the stop line is painted before it.
I saw that one! It's painted SOPT and that makes drivers leery and wait back ;-)
See my "WHY?" response below to @a68k_de about why I rewarded stupidity....
Happened to me since I tend to stay back behind the stop line especially where a side road joins the main highway and trucks cut the corner in front of me. Once I missed a full cycle and never got a green light so I advanced 10 feet or so then finally got the green light.
Great point. You're one of those smart drivers though! You realized it and pulled up
@@streetsmartstraffic On friday driving home the same way I looked for cameras or radar, seeing neither, concluded it was inductive sensors in the roadway.
@@thomasmaughan4798 Sounds like you did your due diligence!
So, what do drivers have to do with the detection not being properly programmed?
If its an area that you drive and you know the municipality/city--call the Municipality's Public Works Dept. Tell them the signalized intersection and what you perceive is happening. Unfortunately, unless you have a great PW dept, you may have to call more than once. Squeaky wheel gets the grease...
can you explain the flash light to the interection changing the side roads to detect immediately and changes the main redlightt timing i have an intersection where at night you have to sit and wait for 5 mins aand the main way stays green with no traffic and i sit and wait the intersection is NO TURN ON RED and ith an acward side slant and the other side is blocked to to a building close to the interscetion its on our main street in the middle of town if you can explain how this work thank you great videos
I always here stories out there about using flash lights to change the traffic lights. Not possible.
It sounds like though that the detection for mainstreet is bad and maxing out the green time OR someone programmed WAY too long of a green time in the traffic signal controller. Either way, find out who maintains the signal and complain until they fix (squeaky tire gets the oil). This will be usually be the city's Public Works Dept. Hope you get that resolved. I feel for you!
@@streetsmartstraffic I always laugh when see someone sitting at a red light and start flashing their high beams lol. Can't believe people still believe this myth.
@@elesjuan If it says it on the internet, it must be true! lol
had this happen to me just said fuck it xD 2am no one around
A commom reaction too! LOL
why are y’all not using 2070 controllers?
And why no 332 or 336 cabinets
@@Micheal-Wes1 Well Mike, I guess its our region. There's not many of those controllers/cabinets around here. I have worked on them before. What do you like about the 2070 & 332/336 cabinets over NEMA? Just curious
@@streetsmartstraffic Well the 332s. are pretty great a lot of room to work in and the 336s. they’re OKOK but not that much room but the 2070 controllers I think that’s the best thing on the market when it comes to programming, your overlaps etc.
I’ve been a traffic tech now for 10 plus years and I like it and I’m finally gonna get my level two this year so wish me luck and thanks for your fast response.
@@Micheal-Wes1 Good info. Thanks. Hey good luck on your Level 2! We need guys like you out there who 1) Take pride in their work 2) Care about people traveling your roads (safety/efficiency of signals).
I always think its my wife, son or daughter out there driving thru those signalized intersections....
WHY???
Let them wait, that's the only way to teach them how and where to stop
By doing what you show, this only encourages people's stupidity
Could it agree more.
Why?...Thats the question I ask myself often when I do things like this. You wouldn't believe the things I see out there working at intersections. (Just yesterday someone drove around barricades and through 20ft of wet pavement of the intersection. The person in the Cadillac just sat in there after she did it--maybe she was embarrassed, maybe she didn't care, who knows.) Anyways back to my 'Why?': There comes a point where my phone will stop ringing if I make simple changes like this. I guess you could say I am rewarding their stupidity--but I do this for my sanity! LOL
@@Michael_Livingstone Ditto
@@streetsmartstraffic yeah ok that's also a good point 👍
I have the feeling, humans get dumber and dumber. Or is this a thing with on going age, that you notice it more and more yourself / you become more sensitive to its perception?
Who knows ...
Also here in Germany you can't stop facepalming..
I work in cinema. One day when I retire I will write a book, if I can remember everything.
@@a68k_de I blame the advent of smart phones...
In Australia, we have a related problem that idiots sit right up the arse of your vehicle at traffic lights, instead of keeping the mandatory distance of at lease one vehicle length (5 metres). One excuse is people think there are more than one sensor at lights and they think cars have to be shoved close together to detect more cars and give those lanes priority. -How wrong they are.
The other excuse is idiots are being taught by other idiots that they only need to be able to barely see the tyres of the vehicle in front, so they can turn out if they need do. -Not only is that wrong, because that depends on how far the front wheels are from the front bumper of their vehicle, but different height people can see different distances in different cars.
The main reason why
Under Australian road rules, it's a requirement to maintain a safe distance at all times. Keeping at least one vehicle length between vehicles means there's reduced risk of injuring (or killing) someone in a vehicle ahead, if there's a rear-end collision.
I personally know this to be true, because I kept just over a car's length (around 6-7 metres) distance when my car was rear-ended by a speeding car as someone tried to out-run the cops. If I hadn't kept that distance, myself and the people in the vehicle ahead of mine would have suffered far more serious injuries and perhaps even death.
@jublywubly All good info there. Funny- I never thought about this: "different height people can see different distances in different cars." Thanks for chiming in!
Stopping so you so long as you can see the tires of the vehicle in front of you is a simple practice that makes good sense in general; it's not some hard-pressed rule people need to follow, but having too much of a space between vehicles creates a whole different problem of backing cars up for long stretches (probably not an issue in small towns or rural areas).
The points about how far the front wheels are from the front bumper are moot, and different heights of drivers isn't going to matter very much at all. The bigger issue would be the height of the vehicle in front of you (e.g., a raised truck or a slammed car), but drivers should adjust accordingly. However, there is sound logic to maintaining more space to buffer the car in front of you should you get rear ended (as you experienced), but that's a big focus for something that happens very little; the vast majority of people will never be rear ended, let alone killed by it. Based on your initial statement, I'm guessing you'd settle for people at least sticking with the general rule of seeing the rear tires in front of them, as opposed to being right up on you.
In my town, if there's only one car in the left turn lane, he won't get a protected left turn arrow. So it matters (sometimes) HOW MANY cars are waiting to turn.
@@thomasmaughan4798 Thats interesting. Hmmmm...I wonder if the detection zone is placed poorly and not detecting the first car. Or a mad scientist signal engineer has designed it to be that way???
@@thomasmaughan4798 Sometimes they are programmed to give whichever direction has the most traffic longer ON time. Streets that have freeway access will have much more traffic than streets that don't. It gives more wait time to accumulate more cars instead of short cycling more frequently. I have also noticed programming includes time of day and day of week.
Did I hear Trump mentioned?