23
Dec/094
Dec/094
Too efficient.
As a joke note that called my attention here goes a good example of 'not so good' engineering. It turns out that the incandescent light bulbs used until now in traffic lights were not that inefficient and had a pretty unknown side function. In several cold weather American States it has been reported that the new, more efficient, LED lights installed are not producing enough heat to melt the snow that accumulates on them, resulting in an increase on traffic accidents.
Via: treeugger.com
January 2nd, 2010
Hey Adri. First of all: good to see you back :)
Second of all, I think is pretty good engineering, is just that the note is incomplete; I was particularly curious of the event because I was going to spend my holidays with the folks up north.
I was giddy at how americans always have something negative to say about EVERYTHING; and in this particular case, that little thing was blown out of proportion.
Not only is the first time snow has covered LED traffic lights in almost a decade (it is required a very special type of snow to create the effect) but also it is very easy to aviod: when no traffic signal is working, MAKE A COMPLETE STOP and then carefully cross the road. A little common sense goes a long, LONG way.
Moreover, the amount of electricity this technology saves, and the 10-to-30 times greater duration of the led light against conventional bulbs far surpases the little amount of inconvenience is creates. So far less than half a dozen counties in the American union have reported the issue, and no report exist whatsoever in Europe at the time I’m writing this.
Leave it to the american press (what a joke) to report this type of things.
Have a happy holiday, and drive carefully! =)
-Arc
January 3rd, 2010
Thanks Arc, it seems that a DNS problem was eating my posts and only a fraction of the world could read the lasts ones :(. It’s good to be back and to know that we have your comments back!
Adrian.
January 3rd, 2010
Yeah, the DNS was eating your posts, mate. Only today was I able to see them!
January 8th, 2010
Pues para nosotros es solo ventajas….no tenemos el problema de la nieve y si ahorra electricidad y mejor visibilidad en epocas soleadas…
Un saludo para ti y muchas cosas buenas en este nuevo año.