snuff3r: Idiot.

I know. He must've been too obvious for people to notice. Pick your spots.

/want one

People have been doing this for ages. Its also a maximum douche thing to do.
Must be satisfying to pull over and cite one of these assholes.

How slowly do these people's lights go from red to green?

Seems like something that happens in a fraction of a second.

TheHighlandHowler: I imagine red-light cameras could be programmed to take a picture when they are "pre-empted." Problem solved?

People who had them wouldn't use them at red light cameras. They already have too many of those things the last thing they need is an excuse to put up more.

GreenAdder: Rik01: Well, that did take a bit longer to show up in public hands than I expected. We all knew that it was inevitable from the instant it was put into action.

Back in the 90's, I'd heard of people spoofing the system with modified strobelights. I have no idea what type of system is being used these days.

I have a who took the modified strobelight method one step further and just rapidly flashes his brights as he comes up to the red light. On the 1 out of 10 times that the light coincidentally happens to be turning green, he'll take credit and brag about how clever he is for a week.

I'd love one of these things. I can't imagine use of it would help that much during rush hour, without the lights and sirens those cars that you're driving along side still have to dump off onto side roads. or move through the next red light down.

I'd use it on the early morning to work trip to bypass the lights that hold FOREVER (okay 75 seconds) when there is zero oncoming traffic.

Crudbucket: GreenAdder: Rik01: Well, that did take a bit longer to show up in public hands than I expected. We all knew that it was inevitable from the instant it was put into action.

Back in the 90's, I'd heard of people spoofing the system with modified strobelights. I have no idea what type of system is being used these days.

I have a who took the modified strobelight method one step further and just rapidly flashes his brights as he comes up to the red light. On the 1 out of 10 times that the light coincidentally happens to be turning green, he'll take credit and brag about how clever he is for a week.

Still the same system in use around here. 3m Opticom.

Makes it a little safer going through intersections for emergency vehicles, but you still have to slow down to a crawl before proceeding through. Well, you're supposed to. I know of some driver/operators that don't, and they scare me.

Sometimes all you have to do is flick your headlights on and off a few times in rapid succession to get the light to change.

MaudlinMutantMollusk: Just a side note: Those strobe lights on the firetrucks are really cool when you're watching a pole-top transformer short out in a snow storm while smoking a joint

/or so I have been told

That's probably what caused it to short out....

I have a who i>

Horton?

American Decency Association: infra red perhaps. next time i see a firetruck im gonna whip out my cameraphone and look for an IR source

Absolutely true - read it on the internet - any TV remote can be used just type in the secret code (911).

The things ya learn on teh innernetz.

What a dick move.

/And here I've been trying to do it with just my awesome, magic, psychic powers (TM)

What's the hurry? I generally use the stop to reset the radio, have a drink or a snack, look for something under the dash. Oh look, the light has turned!

wallywam1: AverageAmericanGuy: How slowly do these people's lights go from red to green?

Seems like something that happens in a fraction of a second.

Sarcasm? It's hard to tell sometimes.

Every time I've seen the red light go out it seems like the green goes on instantly. Too quick for my eyes.


I'm curious how long the guy has had/used the device before he got caught. For $2000 every few years it might not be that bad of a deal for some people. I'm not in that much of a rush anymore. I do get timing/lucky enough with the lights to make my wife think I have one.

GreenAdder: Back in the 90's, I'd heard of people spoofing the system with modified strobelights

We called those Chrome Boxes. They rarely worked out in my neck of the woods. Most of the time the lights do not change when emergency vehicles approach an intersection in my town. The driver slows to a crawl, sounds the emergency horn, and creeps through the intersection hoping that some moron won't block his way.

Kurmudgeon: What's the hurry? I generally use the stop to reset the radio, have a drink or a snack, look for something under the dash. Oh look, the light has turned!

You can't do that in the greater Boston area, because if people behind you see your brake lights on a fraction of a second after the light is green, everyone behind you lays on their horn.

Hell, sometimes if you can see the yellow light on for the opposite direction and you haven't started moving forward you get honked at.

/I don't miss the city.

"Ever wonder what it's like to have one of those gizmos that fire trucks have that can change the traffic...about $2000..."

I'd be willing to pay more than $2000 for a gun that big.

skammie: GreenAdder: Back in the 90's, I'd heard of people spoofing the system with modified strobelights

We called those Chrome Boxes. They rarely worked out in my neck of the woods. Most of the time the lights do not change when emergency vehicles approach an intersection in my town. The driver slows to a crawl, sounds the emergency horn, and creeps through the intersection hoping that some moron won't block his way.

It's very easy to spot lights that have opticom sensors. They're a fairly obvious small square box usually on top of the light arm. You can tell when they've been activated too because they flash a white strobe at about 1 Hz while they're controlling the light.

You keep a weather eye out for them in the last town I worked for because not all the lights had them. Only the really busy intersections.

Awesome job. Now, when can we expect cops to get ticketed for running red lights with no emergency? What? I'm the only one who sees cops turn strobes on at the intersection, only to turn them off after running red light?

times like that I wish I could pull them over and ask them if they know why I pulled them over.

Driver is only an asshole because I don't have one.
As soon as mine arrives via fedex he will be just another commuter doing his best to get to work on time or dunkin donuts or home to pee

We will be an oppressed minority of drivers with whatchamacallits.


paying $2k traffic tickets

"I can understand the frustration a local person must feel because a lot of our lights are not synchronized and we waste a lot of time sitting at the stoplights," she said.

Yet it never gets fixed.

This happens in every city. Lights are rarely synchronized at all. The road repair isn't thought out. These people must be the most incompetent government workers out there.

hobblekitty: Sometimes all you have to do is flick your headlights on and off a few times in rapid succession to get the light to change.

Keep telling yourself that.

geez...besides being a dick, I'm surprised they didn't cause an accident. Changing a light that fast is bound to cause 'at least' a good rear ending if not a full on Tboning.

/rear ending
//boning

Nina Haagen Dazs: hobblekitty: Sometimes all you have to do is flick your headlights on and off a few times in rapid succession to get the light to change.

True. I've seen a friend do it by flashing his brights.

Will second that. I grew up and lived in a town where we could do this consistently.

BummerDuck: "I can understand the frustration a local person must feel because a lot of our lights are not synchronized and we waste a lot of time sitting at the stoplights," she said.

Yet it never gets fixed.

This happens in every city. Lights are rarely synchronized at all. The road repair isn't thought out. These people must be the most incompetent government workers out there.

And yet...

"The city of Carlsbad is already tracking others using preemptors to change the lights at intersections in the city. A citation will cost violators a minimum of $2,000."

If only the city had other things to do... like fix traffic lights and repair roads.

Free iPhone App (new window) does the same thing.

cynep: Awesome job. Now, when can we expect cops to get ticketed for running red lights with no emergency? What? I'm the only one who sees cops turn strobes on at the intersection, only to turn them off after running red light?

times like that I wish I could pull them over and ask them if they know why I pulled them over.

It's SOP for a lot of departments not to use lights or sirens unless they're going through an intersection when they're a certain distance from a crime scene.

filter: hobblekitty: Sometimes all you have to do is flick your headlights on and off a few times in rapid succession to get the light to change.

Keep telling yourself that.

I actually don't drive (I'm on a bus right now actually) but I had a friend visiting once who delighted in showing me this trick, so I've seen it in action.

pedobearapproved: I'd love one of these things. I can't imagine use of it would help that much during rush hour, without the lights and sirens those cars that you're driving along side still have to dump off onto side roads. or move through the next red light down.

I'd use it on the early morning to work trip to bypass the lights that hold FOREVER (okay 75 seconds) when there is zero oncoming traffic.

That annoys the shiat out of me! I hate it when your sitting there and no traffic anywhere! However, you have to stay put all because you could get pulled overand be sited for nothing more than than that city needs the money.

Nickster79: That's awful. What a completely selfish asshole.

/begins trying to find the device online

$180 (new window)

GreenAdder: Rik01: Well, that did take a bit longer to show up in public hands than I expected. We all knew that it was inevitable from the instant it was put into action.

Back in the 90's, I'd heard of people spoofing the system with modified strobelights. I have no idea what type of system is being used these days.

Depends on the system:

Some use a strobe light, others use infrared, some "listen" for the siren and some use RF to trip the system