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The traffic lights turn green as I arrive. Is it sensors or my timing or pure good luck?

this is on one of the city roads, 3+3 laned

If sensors or timing, how do they work?

9 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    its probably the sensors, and it would also have to depend on the time of day / night.

    try this: the next time you're driving down the same road, look for black circles (not burnout marks) on the pavement itself. there should be one per lane about 50-100 ft before the intersection and another 2 to 3 sets per lane at the intersection itself.

    the circle markings on the pavement are the sensors, and if there is little or no traffic, the sensors 50-100 ft before the intersection will "sense" you, giving it enough time for the traffic light to turn green on your side

    aside from all of that, it could be luck... haha

  • Joey
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    Yes, it is a magnetic sensor. If I were on foot and for some reason wanted to walk down the middle of the lane, I could make the light turn green by dragging a thick chain over the square cut-out in the pavement.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Could be sensors. The sensor detects when a car is approaching or when a car is sitting at a red light and then changes the light to allow the car to go. Also, a little known fact is that if you go the speed limit from leaving a green light all the future lights will be green when you reach them.

  • 1 decade ago

    Many lights around here with (hall effect) sensors (embedded in the pavement) do this. If cross traffic is stopped (obviously) and the traffic across from you has a green, and there is no one at "your" light, it will stay red until the sensor is tripped, then go green instantly.

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  • 1 decade ago

    There is a little man inside the light and he changes it when he see's you coming.

    Just kidding! Almost all lights are run on a timer based on traffic patterns. There are some, but very few that can operate on sensors. All of them can have a devise plugged into them so they can be manually controlled (usually by the police for a special event, etc.)

  • GDJ
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    I would rate this situation on pure coinsidence. There are sensors/cameras on top of the trafic lights in this country, and the intelligent control system can be overidden at the local trafic office.

  • 1 decade ago

    If you look down on the pavement, if you see large squares about the size of a car etched into the concrete, then it's probably a sensor.

  • 5 years ago

    2 or 3 seconds. Although I don't hold down the horn for a long time because that's rude and obnoxious, I just tap the horn quickly to give him the message the light is green.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Pure good luck

    I wish that, that would happen for me lol

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