LED traffic lights don’t melt snow, do cause accidents — Engadget — It’s always something.
A number of cold weather American states are reporting their dismay at finding out that LED traffic lights are so energy efficient that they do not produce enough excess heat to dissipate any snow that covers them. It turns out, perhaps in an homage to bad engineering everywhere, that the inefficiency of incandescent light bulbs was previously relied upon to keep traffic signals unimpeded. The new LEDs do not achieve the same effect, which has resulted in a few accidents and even a death being blamed on obstructed traffic lights.
found by Keith Ray
So, as normal, no one in City Planning realized that the reason the OLD lights were in use served Two purposes? Technology Kills, film at 11.
So what is the protocol?
It is snowing from the west, and I’m traveling south. Do I assume the people on my right can’t see the light? Are they smart enough to yield to all other traffic?
Lets see..
And how much to install a Thermostat and at a temp of 40 degrees(about 2-3celcius) HEAT THEM UP..
LEDs also take a short time to WARM UP is they arent used..They arent BRIGHT. AFTER alittle use and warming..they work great.
Typical, it’s amazing no one thought to check this out. I mean, didn’t they have to get DOT approval? Easy enough to fix, but amazingly short-sighted.
BTW: all it would take is a transparent plastic cylinder fitted over the lamp.
I’m from Sweden. We have been using LED traffic lights for a few years now and we also have plenty of snow. However, I have not seen or heard of a obstructed traffic light. Just doesn’t happen, as far as I know.
@ #6
You obviously have the higher quality non-stick snow in Sweden. Like most things in America, we get the cheap crappy version…probably made in china and contains lead too.
In all seriousness, I’m surprised places such as Sweden weren’t looked at, as far as how they handle LED traffic signals in snowy weather. Makes sense to me, specially when it’s your job to figure out how safe something is, and that’s all you do.
To me, I would have thought someone would have came up with a solution for this. Obviously a by metal heater much like the rear window defroster’s in cars would have to be used. This is going to cost someone more money then they saved. I would not be surprised if the companies that make them get sued. The problem is widespread here.
Ah yes, the funny side of the so called “green” movement. Save energy and money at all costs.
Pretty funny until someone loses their life because of their stupidity.
Since when does anything the government becomes associated with work like it should?
Good intentions without accountability and funds perceived to be endless is a dangerous combination for the mindless slugs now working in cushy government jobs.
The Trouble with Tribbles.
In that picture, you can see the problem: the shade wraps too far around and lets snow accumulate. You don’t need a heater, you just need a flat lens and a shade that’s open at the bottom. No enviro-conspiracy, just a lack of real-world testing.
This is the silver bullet why the clean energy movement is not all that. It’s dangerous and killing babies.
We need to continue doing what we’ve been doing and just dig for more oil.
This was realized the first winter these lights were installed… over ten years ago. Its a minor side effect that turns a traffic light into a 4 way stop.
Now lets talk about people who can’t drive or think for themselves in a situation, which happens everyday.
My Republican neighbor is now mad that his heating bill is now higher after I encouraged him to switch to non-incandescent lighting.
I didn’t realize Republicans still incubated their young with light bulbs.
This is only a problem if you live somewhere that doesn’t usually get snow “probably due to Global Cooling”. Most cities that get snow use the LED traffic lights with a flat lens and a small or no shade.
the problem with thit is not the lights it’s morons driving who don’t know the rules of the road.
If the light is not working you stop. ALWAYS. then continue after you see if the intersection is clear.
stupidity kills
Thank Al Gore for global warming – he has outlawed snow.
I’m pretty sure the picture is Photoshopped; probably by a conservitive U.S. of A. Republican living in the Southern part of the country. I’ve been reading the latest “Green” literature, listening to Al Gore (received the Nobel price you know), listening to the third world’s political leaders, and ignoring weather / world temperature related scientifica data and I really doubt it has been cold enough to snow to the extent shown in this article’s photograph.
Also, if you’d stop driving cars, as demanded by the “green” folks (Al Gore and the 3rd World Leadership) the need for traffic lights would no longer exist. Chine in the 1990’s was proof lots and lots of bicycles can occupy the major roads without the need for electrically energized traffice control devices.
Only those attending “Green Conventions” in places like Denmark have the right to use Carbon generating transportation devices, so electrically operated traffice control devices are acceptable on those special occasions and by those special people.
In Sweden the snow falls straight down thus no obstructing the lamps. In the US we all that blustering coming out of Washington and 50 state governments that causes the snow to travel more sideways.
Dallas said, on December 18th, 2009 at 5:39 am
My Republican neighbor is now mad that his heating bill is now higher after I encouraged him to switch to non-incandescent lighting.
I didn’t realize Republicans still incubated their young with light bulbs.
Much as I disagree with just about every position you have on anything, that comment is FUNNY.
MD
#20 I appreciate that! Being always right and funny is indeed a gift.
Diesel, you seem like a smart guy. You should join the good side, the liberal side. Those frown wrinkles would soon disappear and those extra pounds will be gone in no time!
Happy Holidays
I live in a major snow belt, and snow doesn’t stick to traffic lights as shown in that photo very often.
FWIW I don’t believe the premise…each LED dissipates about 1W. Given there are what…50+ in each lamp, they will melt the snow eventually, just not as fast.
#22 agreed. But Dvorak and the conservative sheeple are merely grasping at straws to undermine the inevitable green movement. You will lose this battle. Give it up. Resistance is futile.
You lost the “Dig Dig Dig for oil” dumb ass strategy.
You are losing your “Let’s keep shitting in our shared air bubble” strategy.
You will lose the “Basic healthcare to highest bidder” strategy.
Next battle you will lose : “Human relationships are the government’s business”
Stop lights kill people people don’t kill people.Oh wait thats guns.
Seems to me that shape of the light could be changed slightly so that snow won’t collect in them.
Oops… never mind… that sign next to the light is flat and plastered with snow.
Four words. Self-regulating heat tape. Stick the control box in the control cabinet, set it to come on below 40 or set to remotely operate in this circumstance, and voila, snow melts.
A bedroom gets toasty warm in the winter because the girl watches Family Guy on a CRT TV. If she replaces it with a cool energy efficient hybrid LCD, then she has to turn on her electric space heater to be warm. As she drives home with her new TV, the LED lights in the traffic “control” device are mostly burned out and there’s snow blocking the ones that are still lit.
How much energy is she saving by driving home?
Just remove the bulb shrouds. The only reason they are there in the first place was because the incandescent lights were too dim in daylight. Nobody will argue that LED lights are VERY BRIGHT, thus no bulb shrouds are necessary and no snow and ice buildup will occur.