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Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

2earth.github.io

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Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#11
post #6
post #4

I'm impressed by the method of cutting copper foil to produce circuitry. Saves you the acid and/or ordering from Shenzhen.

To be honest, it seems like a waste of copper. The way he did it, might as well use stiff copper wires, or better still - prototyping boards.

It looks like it was fun, and I think that was the point.

I've done freeform electronics before, using wiring that was mainly the snipped-off legs of through hole resistors. I guess if you were fancy you could buy some bus wire. The assemblies are horrific to look at, and I love them.

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#12
I wonder how the environment impacts how well these crossings work. The road in the photo looks very narrow, an environment where drivers probably have to pay attention, maybe even slow down in general.

In my neighborhood there’s one at a two lane road but the street itself is very wide so people generally drive very fast to begin with and are often distracted.

Lots of conflict at that crossing even with LED flashers. I don’t know what to do to make drivers pay attention to the strip of road right in front of them.

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#13

I wonder how the environment impacts how well these crossings work. The road in the photo looks very narrow, an environment where drivers probably have to pay attention, maybe even slow down in general. In my neighborhood there’s one at a two lane road but the street itself is very wide so people generally drive very fast to begin with and are often distracted. Lots of conflict at that crossing even with LED flashers…

This is a well-known effect, it does make a significant difference. People feel safer driving slower when the road has obstacles closeby or when it's curved. You can use this to slow people down with bollards, small curves, or even trees near the road in rural areas.

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think they missed the word "crossing" after pedestrian, though it's still a bit vague with that in place. A type C Zebra crossing is one that doesn't have the Belisha Beacon lights at either side. Rare now but it existed before that innovation.

> Mr. SIMMONDS asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the erection of signs bearing the letter C is inadequate to differentiate between controlled and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings; and whether in the interests of public safety, he will have these two types of crossings painted upon the roadway in an unquestionably distinctive manner? > The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr.Hore-Belisha) The present arr…

I believe "controlled" means "has traffic lights" (controlled by pedestrian signals, or on a cycle).

"Uncontrolled" crossings I think include Zebra crossings.

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#17
post #14

That background is a bit hard on the eyes.

Op here. Noted; it was a 'halloween special'. But maybe I can find something more readable as well as fun for the theme

It's a cracking article. I think I recognise that pub, too, though I haven't been there for a while.

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#18
post #16
post #2

A one-day electronics project to make two flashing-LED Belisha beacon outfits. Hope you enjoy!

Thanks for sharing your fun project. Do you mind eli5 the logic of the circuit for someone unfamiliar with circuits?

Sure!

The battery provides approx 6V - the timing circuit uses a 555 IC to create a pulsed signal. The combination of resistor and capacitor values determines the period of oscillation. Then, the output signal from this circuit is used to switch a transistor on and off. That makes/breaks a connection from the battery to the LED strings.

I also added a switch to select between the red LED and Yellow LED strings.

Will draw the final circuit if I get some time :)

Re: Welcome to hell; please drive carefully

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Mr. SIMMONDS asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the erection of signs bearing the letter C is inadequate to differentiate between controlled and uncontrolled pedestrian crossings; and whether in the interests of public safety, he will have these two types of crossings painted upon the roadway in an unquestionably distinctive manner? > The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Mr.Hore-Belisha) The present arr…

I believe "controlled" means "has traffic lights" (controlled by pedestrian signals, or on a cycle). "Uncontrolled" crossings I think include Zebra crossings.

I thought so, but then read "Zebra crossings are a type of controlled crossing" on Wikipedia. This may be a mistake (possibly in the source).

Edit: found a definition in a document by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation. "Uncontrolled crossings do not afford pedestrians any particular priority over motorised traffic", and so it classes zebra crossings as controlled.

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