It's hard to imagine how the inhabitants of megacities would manage without such cars that are familiar to us now. They are already in every family, and in some it is impossible to live without two or three cars. And this is not surprising, because every day we have to visit different parts of the city almost simultaneously. Such a flow of cars on the roads of the metropolis must obey clear rules, otherwise the whole movement will turn into chaos. One of the most important traffic controllers on the roads, to which all drivers must obey, is the traffic light.
What is a traffic light?
A traffic light is a device that regulates the flow of traffic with the help of light signals. It can be not only cars, water and rail transport obeys the traffic light.
The very name of this familiar device comes from the Greek language and literally means "bringing light".
Where did the traffic light come from?
The first traffic light appeared one hundred and fifty years ago. Its inventor was a British engineer who spent his entire life developing semaphores for railway tracks. Therefore, it is not surprising that the first traffic light was almost a complete copy of the railway semaphore. He had several arrows that were set in motion with the help of a person. At night, when the arrows were not visible, the traffic light turned into a gas-powered lamp. The lantern was two-color, it was then that the usual signals of red and green were fixed. Later they became the basis for automatic traffic lights.
First automatic traffic lights
The gas-based motion control device was very dangerous. There are cases in history when a gas lamp exploded and caused injuries to police officers who controlled the work of a traffic light. Therefore, by the beginning of the twentieth century, models of automatic traffic lights appeared. Not all devices were convenient. For example, one of them had words on which drivers had to navigate. In other cases, the device had the usual two colors, but was controlled by a police officer from a distance. It was then that the green arrow was first used to turn left.
The first electric traffic light was installed in America in the twenties of the last century. It had three colors and worked on a first-come, first-served basis.
Traffic lights in the USSR
Until the thirties there were no traffic lights on the roads of the USSR. The first device was installedin Leningrad and gradually spread to the cities of the country. The traffic light had two colors arranged differently than now. It wasn't until the sixties that international regulations were adopted to regulate the production and appearance of traffic lights.
Car traffic lights
Despite the fact that now there are more than nine types of devices that regulate the flow of traffic, traffic lights are the most famous and in demand. They can be horizontal and vertical, and also have two or three colors. Yellow color in some cases is allowed to be replaced by orange, which can be seen at most Russian traffic lights.
Car traffic lights also regulate the movement of pedestrians if there are no other devices at the intersection. Most often it has three round signal parts, but some models are supplemented with an illuminated display with a time report and sections with a green arrow.
Designation of traffic signals
Traffic signals are the same all over the world. Their designations are taught from childhood:
- red color forbids passage;
- yellow is prohibitive, but allows passage in case of emergency braking;
- green signal allows movement in the indicated direction.
In some cases, the yellow signal lights up at the same time as the red one and notifies that the green traffic light will soon turn on.
Green arrow - what is it?
With the increase in the number of carsthere was a need to create traffic lights with additional sections. They are placed at the busiest and most difficult intersections of the city. Experienced drivers do not find it difficult to figure out all the intricacies of movement when the green arrow is on. But it’s hard for beginners, it’s hard for them to understand when you can start moving in the direction, and when, in addition to the green signal, you need to wait for the arrow.
Drivers learn all these tricks before they get the right to drive a car. But the cases are completely different. For example, you got a license in a small town, where you ran into your main hours. In such settlements, there are practically no intersections where the green arrow at the traffic light causes difficulty in understanding. But when moving to a larger city, a driver who considers himself quite experienced can run into problems and create accidents on the roads.
What does the green arrow mean?
Green signal means traffic is allowed, but in the case of multi-lane traffic, this signal alone is not enough. Therefore, a separate section appeared, where a green arrow was applied.
If you see a similar traffic light, then please note that the green signal is permissive only in the direction where there is no arrow. If the green arrow is lit in the direction you need, and the main green has not yet lit up, then you can start moving. You won't break the rules by doing this.
The easiest way to navigate is when the green arrow to the right is on. In this direction, the turn causes the leastdifficulties, and this section is lit almost always. This means that regardless of the main traffic signals, turning right is always allowed. In some cases, the green arrow indicating the right turn will go out intermittently. But it always lights up a few seconds before the main green.
The green left turn arrow makes it easier to drive at many intersections. It means that the driver can start the maneuver only after it appears on the scoreboard. Moreover, having left the intersection, the driver must let pass all the cars traveling directly from the opposite side. And only then complete your maneuver.
The green arrow directly confuses many drivers. After all, most often the passage to the green traffic light is always allowed directly. Yes, this is true, but such an arrow has its own characteristics. If you plan to make a left turn, but only two directions are lit at the traffic lights, pointing straight ahead and right, this means that a left turn is prohibited at this intersection. You will have to find another way to get to your destination.
Also, the green arrow directly indicates the lack of advantage when moving. That is, you can drive in the desired direction, but in a controversial situation, you must give way to other motorists. This is a must-know to avoid accidents.
A car is just a device for transportation, it may or may not be new, but it is always driven by a driver. From the knowledge and skills gained indriving school, the safety of himself and other road users depends. And since traffic lights have long been the most familiar and necessary devices on our roads, every person who has the right to drive a vehicle must read their values correctly.
