A driveway (also called drive in UK English) is a private road for local access to one or a small group of structures owned and maintained by an individual or group.
58-434: Driveways rarely have traffic lights , but some may if they handle heavy traffic, especially those leading to commercial businesses or parks. Driveways may be designed and decorated in ways that public roads cannot because of their lighter traffic and the willingness of owners to invest in their construction. Driveways are not resurfaced, cleared of snow, or maintained by governments. They are generally designed to conform to
116-556: A yellow trap . When the signal turns yellow, a turning driver may assume oncoming traffic will stop and a crash may result. For this reason, the US bans sequences that may cause a yellow trap. This can also happen when emergency vehicles or railroads preempt normal signal operation. In the United States, signs reading "Oncoming traffic has extended green" or "Oncoming traffic may have extended green" must be posted at intersections where
174-950: A 'walk' light (normally a walking human figure, typically coloured green or white) and a 'don't walk' light (normally either a red or orange man figure or a hand), though other variations exist. Flashing red man: do not start to cross; if it appears during crossing, then continue to cross if unable to stop safely Red man: do not cross Red: do not cross Amber (steady, after green, before red): continue to cross only if unable to stop safely Flashing amber: cross with caution (often used in low-traffic crossing or after midnight) Flashing blue or green man: do not start to cross; if it appears during crossing, then continue to cross if unable to stop safely Red standing man: do not cross Amber: continue to cross only if unable to stop safely Flashing amber: cross with caution, obey signage (used when lights are out of order or shut down) Red: do not cross Red and amber: do not cross, prepare for green In Germany,
232-632: A case where the driver was speeding at 62 km/h in a street limited up to 40 km/h (55 % upper than the allowed speed). Criticism in South Korea says that this is unrealistic and unreasonable. In addition, this can cause multiple collisions due to sudden braking. In 2016 when speed limit was up to 60 km/h, proposed alternatives to this kind of collision were only roundabouts, speed compliance increase and speed practice reduction or elderly zones are also proposed solutions. Without an all-red phase, cross-turning traffic may be caught in
290-575: A dots and dashes language system representing both letters and numbers, called the Morse code , enabling text-based transmissions. In 1837, the British inventors William Fothergill Cooke and Charles Wheatstone obtained a patent for the first commercially viable telegraph . By the 1840s, with the combination of the telegraph and Morse code, the semaphore system was replaced. The telegraph continued to be used commercially for over 100 years and Morse code
348-583: A driveway may be the road that leads to the house from the public road, possibly with a gate in between. Some driveways may be designed to serve different homeowners. A driveway may also refer to a small apron of pavement in front of a garage with a curb cut in the sidewalk, sometimes too short to accommodate a car. Often, either by choice or to conform with local regulations, cars are parked in driveways to leave streets clear for traffic. Moreover, some jurisdictions prohibit parking or leaving standing any motor vehicle upon any residential lawn area (the property from
406-407: A movement in the direction of the arrow. These are used because they are safer, cause less delay, and are more flexible. Flashing amber arrows will normally be located below the solid amber. Arrow aspects may be used to permit certain movements or convey other messages to road users. A green arrow may display to require drivers to turn in a particular direction only or to allow drivers to continue in
464-530: A particular direction when the signal is red. Generally, a green phase is illuminated at the beginning of the green phase (a "leading turn") or at the end of the green phase (a "lagging turn"). An 'indicative arrow' may be displayed alongside a green light. This indicates to drivers that oncoming traffic is stopped, such that they do not need to give way to that traffic when turning across it. As right-turning traffic (left-side drive) or left-turning traffic (right-side drive) does not normally have priority, this arrow
522-414: A particular direction, while the main lights for that approach are red, or that drivers can only travel in one particular direction. Alternatively, when combined with another green signal, they may indicate that turning traffic has priority over oncoming traffic (known as a "filter arrow"). Flashing amber arrows typically indicate that road users must give way (to other drivers and pedestrians) before making
580-455: A pedestrian-controlled crosswalk. For this reason, Ontario is phasing out the use of flashing green signals and instead replacing them with arrows.) Popular in Vietnam and China, countdown lights are additional lights installed next to (or above or below) the main signal lights. The countdown light is displayed by a countdown number with different colors (usually red, yellow, green), matching
638-466: A semaphore system used in Ancient Greece for the transmission of specific prearranged messages. Towers were built on selected mountaintops, so that one tower, the phryctoria , would be visible to the next tower, usually 30 km (20 mi) distant. Flames were lit on one tower, then the next tower would light a flame in succession. The Byzantine beacon system was a semaphore developed in
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#1732793552782696-605: A system used by ships for communication at sea, each flag representing a specific letter, numeral, or message in the international maritime signal code . They are brightly coloured and easily distinguishable, serving purposes such as spelling out messages, identifying letters and numbers, signalling distress or requests for assistance and communicating nautical procedures. Standardized by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), these flags ensure global uniformity. They allow maritime professionals
754-455: A tool for effective and clear communication at sea. A heliograph is a semaphore that signals by flashes of sunlight using a mirror, often in Morse code . The flashes are produced by momentarily pivoting the mirror or by interrupting the sunlight with a shutter. The heliograph was a simple but effective instrument for instantaneous optical communication over long distances during the late 19th and early 20th century. The main uses were for
812-411: A white background with a red line through it, emphasising that the turn is no longer allowed. These lights will also often have the words "no turn" displayed, or an explanatory reason why the turn is not allowed, such as "train" in the case of a rail or light rail crossing. A third type is known as a "doghouse" or "cluster head" – a vertical column with the two normal lights is on the right side of
870-426: Is a subway or overpass. No provision of formal facilities means pedestrians will have to self-evaluate when it is safe to cross, which can be intimidating for pedestrians. With a "parallel walk" design, pedestrians walk alongside the traffic flow. A leading pedestrian interval may be provided, whereby pedestrians get a "walk" signal before the traffic gets a green light, allowing pedestrians to establish themselves on
928-509: Is during the Napoleonic era , stations were constructed to send and receive messages using the coined term Napoleonic semaphore . This form of visual communication was so effective that messages that normally took days to communicate could now be transmitted in mere hours. The railway semaphore signal is one of the earliest forms of fixed railway signals . These signals display their different indications to train drivers by changing
986-531: Is longer than 100 seconds, depending on the type of light, the following possibilities may occur: In South Korea, the yellow light dilemma zone is not legally recognized. In other words, when the yellow light is on, traffic may not pass the stop line or enter the intersection even if cannot safely stop when the light shows. This has been reaffirmed by the ruling of the Supreme Court of Korea in May 2024, for
1044-405: Is used to allow turning traffic to clear before the next phase begins. Some variations exist on this set up. One version is a horizontal bar with five lights – the green and amber arrows are located between the standard green and amber lights. A vertical five-light bar holds the arrows underneath the standard green light (in this arrangement, the amber arrow is sometimes omitted, leaving only
1102-464: The Argand hollow wick lamp and parabolic reflector were introduced in the late 18th century. The source of light is called the "lamp" and the light is concentrated, by the "lens" or "optic". Whale oil was also used with wicks as the source of light. Kerosene became popular in the 1870s and electricity and carbide ( acetylene gas ) began replacing kerosene around the turn of the 20th century. Carbide
1160-599: The "yellow trap" condition exists. The United States is not party to the Vienna Convention ; rather, the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) outlines correct operation in that country. In the US, a single signal head may have three, four, or five aspects (though a single aspect green arrow may be displayed to indicate a continuous movement). The signals must be arranged red, amber, and green vertically (top to bottom) or horizontally (left to right). In
1218-430: The 'Walk' symbol will illuminate for pedestrians. At the end of the crossing phase, the 'Don't Walk' symbol will flash, as will the amber traffic light. Pedestrians are usually incorporated into urban signalised junctions in one of four ways: no facilities, parallel walk, walk with traffic, or all-red stages. No facilities may be provided if pedestrian demand is low, in areas where pedestrians are not permitted, or if there
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#17327935527821276-504: The 1950s. One of the best historical examples of computerized control of lights was in Denver in 1952. In 1967, the city of Toronto was the first to use more advanced computers that were better at vehicle detection. The computers maintained control over 159 signals in the cities through telephone lines. A set of lights, known as a signal head, may have one, two, three, or more aspects. The most common signal type has three aspects facing
1334-691: The 19th century, the Royal Navy began using signal lamps. In 1867, then Captain, later Vice Admiral, Philip Howard Colomb for the first time began using dots and dashes from a signal lamp. The modern lighthouse is a semaphore using a tower, building, or another type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals , reefs , rocks, and safe entries to harbors; they also assist in aerial navigation . Originally lit by open fires and later candles,
1392-592: The 9th century during the Arab–Byzantine wars . The Byzantine Empire used a system of beacons to transmit messages from the border with the Abbasid Caliphate across Asia Minor to the Byzantine capital, Constantinople . The main line of beacons stretched over some 720 km (450 mi) with stations placed from 100 km (60 mi) to 60 km (35 mi). A message could be sent along
1450-495: The Maritime provinces, lights are often arranged horizontally, but each aspect is a different shape: red is a square (larger than the normal circle) and usually in pairs at either end of the fixture, amber is a diamond, and green is a circle. In many southern and southwestern U.S. states, most traffic signals are similarly horizontal in order to ease wind resistance during storms and hurricanes. Japanese traffic signals mostly follow
1508-483: The UK, normal traffic lights follow this sequence: A speed sign is a special traffic light, variable traffic sign , or variable-message sign giving drivers a recommended speed to approach the next traffic light in its green phase and avoid a stop due to reaching the intersection when lights are red. Pedestrian signals are used to inform pedestrians when to cross a road. Most pedestrian signal heads will have two lights:
1566-432: The UK, this type of crossing is called a pelican crossing , though more modern iterations are puffin and pedex crossings. In the UK, these crossings normally need at least four traffic signals, which are of a regular type (red, amber, and green), two facing in each direction. Furthermore, pedestrians will be provided with push buttons and pedestrian signals, consisting of a red and green man. Farside signals are located across
1624-492: The US, a single-aspect flashing amber signal can be used to raise attention to a warning sign and a single-aspect flashing red signal can be used to raise attention to a "stop", "do not enter", or "wrong way" sign. Flashing red or amber lights, known as intersection control beacons , are used to reinforce stop signs at intersections. The MUTCD specifies the following vehicular signals: In the Canadian province of Quebec and
1682-509: The angle of inclination of a pivoted 'arms'. A single arm that pivots is attached to a vertical post and can take one of three positions. The horizontal position indicates stop, the vertical means all clear and the inclined indicates go ahead under control, but expect to stop. Designs have altered over the intervening years and colour light signals have replaced semaphore signals in most countries. A hydraulic telegraph can refer to either one of two different semaphore systems. The earliest one
1740-431: The architecture, standards, and landscaping of connected houses or other buildings. Some materials used for driveways include concrete, decorative brick, cobblestone , block paving , asphalt, gravel , resin-bound paving , and decomposed granite. These materials may be surrounded with grass or other ground-cover plants. Driveways are commonly used as paths to private garages , carports , or houses . On large estates,
1798-413: The color of the light on. When the light counts to "0" (or 1), the main light color immediately changes. Countdown lights may have zeros in the tens or none, some countdown lights may flash when getting ready to zero. Yellow lights can also have countdown lights, but most lights do not. Usually the countdown light has 2 digits, in case the time of the main light (usually the red light, rarely the green light)
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1856-454: The crossing before vehicles begin to turn, to encourage drivers to give way. A 'walk with traffic' facility allows pedestrians to go at the same time as other traffic movements with no conflict between movements. This can work well on one-way roads, where turning movements are banned or where the straight-ahead movement runs in a different stage from the turning movement. A splitter island could also be provided. Traffic will pass on either side of
1914-406: The crossing, while nearside signals are located below the traffic lights, facing in the direction of oncoming traffic. A HAWK beacon is a special type of traffic used in the US at mid-block crossings. These consist of two red signals above a single amber signal. The beacon is unlit until a pedestrian pushes the cross button. Then an amber light will show, followed by both red lights, at which point
1972-518: The fine for crossing a red light if caught is as of 2019 between €5 and €10. Flashing green man or no man: do not start to cross (only at mid-block crossings); if it appears during crossing, then continue to cross if unable to stop safely Red standing man: do not cross WALK DONT WALK Modern version: White walking man: cross with caution Flashing orange stophand: do not start to cross; if it appears during crossing, then continue to cross if unable to stop safely Orange stophand: do not enter
2030-702: The flow of traffic. Traffic lights normally consist of three signals, transmitting meaningful information to road users through colours and symbols, including arrows and bicycles. The regular traffic light colours are red to stop traffic, amber for traffic change, and green for allowing the traffic, arranged vertically or horizontally in that order. Although this is internationally standardised, variations in traffic light sequences and laws exist on national and local scales. Traffic lights were first introduced in December 1868 on Parliament Square in London to reduce
2088-608: The front of a residential house, condominium, or cooperative to the street line other than a driveway, walkway, concrete, or blacktopped surface parking space). Other examples include the city of Berkeley, California that forbids "any person to park or leave standing, or cause to be parked or left standing any vehicle upon any public street in the City for seventy-two or more consecutive hours." Other areas may prohibit leaving vehicles on residential streets during certain times (for instance, to accommodate regular street cleaning), necessitating
2146-399: The green arrow below the steady green light, or possibly an LED -based device capable of showing both green and amber arrows within a single lamp housing). Some newer LED turn arrows seen in parts of Canada are capable of multicoloured animation. Such lights will often display a flashing and animated green or amber arrow when the dedicated turn is allowed but then transform into a red arrow on
2204-518: The intersection Green walking man: safe to cross Red Man: Do Not Cross. If it appears during crossing, then continue to cross if unable to stop safely. Green Man: Safe to Cross. Where pedestrians need to cross the road between junctions, a signal-controlled crossing may be provided as an alternative to a zebra crossing or uncontrolled crossing. Traffic lights are normally used at crossings where vehicle speeds are high, where either vehicle or pedestrian flows are high or near signalised junctions. In
2262-431: The island and pedestrians can cross the road safely between the other flows. An all-red stage, also known as a full pedestrian stage, a pedestrian scramble or a Barnes Dance, holds all vehicular traffic at the junction to allow pedestrians time to safely cross without conflict from vehicles. It allows allows the use of diagonal crossings. This may require a longer cycle time and increase pedestrian wait periods, though
2320-404: The late eighteenth to early nineteenth centuries. Relay towers were built with a sightline to each tower at separations of 10–30 km (5–20 mi). On the top of each tower was an apparatus, which uses pivoted indicator arms and conveys information according to the direction the indicators point. An observer at each tower would watch the neighbouring tower through a telescope and when
2378-700: The latter can be eased by providing two pedestrian stages. Semaphore Semaphore ( lit. ' apparatus for signalling ' ; from Ancient Greek σῆμα ( sêma ) 'mark, sign, token' and Greek -φόρος ( -phóros ) 'bearer, carrier') is the use of an apparatus to create a visual signal transmitted over distance. A semaphore can be performed with devices including: fire, lights, flags , sunlight , and moving arms. Semaphores can be used for telegraphy when arranged in visually connected networks , or for traffic signalling such as in railway systems , or traffic lights in cities. The Phryctoriae were
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2436-408: The line in approximately one hour. A bonfire was set at the first beacon and transmitted down the line to Constantinople. A smoke signal is one of the oldest forms of semaphore for long-distance communication. The smoke is used to transmit news, signal danger or gather people to a common area. A signal lamp is a semaphore system using a visual signaling device, often utilizing Morse code . In
2494-470: The military, survey and forest protection work. Heliographs were standard issue in the British and Australian armies until the 1960s and were used by the Pakistani army as late as 1975. In 1792 Claude Chappe , a clergyman from France, invented a terrestrial semaphore telegraph , which uses pivoted indicator arms and conveys information according to the direction the indicators point and was popular in
2552-417: The need for police officers to control traffic. Since then, electricity and computerised control have advanced traffic light technology and increased intersection capacity. The system is also used for other purposes, including the control of pedestrian movements, variable lane control (such as tidal flow systems or smart motorways ), and railway level crossings . The first system of traffic signals, which
2610-404: The normal green lamp flashes rapidly, indicating permission to go straight as well as make a left turn in front of opposing traffic, which is being held by a steady red lamp. (This "advance green", or flashing green can be somewhat startling and confusing to drivers not familiar with this system. This also can cause confusion amongst visitors to British Columbia, where a flashing green signal denotes
2668-512: The oncoming traffic: red on top, amber (yellow) below, and green below that. Additional aspects may be fitted to the signal, usually to indicate specific restrictions or filter movements. The 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Signs and Signals Chapter III provides international standards for the setup of traffic signal operations. Not all states have ratified the convention. A three-colour signal head should have three non-flashing lights which are red, amber , and green, either arranged horizontally (on
2726-806: The one in London were in use all over the United States . These traffic signals were controlled by a traffic officer who would change the commands on the signal to direct traffic. In 1912, the first electric traffic light was developed by Lester Wire , a policeman in Salt Lake City , Utah . It was installed by the American Traffic Signal Company on the corner of East 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland , Ohio. The first four-way, three-colour traffic light
2784-458: The same rule except that the green "go" signals are referred to as 青 (ao), typically translated as "blue", reflecting a historical change in the Japanese language . As a result, Japanese officials decreed in 1973 that the "go" light should be changed to the bluest possible shade of green, bringing the name more in line with the color without violating the international "green means go" rule. In
2842-425: The semaphore arms began to move spelling out a message, they would pass the message on to the next tower. This early form of telegraph system was much more effective and efficient than post riders for conveying a message over long distances. The sightline between relay stations was limited by geography and weather. In addition, the visual communication would not be able to cross large bodies of water. An example
2900-502: The side opposite to the direction of traffic) or vertically (with red on top). A two-colour signal head may be used in temporary operation and consists of red and green non-flashing lights. In both cases, all lights should be circular or arrow-shaped. Permissible signals for regulating vehicle traffic (other than public transport vehicles) are outlined in Article 23: Green arrows are added to signals to indicate that drivers can travel in
2958-539: The signal, a vertical column with the two arrows is located on the left, and the normal red signal is in the middle above the two columns. Cluster signals in Australia and New Zealand use six signals, the sixth being a red arrow that can operate separately from the standard red light. In a fourth type, sometimes seen at intersections in Ontario and Quebec , Canada, there is no dedicated left-turn lamp per se. Instead,
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#17327935527823016-599: The use of driveways. Residential driveways may serve as the place for conducting garage sales , automobile washing and repair, and recreation, notably (in North America ) for basketball practice. Traffic lights Traffic lights , traffic signals , or stoplights – also known as robots in South Africa , Zambia , and Namibia – are signaling devices positioned at road intersections , pedestrian crossings , and other locations in order to control
3074-478: The use of the timer was that it saved cities money by replacing traffic officers. The city of New York was able to reassign all but 500 of its 6,000 officers working on the traffic squad, saving the city $ 12,500,000. In 1923, Garrett Morgan patented a design of a manually operated three-way traffic light with moving arms. The control of traffic lights made a big turn with the rise of computers in America in
3132-468: The world. A flag semaphore is the telegraphy system conveying information at a distance by means of visual signals with hand-held flags, rods, disks, paddles, or occasionally bare or gloved hands. Information is encoded by the position of the flags. It is still used during underway replenishment at sea and is acceptable for emergency communication in daylight or using lighted wands instead of flags, at night. International maritime signal flags are
3190-478: Was a semaphore traffic signal, was installed as a way to replace police officer control of vehicular traffic outside the Houses of Parliament in London on 9 December 1868. This system exploded on 2 January 1869 and was thus taken down. But this early traffic signal led to other parts of the world implementing similar traffic signal systems. In the first two decades of the 20th century, semaphore traffic signals like
3248-566: Was created by William Potts in Detroit, Michigan in 1920. His design was the first to include an amber 'caution' light along with red and green lights. Potts was Superintendent of Signals for the Police Department of Detroit. He installed automatic four-way, three-colour traffic lights in 15 towers across Detroit in 1921. By 1922, traffic towers were beginning to be controlled by automatic timers more widely. The main advantage of
3306-488: Was developed in 4th-century BC Greece , while the other was developed in 19th-century AD Britain . The Greek system was deployed in combination with semaphoric fires, while the latter British system was operated purely by hydraulic fluid pressure. In the early 19th century, the electrical telegraph was gradually invented allowing a message to be sent over a wire. In 1835, the American inventor Samuel Morse created
3364-531: Was promoted by the Dalén light which automatically lit the lamp at nightfall and extinguished it at dawn. The advent of electrification and automatic lamp changers began to make lighthouse keepers obsolete. Improvements in maritime navigation and safety with satellite navigation systems like the Global Positioning System (GPS) have led to the phasing out of non-automated lighthouses across
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