August 5: The 102th birthday of traffic lights and the

Some people think that traffic lights are a means to limit our freedom . But perhaps they forget that it is the traffic lights that have saved so many lives for hundreds of years.

August 5 for most of us is just a very normal day like any other day. But do you know this is the "birthday" of the diligent friend who is always working hard day and night, the rain and rain let us be safe on the road? Yes, on this day 102 years ago the first electric traffic light was born in New York.

It's scary when there are no traffic lights.

After the First World War, the US economy suddenly developed constantly. The inventions and inventions were continuously born as mushrooms after rain, sexual revolution, jazz and boxing made American people wobble because of "mess". Poor New York has turned into New York as we know it today . And when Henry Ford brought his great car Ford T onto the assembly line, cars were no longer a commodity. luxury that becomes affordable transport for everyone.

In 1916, the average price of a Ford T was US $ 440, while an ordinary worker 's salary at the Ford plant was about $ 100 a month. And when cars began to roam in the streets, the Americans suddenly realized that their infrastructure was not commensurate with the number of such large vehicles. It is hard to imagine that at that time, the United States not only had no highway, but even traffic lights had no notes.

By the early 20s of the last century, the streets of New York were packed with cars.

Many believe that traffic lights first appeared in 1868 in London. In fact, this is not the case because in the UK capital that year near the parliament building, the semaphore signal columns are the same as in the station.

The last semaphore signal column is still active at Greenford Station.

It has two large arrows that are raised manually horizontally or inclined at a 45 degree angle. In the first case, the signal means "stop" and when tilting will indicate "attention" . Although this semaphore signal column also has "light" - people burn gas or red lights with gas at night but this is not an electric traffic light we are talking about. This type of lamp is very dangerous, and in 1869 there was a case where the light exploded as a police officer standing seriously injured.

Fifth Avenue at that time (and until today) is one of the busiest streets in New York.It was here that people decided to install the first semi-automatic traffic lights of the city - large huts with police sitting inside.This type of lamp-tower is still popular in New York streets until 1929.

However, this kind of traffic was invented since ancient Babylonian times. According to some historical records, King Hammurabi (who ruled from 1793 to 1750 BC) forced the slaves every evening to take the burden of the batter with two oil lamps on both ends. standing on the street. It is these "living" signal poles that will help warn vehicles and regulate traffic.

The "genuine" traffic light was invented in 1914 - August 5, the first semi-automatic traffic light designed by James Hogan was installed in Cleveland (USA). It has a red light and a green light operating under the control of a policeman sitting in a special hut. However, neither the government nor the drivers understand why this new type of transport is needed because in 1914, the number of cars in Cleveland was not large, Ford T still did not cover the whole country. America. People here are used to seeing traffic controllers standing on the street with their arms and legs dancing.

What was inside the traffic light at that time?

Six years later in Detroit is another story: the whole city is flooded with motorcycles. Road congestion happens like a meal, traffic is running in a ruckus, causing traffic control by overloading people. The police could not cope with the motorcyclists who were busy and glimmering. The chaotic traffic situation of 1920 caused one of Detroit's chief police officers, William Potts, to be unable to stand it and put out his own money to develop road infrastructure. He spent $ 37 ($ 463 currently) to buy electric wires and make traffic lights. This lamp then appeared at the intersection of Woodward and Michigan Avenues. In addition to the red and blue colors of James Hogan, now the lamp is more yellow to warn drivers and pedestrians.

The first semi-automatic traffic light was installed at the intersection of Woodward and Michigan Avenues, Detroit.William Potts then became famous and was called "The traffic light".

In the same year, a series of traffic lights were installed in New York, where they had the opportunity to fully utilize their abilities. It is possible to boldly assert itself from New York that traffic lights have begun to conquer the planet. If it was at the peak hour, it took nearly 50 minutes to go from Road 57 to Route 34 via Fifth Avenue, then after the traffic light appeared immediately this time dropped to only 10 minutes.

However, these "cork towers" (Americans at that time called it) still have major shortcomings. The first is that they are at the center of the intersection and therefore restrict traffic. The second weakness - perhaps more seriously - is the need for human presence to operate the traffic light. For example, in the mid-1920s in New York, about 10% of the city's police officers were only on a mission to regulate traffic, greatly wasting manpower.

Before the traffic light was invented, traffic police once had to regulate traffic by hand.In addition to using sticks or signboards hanging from the pole, the police even wore lights on their chests.

In 1923 the black inventor Garret Morgan was granted a patent for the first traffic signal light that was able to automatically switch signals. Incidentally, Morgan's patent was properly registered on August 5, too. He said that seeing a disastrous traffic accident right in front of his eyes prompted him to research and invent. This automatic traffic light.

In the interpretation of the patent, it says: thanks to the ability to operate independently, this device will coordinate traffic from all directions without depending on the police. This means: automatic traffic lights have affirmed one of the principles of democracy - everyone is equal before the law.

Garret Morgan and his invention.

Sometimes we can read that by inventing the automatic traffic lights Garret Morgan became rich. The truth is not so, because Morgan was rich long before he invented the traffic light. The first financing he had was from a cosmetic cream used to straighten his hair, and on October 13, 1914 Morgan received a patent for the first complete respirator. Of course, the traffic light also gave Morgan a small amount when General Electric agreed to buy his patent with a huge amount of money at that time of $ 40,000, equivalent to $ 500,582 now (about 11.15 billion VND).

In fact, in 1923, there were about 50 traffic lights in the US. But Morgan's invention is most prominent due to its simplicity and convenience , making the remaining opponents gradually destroyed. And traffic lights today are still built on Morgan's design since 1920.

In the mid-20s of the last century in the US there were more than 50 types of traffic lights with different designs.For example, the Attica Traffic Signal Company offers a system in which countdown light bulbs can continue to move.This type of indicator light is still commonly used in motorsport lines.

In remote Russia, the first traffic light until January 15, 1930 appeared at the intersection of October 25th Avenue and Volodarsky Boulevard in Leningrad (ie, today two Nevsky and Liteiny avenues in Saint Petersburg). ). In the Moscow capital, traffic lights appear later. In the same month, on December 30, 1930 at the intersection of Petrovka Street and the Kuznetsky Bridge, the people of Moscow could see the traffic lights for the first time.

Also in Japan for a long time the signal allows traffic on the blue-colored roads instead of green.

Over the past hundred years, traffic lights have been constantly developing and becoming more complex but also more convenient. At present traffic signals have special types not only for cars but also for bicycles, pedestrians, trams and even horses. We often see a signal light in the form of an arrow that allows you to turn right when you see a red light, or like a sound lamp to help the visually impaired to cross the street. This type of light is rare in Vietnam but in many countries around the world such as Russia, America, Japan, . it is a must-have traffic project.

This lamp consists of 75 balls and 8 meters high, operates without any rules but is actually controlled by a computer.

The biggest traffic light in the world today is in London. Strictly speaking, it was a 75-meter and 8-meter tall "lamp" on the square near the financial center of Canary Wharf. This lamp certainly does not help you determine the direction but on the contrary, the tree lights flashed in no order and attracted the attention of the newcomers for the first time.

The world's most bizarre traffic light in the UK.

Engineer Peter Vivantin designed this strange lamp to recall the unpredictable and constantly changing rhythm of domestic financial and commercial activities and events. If the driver does not concentrate, it is easy to get in trouble on the road just because you are looking at this strange lamp!

Some people think that traffic lights are a means to limit our freedom . But perhaps they forget that it is the traffic lights that have saved so many lives for hundreds of years. After reading this article today, if you go through the traffic light column, please give it a "thank you and happy birthday" to it.