A woman is going viral on TikTok after sharing a PSA to fellow drivers. You can utilize certain sensors at most stop lights to expedite traffic.
Gabbi Speakman (@gabspeak) shared this tip from her car, seemingly after a frustrating encounter with a driver who didn’t know that these sensors existed.
“Does not everyone know that the turn line often has, like, a signal built into the ground?” she asked viewers. Speakman said that there will be a rectangle-like shape on the road, which signals that a sensor is embedded into the nearby light.
“If you drive on top of that, we will get the turn arrow,” she said. “If you do not, we will not get the turn arrow.” As of Friday, her video sharing this tip had amassed more than 1.8 million views.
What are traffic sensors?
To be sure, not every traffic light will include these sensors. But, at the basic level, they’re used to detect the presence of cars at various points. These sensors can be used to measure the number of vehicles that pass through a specific point. They can also track the speed at which said cars are traveling, among other things.
Car-sensitive traffic lights will respond to a sensor hidden under the road which can detect the presence of metallic objects above, according to SlashGear. While some intersections make use of this technology through microwave or infrared sensors, others do so with cameras.
“Whichever way they go about doing it, the concept is more or less the same—sensors note both the presence of cars on or near the stop line, as well as the number of cars lined up,” SlashGear reported. “If one direction of an intersection has more cars backed up, the light switches signals to prioritize clearing out that lane.”
These sensors are vital for managing traffic, but, as Speakman noted, are not always visible to drivers. In her video, for instance, she noted that the drivers on the road with her this morning apparently had no idea that this technology existed.
How to spot the sensor
Not every traffic light is sensor sensitive. But if it is, there will be physical signs. According to one redditor from the r/explainlikeimfive subreddit, drivers on the hunt for these sensors need to look for an oval, square, or rectangle on the road.
“That is the induction loop embedded into the road that can tell the traffic light computer whenever a metal object passes over it,” they said.
It’s important to note that this might not work for everything that passes through it. Motorcycles and bicycles often don’t have enough metal on their wheels to trip the lights, the reddit thread noted.
And even if these shapes aren’t visible, it’s possible your nearby traffic lights are detecting cars through cameras. Cameras are technically better than sensors at reducing standby time, but have disadvantages such as sensitivity to winds and vibrations.
Some viewers express shock at use of traffic sensors
Apparently, the fact that these sensors exist and help the flow of traffic at certain stop lights wasn’t common knowledge.
That, of course, could be due to the fact that some big cities (e.g. New York City and Los Angeles) are less drivable or because not every light utilizes this technology.
“Hey girl I actually did not know this,” one woman admitted.
“Can we get like a 100 part series bc there are endless driving tips people do not KNOW,” another asked.
“No I was not aware sorry,” a third viewer quipped.
For drivers who said that they knew about this, many expressed frustration that other drivers didn’t. They, like Speakman, said that people who are unaware of the sensors may be unintentionally holding up traffic.
“I CANT STAND PEOPLE WHO SIT WAY BACK WHAT ARE U DOING,” one woman complained.
“Drives me craaaaazy like pull UP,” another wrote.
@gabspeak Not the people driving this morning #turn ♬ original sound – gabspeak
“Guys I thought this was common sense I fear,” a third viewer added.
“Me screaming 5 car lengths behind knowing they aren’t on it at all screaming, ‘MOVE FORWARD!!!’” a fourth user said.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Speakman via TikTok comment.
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