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By now you've probably already noticed the magical powers of ambulances to turn red lights green. This coveted ability is enabled by a simple transmitter in emergency vehicles that tells the light when to change in order to help save lives.Well, now lights might be changing in order to save the Earth as well. On Staten Island, they're starting up a pilot project that is the first of its kind. Buses will be given a similar level of power over street lights. If a bus is coming, the light will turn green sooner or stay green longer. First, this decreases the horribly inefficient process of decelerating a ten ton bus. But, even more cool, it makes riding the bus faster and more convenient, and riding in cars slower and less convenient.
Not a great thing for road-rage levels, maybe. But it is the right thing for promoting mass transit. If the project is a success it could spread to the rest of NYC's Burroughs over the next five years.
Via Good Clean Tech
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written by kballs, September 07, 2007
If you follow the bus in your car it will make your trip quicker. ;D It's like following an ambulance except you won't get a ticket for following.
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written by PJ, September 07, 2007
I like the idea. But I'm wondering if there will be a hierarchy. Staten Island has a high density of fire houses, and if a fire truck is coming northbound and a bus is coming westbound, will the Opticon know to give the fire truck the right of way?
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written by AA, September 10, 2007
I don't now about staten island, but bus stops are often near the corner in my city, and that's also where the lights are. If I was driving and had to wait for 20 ppl getting on and off a bus at the adjacent corner, i'd go mad pretty quickly. Over all sounds like it has great potential.
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written by moore, December 05, 2007
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It is politically difficult though. This measure probably has lots of support in public transit oriented NY, but just imagine trying to get it implemented where it would do the most good: car-mad LA.