Yikes! A Stoplight Changer?

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Yikes! A Stoplight Changer?

Postby Mithrandir » Thu Nov 06, 2003 10:38 am

An interesting article was posted to /. about a (semi-cheep) device that can instantly switch stoplights to be green in your direction. It's a little iffy about how/where it will work, but it could be rather scary if EVERYONE had one.

The Yahoo News Article
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Postby Saint » Thu Nov 06, 2003 10:48 am

Hey that would come in handy, but not for 300 to 500 dollars.
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Postby inkhana » Thu Nov 06, 2003 11:55 am

Whoa...O.o Sounds dangerous, all right...


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Postby Technomancer » Thu Nov 06, 2003 3:34 pm

I can't see it being legal for long. In any event, I can think of a couple of ways that the authorities can beat the device (mainly by changing the transmitted signal and adding some extra logic to the reciever)
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Postby Mithrandir » Thu Nov 06, 2003 3:37 pm

Yeah, but the mod chip for the PSII isn't legal either...

How much would it cost us in tax dollars for this to happen? I'm thinkin' one billion dollars.

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Postby Fsiphskilm » Sun Nov 16, 2003 8:55 pm

huh??? Sinse when do traffic lights use transmitters?
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Postby The Silence » Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:57 pm

Well I can't say for sure in other places, since i live in the middle of technology here in silicon valley, but a lot of the traffic lights can be controlled by amblulances going by. I do believe and know of such "remote light switchers" in these cases....
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Postby Mithrandir » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:28 am

Yeah, Silence is right. They deffinately use them around here. There's a fire dept right down the road from my place, and I've watched the light go from Green to Red instantly while they go barreling through. It's a bit unnerving. But since they have siren's blaring the whole time, I can't really say it's a hazard.
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Postby Bobtheduck » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:47 am

some of them have light sensors that detect the flashing lights of the emergency vehicles, some of them have RF switches... A lot of lights will turn green just by flashing your lights, like where I used to live... my friend did it all the time...
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Postby Mithrandir » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:54 am

Bobtheduck wrote:A lot of lights will turn green just by flashing your lights, like where I used to live... my friend did it all the time...


It should probably be pointed out that this is, point of fact, highly illegal. I wonder if it could fall under the:

"...subverting the legal system through exploiting security flaws in government technology"

laws...?
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Postby The Silence » Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:37 pm

so that makes them neither lawful flaws or flawless laws
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Postby Fsiphskilm » Tue Nov 18, 2003 5:14 pm

Well all I can say is....Lord be with us whe
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Postby The Silence » Thu Nov 20, 2003 1:12 pm

or any driver who has a daily commute to work... - -
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