History of the traffic light: from gas to electricity

The history of the traffic light has been counting for more than a century. On August 5, 2014, the automatic registrar had an anniversary - he turned exactly one hundred years old. Congratulations to all road users with this significant event and remember how the history of traffic light began.

The first rules of motion

The first rules of the movement appeared more than two thousand years ago, even under Julius Caesar. Some of them are still used by modern drivers. For example, one-way traffic.

In Russia, the first mention of the rules refers to the order of the Empress Anna Ioannovna. In its decree in 1730, she bequeathed to everyone "to go quietly," and those who disrupted this order, waited severe punishment: whip or penal servitude.

Modern lawyers will only smile. What does "attention" mean? How to determine when a decree is violated? Pretty curious. However, the realization that it was necessary to somehow secure the traffic of wagons came already then.

Also curious is the edict of another Russian empress - Catherine II. It should "not shout and do not whistle, do not ring and do not strum". In this decree we observe the development of legal justice in the field of road traffic. Instead of the notion of "not making noise," the empress wrote well what is required of her subjects. Then the first policemen appeared, who watched the order during the movement.

Great-grandfather of the modern regulator

We will not go into philosophical arguments about what we would do without a traffic light. Sooner or later it would have appeared on our roads anyway. However, we will tell about the events from which the history of the appearance of the traffic light began.

The very first automatic regulator appeared in London, in 1868, near the parliament building. Its creator is engineer John Peak Knight. This is not a random invention. Before that, the engineer had designed instruments for railway transport - semaphores, simple inventions with arrows. Managed them manually. If the arrow was placed horizontally, there was no danger for movement. After she started to climb at an angle of 45 degrees, this meant that there was a danger of movement. It was necessary to move extremely carefully. At night, the shooter can not be seen - they were replaced by gas lights red and green. You can guess that the green meant movement, and the red barred it.

It was this principle that was used when installing a traffic light in the city streets of London, and at night traffic was also illuminated by gas lamps.

First electric light

Further, the history of the development of a traffic light takes us back to 1912, to the American state of Utah. It was here that Lester Vair first created a regulator from the electrical network. However, the patent was not acquired, so the name of the engineer was not widely known. Only two years later, engineer James Hog constructed a device similar to modern regulators.

The idea appealed to the authorities. The device was installed at the crossroads of the one hundred and fifth street and Euclid Avenue. In addition to the light signal, he also issued a sound signal. The device was not automatic. Next to each device in the booth sat a mechanic who ran it.

The history of the appearance of a traffic light of three colors is associated with the names of John F. Harris and William Potts. It was they who in 1920 created a device that regulated traffic on the busy streets of Detroit and New York.

The first traffic light in Europe

Despite the fact that the idea of the regulator belongs to England, the first devices of the modern type appeared exactly in the USA. France was the first European country in which such traffic lights were installed. This happened in 1922 in Paris, and only in 1927 the device moved to England.

Appearance in our country

The history of the traffic lights in our country began with Leningrad. He was installed at the crossroads of Volodarsky Prospects and October 25 (these are the modern Nevsky and Liteiny). This event dates back to January 1930, and it became significant for our country. Almost a year later, on December 30, met with the residents of the capital. It was a kind of gift to Muscovites for the New Year.

New - well forgotten old?

Today, the device is gaining popularity on city streets with a countdown. In an age of accuracy, this novelty is very popular with the inhabitants of modern megacities. This invention was transferred to us from motorsport. Surprisingly, the history of the traffic light tells us that such devices were created in the mid-20's. The last century. They were produced by Attica Traffic Signal Company.

History of a traffic light for children: interesting facts

It is very important that children from an early age are aware of the rules of the road. For this purpose, various contests can be arranged in kindergartens and schools, telling interesting facts about traffic lights, conducting presentations, mugs and additional classes. For example, you can take the topic "The history of the first traffic lights", "Interesting facts about traffic lights", etc. Let's talk a little about some interesting points related to the regulator in different countries of the world, which may be interesting for future drivers.

In Japan, for example, for a long time, blue was considered to be a permissive movement.

"Tree-traffic signal" in England

The world's largest device is in London. This is the famous "tree-traffic light". There is an object on the square near the Canary Wharf. He does not regulate anything, but is a symbol of the achievement of the human mind. This is some kind of victory over the road chaos. Its height is 8 meters. There is a device of 75 devices controlled by one computer.

Pedestrian adjuster

Many of us think that regulators are needed for vehicles. For pedestrians, traffic lights are used only if they directly contact the equipment when crossing the street.

However, there is a device for the flow of people. It is located in the Czech Republic (in Prague) and regulates traffic along the street Vinarna Chertovka. The fact is that this street is only 70 cm wide, and the movement of people along it is lively. Therefore, the most real traffic jams can create pedestrians.

Monuments to the traffic light

In the world there are very real monuments of traffic lights. They are also in our country. They are installed in two cities: Novosibirsk and Perm. The first was opened in 2006, the second in 2010.

Traffic lights as a symbol of politics

Even the first grader knows the order of the flowers at the traffic lights. However, earlier in some countries, including the USSR, they were located on the contrary. Of course, everyone came to the conclusion that red should be on top. But there is only one device in the world, in which this color is below. The traffic light is located in Syracuse in the USA. This is due not to the level of intelligence of its inhabitants, but to political convictions. The fact is that many citizens are from Ireland. They connect the red color with England. Its location above stirs the feelings of these people, since the symbol of their country is below the color of the "invaders". After the riots, the US authorities decided to make an exception for the residents of this city in the arrangement of flowers at the traffic lights.

Traffic participants on a note

It should be noted that for a hundred years of its development this device has undergone many different changes. As soon as traffic lights were not modified, trying to complicate things. However, life always pointed out that the ideal option - three-color, consisting of known to all colors. The history of the first traffic light tells us that it is red and green - the most successful of all the variety of the palette.

Modern devices are invented for almost all types of transport: cars of different classes, motorcycles, bicycles. There are even traffic lights for horses.

Everyone understands that the device under consideration is not a restriction, but a guarantee of saving life in the conditions of a road "war". It would be desirable to remind, that only green light by rules is allowing movement. Yellow and red are inhibitory signals. It is the neglect of this simple rule that is the cause of many deaths on the roads.

Devices of the XXI century

People rely more and more on traffic lights. Today it is rare to meet traffic police officials who regulate the street. Of course, in emergency situations this happens, but if you compare it with the Soviet time, the difference is obvious. We increasingly trust technology. Of course, it often fails, it breaks down, creating emergency situations. However, the instruments are being improved every day. Devices of the future are traffic lights with artificial intelligence, which will maximize the degree of movement. Already today all devices are connected to a computer with a local network. Equipped traffic lights and special sensors to understand the degree of traffic congestion, analyze information, issue appropriate signals. We hope that such systems will only be improved in the future.