What the ‘mystery’ box shapes in the road at intersections REALLY mean – and it could change how you drive: ‘I had no idea’
Thousands are only just discovering the purpose of the ‘box shapes’ on roads at intersections in Australia.
Although it may seem common knowledge, the lines are sensors that monitor traffic flow.
The loops in the pavement work by detecting metal objects, such as a car or bicycle. If the objects remain, a message is sent to change the traffic lights, but if the object leaves, the message is canceled.
Transport New South Wales revealed its true purpose by sharing images of the sensors – with many admitting they had ‘no idea’ the system existed or how it worked.
If the sensors detect more traffic on one side of the intersection than the other, it ‘communicates’ with the traffic lights to adjust the configuration accordingly, according to the Facebook post.
‘Have you ever noticed these box shapes in the road at intersections? They are actually sensors that monitor traffic flow,” the caption read.
‘If you stand at a red light late at night, you will see that it turns green almost immediately.’ The sensors can be seen on roads across Australia.
The post quickly caught the attention of others, many of whom couldn’t believe that so many people had no idea about the road sensors.
Although it may seem common knowledge, the lines on the road at intersections are sensors to monitor traffic flow
Transport New South Wales revealed its true purpose by sharing images of the sensors – and many had ‘no idea’ the system existed or how it works
More than 2,200 people liked the post and 703 comments were posted.
“How can people not already know this!” wrote one.
‘Omg, finally someone who provides this comprehensive information. I get so frustrated when there are no drivers and you have to wait for the lights to come on,” wrote another.
‘More people need to understand this, so that they don’t pull too far away. “I was once stuck behind a tax office that didn’t make any progress and we were there for a long time,” a third added.
‘I thought this was a well-known fact, but it’s certainly not in my area. This needs to be advertised more widely, many people stop right in front of the sensors. It’s ridiculous,” another added.
‘Driving instructors must inform new drivers about this. “There are a lot of new drivers who stop a distance from these sensors and wonder why the right arrow lights don’t turn green,” another argued.
Earlier this year, the weirdest and weirdest road signs in Australia left tourists confused and a little scared.
Driving in Australia can be particularly dangerous due to the country’s wildlife, so the roads are littered with warning signs to warn drivers.
Australia’s weirdest and craziest road signs have been revealed, including one in Exmouth warning motorists that an emu cull is taking place in the area
The Tasmanian Devil has its own sign found only on the island state to encourage motorists to look out for the marsupials which have been endangered since 2008
Some are easy to decipher, like the classic kangaroo crossing sign, but others leave travelers scratching their heads.
Brazen vandals also like to add to the confusion by illegally altering signs with imaginative scribbles.
The ‘most liked’ boards on Instagram were also discovered by Right2Drive with the Tasmanian Devil topping the list with over 23,000 comments.
The Tasmanian Devil, pictured with its mouth open and teeth bared, has its own sign found only on the island state to encourage drivers to keep an eye out for the marsupials that have been endangered since 2008.
A passerby even added a pair of bat wings to one sign to make the Tasmanian devil look more menacing.
Emus roam wild in Exmouth, Western Australia and encountering them on the road can be very dangerous.