Guest Mr_Protozoa Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Hello all. It's time for another odd topic..... TRAFFIC CONES I'm redesigning traffic cones for a uni project. What problem do you have with cones? What don't you like about them? Any amusing cone stories? Post below!
Guest adam Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Thats a tough one, your major problem is that traffic cones have a simple purpse and they are adequate for that purpose. Maybe there needs to be another function for a traffic cone before it is redesigned. Or are you just taking the piss?
Guest ukpauls Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 they hurt your neck, so make it a bit lighter
Guest Mr_Protozoa Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Oh no. This is a real thing. I'm looking into visability and illumination. You see the problem is you can see them in the dark, unless you're in a car with your headlight pointing right at the reflective jacket. If you're on foot of on a bicycle you can't see the little beggers.
Guest adam Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 they hurt your neck, so make it a bit lighter Hehe :)
Guest Mr_Protozoa Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 ukpauls... what are you doing with these cones? lifting them up? LIFT WITH YOUR LEGS NOT YOUR BACK! (that's what my dad always used to say!)
Guest adam Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 How about a light pointing downward to illuminate the surrounding road, or redesign the base with cats eyes? Note to RSPCA, I meant the reflective ones found in roads!!
Guest Palindrome Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 You could incorporate one of those yellow flashing lights into the body of the cone.
Guest adam Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Reflective tape joining cones? Few Christmas lights here and there, or one use of those proximity car alarms "Step away from the traffic cone"!
Guest Mr_Protozoa Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Here's the current concept. If you can't read my scrawl let me explain... A cheap solar panel is placed in the top of the cone This charges a battery of capacitor A LDR detects when it's getting dark The LED's inside the cone (visable through cutaway on picc) turn on The cone glows as the light passes through the thin plastic walls. Now everyone can see the cone at night! Plus it doesn't distract drivers in the same way flashing lights do! This system is designed to be retrofitted into existing cones, so it's fairly inexpensive to implement.solar cone copy.jpg
Guest adam Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 You'll probably have to test the level of illumination that gives, the battery would have to work for around eight hours. If you illuminated the reflective jacket it couldn't bother drivers, because that illuminates anyway when a car drives past.
Guest Gorskar Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 Why do you need an LDR? If you are using a solar panel anyway couldnt you just have it turn on when the current drops low enough? (I'm not sure exactly how this is done: my electrical days were a long time ago, but I doubt its too difficult)
Guest Mr_Protozoa Posted May 24, 2003 Report Posted May 24, 2003 I've left the reflective jacket on this diagram since it's probally part of a legal requirement. Will have to check that out. The illumination will also help drivers to see cones further away which their headlight can't reach, therefor allowing the driver to plan ahead and/or be aware of any unexpected road changes. The LED brightness shouldn't be too much of a problem, you can get LED's you can see from 2 miles away, so I should be able to get something suitable. (may have to make the cone walls thinner tho). Gorskar: Cheers for the idea, should help reduce costs by removing the LDR.
Guest pisquee Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 instead/aswel as reflective strip have glow in the dark stip, or remake the whole cone in glow in the dark plastic/rubber stuff - although i guess this would make the cone a whitey/yellow colour and not red (which i assume is the legal requiremant)
Guest Monolithix [MVP] Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 How about a traffic cone register. Do 200 miles on the M6 and you'll see dozens of 2-3 mile patches of random cones. No workmen, no equipment, no work, just random cones....
Guest MECX Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 if you make a cone like that there will be a few students around the country with a large collection of them in there front rooms.. how about sumthin to lock the suckers to the floor(could be dangerous if cars hit them)---or an electronic beacon so you can find them again--although this may be going to far.
Guest adam Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 2 pages on traffic cones, so we are all bored then!:)
Guest Monolithix [MVP] Posted May 25, 2003 Report Posted May 25, 2003 "Bugging" traffic cones would be quite funny... And i think the point of cones MECX is that they do give way when hit :)
Guest Brody Posted May 26, 2003 Report Posted May 26, 2003 "Stop telling me what to do!!!!" Quote: Michael from I'm Alan Partridge
Guest superkingdave Posted May 26, 2003 Report Posted May 26, 2003 how about a cone alarm like "stop, step away from the cone" or maybe "get back you bast*rd. ill break your legs" although id prefer "alert alert pikey drunk student indulging in cone theft"
Guest adam Posted May 26, 2003 Report Posted May 26, 2003 how about a cone alarm like "stop, step away from the cone" Hey! I already said that! :)
Guest superkingdave Posted May 26, 2003 Report Posted May 26, 2003 sorry couldnt be bothered to read the rest of the first page . :)
Guest Firaas Posted May 26, 2003 Report Posted May 26, 2003 How about cones whose illumination increase in brightness as it recognised that cars were going past? (Maybe them metal thing in the road like at traffic lights about 200m before or something)
Guest Brody Posted May 27, 2003 Report Posted May 27, 2003 how about a cone alarm like "stop, step away from the cone" or maybe "get back you bast*rd. ill break your legs" although id prefer "alert alert pikey drunk student indulging in cone theft" I get ya!! :) Check out my profile, i think we're on the same wavelength!! :wink:
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