h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Traffic Lights - A3245951
Author: Pingu's Dad - U199185

My first article - four years in the making...

It's very short! Is there not more you could say on the subject?

You'll have to take out the picture and the first two paragraphs. They are about how and why you wrote the entry, and should not form part of the entry.

1. Probably could write more but I was going for concise and interesting.
2. Okay I've re-read the Writing Guidelines and agree, the first two paragraphs are written in the 1st person and should be removed - however would still like to link in to the original conversation... will rewrite the intro to generalise and de-personalise.
3. Picture isn't anything to do with first two paragraphs - was the only H2G2 picture I could find with Traffic Lights and adds colour to the entry - I'd like it to stay.
4. Thanks for the criticism.

PD

Sorry. The removal of the picture is a separate issue from that of the first two paragraphs. For your own Guide Entries, you are welcome to use any picture you can find. But for Edited Entries, the editors get to choose the picture. If they decide it needs a picture, they will commision an artist to do one for them. If they decide it doesn't need a picture, they'll remove your one. So either way, yours has to go. The subeditor will remove it if you don't.

As for further content, isn't it true that many railway signals have go at the top and stop at the bottom, due to the "fail safe" principle. Why was it decided to put stop at the top on traffic lights?

When I was young, the red light always had the word STOP written in black letters on it.

You could add something about green arrows, red arrows, orange flashing, turn on red/

You could add a link to the entry on Pelican Crossings.

Green waves, centralised traffic light control throughout a city. Rubber pad actuated lights. Metal detectors set into the road. Override of traffic lights by fire engines.

Thanks for the additional notes.
The link to the Pelican Crossings article is a v. good suggestion, I'll do some research on the other suggestions, your final points add up to a "Future" section within the article (idea?)

Finally, okay, I'll remove the image!!! PD

They're not "future"; rubber pads are a thing of the past. The fire engine controls are experimental but are used in some cities in the UK. The metal detectors in the road are completely standard (you'll see diamond shapes in the tarmac), while centralised control is fairly standard in large cities. The day when the centralised control broke down in Dublin and all traffic lights returned to independent cycles was a day to be remembered!

Sorry, I obviously didn't make things clear - as I understand it "override" functionality and "centralised control" are newer ideas. The future section I was suggesting was looking at where these capabilities are taking us now and into the near future. As your reply points out, also could look into the problems they cause.
I will also look further into the mechanics that have been used historically eg. the rubber pads on the road and the temporary traffic light cables my Dad assures me you could jump on to make the lights change!

Thanks again. PD

Still working on this PD?

Considered mentioning LED advances?
http://people.howstuffworks.com/question178.htm

How about using info to expand on use of traffi lights from this site: http://homepages.cwi.nl/~dik/english/traffic/index.html
- animated order of lights

Pimms

Author elvised. Recommend move. Fleamarket or entry?

I think it's a bit early to say he's elvised. In his introduction , he did say it had been 4 years in the making. Perhaps move it to Entry in case he's going to pick it back up.

If it's taken four years to get this far then maybe PD is too busy with real life to finish the entry on his own...

He hasn't posted on h2g2 since November 10th so it does seem like RL is the priority at the moment. Back to entry for resubmission after he has had chance to work on the things he mentioned in his last post would seem the best option IMO.

I don't like clearing things out of PR (Honest!) but when they are not being worked on or likely to be done in the near future then it is best they are taken out, IMO.

Yep - a move back to entry is a good idea.

I'll second a move back to entry, and add this one to my email.

Cheers Mikey.

I think we need to seriously have the outstanding moves shifted, there are so many waiting to be moved now - about 3 lists I think.

Mikey - do you want to add these to your mail too, if you are sending one in? Back to Entry A3336699 � Life http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F48874?thread=536190 Mort and Gosho Non-EG material A3487106 � Homework http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F48874?thread=561418 FM and Mort Non-EG material A3482048 - Walking through mountains http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/F48874?thread=560691 FM and Mort Non-EG material

Mikey & Mort, Well there is the option of strike action.

How about if the next set of lists gets ignored we - and there are only about 5 regulars who clean PR - say we're not doing it anymore until the italics pull their finger out and do their side of the deal

Added yours. I've been checking the last several lists before adding things to my list. But yes, an italic cleaning is definitely needed.

Sadly, I think that sounds like a good idea -- I've certainly done it before, but then it was just me, not all of us.

Thanks for adding them Mikey

GD, Do they realise how long it takes to the do the sorting? Just going through 2 pages of entries can take 2 hours.

Striking never works - we would just end up having twice as much to do in the end!

If all the moves were shifted then it would give the staff a good idea of just how few 'on the boil' entries are actually in PR