Nov-Dec 2011 News

Traffic Lights

by David Shadow-wolf

Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, robots or semaphore, are signaling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic. Traffic lights were fi rst installed in 1868 in London, and today are installed in most cities around the world. Traffic lights alternate the right of way of road users by displaying lights of a standard color (red, yellow/amber, green), using a universal color code (and a precise sequence to enable comprehension by those who are color blind).

Now that we know what a traffic light is. We must ask “Does it have a mind of it’s own?” Every day I travel Springs Road, a major four lane road into Hickory. Everyday this one traffic light waits for me to turn red at the very moment I pull up to it. It’s a four way light with traffic moving four ways. The road straight ahead goes to down town Hickory, the road to the left goes to side roads in the areas and the road to the right only goes to one store, CVS Pharmacy. If I make a right for CVS to visit the store, the light will wait for me to come out and will turn red the same time I get back to the traffic light. If it’s always green coming from the store, why does it always turn red when I’m leaving the store. I do believe there is someone up in a booth watching for that special fi ve to ten cars so they can have a good laugh. It could be two O’clock in the morning with my car the only one on the road and this light will turn red when I show up. I have traveled through Hickory with every traffic light turning green at the same time I got to it. Maybe three times in thirty years. But this one light will never let that happen again. NEVER! In every town in every state this light is waiting for all of us. I bet everyone of you have this traffic light in your life also.

On the bright side of things, many of our Catawba car people had a good time at the AACA National show in Bristol, Va. After setting in the open field that day, I felt like a piece of bacon.

Well the good news is, the heat is gone for another summer. We took a trip to the Catawba County Club for a GREAT dinner. I ate way to much. I put the top down on the Cadillac that evening for a beautiful trip. Glen and Fay Pope brought two cars to enjoy at the county club. I slept like a baby that night. I was so full, I couldn't move. What a great place to go for food and a wonderful convertible ride. We all had a good time.