Traffic Lights

[agchristie]

Why do you not see black and white striped poles any more? Just curious! Often see old programmes,news clips as recent as the 70's and now they are just gray....

[Hopkirk]

Presumably it is cheaper, and the stripes were unnecessary.

[shoota]

Somebody mixed the two tins of paint.....

[Graham-W]

Because we don't have any Zebra crossings and Belishia beacons anymore? They're all pedestrian controlled lights.

[Hopkirk]

You what?

[agchristie]

I still think there is a better reason?? No zebra crossings,belisha beacons?

[Graham-W]

OK. Very few Zebra crossings. They're nearly all Pelican crossings.

[Graham-W]

Scroll down this page: http://www.idgo.ac.uk/design_guidance/factsheets/Pedestrian_Crossings.htm
First picture, Pelican crossing with grey post.
Second picture, Zebra crossing with striped post.

[agchristie]

I understand that G but specifically on traffic lights that are not on a pedestrian crossing,say on an island,why were they once striped but not now?

[Hypognosis]

Probably to aid visibilty in the pea-soupers of the 1950s.

High contrast = high visibility (against grey background). Similar idea to "invasion stripes" on allied aircraft after D-Day.

[agchristie]

Interesting theory H!

[douglas9401]

I seem to remember, in the seventies I think, that black and white poles went out with the demise of policemen wearing a black and white wrist band indicating 'on duty'.
The powers that be seem to have decided that a visible police presence is no longer needed and traffic lights are more and more seen as an inconvenience to many and optional to others so they've both been blended into the background.
I have to go now as I can hear the cheery whistle of the milkman and I'm sure the postman's here with the first of my four daily deliveries. I'm wondering if he onion johnny and knife sharpener are due too.