Stop signs are only useful if there are other cars.

These stop signs would fold up if no car has crossed their intersection for 15 minutes, detected via multiple infrared lasers that make a ring around the intersection. So if a person, car, or large animal crosses, they unfold and wait.

My reasoning is, stop signs are unneccessary if there are no other cars nearby. And if they communicated together, they would know in advance if multiple cars were coming, and would unfold.

Really, I just like the idea of stop-signs unfolding like flowers.
-- DesertFox, Jul 23 2006

But, just like train signals, you need to bear in mind what will happen if these signs fail (as all things mechanical do, sooner or later) in the "clear" position. BAM!
-- DrCurry, Jul 23 2006


I like the idea... even with the typographical error.

Traffic lights fail too and that hasn't stopped them from being in existence. I imagine they could be so engineered to fail in the open position with a failsafe of some type.
-- The Acrimonious Obfuscator, Jul 24 2006


An absolutely wonderful idea. Especially with the failsafe option.
-- normzone, Jul 24 2006


Hmm, thanks for the heads-up on the typo.

I just re-read my subtitle. Stop signs from hiding! Stop them!
-- DesertFox, Jul 24 2006


DF- I hope you gathered that I was playing off the "pedant trap." I am not trying to be too cruel.
-- The Acrimonious Obfuscator, Jul 24 2006


Worry not! Your sharp barbs bounce off my leathery dragon skin! And then I roast you with fiery breath!

Now, back to reality.
-- DesertFox, Jul 24 2006


But when a traffic light fails, you can still see that there's a lamp there and that it's turned off. So you know to be careful.
-- phundug, Jul 25 2006



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