I Never Wanted to Know This Much About Traffic Lights

I never wanted to know this much about traffic lights. But Master Six (M6) has thrust it upon us all. And not only have we earned an education in traffic engineering in Australia and the UK, but also Singapore, Japan, Thailand… pretty much across the globe.  

Did you know, that while Australian lights are generally vertical, North American arrangements are commonly horizonal?

Or that there are people in the world that have such an intense interest, that they observe traffic lights in the wild, and make videos about them?

I’ve seen many videos on YouTube created by enthusiasts in Greater Britain, who can identify manufacturers by tiny differences in the housing.

Then there are the creative repair technicians in some less-resourced parts of the world, who are undoubtedly resourceful, but wouldn’t maintain employment if governed under the safety standards enforced here in Australia.

I’m not sure whether to be impressed or horrified. I’m also considering whether to bar these clips to avoid instances of reenactment.

Thankfully, this isn’t M6’s only interest.

No, there are also elevators and escalators, especially those found in hotels and shopping plazas. We’ve utilized this particular interest for scientific builds, learning about pulleys and, thanks to YouTube, the overspeed governor, which is a crucial mechanical safety device responsible for continuously monitoring the speed of an elevator car, and stopping it if it moves too fast.

Unfortunately, there have been times that this serious interest has resulted in instances of fear and avoidance- especially around elevators that are out of order or have something out of place that indicates that it might not be operating completely. I guess there are downfalls to knowing all there is to know about elevator mechanics and what might happen should they fail. No pun intended.

But while I personally never wanted to know this much about traffic lights and elevators, I simply now do. And the joy that such seemingly mundane topics bring to my son is an absolute delight to observe, and cost nothing to involve myself in.

Sometimes I include aspects of his interests as (very discreet) learning opportunities, like the time we built a STEM elevator, but otherwise I try to be careful not to hijack his interest by tainting it with expectation. His interests are his own, and it wouldn’t be right to manipulate them to my advantage.

To be fair, traffic lights aren’t that boring. I’m also a sucker for gaining interest in anything that makes a little boy smile.