# Road Question... **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [October 31, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960 "2007-10-31T20:34:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MazerMadness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90db22/32.png) [@MazerMadness](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MazerMadness)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/1 "2007-10-31T20:34:08Z")
I know all of you have seen these at least once on the road. They resemble bungy cords stretched across the road surface and connected to a small box on the side of the road, only temporary and usually in pairs, about a foot separating them. Does anyone know what the purpose of these are. My guess is its used to count vehicle traffic. Does anyone know for sure??? ---
**Author:** ![Onyx\_Z32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/onyx_z32/32/7581_2.png) [@Onyx\_Z32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Onyx_Z32)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/2 "2007-10-31T20:38:26Z")
I think there was a 100000 page thread about this here at one time. It was a debate between the engineers of NYSpeed and the “engineers” of NYSpeed as to if they were placed to record speeds or traffic… ---
**Author:** ![dawn](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/dawn/32/7209_2.png) [@dawn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dawn)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/3 "2007-10-31T20:38:39Z")
I’m pretty sure it’s to count traffic. ---
**Author:** ![forthekicks385](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/forthekicks385/32/7484_2.png) [@forthekicks385](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/forthekicks385)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:49pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/4 "2007-10-31T20:49:05Z")
it is a traffic counter. this thread is a, a, a, fail. ---
**Author:** ![FightinMike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@FightinMike](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/FightinMike)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/5 "2007-10-31T21:44:30Z")
Since they are pairs of parallel wire they could have the ability to record speed…Im not saying I know anything about them, just that they could. ---
**Author:** ![HotRodKid](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/hotrodkid/32/7609_2.png) [@HotRodKid](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/HotRodKid)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/6 "2007-10-31T21:54:58Z")
a foot seperation between 2 sensors is a horrible horrible way to calculate speed /story ---
**Author:** ![jkucz28](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jkucz28/32/7503_2.png) [@jkucz28](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jkucz28)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 1:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/7 "2007-11-01T01:29:11Z")
traffic counter/ story ---
**Author:** ![ultradriver10000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ultradriver10000/32/7397_2.png) [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/8 "2007-11-01T06:08:30Z")
It actually determines if you pay your taxes. What the hell do you think its for? ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:11am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/9 "2007-11-01T06:11:49Z")
[quote=“HotRodKid,post:6,topic:37960"”] a foot seperation between 2 sensors is a horrible horrible way to calculate speed /story [/quote] :word: Way too much error if they were measuring speed. And who the fuck cares about speed data anyways? ---
**Author:** ![Avatar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/avatar/32/5076_2.png) [@Avatar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Avatar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/10 "2007-11-01T06:19:31Z")
Impossible to calculate speed with varying wheelbase of different vehicles. Also, not to mention multi-axle trucks… /story ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/11 "2007-11-01T06:31:23Z")
[quote=“Avatar,post:10,topic:37960"”] Impossible to calculate speed with varying wheelbase of different vehicles. Also, not to mention multi-axle trucks… /story [/quote] lol Can you figure out why that makes me laugh? ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/12 "2007-11-01T06:31:31Z")
I agree that measuring speed with just a foot or two apart would be difficult but I’d like know the engineering reason why these always seem to have two not one. [quote=“Fry,post:11,topic:37960"”] lol Can you figure out why that makes me laugh? [/quote] I was going to say the same thing, but I’m already over my quota for arguing on the internet this week. Damn illegal aliens. ---
**Author:** ![Avatar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/avatar/32/5076_2.png) [@Avatar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Avatar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:35am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/13 "2007-11-01T06:35:17Z")
[quote=“Fry,post:11,topic:37960"”] lol Can you figure out why that makes me laugh? [/quote] I’m certainly no engineer, but I can’t see a way to accurately measure vehicle speed of the multitude of vehicles traversing a road with two pressure sensitive lines spaced about a foot apart. I would like to know why that idea is so ridiculous… ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/14 "2007-11-01T06:38:57Z")
Bam! [http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Welcome.html](http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Welcome.html) Primarily used for counting, also for speed (hence multiple sensors) and classification (how many axles.) ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:41am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/15 "2007-11-01T06:41:00Z")
[quote=“Avatar,post:13,topic:37960"”] I’m certainly no engineer, but I can’t see a way to accurately measure vehicle speed of the multitude of vehicles traversing a road with two pressure sensitive lines spaced about a foot apart. I would like to know why that idea is so ridiculous… [/quote] I don’t care if a vehicle has 87 axles. The front wheels will always hit the wires consecutively. As long as you have 2 wires, you count how long between the first two bumps. Wheelbase and number of axles is irrelavent. ---
**Author:** ![Avatar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/avatar/32/5076_2.png) [@Avatar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Avatar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/16 "2007-11-01T06:42:22Z")
[quote=“Fry,post:14,topic:37960"”] Bam! [http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Welcome.html](http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Welcome.html) Primarily used for counting, also for speed (hence multiple sensors) and classification (how many axles.) [/quote] I see that for classification two sets of sensors are used. That makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![JayS](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/jays/32/15375_2.png) [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:42am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/17 "2007-11-01T06:42:55Z")
Damn it, Fry found the same link I did. [http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Bypass.html](http://www.roadrampsystems.com/Bypass.html) Took me a while to find the name for them. “pneumatic traffic counters”. ---
**Author:** ![Fry](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/fry/32/7284_2.png) [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/18 "2007-11-01T06:44:20Z")
lol “wires across road” ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/19 "2007-11-01T06:44:33Z")
Fry beat me to it. It can be used for traffic counting, speed sensing and axle counting. Avatar, you’re wrong about needing to know axle to axle distance. Front wheel triggers one sensor, then “t” time later it triggers the second sensor. average V=delta X/ delta t DURRR. ---
**Author:** ![Avatar](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/avatar/32/5076_2.png) [@Avatar](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Avatar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2007, 6:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960/20 "2007-11-01T06:50:12Z")
[quote=“Fry,post:15,topic:37960"”] I don’t care if a vehicle has 87 axles. The front wheels will always hit the wires consecutively. As long as you have 2 wires, you count how long between the first two bumps. Wheelbase and number of axles is irrelavent. [/quote] I see that, but my point was that I thought it wasn’t able to calculate sped per vehicle (because of wheelbase/axles). Measuring one set of wheels is fine, but speed of one complete vehicle such as an 18-wheeler without confusing it with 3 cars wasn’t clear to me… Thanks edit: I was thinking too complicated… [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/road-question/37960.md?page=2)