Student: Foo Zhi Qian
Some features of our society are so ubiquitous that people usually take them for granted. For instance, look at this picture. Will the three traffic lights captivate any of your attention? Have you ever wondered how the world would be without traffic lights?
This photo was taken at the intersection of Pedder Street and Des Voeux Road in Central. Being the frenetic business and retail heart of Hong Kong, Central is always busy and crowded with people. Despite the dense population, the traffics on the roads are well-organized. Traffic lights assign the right way to avoid conflicting traffic movements, thereby allowing trams, vehicles and pedestrians to move safely in their desired directions.
However, these traffic lights are inefficient as they unintelligently inhibit the organic flow of movement, causing undue stress on commuters who are forced to wait. With the era of driverless vehicles and Internet of Things fast approaching, perhaps in the near future, we can witness computer-controlled intersections, where self-driving cars can weave past each other without stopping, and traffic lights will become urban relics that remind us of simpler times.
Before that, let us appreciate the contribution of traffic lights, for the orderly traffics that we have today.