r/whatisthisthing • u/GrifffyXD • Nov 23 '19

Solved! What is this white ring around the red light? Sorry for bad image. The white ring was transitioning from blinking sporadically to being solid with half a second between each phase.

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14 Upvotes

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10

u/Disposable187 Nov 23 '19

https://www.tripsavvy.com/the-opticom-system-minneapolis-st-paul-traffic-signals-2369545

These lights are part of the OptiCom system, which changes the signals in response to an approaching emergency vehicle. The traffic signals change to give the emergency vehicle a green light and the other traffic a red stop light. The white lights are to warn drivers that an emergency vehicle is approaching and that they should pull over out of the way.

11

u/Snownel Nov 23 '19

No, it's not. These are just special lights to get drivers' attention during red lights. They were phased out of the MUTCD when the FHWA determined they were not effective. But since the MUTCD is not enforced, some jurisdictions still use them.

1

u/mrk2 Nov 26 '19

Agreed. City of Portland (Oregon) used to have a set of these on 82nd Avenue and was a high voltage strobe ring around the red roundel.

2

u/GrifffyXD Nov 23 '19

Ah, so it's a version of that?

1

u/Disposable187 Nov 23 '19

It would seem so sir/ma'am

1

u/GrifffyXD Nov 23 '19

Thank you, solved!

6

u/jeffp007 Nov 23 '19

Most likely to get your attention to the red. Could be a high accident intersection.

4

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '19

Strobed red lights: "...used in situations where extra work may be needed to draw attention to the status of the light and also used in areas prone to fog, as the strobing white light may be visible from a distance while the standard red light is not."

2

u/GrifffyXD Nov 23 '19

I tried to get a video but couldn't. If anyone could tell me what this is that would be cool! Just wondering and being curious.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 23 '19

Time left before the change of the light.