Traffic and the rules are something that needs to be taken note of irrespective of the place that you visit. The flow of traffic obviously differs from place to place and so does the rules and regulations.
Among the developed countries, the United States has a huge population of about 329 million as per the 2019 stats. This being a huge number also clearly depicts the flow of traffic in the country.
Let us all take a quick look at the rules and the set up traffic guidelines of the United States.
The white solid lines that run along the road indicate the driver to stay in that very same lane.
- The driving wheel is always towards the left side of the vehicle.
- Always drive towards the right.
- The driver will have to completely stop while pedestrians cross the roads.
- Honking is not recommended.
- Yellow lines on the roads separate the traffic from different directions.
- Stop or slow down when you hear the siren of any kind.
- Drive on the right lane and use the left lane to pass other vehicles in the same road or direction.
- Seat belts are a must for all the people travelling the vehicle.
- Also do follow the road signs that clearly indicate vehicle speed limit, one way, no parking, toll fee and other safety signs.
Traffic Cones - Know the Basics
The one prominent sign or indicator that we all come across is the ‘Traffic cone’. They are seen on some road and definitely means a lot. Let us dive deep into the history and other details of them.
Traffic Cones - Significance & Appearance
Traffic cones are one major role players when it comes to discussing traffic management, especially in the United States. It is a well known fact that these cones are efficient enough to divert the traffic away from work in progress or danger of any sort.
To start off with the detailing of the look of the traffic cone, they are mostly orange in colour which happens to be one of the brightest colours. Currently these orange cones have neon, reflective or glow strips so as to make them visible even during the pitch dark nights.
Reflective strips come along with the bare cones so as to make it visible even during pitch dark night. Apart from just the reflective strips, there are rotating lights on the top of the cones which also make it easy for the drivers.
The base of the traffic cones is flat which makes them stable to stand on the roads. The weight and the height are perfectly designed so as to make sure that they are not blown away due to reasons like air or vehicles. The reason for this is the flexible polymer, polyvinyl chloride, plasticiser etc. The cone sections of the traffic cones are generally hollow.
Traffic Cones - Various Sizes & Purposes
Did you know that these cones come in different sizes and thus used for various purposes?! Well, if you were not aware of this then do check this out here.
- 28" 10 lbs traffic cones used for highway applications.
- 28" 7 lbs traffic cones are used in local area streets.
- 18" 3 lbs traffic cones are used while the line painting work is in progress on the roads.
- 12" 1.5 lbs traffic cones are mostly used for both indoor and outdoor usage.
Apart from traffic cones appearing on the roads and highways, they are put to usage at the indoor applications like the dangerous conditions at an over crowded mall, caution or diverting the public from using public property, potholes on the roads, children zone, closed shop etc.
Whatever the usage might be, it must be noted that each of them indicate something based on the locality and the surrounding situation.
Traffic Cones - The Main Purposes
The main purpose of traffic cones is providing safety and sending an alert to the people who are driving on the road. These cones mostly indicate that some construction is going on ahead or that the area is not safe to drive to. Thus, whenever you see a traffic cone on the road, you should slow down a bit as a precaution. The presence of traffic cones is very essential as it gives a hint about the area ahead and thus, you may stay safe from any mishap while driving upon the roads. The traffic cones are also used for redirecting the vehicles. They are an easy and simple way to tell the drivers on the road that there is upcoming risky traffic ahead. As a result, the drivers can take the essential decision according to the situation.
To sum up, let us tell you that traffic cones are an inseparable part of traffic management and it is our duty to follow the indications sent by these cones in order to stay safe on the road