The traffic light will be 100: How the light revolutionized our street life

The traffic light will be 100: How the light revolutionized our street life

in a world that is shaped by frenzied traffic and urban chaos, it could easily be overlooked the importance of the traffic lights. However, this seemingly simple invention has an enormous impact on our mobility and safety in road traffic. On October 20, 1924, exactly a century ago, the first electrical traffic lights were installed in Germany at Potsdamer Platz in Berlin. At a time when cars were still rare and everyday horse -drawn carriages, nobody could have guessed what a decisive role this innovation would play.

The innovative "traffic storm" was a technical sensation of its time. With five pages and three lamps on each side, the tower was able to regulate the traffic of five -in -laws. A policeman, known as the "Verkehrschupo", hired the signals, measured the time with a stopwatch and has partially returned the traffic. This was not only practical, but also necessary because the flow of traffic in the city increases.

The development of the traffic regulation

Over time, traffic lights became a standard and reduced the need for police officers who had previously regulated the traffic with wild whistles and hectic hand signals. Despite the initial enthusiasm for the traffic lights, there was a mishap in 1926: all traffic lights switched to green at the same time, which led to considerable traffic chaos. It was the introduction of a "green wave", which then ensured order and became a template for many other cities.

An interesting debate concerns the origin of the first German traffic lights. Berlin claims the first electrical traffic light to regulate the entire traffic, while Hamburg proudly refers to the first light sign in Europe, which was installed in 1922 on Stephansplatz and was originally only intended for trams. Both cities made a decisive contribution to the development of traffic rules. Originally there were previous attempts to control traffic with light signals.

The idea of regulating road traffic through light signals did not start in Germany, but in Great Britain. As early as 1868, the first gas light at Parliament Square in London was put into operation. However, this first system was affected with many problems, among other things, an explosion soon led to its removal. There was also progress in the United States: in 1914 the first electrically operated traffic light was installed in Cleveland, which regulated traffic through acoustic signals instead of the colors known today.

Although the traffic light in Germany is a support of modern city traffic, it remains a symbol of innovation and adaptation. The replica of the historic traffic light tower at Potsdamer Platz not only reminds us of our traffic walking, but is also contrasting with the modern architecture of the capital. In times when safety in road traffic is becoming increasingly important, the traffic light remains an essential element to protect this security.

For many people, the traffic light has become an indispensable part of everyday life. While we are waiting for the signal that clears us the way, we may be able to appreciate the important role that she has been playing since her introduction. After all, behind every red, yellow or green light is a story of technology and security that it is worth to be told. Further details can be found in a detailed report on www.zvw.de .