Computer Failure Causes Gridlock In MD County 483
Uncle Rummy writes "A central traffic control computer in Montgomery County, Maryland failed early Wednesday morning, leading to widespread gridlock across the entire county. The computer, which dates to the 1970s, is the single point of unified control for all traffic signals in the county, which comprises a number of major Washington DC-area suburban communities. When the system failed, it caused all signals to default to stand-alone operation, rather than the highly-tuned synchronization that usually serves to facilitate traffic flow during rush hours. The resulting chaos is a yet another stark reminder of how much modern civilization relies on behind-the-scenes automation to deliver and control basic services and infrastructure. The system remains down Thursday, with no ETA in sight."
I've seen this movie as well... (Score:5, Funny)
I smell foul play...
Quick, someone get Bruce Willis!
NBU (Score:2, Funny)
Just throwing that out there.
Re:Where's a traffic cop when you need one? (Score:5, Funny)
That wouldn't make it any better.
I haven't read the article, but if the summary correctly reflects the situation, the traffic lights are all working - they're just working independently, so rather than being in sync so the main flow of traffic never has to stop (or stops less) they're all just doing their own thing.
Have a taste of living in Los Angeles! (Score:5, Funny)
Job opening in MD... (Score:3, Funny)
I blame Dan Snyder (Score:2, Funny)
Fire him.
I do! (Score:3, Funny)
it's "password"!
This is government, you know.
Where? (Score:3, Funny)
I can tell you where it is. Right there on layer 4. Does that help? Then try layer 8.
Blame it on Vista? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Report from the field: "Drivers very confused" (Score:5, Funny)
The blue is from appraching the light too fast. You're aproximately going 20% the speed of light. SLOW DOWN.
Just Skynet Running Some Tests (Score:4, Funny)
The resulting chaos is a yet another stark reminder of how much modern civilization relies on behind-the-scenes automation to deliver and control basic services and infrastructure.
Just Skynet trying to figure out how to bunch up targets when it seizes control of our Predator and Reaper UAV's.
Re:All-green probably an urban legend (Score:4, Funny)
After hurricane Ike blew through Houston, I ended up parking at a light that was stuck, showing green for traffic in one direction only for at least 15 minutes.
Every time someone was brave enough to try to run the red light, someone else would drive through the green light and spook everyone. Eventually I turned right, U-turned, and turned right again.
Re:MontCo $$ (Score:1, Funny)
Well, not since the tax-cut/reduce-government fanatics came into power.
I would like to believe you are from the future - a future full of tax cuts and reduced government.
However, I know you are just an idiot.
Re:From the 1980s (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I've seen this movie as well... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Where's a traffic cop when you need one? (Score:5, Funny)
if the summary correctly reflects the situation
Please mod parent funny.
Re:Report from the field: "Drivers very confused" (Score:3, Funny)
That's actually a bumper sticker I've seen around DC (Goddard Space Flight Center is in a suburb):
On a red field:
"If this sticker is blue, slow down!"
Re:When the system fails, shut the lights off. (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Report from the field: "Drivers very confused" (Score:5, Funny)
That's why in my town we have Braille traffic lights.
Re:I do! (Score:5, Funny)
Silly billy! The system is now protected by a new set of rules. You have to have upper and lowercase, a special character, and a number.
The password is now: P@ssw0rd
See? The system is now completely secure!
Re:Where's a traffic cop when you need one? (Score:5, Funny)
A meter maid has no more information about traffic flow at adjacent intersections than an autonomous single light would.
Then how about a Beowulf cluster of meter maids? (with walkie talkies of course)
Re:Where's a traffic cop when you need one? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:When the system fails, shut the lights off. (Score:5, Funny)
When I lived in Kentucky, we had an ice storm that knocked out power in Lexington for the better part of a week. The loss of traffic lights meant every intersection was supposed to turn into a 4-way stop. Which meant that every car came to a halt (in theory) at every intersection for a second or two. My 8-mile 15-minute drive to work turned into 3 hours one morning. I finally found a parking lot, parked my car there, and walked the remaining 3 miles. It was faster. Seriously - I recognized a guy 2 cars ahead of me and he arrived at work 1/2 hour after I did.
The reality was that people were assuming that dark lights meant that either (a) it was a 4-way stop, (b) people on the "larger/main" road had right-of-way, (c) I have no idea so I'm going to creep through, or (d) screw it, y'all, I've got the big fukkin truck - get outta my way.
On the third day, they deployed every police officer, meter reader, and anyone else with a pulse who was trainable to direct traffic. Of course, this meant that every bad driver in Lexington knew that all bets were off in terms of speed limits, right-of-way, and other moving violations during those times. Ever read "Lord of the Flies"? Yeah, it was like that. With cars.
Re:Report from the field: "Drivers very confused" (Score:5, Funny)
Let's just see you try that line on the police.
"I would have slowed down, officer, but it would have either taken too long or crushed me, so I didn't bother."
Re:All-green probably an urban legend (Score:2, Funny)
I was recently stuck at a light where both the red and green lights were lit at the same time. I put my foot on the brake and the other on the gas, and drove through.
Re:I've seen this movie as well... (Score:5, Funny)
Bringing in Bruce Willis is *never* a bad idea. Need an asteroid destroyed in an affront to basic science? Call Willis. Need to remove an East German terrorist that can't speak proper German? Willis. Need someone to have sex with a hot, orange haired diety? Willis. Need Chuck Norris' ass kicked? Willis. Cancer cure? Willis. Making a Jaws Sequel? Have Bruce Willis play the shark.
Re:Have a taste of living in Los Angeles! (Score:3, Funny)
But the joke is that LA traffic lights aren't centrally coordinated. They may actually be, but it sure as hell doesn't seem like it. After all, this is the city that's spending millions of dollars to install protected left-turn lights.
LA traffic instructions:
Green light: wait for the intersection to clear.
Yellow: GO GO GO!!!!
Red: Make a left.
Re:I've seen this movie as well... (Score:5, Funny)
Whoa there, no need for Willis for that one. I'll do it. And if she objects, tell her the next choice is Shatner.
Re:Where's a traffic cop when you need one? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:I've seen this movie as well... (Score:3, Funny)
A terrible film, with a terrible plot, terrible portrayal of computer systems
Oh c'mon, it's not that bad. It's entirely believable that one would be able to download The Accumulated Wealth Of The World into a removable hard drive and abscond with apparently the only copy of it.
Re:remind of a Cult of The Dead Cow tfile (Score:3, Funny)
A machine that old? The password is bound to be: sex, love, secret or god =)
Re:I've seen this movie as well... (Score:3, Funny)
And if she objects, tell her the next choice is Shatner.
Spock! She... knows... it's a multipass!
Data General, you say? Then this seems appropriate (Score:3, Funny)
In fact when I've a floppy of a maximum diameter,
When I can call a subroutine of infinite parameter,
When I can point to registers and keep their current map around,
And when I can prevent the need for mystifying wraparound,
When I can update record blocks with minimum of suffering,
And when I can afford to use a hundred K for buffering,
When I've performed a matrix sort and tested the addition rate,
You'll marvel at the speed of my asynchronous transmission rate.
Though all my better programs that self-reference recursively
Have only been obtained through expert spying, done subversively,
But still for input vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I've built a better model than the one at Data General.