Re: OT: Traffic Signals in New Mexico

Donald Tees <donald_tees@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in news:kmGPe.1824$Rc.518485
@news20.bellglobal.com:

> Rick Smith wrote:
>> "LX-i" <lxi0007@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:93adb$430f032f$45491c57$10883@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [snip]
>>
>>>Lots of places in Florida have them horizontally - there's more of the
>>>signal to be attached to the pole, so its more resilient during
periods
>>>of high wind (to which Florida is particularly vulnerable).
>>
>>
>> I trust this was not an oblique reference to the digestive
>> problems of the elderly (to which Florida is particularly
>> vulnerable).
>>
>> While watching coverage of Hurricane Katrina, I noticed
>> horizontal traffic lights in Ft. Lauderdale. They did seem to
>> be quite steady in what might be traffic light breaking wind.
>>
>
> Yes, but those lights normally hang vertically.
>
> ;<)
>
> On the subject of colour-blindness, here is an interesting story told
to
> me by my father.
>
> Apparently, during at the begining of WWII, colour blindness was
> automatic grounds for a medical ban from air crew positions in the air
> force.
>
> However, as the war progressed, they discovered an interesting
> phenomena. People with colour blindness tended not to notice camoflage
> ... that is, they simply saw things the same as they always did. While
> those with normal sight were fooled by it, those with colour blindness
> were not.
>
> This resulted in the war office going back through the medical records
> and drafting all those with colour blindness into air crew to serve as
> bombadiers.
>
> I have absolutely no documentary evidence that the story is true, but
as
> I said, it was told to me by my dad 25 years or so ago, and he was
there
> at the time.
>
> Donald
>

I have heard similar stories reguarding people that have had
cataract surgery. Apparently at least some of them can see into the
ultraviolet range. The Navy would use them to help spot people on shore
that were using ultraviolet lamps to signal with. Normal people would
see almost nothing.

.