http://www.wired.com/news/news/politics/story/21948.html

What To Do if the Lights Go Out

by Declan McCullagh

3:00 a.m. 25.Sep.99.PDT

WASHINGTON -- Forget riots in New York City on 1-1-00. And there's definitely no need to worry about starving looters raiding your stash of dried beans.

No, we should instead be worrying about traffic signals going awry -- at least according to the Y2K experts at the US Department of Transportation.

In stern tones borrowed from a kindergarten schoolmarm, the agency is admonishing holiday travelers to be wary of flaky railroad crossings and stoplights.

"Stop, look, and listen at all rail crossings. Always expect a train," advise the agency's travel tips, published Friday.

"At a non-working traffic light, follow the state law -- most states require a four-way stop." Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater said in a statement that preparing for Y2K safety is the US government's top priority.

And if that means mouthing common-sense banalities like "check all weather and road conditions before your trip," well, that's just part of the federal government's dogged efforts to reassure Americans that there's no need to worry.

Gone is speculation by Federal Reserve board member Ed Kelley that Y2K might cause an economic slowdown.

And even offhand get-out-while-you-still-can quips like ones in a July 1998 National Press Club speech given by Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah) are no longer heard in Washington. "I think that civilization as we know it is not going to come to an end. It's a possibility," said the chairman of the Senate's Y2K committee.

Slater's recommendations, on the other hand, are anything but apocalyptic. "Don't drink and drive. Practice safe driving by buckling your seat belts while traveling. BUCKLE UP AMERICA!! It just might save your life."

Unless, apparently, you're driving through a busy intersection -- something a recent congressional report also frets about.

"There are Y2K vulnerabilities in traffic signal systems.... [The US General Accounting Office] was asked to survey the readiness of the 21 largest US cities. In conducting this survey, GAO found that as of the date of the hearing, six of the largest cities did not have their transportation services ready for Y2K. In four of the six cases -- Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, and San Jose -- it was the traffic signals that werent ready," the Senate report says.

And subways and railways? Another GAO survey said only half of such systems were ready for Y2K as of August 1999.

If you're traveling abroad, no need to worry -- as long as you trust the technical expertise of the Transportation Department. Slater promises to publish reports later this month on how Y2K-OK other countries' aviation systems are.

-- Uncle Bob (UNCLB0B@Y2KOK.ORG), September 26, 1999

Answers

Hello, did this man have a reason to write this drivel? If so, I can't figure it out.

-- The Editor (Ironword@aol.com), September 26, 1999.

I think we all know what people do when the lights go out ;-D

-- Y2KGardener (gardens@bigisland.net), September 26, 1999.

For the Pollies out there, I have only one suggestion:

Scream at the top of your lungs--and don't stop screaming until the lights turn back on....

It will be helpful to future archaeologists.

;-)

-- cgbg jr (cgbgjr@webtv.net), September 26, 1999.

We get so (understandably) distracted by the big scary issues that we entirely neglect other areas. Traffic lights are just one of millions of systems that we rely on to get us through the day. You can only get the big picture by understanding the little things that add up. The whole of Y2k will definitely be greater than the sum of its parts.

-- R (riversoma@aol.com), September 26, 1999.

""Stop, look, and listen at all rail crossings. Always expect a train," advise the agency's travel tips, published Friday.

Gimme a break!!

If you were an engineer on the ol Santa Fe and when you came a "rollin round the bend" and all the lights in the city were out, wouldn't you pull the big red cord or push the big red button and bring that train to a screaching HALT??

These guys can put up a lot, Hobos, tramps, and rats the size of small dogs, but a Dallas, Houston, or any other totally dark city, ain't on the list of can do's, I'm thinkin'.

-- Michael (mikeymac@uswest.net), September 26, 1999.

There is a very BIG flaw in his stance about worrying about traffic lights. IF such minor things HERE in a supposedly highly-ready(?) Y2K society are not going to work, then what are the chances that there will be any PETROL available for all these vehicles to have them concerned about the lights? Think Venezuela. There is a severe DISCONNECT here in the logic. Remember, the USA imports 55% of its oil products.

-- profit_of_doom (doom@helltopay.ca), September 26, 1999.