r/machinesinaction • u/[deleted] • 14h ago
Australia Just Unlocked Night Mode for Roads 🚧🌙
[deleted]
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u/Lover_of_Sprouts 13h ago
great, but where's the machine?
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u/LateNewb 11h ago
One could argue it's a chemical machine. Since the chemical is convering chemical energy to radiation energy...
Weak argument though.
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u/Ok-Entertainment5045 12h ago
That looks awesome but it wouldn’t work where I live due to snow plows.
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u/SameComplex42 12h ago
This looks like thermoplastic, which is able to be recessed down into the road so plows won’t rip it up. Can basically use it anywhere. It’s just very expensive. Typically see it in cities / wealthy towns.
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u/clever_magpie14 12h ago
Pretty sure it's cold applied plastic- it's a 2 pack alternative that is replacing thermo
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u/Ok-Entertainment5045 12h ago
Yeah agree, you’d probably have to install it when you repave so you can add the groove for the plastic. Not cheap
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u/SameComplex42 8h ago
We have specialized trucks for that that have different sized heads for different width grooves. That’s how those reflective markers are applied on roadways, along with epoxy, poly, and thermoplastic.
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u/Ok-Entertainment5045 8h ago
Thanks. I was just thinking it’s probably more cost effective to groove it at installation than come back and retrofit
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u/SameComplex42 8h ago
It’s usually just a different company that does it. My company does the grinding, painting, etc. and we get subcontracted by the company that does the paving, so we’ll come in afterwards and finish out the road.
On a side note. We use something called “elements” that are wet reflective on some of our applications. So glass beads are added for reflectivity, then elements are added as well for reflectivity in the rain.
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u/Kawboy17 12h ago
I would think they cld make a paint like that
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u/Ok-Entertainment5045 12h ago
Probably can but the environmental friendly stuff they have been using around here doesn’t last very long. I’d guess this would be expensive and wear off fast when the plows hit it.
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u/zxcvbn113 11h ago
I saw this on another subreddit. It was a pilot project and people in the area were commenting that they got covered with road grime very quickly, becoming ineffective. Another had driven over that section at night and never noticed anything different.
Glad they tried it before committing too large scale to it!
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u/Corgerus 11h ago
Cool idea but I'm curious how long the paint lasts, and the overtime cost to maintain it. In my area of the US, some roads have reflectors between the middle lines but they're not as visible as this.
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u/TodgerPocket 13h ago
There's a section of highway near me (Tasmania Australia) that has flashing LEDs in the middle of the road when it gets under a certain temperature, to warn of black ice, do other countries have that?
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u/Common-Independent-9 13h ago
We dont have lights in the road itself where I’m at in the U.S. but we have blue signs with flashing lights that warn of ice off to the side
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u/AdministrationWide87 13h ago
As a person who lives in Australia. And also works in road resurfacing. Can we just fill the holes with the paint to make them stand out?
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u/--dany-- 9h ago
If we fill potholes in our road, the entire road will be illuminated and visible from the space. Greeting from the lovely California.
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u/mysticeetee 10h ago
I know it doesn't snow much in Australia but if you've ever driven wild snowing and pretended that you're going through hyperspace this road paint would make that even more fun.
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u/topkrikrakin 9h ago
Reflectors and reflective beads are better
Glow in the dark paint needs charged. It won't last all night. Headlights aren't enough
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u/isaybullshit69 7h ago
Doesn't the sun help?
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u/topkrikrakin 7h ago
Have you used glow-the-dark [anything] before?
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u/isaybullshit69 7h ago
Yeah but I've never actually researched about it, hence the question. Always assumed it was "recharged" by the sunlight.
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u/topkrikrakin 6h ago edited 5h ago
Oh yeah it would recharge with the sunlight
And it would start dissipating as soon as the Sun started to go down
In an hour or two it'd be done
All these photos are enhanced to make it look cooler
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u/isaybullshit69 5h ago
Ah, got it. So they wouldn't stay "on" the whole night.
Edit: thanks for the explanation
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u/unknowndatabase 8h ago
And it was a huge flop under real world conditions. Every place they installed this has massive complaints about how it is less visible that white and yellow painted lines.
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u/Grimnebulin68 12h ago
Those roads look soooo good. From a crying Pom who has spent out on a new tyre and suspension already this year. 😩
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u/Destroythisapp 12h ago
It looks cool but honestly I would absolutely hate it if they put it out in front my house, I like the lack of light where I live.
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u/burial-chamber 10h ago
Honestly this is terrific for reducing light pollution, plus it looks sick as FUCK
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u/massagistacuritibano 10h ago
Ahem. It will be like this. Here in Brazil, signage companies can't even repaint the lanes without messing up. What about having that special paint there?
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u/CharlesFXD 9h ago
I WISH we’d do that here in NYS. Remember reflective paint stripes? Got “expensive” so they stopped. I cant see a damn thing at night when it rains now.
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u/digidigitakt 8h ago
I would love this in the UK, along with headlights that don’t put the mid day sun the shame.
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u/Bind_Moggled 5h ago
I live on Vancouver island. We desperately need something like this. The lines on the roads are impossible to see when it’s drizzling rain and low light, which is kind of the default here.
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u/Illustrious-Cow6346 11h ago
well.. you can spend the money on that, or... now hear me out: use the headlights!
you know, those bright things on the front of every car?
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u/Disastrous_Hall8406 10h ago
Incredible. If we use these new "head lights", we won't have any need for street lights. Thank you so much for your discovery and contribution to the human race!
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u/Illustrious-Cow6346 7h ago
well by looking at the pictures provided here, you can observe that there are indeed no streetlights.
but seriously, what is the benefit of these glowing roadmarkings. if you want better visuals, just put in glass pearls so that they reflect better. this technology is widely used in europe.
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u/Independent-Bison176 10h ago
I feel it’s it a bunch of bots or kids posting. Who needs glow in the DARK road lines when you are driving with your lights on?
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u/Kawboy17 14h ago
I happen to freaken LOVE IT !!!!
Hopefully this is coming summer 2025 to a road near you !!