Why Would A Traffic Light Care About The Time Or Date? (Y2K Reality Check)

  • Thread starter Thread starter .
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
?

.

New member
So you think we've got this all worked out, huh?

How many of you have central HVAC where you live?

Electronic digital display wristwatches?

VCRs?

Car's with computerized service programming?

Municipal or rural water & sewage systems?

Bank deposit boxes behind a timed vault door?

All Electric homes with built in timers?

Automated home security systems?

What I really want to know, is since the gov't at various levels has acted on legislation to preclude suit for Y2K; who is left holding the bag for and with all this clueless crap?

------------------
Mykl
~~~~~
"If you really want to know what's going on;
then, you have to follow the money trail."
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
 
I my goodness! By that list - I am totally hosed!

[chuckling]

------------------
"A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity." - Sigmund Freud
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
 
I have (somewhere around here) some info on an easy fix on your VCR if it doesn't do the proper date change come 1 Jan 2000.

IIRC, you go back and set it so it thinks it's some year earlier this century...don't know if it will work or not but it came down from some brainy types via the MILNET prior to my retirement...

Now where is that thing!

Mike
 
Mykl,
None of the above. I'm very happy in my little rural world. I've got a hand pump connected to the well in the old farm house, and a big wood stove, and 225 acres of woods so that I can feed my family of the bounty of the land.

------------------
jones
 
I note regarding this Y2K hysteria.

Only devices that care what the actual date (with year) may be affected by this bug. A timer that only knows to come on at 9 AM and go off at 5 PM has no clue what the date is and would be completely unaffected. So, given that, here's what I think of the above list:

* Traffic Lights - The worst I can see is that they may inadvertantly go in to Rush Hour mode or School Zone mode.
* HVAC - Are you kidding? It could care less what the date is unless you have a programmable thermostat. I have one and all it wants to know is the time and day of week.
* Watches - If it breaks go buy a new one.
* VCR - Man, if that thing is that important to you, you've got problems. But, as suggested, setting the year back some value gives you the same calander dates.
* Cars - I've never heard of one having a date programmed in, so they likely won't care.
* Water & Sewage - For most systems, the only thing that might be affected is billing. However, there was a Y2K test conducted by one facility and it ended up spewing raw sewage in to the streets or something.
* Bank Boxes - Since they are timed for day of week, there is a chance that they will be affected.
* Home Timers - Most only care about the current time and not the date.
* Home Security - Don't know about other's, but mine doesn't have a clue as to time or date. Now the monitoring center is a possibility.

As a programmer of software as well as some embedded stuff, I can tell you that the date is rarely used in things that don't interact with people. Sure, many things use timers and counters, but they just don't care what the date is, only how many seconds or days have elapsed.

I personally find it amusing that people are worried whether their WalkMan will work or whether their toaster will function. I'm more concerned about the d**kheads that are going to use Y2K as an excuse to settle scores and loot businesses and homes.

Final Note: While I personally think Y2K will be a minor footnote in history, I do not advocate complacency. I have food and water stocked up, but then I live with hurricanes 5 months out of the year, so I'm used to it. I also have some ammo stocked up. Not for a Y2K shooting spree, but just because everyone is buying it and I want to be able to go to the range in December and not pay $30 for a box 223. However, the guns will be clean and loaded, just in case. I am prepared, but not afraid.

LL

[This message has been edited by LightningLink (edited November 04, 1999).]
 
I think I started some of this silliness when I posted to the other Y2K thread. I really did hear a rumor about traffic lights going haywire because of the 8 bit UNIX thing. It was in a conversation with our UNIX sysadmin, our LAN administrator, and a user a few months back.

None of them remember the conversation now and the UNIX sysadmin says he doesn't remember the rumor. Oh well.

Art Eatman, if you're on this thread, I have heard some fairly awful things about the Russian oil industry anyway, without Y2K problems. We'll just have to wait and see.

I'm actually pretty close to what Lightning Link is saying. I don't wear a watch. If my pager dies, I'll be a happy man. I can live without exercise videos or old WWF pay-per-views I've taped. It doesn't get that cold here and I've got a fireplace and a kerosene heater. Bank deposit box? Ha ha! Okay, water and sewage would be a problem. There's not a lot I can do about that except fill the bathtubs on 12/31 and dig a latrine in back yard, is there?
 
As Always,
It's not whether the Traffic Light works or not, it's if people will choose to abide by the color.

-----------------------------
SameShot, Different day
smile.gif


[This message has been edited by SameShot (edited November 04, 1999).]
 
This site IS Y2K compliant right? ;)

On New Years Eve, I'll probably be logged on to check this site (and a few others) to get a sitrep with the rest of you Forumites. I think it would be nice if we all pitched in for a roll call so to speak and let everyone know how your neck of the woods doing, if anything has gone haywire, etc. I suspect this will happen anyway, even if no one organizes it. Nevertheless, who is interested in participating?

Once again, putting the net to use what it was originally designed for. :)

[This message has been edited by SB (edited November 04, 1999).]
 
HS, Bruce, Rabbit Assasin, and our other friends in OZ will be experiencing Y2K at least 12 hours before our east coast will...if the internet is still operational, maybe they can "come up on the net" and give us an idea of what to expect.

Mike
 
Get a shortwave radio and you can track the rest of the world ahead of us . The Marine Navy report on 120 American cities that the military uses for water and lights shows many cities in deep trouble over sewage and or electric systems working. No this is not the ravings of a lunatic patriot ,but your governments own reports. Also Venzuela and Saudi Arabia will have problems delivering crude oil to US causing gas shortages and fuel shortages to power plants that are working. Third World supply shortages to US could tank our stock market. This is serious stuff and something to be concerned about. Ramifications could be devestating to US economy.
 
I have posted about it before, but have heard no "No, Art, that ain't so." about embedded chips: At various times, allegedly authoritative people have claimed that some of the 50 billion (or some such number) embedded chips have full calendar functions built into them. The calendar function may not be needed for the intended purpose, but it's there. At rollover, the chip sez, "1900? That cain't be! I quit!" and ceases to function.

So: Does anybody feel really, really sure this just cannot be true? I sure don't know.

:), Art
 
Art

I think you're on track there.

We were officially advised by Ford Motor Co. that certain models of their sedan would in all likelihood cease to work on 1/1/00.

The ECM chip, although it doesn't need to know the date, has that function built in and operating. A Govt spokesman admitted they had no idea which other cars would be affected, 'cause the manufacturers weren't as forthcoming as Ford.

Apparently, many electrical systems/appliances have the time/date function running in the chip, even when it's not an operating requirement.

And Qantas has advised they will have no flights in the air over the crucial changeover period. Not because "we don't trust our planes", but because "we don't trust foreign airport systems". Yeah, right.

Glad I drive a Macintosh ;)

B
 
Art, I sure hope you're wrong. I will be on-site at a major hospital in Indy from 12/31/99 2100 to 01/01/00 0900. We will have our disaster plan implemented. But can you imagine trying find "sober" doctors, nurses and technicians on New Years Eve? It will be stressful enough making sure everything works. What do you hear about the railroad? I'm more concerned with the transportation industry than the financial or health sectors.

Giz
 
I have yet to see more than a few posters who seem to understand the incredibly interrelated nature of our world. You people just dont get it; we stand to LOSE over 50% of our daily oil shipments. What do you think will happen to 1) power (diesel fuel for trains to provide coal, and oil-burners too), 2) the price of a gallon of gas?

With fuel either unavailable or at $10/gallon, what will happen to the economy? If you (and 50 million others) lose their jobs, how could you buy your food and pay your rent/mortgage? If you can't pay that, how long will the banks stay afloat without their loans being serviced? If the banks go, what happens to the rest of the country? And let's consider this: if the banks fail, the stock market cannot transact business. Sound like fun? What will happen to those businesses that need that capital to operate?

It is also clear that federal entitlement programs (SSI, welfare, and foodstamps) will probably not be available for weeks/months. What do you think will happen when 40 M-M-M-MILLION or so "underpriviledged" people suddenly can't get food? Hint: can you say RIOTS and LOOTING? Do you realistically think that the gov't can handle 40 MILLION (or so) armed rioters?

Are any of you aware that the 24 million small businesses account for over 50% of total employment in the U.S.? (according to the SBA) Are you aware that it's estimated (also by the SBA) that 30% of these businesses have done NOTHING to remediate? That's 8 M-M-MILLION small businesses. These businesses are classified as ACTIVELY AT RISK of failure at rollover. If you assume that each only employs 5 people, that's 40 M-M-MILLION jobs lost. How high will unemployment go?

Also worthy of note: the U.S. imports fully 50% of the products needed to manufacture finished goods here. Many of the products are from companies/country's that have been reported by MAINSTREAM MEDIA as being COMPLETELY unprepared. Also reported last week, 56% of executives of fortune 500 companies are stockpiling food and water. Why? What do THEY know?

I could go on for hours. I have a stack of statistics and reports THREE FEET HIGH at home. This information has NOT come from "wacko nutcase" web sites, but from mainstream media. You just have to dig deep enough to find it.

I really do feel sorry for some of you. You are going to end up on the wrong side of the bell curve. I hope you don't decide to prey upon others, when your family is desperately seeking food, water and shelter.

You have 57 days left to PULL YOUR HEADS OUT and DO SOMETHING. But, like 99.9% of the REST of the "sheeple", you'll do nothing. As I said before, it's amazing to me that a group of people who are supposedly so self-aware as gun owners, can be so COMPLETELY IGNORANT as to how things work in this world.

I'm not trying to flame anyone here; I just feel sad and depressed at what I've read here, and hope I don't end up engaging some of you in a firefight.... IF....

Again, as Clint would say.... "Do ya feel lucky...? Well, DO YA, PUNK...?"

Dennis

57 days remain. About 1400 hours.


[This message has been edited by Dennis Olson (edited November 04, 1999).]
 
Dennis:

Just because we're trying to keep a little humor going here doesn't mean we haven't taken reasonable precautions...

I really think most of us are taking this more seriously than you think, at least I hope that is the case.

Mike
 
I said this before, and I'll be saying it again several times over the next 2 months.
Those who agree might even start saying it too.
If..and I say IF TSHTF, try not to be too paranoid about other people with guns.

That guy walking up the path towards your Y2K stakeout with a rifle might be the same guy who was answering your questions on one of these boards.

If it gets real bad lets try not to shoot EACH OTHER!
Pass it along.

Cheers!

------------------
SameShot, Different day
 
The traffic lights barely work anyway Im always burning excess gas in my SUV 3/4 TON waiting for them, If it gets worse I'll have to see just how tight my vang comp shotgun will pattern. Dont like relying on electronic devices so have only HVAC on list, I got pack and jackets who needs it. What I will miss is this little box Im looking at now, I won't be able to make anymore smart ass coments if this net shuts down, I guess I'll have to find a soap box or the top of my 4x4.
 
Well, all I can say is that if this fireplace I'm putting in now stops working on January 1st, I'm going to be PISSED. Seriously, probably the only items in my home likely to be effected by Y2K are the satalite recievers, which keep track of the date for billing purposes on pay per view. (And I don't WATCH pay per view.)

Hm, how could a date function that wasn't being used mess up an imbedded chip? Well, I suppose if the date were stored in PART of a register, (Some chips use registers which can be split up for different functions, or used in one piece to handle big numbers.) when it reached Y2K the number would roll over, and the next digit would wind up in a register segment being used for something else. So, yes, I suppose it's actually POSSIBLE. But consider this: If you have an imbedded chip being used for something that doesn't involve the date, WHAT ARE THE ODDS THAT ANYONE BOTHERED TO SET THE DATE CORRECTLY ON THE CHIP? Awfully slim, if you ask me.

So if you want a laugh, think about this: Most of those systems with imbedded chips that are going to fail due to Y2K are going to fail on random dates distributed over the next couple of decades, depending on when they were first plugged in. It's not going to be over on New Year's day.

------------------
Sic semper tyranus!
 
Dennis O., I don't think anybody takes your commentary as flame. You sound a like a man trying to get a point across, and doing a pretty good job of it.

Trouble with making a lot of preparations is how far do you go? I have a life and an interesting, demanding job to deal with. To really be set up to weather the sh--storm some folks are talking about, you'd need some years to prepare. You'd need land, low-tech equipment, and expertise in technologies that are almost dead in this country.

If the scenario that Dennis O. is talking about comes to pass, people aren't going to throw their hands up and go back to living in caves. We'll just have to get resourceful again and start rebuilding. I've had to start over several times from literally nothing, and heck, I'm only 50, I've got plenty of time for another start. I was going to have to work till I was dead anyway, on account of a mis-spent youth(when most guys my age were building management careers I was out in the Big Bend country playing paleontologist/waiter/cowboy/oilfield roustabout/actor).

Hopefully, when I step out of the shower in the morning I've still got most of what I really need to survive any situation. (No jokes, now, I'm talking about a brain and 2 hands).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top