Traffic cones are usually used to divert traffic.

The Traffic cone on the right is used in the United Kingdom to indicate that no parking is allowed. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Traffic cones, also called toddlers, road cones, safety cones, construction cones, pylons, or Witches' Hats, are cone-shaped markers, generally made out of plastic or rubber, that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect traffic in a safe manner. A cone is a three-dimensional Geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat round base to a point called the apex or vertex Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Traffic on Roads may consist of Pedestrians ridden or herded Animals Vehicles Streetcars and other Conveyances either singly They are often used to create merge lanes during road construction projects or automobile accidents, though heavier, more permanent markers or signs are used if the diversion is to stay in place for a long period of time. The word lane has several meanings including and especially a portion of a paved Road which is intended for a single line of vehicles and is marked by White A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places.

Traffic cones are designed to be highly visible and easily movable. Various sizes are used, commonly ranging from around 30 cm to a little over 1 m. Traffic cones come in many different colors, with orange, yellow and red being the most common colors due to their brightness. Brightness is an attribute of Visual perception in which a source appears to emit or reflect a given amount of Light. They may also have a retroreflective strip to increase their visibility.

Not all traffic cones are conical. Pillar shaped movable bollards fulfilling a similar function are often called by the same name. A bollard is a short vertical post typically found where large Ships dock

History

Traffic cones were originally invented in 1914 by Charles P. Rudabaker. Though at first wrought from concrete, today's versions are more commonly brightly-coloured thermoplastic or rubber cones. A thermoplastic is a Plastic that Melts to a liquid when heated and freezes to a Brittle, very Glassy state when cooled sufficiently A cone is a three-dimensional Geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat round base to a point called the apex or vertex

Descriptions

Indoor use

Cones are also frequently used in indoor public spaces to mark off areas which are closed to pedestrians, such as a restroom being out of order, or to denote a dangerous condition, such as a slippery floor. See also Toilet A washroom, public toilet, public convenience, comfort room, toilet room, bathroom, water closet They can be used on school playgrounds to delimit areas of a playing field. Some of the cones used for this purpose are miniature, as small as 5cm tall, and some are disposable full size cones made of biodegradable paper.

Outdoor use

Traffic cones are typically used outdoors during road work or other situations requiring traffic redirection or advance warning of hazards or dangers. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. For night time use or low-light situations traffic cones are usually fitted with a retroreflective sleeve to increase visibility.

Types and sizes

Typical Australian traffic cones with reflective sleeve for night visibility.

Typical traffic cones are fluorescent "safety" orange and come in sizes such as:

• 300 mm (12 in) 1. 5lbs- for indoor/outdoor applications
• 450 mm (18 in) 3lbs- for outdoor applications such as free-way line painting
• 700 mm (28 in) 7lbs -For Non-Highway applications eg. Local street
• 700 mm (28 in) 10lbs - for free-way/high-way applications
• 900 mm (36 in) - as above

Other forms of traffic barriers

Typical Australian bollard with reflective sleeve for night visibility.

Cones are easy to move or remove. Where sturdier (and larger) markers are needed, construction sites use traffic barrels (plastic orange barrels with reflective stripes, normally about the same size as a 55 gallon (208 L) drum), which may be weighted with sandbags may be used. A sandbag (floodbag is a sack made of burlap, polypropylene or other materials that is filled with Sand or Soil and used for such purposes as flood When a lane closure must also be a physical barrier against cars accidentally crossing it, a Jersey barrier is preferred. A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall separates lanes of traffic (often opposing lanes of traffic with a goal of minimizing vehicle crossover in the case of accidents

In countries such as Australia traffic barrels are rarely seen. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Devices called bollards are used instead of cones where larger and sturdier warning or delineation devices are needed. A bollard is a short vertical post typically found where large Ships dock

Typically bollards are 1150 mm high fluorescent orange posts with reflective tape and heavy weight rubber bases.

Larger devices such as barrier boards may be used instead of cones where larger areas need to be excluded or for longer periods. Barrier boards are typically long plastic or wooden beams used during Road works and similar activities to cordon off areas close roads or direct traffic

See also

• Road traffic control

References

External links

• Traffic Cones Online
• The Traffic Cone Preservation Society
• Orange Cones -- Kibo's collection of photographs of cones in unusual places
• Automated Traffic Cone Placement-Retrieval Trailer
• Photos of English traffic cones
• The Cone Epicentre -- Many photos of traffic cones
• DisposaCone