In our society a traffic light has significance and power to control the way we drive and operate a motorized vehicle. Traffic lights are a great example of a sign to Americans and many other people. Typically traffic lights consist of three colored lights: red, yellow, and green. Each of these colors has its own signified rules. Usually the illumination of the red light means to stop, it prohibits any traffic from proceeding, the illumination of the yellow light means it is time to prepare to stop short of the intersection, and finally the illumination of the green light allows traffic to proceed in the direction (to keep going). All these signifiers are automatically subconsciously in our heads from our society always following these rules and being this way for so long. When we are driving down a street and a stoplight has a green light, we keep going and proceeding our vehicles further, we do not need to stop and think to our selves “what do I do since the light is green?” we already know without hesitating. But this is not true for all societies, for example in the country Lebanon traffic lights don’t have much significance and haven’t been around that long. Ever since I was younger I have been visiting Lebanon almost every summer, stoplights haven’t always been there. Traffic and the way people drive there is hectic because they didn’t have traffic lights. Even to this day traffic lights aren’t always followed, it’s not usual to see people going through red lights there; it still is not subconsciously in their heads yet because it is something new to them, and there aren’t strict traffic laws like here in the United States.
Great job, Jessica! I agree with all that you said. It is very true that since we, as Americans, have grown up obeying traffic lights and knowing what each color signifies/means, it has become almost an instinct to know that green means "go," red means "stop," and yellow means "caution." I really like how you compared America to Lebanon in the fact that Lebanon's traffic is chaotic and hectic, while here in the U.S. it's not as bad. In America we still have people who think of yellow as "go really, REALLY fast!" This is interesting in the fact that almost everyone seems to rush through the intersection when the light is yellow, increasing the risk of a crash. The signified has lost some of it's true meaning with another meaning that society is creating in response to the 'rush-rushness' of our lives. But the fact still remains that,with stoplights in America,green will always mean "go" and red will always mean "stop." To switch the two would be horrible b/c as you said, it has become a subconscious thing that when we see green/red we automatically know that we need to go/stop. Let's hope that the people of Lebanon drill this realtionship between colors and commands into their heads so that driving will be safer. Once again, great job, Jessica!
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