this post was submitted on 03 Apr 2026
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What is this thing?

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They were on all of them in the intersection, four sets

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[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 274 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (4 children)

Stockbridge Damper.

Basically, it keeps the pole from vibrating like a guitar string. The chains are there in case the supporting rod breaks; they keep the heavy weight from going through your windshield.

[–] hereiamagain@sh.itjust.works 44 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Well I'll be! That seems right!

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 42 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I've only ever seen them on electric wires, but I've seen light poles develop some pretty severe Aeroelastic flutter. This seems like a good way to (possibly) prevent it.

Basically, it keeps the pole from vibrating like a guitar string.

"Hey Periphery I got a new guitar for you"🤘👿🤘

[–] gws@programming.dev 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I guessed right ^_^

[–] onnekas@sopuli.xyz 4 points 1 week ago (2 children)

If vibrating like a guitar string is so bad then tell me why we don't install those things on guitar strings!?

[–] Rivalarrival@lemmy.today 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Guitars have 6 strings. If you attached six of those dampers to a guitar, it would weigh about 240lbs.

[–] Michal@programming.dev 2 points 1 week ago

Because one is installed on a guitar and the other one is not

[–] toiletobserver@lemmy.world 51 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Traffic light pole truck nuts

[–] derek 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Pole nuts, as it were.

[–] swicano@slrpnk.net 39 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I wonder if it's a weight to change the resonance frequency cause it was wobbling too much. Or it's the charging ports for the govt birds

[–] RePsyche@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

Bird recharge port, the cap comes off, they get inside to charge, software updates, etc. Yep.

[–] vivi@slrpnk.net 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)
[–] vivi@slrpnk.net 6 points 1 week ago

aside, I used Lens to look up similar images, and that worked, but the associated LLM made up a completely different purpose and name for them 🤦‍♀️

[–] Threeme2189@sh.itjust.works 20 points 1 week ago

They're the answer to truck nuts. Traffic light ovaries.

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 18 points 1 week ago

That's where the pee is stored

[–] Treczoks@lemmy.world 17 points 1 week ago (1 children)

My guess is that those are weights installed as a vibration damper. That explains the chains with which they are secured, and the box with the antenna, which would then record the results of this installation.

Does that traffic light happen to be in a rather windy area, and were those traffic lights swinging madly during storms?

[–] hereiamagain@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago

Not sure, saw them on a road trip through Ohio

[–] pastermil@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 week ago

That's how they make new traffic lights.

[–] bhamlin@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago

Those are males

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It's a lamp post. Did you expect a scrotum sack, Michael?

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] elephantium@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago

I haven't seen that toaster model before

[–] SillyDude@lemmy.zip 8 points 1 week ago (2 children)

What's the big square antenna thing? Looks like a pretty beefy RF thingy. I've seen them on traffic lights and just by themselves. Are they detecting just the presence of big metal objects? Are they doing long range RFID?

[–] Dust0741@lemmy.world 10 points 1 week ago

Radar!

Almost definitely a wavetronix

pretty beefy RF thingy

Jesus Christ! NSFW warning, thanks!

[–] aramis87@fedia.io 7 points 1 week ago

Very old shot spotters?

[–] edgemaster72@lemmy.world 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The one on the left is named Dingle McDangle, and the one on the right is named Jingle Bojangle

[–] Asfalttikyntaja@sopuli.xyz 1 points 1 week ago

And their dad is Mister Bojangles.

Light Nuts. They got jealous when they saw truck nuts and, well ...