Check out this!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZL_QlxBqQs&feature=related

Sounds really Illegal... Won't stop me from testing it though! I'm almost having a hard time believing this actually works though? any confirmations here whether it works or not?

Urban myth and fake video...
The "link" for emergency vehicles controlling the streetlights is way "longer" than just a sensor "looking" for flashing lights, and usually it involves human dispatch decision...

The sensor is an opticom system which detects a white strobe light at the right strobeing frequency which will then cycle the lights to give green to the direction the emergency vehicle is headed.  flashing your headlights will will NOT make the lights change.  There are vehicle detection sensors, generally magnetic strips in the concrete/pavement at the intersection or close to the intersection.  It also depends upon how the intersection is setup, during certain parts of the day, it may run a timed schedule, where as during other parts of the day say at night when there is not a lot of traffic, the system will be on vehicle detection mode which will cycle the lights.  Or a counter starts to cycle the lights once a vehicle hits the vehicle detection device.  there are other types of vehicle detection devices as well. 

I remember watching a programme about the making of the wings for the A380 here in the UK. When they were moving the wings down to the docks the guy in charge of the operation had a zapper to change the lights so that every light would be set in their favour. These zappers are rigorously guarded, and have to be signed in and out every time.

Check out this!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZL_QlxBqQs&feature=related

Doesn't the fact that it comes from GAGFILMS.COM make you just a tiny bit suspicious that it's a hoax.??

I remember watching a programme about the making of the wings for the A380 here in the UK. When they were moving the wings down to the docks the guy in charge of the operation had a zapper to change the lights so that every light would be set in their favour. These zappers are rigorously guarded, and have to be signed in and out every time.

Yes, I remember that, what wouldn't I give to get my hands on one of those 

It might actually have merit, just not with a 9-1-1 code on the remote, so the video does look like a gag. but some cities do use the Opticom IR platform and they are using a pretty simple pulsed IR sensors, which most learning IR remotes are able to replicate with ease, but for it to be effective they would need more IR emitters, and if you are in the USA don't get caught with one the fines are huge and they also come with free accommodations for six months at one of the finer institutions with bars on the windows...

About the delay, the light still has a programmed cycle, the green light still has to go yellow then red with at least 2 seconds of yellow or they run the risk of not clearing an intersection, but with a bright enough IR source you can activate the signal from about 2000 feet away which also helps clear what is in front of you as well...   

The one we saw was nothing like that, it was a small box a bit like a car keyfob, as they approached the lights they pressed a button and the lights changed. Some sort of coded RF signal, presumably. Nice bit of kit, however it worked 

There are going to be special systems out there on the new digital systems that will have optional features available to use in situations like what was described above, however- a universal TV remote control won't cut it.  I suppose it could be possible on some of the old analog systems if they had that type of feature back in the day, but I doubt it. 

The one we saw was nothing like that, it was a small box a bit like a car keyfob, as they approached the lights they pressed a button and the lights changed. Some sort of coded RF signal, presumably. Nice bit of kit, however it worked 

And we certainly would love to have one, but they're guarded better than the Crown Jewels.

And we certainly would love to have one, but they're guarded better than the Crown Jewels.

Well, I do not see much use for such transmitter, other than the original intention (allow the emergency vehicle to pass). Because regarless of which way the information goes to the signal, it almast everywhere turns all red. Unless all you want is to stop the traffic...

And regarding the fob or flasher sensors: These have one common problem - the signals are switched to red too late, so the emergency driver has to significantly slow down anyway, so not much gain. To really allow smooth way, the signals must start the closing sequence 10..15 seconds before he will be crossing and at that time he is still way too far from there. So either the fob will activate too many intersections around, or there must besome other, more intelligent way of controlling the signals. The first would jam the city, the second wont use any key fob, nor flasher sensors, but either a dispatcher or some computer navigation system using trunk radio or similar means for signalling...

Well, I do not see much use for such transmitter, other than the original intention (allow the emergency vehicle to pass). Because regarless of which way the information goes to the signal, it almast everywhere turns all red. Unless all you want is to stop the traffic...

The purpose that they are used for that we have seen over here in the UK is to facilitate the passage of extremely wide or hazardous load convoys, where you have one or more very heavy or wide vehicles and two or three escort cars. They do not want the situation where the convoy is broken up by the lights changing to red before all the vehicles have passed.

The lead escort vehicle carries the actuating box and as he approaches the lights, presses it and if the lights are green, they stay that way for a pre-determined period of time to allow all vehicles to pass, or if they are red it forces a change and then does the same.

After whatever time is set, the lights return to normal operation.

Here are two types of control:
First is intended to speed up the emergency response vehicles (ambulance, fire brigade, police, public transport mobile dispatch and catenary repair units). These use the blue "disco" and so have the right to pass even via red signal (of course, it is their drivers responsibility to do so safely). For these all the signals are simply put to red, so all other traffic is already stopped and the intersection clear at the moment they arrive, so it is possible for their driver to oversee the situation and so make sure they may proceed without slowing down that much. This is done via their dispatch, setting such free path for them.
Other mode is used to speed up the public transport (but it works only with trams and troleybusses, not for regular busses): Some distance in front of the crossing are auxiliary contacts on the catenary sensing thepassing vehicle. Whe  there is still green in the direction of that vehicle, the signal from these contacts makes it holding longer, so it does not turn red before them. But once the red is already there before that vehicle passes the contacts, it has no effect.
For exceptional situations like the oversized loads or so, the police just escorts them and control the crossings "by hands" according to what the situation need (police officers hand signals have priority over signal lights, but even then they just turn all red to make sure there is no incident if someone does not spot the officer).

The reason given in the programme we saw about building the wings for the A380 was that once on the move, stopping for any reason would hold the whole move up for hours to get them moving again.