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Dear Red Phone, every morning I go to get onto northbound U.S.
101 from Tennant Avenue and the light is ridiculously long. I think
there is some type of metering system, however it poses a threat to
safety when people are entering other lanes to run the light.
“Dear Red Phone, every morning I go to get onto northbound U.S. 101 from Tennant Avenue and the light is ridiculously long. I think there is some type of metering system, however it poses a threat to safety when people are entering other lanes to run the light. I have been in two perilous situations because I refuse to run the light regardless of how long it takes. What is the city doing about this? Please help.”
Red Phone: Dear Tired of Waiting, Red Phone contacted Bernard Walik, public information officer for Caltrans in Santa Clara County. That intersection is under Caltrans control, not the city’s. He said he drove the area Sunday but did not witness anything abnormal.
“I’ll have our traffic supervisor look into it (Monday) and I will get back to you,” he said.
Good caller, check back real soon and Red Phone will have an update for you.
Where do insects go when it rains?
“Hey Red Phone, I know this isn’t your area of expertise, but the recent rain we’ve had has left me wondering where insects go. We’ve seen that unfortunate spider washed down a drain so we know how vulnerable they are to rushing water. Surely then, isn’t rain one of their worst enemies?”
Red Phone: Dear Wondering, you are right, this is not Red Phone’s area of expertise, but it is a good question. After some Internet research, Red Phone has come to a conclusion. It is one of those “it depends” things. It depends on the volume of rain and the insect. If rain is light, most insects will take shelter. You may find insects under leaves or rock crevices. If the rain is heavy things can be difficult for the insects that are used to dry land. Larger insects will cling to whatever they can find until they are eventually washed along. Depending on the insect, they will configure themselves to float on the water while protecting themselves. Many will become displaced and find themselves in new surroundings. Some, though, will perish.
Small insects – like ants – are good at finding air pockets in underground burrows, even during flooding. They require very little oxygen and can survive for weeks using air pockets that are available. Once waters subside there will be a high rate of survival among small insects that have found these air pockets, though ants, for example, will probably go about finding a new drier nest at the earliest opportunity.
It is thought that insects can “sense” the onset of very wet weather and make plans, as we humans do. It is often observed in monsoon and rainy areas, that prior to a downpour, some buildings are invaded by insects looking for shelter. Of course, your house or business is an ideal place for ants to invade should some inclement weather come along!
Hope that answers your question, good caller, and keep ’em coming.
