A Field Guide to Roadside Technology

by Ed Sobey

This fascinating handbook answers the questions of anyone who has ever wondered about the many strange devices found along the roadside, from utility poles to satellite dishes. Devices are grouped according to their habitats—along highways and roads, atop buildings, near airports, and on utility towers. More than 150 different roadside technologies are covered, and each detailed entry describes what the device does, how it works, and also includes a photograph for easy identification. With helpful sidebars describing related technical issues such as why stoplights are constructed with the red light on top, this handbook for curious readers provides carefully detailed descriptions and the history behind many of the devices that roadside travelers take for granted.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Engineering, Technology

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Ed is curious - he wants to see the world and understand how it works. So he travels (a lot) and takes things apart. And, he enjoys putting things together from building robots to writing books.

As a math and physics major, Ed likes numbers. He's traveled to 61 countries on all 7 continents. He has directed 5 museums (including the National Inventors Hall of Fame and founding the National Toy Hall of Fame) and written more than two dozen books.

He holds a Ph.D. in oceanography and has participated in 20 some expeditions, including doing research on sea ice in Antarctica. With his wife, he has sailed across the Pacific Ocean and has done a circumnavigation teaching oceanography for Semester at Sea. Ed is a Fellow Emeritus in The Explorers Club.

An avid outdoors person, Ed runs, bikes, swims, kayaks, and SCUBA dives. Along the way he searches for the unusual gizmo to take apart - or at least figure out how it works.

Reviews

[Jeremiah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read, teaches you to look at things a little more closely

[Ulf Kastner · Rating 3 out of 5]

So this is a quick reference guide designed to be used out in the field. Thing is, I'm rather obsessive-compulsively sequential and read material like that cover to cover, which goes against the design of the format. That being said, I got some of what I wanted out of the book (namely having a better handle on contraptions on utility poles etc.) Some elements of it struck me as inadequate, such as a large share of the photographs of objects. Maybe a later edition can expand on the number of items covered and provide better image reference material. Ultimately I was satisfied and I thought it was enjoyable reading matter.

[Mrs. Hahn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My dad gave this to my daughter. Though it's out of date and the greyscale pics are pretty grainy, it's a fascinating book! Answers all of the questions about all of those infrastructure things you might see on the side of a road or in your backyard. The writing is needlessly complex at times, but with a little editing and better color images, I would give this 5 stars.

[TK Keanini · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was ok. It would make a great book if I was going cross country and wanted to play I-Spy but other than that, it is more of a reference book.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book to take on road trips. The book explains what all those odd boxes and wires and gizmos are.

[to'c · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was book full of geeky fun. I learned a lot about all those devices that sprout up around our roads and rivers and wharfs and stuff. And it's a quick read, if you want it to be.