My life as an artist, continued
So while I was dismantling some old pianos in a church, I had the chance to talk to a guy why was using space there to store things. He turned out to be a college professor who just had a lot of large objects that he uses in lectures. One of the things he had was a full size traffic light. I asked where he got it and he told me where the shop is in the city where they repair and replace the lights.

I went down there and talked to one of the guys, who pointed me to their scrap heap. I got a half dozen lenses, and he told me I could have anything else from the heap that I wanted. So I grabbed a few other odd things, including a rounded thing with two funnel shapes on it that looked like something from a 1950s sci-fi movie. He told me it was part of a detection system for sensing when cars approached an intersection. I decided I wanted to investigate further, so I tossed it into my car.

It has a plate on it that identifies the manufacturer and how much electricity it draws and what voltage it needs, but doesn't say what it is. I figured that there was only one good way to find out, so I rigged up a power cord to it and plugged it in.

Turns out I now own a working fire siren. And it's LOUD.

So tell me, what would you do with such a thing?

EDIT: Apparently they still make this model. www.directindustry.com/prod/federal-signal/alarm-siren-9256-25255.html
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 18:36, 30 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

car horn

( Lisette von Falcon, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 18:39, Reply)

It takes 110V
or that would be perfect.

...although now that I think about it, I could rig up an inverter to run it, then drive through downtown with it and blast the bicyclists who ride across the bridge and make them shit themselves...

*strokes beard thoughtfully*
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 18:47, Reply)

you could use it when your neighbor goes out to get the paper
I cannot be trusted with such power
everyone I know would get a blast
( Lisette von Falcon, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 18:50, Reply)

paper alarm!
or for a small fee from the dealership, sound it when they open to the page with the full size used car ads
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:03, Reply)

He's already called the cops on me once this week.
See, what I was hoping it was is one of those old-school gizmos they used to use that emits a tiny high-pitched ping and detects the echo to see if a car is sitting there. I figured it would be perfect for driving dogs insane.

Instead when I plugged it in and got the full effect while within my work shed, I very nearly shat myself.

If I don't want to keep it I may rig it up with a timer to go off at an unholy hour and leave it under someone's porch.

Maybe outside of the house of a prominent politician or something.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:05, Reply)

how come he called the law on you?

( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:08, Reply)

Because
I had a fire in my backyard fireplace.

www.b3ta.com/questions/offtopic/post536881

He's been fuming ever since, glaring daggers at us from his back porch.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:11, Reply)

what a tosser
fire=good times.

If your neighbors have a fire, you may come over provided you have beer
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:15, Reply)

So I've always thought as well.
But this guy... *shaking head*

To be fair, he's in his late 50s or so and had a car crash which caused brain damage. He's not really playing with a full deck. Sill, living next to him is an adventure to say the least.

www.b3ta.com/questions/childishthings/post522072 That's another mention of him.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:21, Reply)

are your houses detached or do you live in a semi?

( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:26, Reply)

Detached
with about 20 feet between them, each house on about 1/4 acre.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:30, Reply)

Thats huge by UK standards

( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:33, Reply)

I've often wondered
if there have been times during the warmer weather when I've had the windows open if he heard us having sex over here. That would certainly explain his fascination with the comings and goings in this house...
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:36, Reply)

whats the american for 'curtain twitcher' ?

( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:39, Reply)

I don't know that we have an equivalent.
He doesn't hide behind the curtain- he'll be out in the yard when we come home late and walk around his house to stare as we get out of the car. He stands there backlit, arms hanging at his sides, round shouldered, looking a lot like this guy.

He's creeped out every woman who's been to my house, including my friend's wife.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:45, Reply)

Hahahaa
Start calling him Mr Vorhees and see if he picks up on it
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 20:02, Reply)

Along those lines
I have named my sledgehammer after him- it's old and beat up, it's heavy and dense, and it's as simple a tool as you can find.

I named a shovel after a waitress I knew for similar reasons- a simple tool useful for moving shit around, lightweight and easy to pick up.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 20:22, Reply)

use it in a crouded theater

( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:01, Reply)

I might
give it to my son to put in his brother's room under the bed, so when he's supposed to get up and hits the snooze alarm multiple times they can ensure that he's awake.

I did this to him once with an alarm bell.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:07, Reply)

I used to have trouble getting up too
the espresso machine on a timer next to my bed fixed that
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:10, Reply)

This would serve a similar function
including the abrupt need to shit.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:15, Reply)

combined with a rothmans (the worls most laxatve fag)
could lead to messy sheets.
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:18, Reply)

He lives with Nurse Ratched.
All the more reason to do it.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:21, Reply)

damn her hide!
Is that far away?
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:25, Reply)

Less than two miles.
I'm thinking that Thing 1 needs to hide it under Thing 2's bed with an extension cord carefully hidden. The light switch is hooked up to an outlet so all Thing 1 would have to do is open the door and turn on the light.

All we need now is a video camera for an instant YouTube classic.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:33, Reply)

Web cam it
it goes out LIVE for +6 internet fame
( willenium Fist bump for verification, Wed 14 Oct 2009, 19:38, Reply)

If you're feeling particularly evil
Attach it to a relay and a PIR sensor. Anywhere's fair game: bedrooms, gardens, bathrooms if you're really cruel...
( ElParrot, Thu 15 Oct 2009, 0:26, Reply)

As long as I don't get arrested.
As it stands, I've been offered $65 for it. I think I might see if I can get $75 and call it good- that would be fair compensation for having scared the fuck out of me.
( The Resident Loon Not a demographic. Do not measure., Thu 15 Oct 2009, 1:37, Reply)

Tempting
I'd only suggest doing that as a wind up to people you know well.

But if you can get a decent amount of money for selling it then go for it.
( ElParrot, Thu 15 Oct 2009, 1:45, Reply)

you can sell it after you've scared the bejesus out of someone
you owe it to the world to use that siren for evil, at least once/
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Thu 15 Oct 2009, 17:21, Reply)