This is one time you should read the comments
November 26, 2017 2:05 AM   Subscribe

Jackson Hole, Wyoming has a live stream of its town square. Join hundreds or even thousands of others in watching traffic drive by, and keep an eye out for red trucks. Follow the live chat as people describe everything that happens on the feed in real time.
posted by Literaryhero (99 comments total) 21 users marked this as a favorite
 
(a brief primer)
posted by Literaryhero at 2:09 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


Not much happening right now. Kind of quiet really.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:27 AM on November 26, 2017


This is oddly fascinating (not the video right now, the phenomenon). I can imagine this community developing its own dialect, or that most of the participants are actually neural networks trying to recognize objects and taking their cues from all the other responses. Or both.
posted by Foosnark at 2:27 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


Too bad it wasn't red.
Never read the comments!
posted by GeckoDundee at 2:52 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


This pet hospital live stream has more going on at this time of day, but the lack of live chat kind of ruins the experience for me.
posted by Literaryhero at 2:54 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


WHY AM I FINDING OUT ABOUT THIS ONLY NOW AT THE END OF A LONG LONG HOLIDAY WEEKEND COUPED UP WITH FAMILY?

This is the kind of silly Internet weirdness I can seriously get behind.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 3:09 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


If you haven't been there, you might not recognize that those arches (there are four) around the central park are made of hundreds of deer or elk antlers. It's got a little Nightmare Before Xmas feel to it. As I'm looking at it, there is no traffic or other activity, so the feeling is stronger.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:54 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


The weirdest part of this is that this has been going on for over a year. Last year I had a housemate who was obsessed, and more than once I was startled by her joyous shouts of red truck!
posted by mishafletch at 3:57 AM on November 26, 2017 [8 favorites]


Unless I'm thinking of another city that I visited in this region from my childhood, Jackson Hole is the one with like an Antler Arch, right? Like an area where there are hundreds and hundreds of antlers all used to create an arch entry way right?

I mean that's the arch right there, right? For some reason I have this memory and maybe this is in Salt Lake City. So maybe I'm projecting. It was overwhelming to me as a pre-teen.
posted by Fizz at 4:13 AM on November 26, 2017


And I missed Kirth Gerson's comment. Never mind.
posted by Fizz at 4:14 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


I heard there's an arch made of antlers.
posted by goatdog at 4:29 AM on November 26, 2017 [6 favorites]


What's that arch in the back there made of?
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:35 AM on November 26, 2017 [12 favorites]


Saw a pickup truck, not red.
posted by sammyo at 4:43 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


I guess marketing for the Antler Arch architecture lobbyists is working.
posted by Fizz at 4:49 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


Just seen a red truck!
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 4:50 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


Those archways were built from the bones of pedestrians. No one walks in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Apparently.
posted by pracowity at 5:18 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


It is the town square of Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is the general area that the town of Jackson is in.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 5:22 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


OK, now some dude with a camera tripod comes out to take pictures of the pedestrian bone mounds.
posted by pracowity at 5:22 AM on November 26, 2017


"Feed the arch!"
posted by Drexen at 5:23 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


Thanks, antlers.


Thantlers.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:25 AM on November 26, 2017 [14 favorites]


There was a red truck just waiting at the light as soon as I clicked on the feed. Magical.

Commenters are learning interesting things about the minutiae of US driving laws. ("Did he just turn right on a red light?" "You can do that here! It's great!" *not direct quotes.)
posted by obfuscation at 5:42 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


MeFi: This is one time you should read the comments
posted by fairmettle at 5:50 AM on November 26, 2017 [4 favorites]


one time in jellystone i saw an elk and it didn't have antlers it just had arches on its head they weren't golden though so i said meh i said and walked away sullenly
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 6:03 AM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]


I drove through this intersection on September 12 of this year if you want to rewind and look for a red hatchback. Probably between 8 and 10 am, going southbound.

I don't love this town per se - too touristy and spendy - but Highway 191 north of Jackson is a site to behold. Between here and Bozeman, Montana might be my favorite stretch of road on earth (suck it, PCH).

Minor quibble - the town is Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson Hole is the natural feature, the valley, in which Jackson lies.
posted by AFABulous at 6:20 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


Also, I'm moving out west within the next year and I'm going to ditch the hatchback for a truck. I guess I know what color I'm getting.
posted by AFABulous at 6:24 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


I got unreasonably frustrated when the chat strayed off topic. It definitely needs moderation. I mean more than a dozen cars passed without anyone telling me the make, model or even color.
posted by milarepa at 6:25 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


One of the nice things about these live cams (like this one in Mammoth) is that you can get real-time information about weather conditions. And, in a place where you can get snowed in at a moment's notice, that's helpful when you're about to drive there.
posted by SPrintF at 6:29 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


Does anyone read the antlers down here?
posted by chavenet at 6:36 AM on November 26, 2017 [4 favorites]


It's Magic Hour. Just before sunrise, bright enough you can see everything like daylight but dim enough the Christmas lights still have a magic glow. Folks sleeping in on Thanksgiving Sunday.

Here's Grass Valley CA, where I am now. It's no Jackson Hole but we do have some red trucks, generally F150s. Come back on Friday night for Cornish Christmas! There should be a webcam for Nevada City too but only the still images are working for me, not the video. The town dump is online though.
posted by Nelson at 6:38 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


There are at least three camera angles of the square: The four lighted antler arches currently look like giant electromagnetic coils in the wide shot. Hoping a huge portal opens up in the center of the Town Square when they capture enough energy from viewers.
posted by rh at 6:41 AM on November 26, 2017


RED TRUCK
posted by rodlymight at 6:44 AM on November 26, 2017


23 seconds in and I spotted a red truck!

This means all my wishes will come true, right?
posted by cooker girl at 7:07 AM on November 26, 2017


I saw four red trucks, some stunt birds, and a dog in a white truck. This makes up for the Hannibalesque arch there in the background (I don't think any of you guys saw it.)
posted by headspace at 7:14 AM on November 26, 2017


My Gawd, the You Tube live stream has a recommended list of train cams. I didn't even know this was a thing. Train. Cams. In. The. Winter.
posted by Beholder at 7:15 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


I opened it up and the first thing I saw was a massive raven fly past the camera. I thought, oh great, the sacrificial arch is being overseen by Randall Flagg. Then an older red Porsche. And more ravens. Hmm. Mountains. Ravens. OMG, Jackson Hole is being overseen by Crebain from Dunland! The passage south is being watched.
posted by Ber at 7:21 AM on November 26, 2017 [5 favorites]


turtle
posted by evidenceofabsence at 7:22 AM on November 26, 2017


so much depends


upon

a red
truck

glazed with rain
water

turning left or
not
posted by chavenet at 7:47 AM on November 26, 2017 [5 favorites]


I love this chat because it is basically how I pass the time on long drives. "Cow!" "Gas station!" "Big truck!" "Car carrier." "Dog!" A friend who drove with me from St. Louis to Chicago said "Wow, you really like commenting on nouns."
posted by ChuraChura at 8:05 AM on November 26, 2017 [9 favorites]


this is my new favorite smart phone game.

hint: disable autocorrect to play better
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:07 AM on November 26, 2017


Here's a livecam of a train crossing in New Jersey. Nothing especially interesting that I can see, but the comments are likewise wholesome. Seems there are a lot of regulars who are wishing each other good morning.

Also, Auburn, Alabama, which either had a lot of snow or toilet paper last night. I imagine this has something to do with football?
posted by AFABulous at 8:08 AM on November 26, 2017


a dog in a white truck

people in the chat completely lose their shit when they see a dog.
posted by AFABulous at 8:11 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


The chat is what makes it great; it is weirdly engaging :)

This feed has been insistently showing up on my recommended YouTube videos, but I have never clicked on it and had no idea why live stream of a street junction would be so popular.

BUS!!
posted by Ender's Friend at 8:41 AM on November 26, 2017


people in the chat completely lose their shit when they see a dog.

also when the arch eats a human. i didnt even notice the arch until it was fed.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 8:41 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


Here's a livecam of a train crossing in New Jersey. Nothing especially interesting that I can see, but the comments are likewise wholesome. Seems there are a lot of regulars who are wishing each other good morning.

The train cams I mentioned were POV, like you were sitting on top like Lee freaking Marvin.
posted by Beholder at 8:44 AM on November 26, 2017


Used to be I watched a live-stream from a webcam in a student sitting-room in Linköping University, you could chat with people in the room. I think I might try something similar here, it was a groovy little thing.
posted by Iteki at 8:50 AM on November 26, 2017


When there are no deep sea explorations going on, I sometimes watch train and train station cams, but man, the rules in the one station cam I watch most are harsh. You can't ask questions about the trains, comment on people or traffic, use too many emojis or excessive capital letters, and they say they'll go scorched earth on you if you break the rules. First time, you're banned from commenting, banned from watching, and they will destroy everything you love.
posted by ernielundquist at 9:48 AM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


There have to be some local pranksters willing to walk across this street at irregular intervals wearing bear costumes and zentai suits.
posted by delfin at 9:50 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


How do you view the comments on an iPhone?
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:01 AM on November 26, 2017


"I'm back why am I back?"
...
"Because of the action, we saw a dog 30 min ago"
posted by plastic_animals at 10:08 AM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


There should be a "live chat" link at the bottom of the screen in the YouTube app.
posted by plastic_animals at 10:12 AM on November 26, 2017


Can't I see them without the app?
posted by Joe in Australia at 10:40 AM on November 26, 2017


Joe, I couldn't see the comments from the browser link on my iphone either. I had to open the youtube app.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 10:48 AM on November 26, 2017


Ahh, thanks, I was also looking for the chat.
posted by Room 641-A at 11:11 AM on November 26, 2017


Also, Auburn, Alabama, which either had a lot of snow or toilet paper last night. I imagine this has something to do with football?

Indeed. They roll Toomer's Corner in downtown Auburn after wins, and yesterday was a doozy.
posted by Huffy Puffy at 11:39 AM on November 26, 2017


From the chat: "@Redcherrytree is from the area and has promised us cardboard eyes for the arch. May their Doggo be forever healthy"

I sincerely hope they are giant googly eyes.
posted by AFABulous at 1:47 PM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]


We're going to Jackson.
posted by Nanukthedog at 1:53 PM on November 26, 2017


I clicked and it only took about 20 seconds for a red truck to come by. It was glorious!
posted by easternblot at 2:31 PM on November 26, 2017


Can anyone clue me in on what the fascination is with red trucks? Yes, I'm dim. I did look around, though.
posted by InsertNiftyNameHere at 3:30 PM on November 26, 2017


If you haven't been there, you might not recognize that those arches (there are four) around the central park are made of hundreds of deer or elk antlers. It's got a little Nightmare Before Xmas feel to it.

Not so nightmarish. Deer and elk shed their antlers every year after the rutting season and grow a new pair. You just find them laying around on the ground. No violence involved -- except for the rutting fights.
posted by JackFlash at 3:53 PM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]


The logic of road watching games is that occasionally someone announces a thing they see, and over time a consensus organically arises that things of a particular type are worth commenting on, and waiting for that to happen again becomes a time passing activity - the gentle slope of anticipation wondering when it will happen again, the small rush of recognition and satisfaction when it happens, then back to the watching and waiting.

Red Truck.
posted by idiopath at 4:11 PM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]


perhaps games like this activate a hunting or foraging instinct, and perhaps our tools of time passing, from books to computers to phones, make these simple and ubiquitous games more rare - but don't many of the games we play on computers or phones have a similar rhythm of anticipation, recognition?
posted by idiopath at 4:15 PM on November 26, 2017


Wanna see how dopamine shapes your behavior?
Follow the chat. Its a way more succinct example of a dopamine reward circuit than any slot machine, even.
posted by Fupped Duck at 5:39 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


Uh. They must have a metric fuckton of red trucks because I saw one within 15 seconds of opening the link. It was pretty damn dirty but definitely red.

Oh, universe. Why are you so good at being random?
posted by lydhre at 6:11 PM on November 26, 2017


It’s brilliant. I’ve been following all day and am likely to continue into next week. It’s like a mindfulness meditation. Oh look, there’s a guy on a bike. Those people are walking through an arch (FED!). Garbage truck! Two birds!

I absolutely love it that I can move over there any time and within 1-2 minutes a red truck gets a dozen people excited.

Red truck is life.
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 6:49 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


if someone had some weird marketing to do, that intersection would be an amazing place to stage events for an ARG

like, drive a red truck through the arch or something
posted by idiopath at 7:45 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


It reminds me of watching the cams of "waiting for the giraffe to have her baby" and so forth... there's something kind of comforting and friendly to just show up, and watch something fairly mindless but kinda nice, with enthusiastic strangers from around the world. Especially at 3am when you feel all alone and the computer is your only friend.
posted by The otter lady at 7:46 PM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]


I tuned in a few minutes ago and not only was there a red truck and a doggo all at the same time, but also the arch was fed (with the doggo!). It was glorious.
posted by paisley sheep at 8:51 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]


I had a look back at the Bob Ross stream the other week and the chat is now 90% an endless stream of, near incomprehensible to the uninitiated, memes: "RUINED! SAVED! GG! DEVIL COUNT RISING! CHANCE OF CABIN 57%" 21st century is pretty weird.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 12:50 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


Just checked in at what would be VERY early morning in Wyoming (4:30AM local time). All the trucks are grey and the traffic lights are all flashing red. There is a surprising amount of traffic for 4:30AM.

EDIT: Small bit of excitement. A police car showed up! It's not doing anything, just sitting in the background waiting for something else exciting to happen. Probably waiting for a red truck like everyone else.
posted by easternblot at 3:35 AM on November 27, 2017


A police car showed up!

Just as (even more?) exciting - if you rewind to 2:00AM (2:00:20 to be precise) the lights on the trees and bone arches switch themselves off. PLOOF! Just like that!
posted by jontyjago at 3:46 AM on November 27, 2017


Just found the FAQ (linked from the the YT video description), which answers at least two of our questions:

"2. What is the Arch made of? Elk antlers. (...)

3. What’s with the Red Truck? During the early days of the stream there was a minor accident in which a red truck rolled into one of the arches. Ever since then, the red truck has been revered and the spotting began. It has since led to other spotting games including dog, bus-bus-bus, bike, and bird (birb). Feel free to play I Spy in chat!"
posted by easternblot at 4:00 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


Also, Auburn, Alabama, which either had a lot of snow or toilet paper last night. I imagine this has something to do with football?

Don't talk to me.
posted by RolandOfEld at 6:39 AM on November 27, 2017


The train cams I mentioned were POV, like you were sitting on top like Lee freaking Marvin.

Nord Train
posted by chavenet at 6:45 AM on November 27, 2017


So the antler arch is Jackson's Hole?
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 6:58 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


The train cams I mentioned were POV, like you were sitting on top like Lee freaking Marvin.

That sounds much less awkward then the Lee Marvin Palimony Cam.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:21 AM on November 27, 2017


You know this is not all that different than Hypnotoad.

ALL GLORY TO THE HYPNOTOAD RED TRUCK
posted by Slarty Bartfast at 7:34 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


This pet hospital live stream has more going on at this time of day, but the lack of live chat kind of ruins the experience for me.

Literaryhero , there is a chat room!

http://www.fofrescue.org/kittycam4/
posted by slipthought at 8:54 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]


Lots of Russians on the chat right now so I have no idea what most of these people are saying. Just walls of cyrillic.
posted by gucci mane at 11:28 AM on November 27, 2017


In Chrome you can right click and translate. It's pretty mundane stuff, commenting on trucks and pedestrians. Although one said he got the link from the state department...
posted by AFABulous at 12:33 PM on November 27, 2017


Being the cop on the night shift in Jackson Hole is probably a pretty laid back job.
posted by Ray Walston, Luck Dragon at 12:56 AM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Reading the translated Russian is actually rather touching at times. "Want to Jackson. -13 F in Siberia today :( "
posted by The otter lady at 8:31 AM on November 28, 2017 [2 favorites]


I have a sudden urge to drive to Wyoming and spend an hour skipping across the crosswalks of that intersection, or something.
posted by duffell at 12:35 PM on November 28, 2017 [4 favorites]


I have an urge to drive to Wyoming and never come back. But that's every day for me.
posted by AFABulous at 12:58 PM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Those traffic signals are driving me bonkers. How is that flashing yellow left arrow any different than a simple green light?
posted by Sys Rq at 4:54 PM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Flashing yellow means "yield to oncoming traffic." Green means "go." They're two totally different things.

If you mean "why have that particular lightbulb at all," it's so that it CAN be used as a green arrow if the need should arise. This town gets a LOT busier in summer and I'm sure it would take forever for left-turners to get through that intersection without a green arrow.

Note that by making a left turn, you are staying on a major US highway (191). This is where the vast majority of traffic is going to go because it's how you get to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.
posted by AFABulous at 5:32 PM on November 28, 2017




Flashing yellow means "yield to oncoming traffic." Green means "go." They're two totally different things.

So if there were just one light, and it were a regular solid green circle, anyone in the left-turn lane would have the right of way over oncoming traffic? If so, that is weird and wrong. And also, wouldn’t that then make a green arrow the same as a green light?.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:00 PM on November 28, 2017


For comparison’s sake, around here in suburban southern Ontario, a busy left turn lane (i.e. all of them) gets a flashing green arrow (turn left now), followed by a solid yellow arrow (turn left NOW!!!), followed by a solid green circle (a few more cars can turn left before anyone’s getting creamed), followed by a solid yellow circle (hurry up and turn already), followed by a solid red circle (go on, keep turning left, fuck it, that other light ain’t green yet). It’s a lot more civilized than it seems, I promise. We just really like turning left, is all.

In Nova Scotia, it’s usually a much more economical single-signal affair for the whole shebang, with a flashing green circle (turn left now) followed by a solid green circle (turn left when clear) followed by a solid yellow circle (turned yet?) followed by a solid red circle, which tends to actually be respected.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:15 PM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


...wouldn’t that then make a green arrow the same as a green light?

Oliver Queen is not Hal Jordan.
posted by plastic_animals at 6:16 PM on November 28, 2017 [1 favorite]


Oo, saw an orange hatchback.
posted by limeonaire at 10:33 PM on November 28, 2017


So if there were just one light, and it were a regular solid green circle, anyone in the left-turn lane would have the right of way over oncoming traffic?

Yes.

And also, wouldn’t that then make a green arrow the same as a green light?.

They use an arrow to differentiate from the straight-ahead green light. (Plus that's a left-turn-only lane.) Many intersections let both left turn lanes go, while the straight-ahead lanes are still stopped. Incidentally this is not the case here. Checking streetview, there is only one way to turn left in this intersection; the other 3 options have no-left-turn signs.

I actually hate the yellow flashing even though I understand their purpose, because it's confusing for people and led to my car being totaled. The oncoming driver had a flashing yellow turn and a red straight-ahead. I had a green straight-ahead, so I went forward as normal. The would-be left turner thought I had a red light because HER side had one, and plowed into me. (No injuries, but RIP my 325i.)
posted by AFABulous at 6:06 AM on November 29, 2017


Those traffic signals are driving me bonkers. How is that flashing yellow left arrow any different than a simple green light?

The contractors make more money, mostly.

The shady organization my city contracts with just added ridiculously elaborate left turn arrow lights to almost all the intersections in town, and they're all set to flash yellow when the through light is green (which is redundant). The primary effect of this has been that people don't know what it means, so everyone just makes up their own little surprise rules. I have seen several people just make left turns right into oncoming traffic, like they're speeding up to beat a red turn light or something.

And I am enemies with Wyoming, so I figure they must suck even worse than that somehow. Like, maybe their flashing yellow lights randomly shoot out lasers also.
posted by ernielundquist at 10:17 AM on November 29, 2017


The webcam is apparently on top of a restaurant called Pizzeria Caldera, who sell shirts! I feel like walking around wearing a Pizzeria Caldera t-shirt would be the ultimate dank meme deep cut.
posted by duffell at 5:33 PM on November 29, 2017 [2 favorites]


And I am enemies with Wyoming,

It might be time for your own blog.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 5:46 PM on November 29, 2017


The primary effect of this has been that people don't know what it means, so everyone just makes up their own little surprise rules. I have seen several people just make left turns right into oncoming traffic, like they're speeding up to beat a red turn light or something.

That would be my assumption, that an arrow means oncoming traffic has a red (that’s how it works here), therefore I have the right of way, and that it’s yellow because it’s about to turn red, so I should either blast through or stop and wait for the green.

Is this setup common outside of Wyoming? Seems like it’d be an especially bad idea to do weird traffic light signals someplace where 90% of traffic is out-of-state tourists.
posted by Sys Rq at 6:13 PM on November 29, 2017


But it sure would help revenue from ticketing.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 6:32 PM on November 29, 2017


They've started using that flashing-yellow arrow thing here, and hanging signs saying "Turning traffic yield on flashing arrow," or something. Requires literacy, but it seems to be working out as well as any traffic-control scheme ever does.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:32 AM on November 30, 2017


That would be my assumption, that an arrow means oncoming traffic has a red (that’s how it works here), therefore I have the right of way, and that it’s yellow because it’s about to turn red, so I should either blast through or stop and wait for the green.

This is exactly how my car got totaled, because the other driver thought like you do. However, even if I had had a red light, which I did not, if someone is not slowing down when approaching the intersection you should still yield. (General you.) I basically always assume people are going to run a red light and after the accident I assume left turners are going to fail to yield.
posted by AFABulous at 1:00 PM on November 30, 2017


the idea that yellow ever means blast through illustrates the pathologically wide disconnect between written rules and the patterns of behavior that actually occur under those rules
posted by idiopath at 9:06 PM on November 30, 2017


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