The other day, while driving to pick up groceries, I noticed some black rubber cables stretched across the road—those quiet tubes that make a soft “thunk-thunk” under your tires. I’d seen them before but never knew what they were for until my sister asked. Curious, I looked it up later and learned they’re called pneumatic tubes, and they actually count cars.

When a vehicle passes over them, a burst of air travels through the tube to a sensor, logging the car. Two tubes spaced apart can even measure speed, direction, and sometimes vehicle type. This data helps city planners decide where to place stoplights, speed bumps, or new lanes. It also influences public transit schedules and even snowplow priorities.

These tubes quietly gather important info without any flashy alerts, silently shaping our daily commutes. Now, when I see those cables near busy spots, I don’t just ignore them—I see them as unsung heroes working behind the scenes. And no, they probably aren’t recording your license plate. Probably.