Green means go, red means stop, and down certainly means out.
That was the case for a new traffic light at the intersection of Anzac Ave and Frederick St, Dunedin, which was officially turned on last month only to be knocked over yesterday.
A late model Ford ute crashed into the traffic light, resulting in police and ambulance services being called to the scene, about 1.30pm.
No-one was injured.
Police inquiries are continuing.
Dunedin City Council roading maintenance engineer Peter Standring said the council's contractor was called to the site, and made it safe.
There were still enough lights at the intersection for traffic to move safely through, he said. Replacement of the pole would take ''some days''.
The traffic lights were turned on after a lengthy dispute between Dunedin businessman Doug Hall, now a city councillor, and the Dunedin City Council.
The road realignment and traffic lights at the intersection outside land owned at the time by Mr Hall cost ratepayers $659,000 following a dispute over access to his business after a new section of State Highway 88 was built around his property in 2011.
