Stealth tax

[ufkacbln]

Can't find s reference, but I remember in the 70's Loughborough or one of the Universities /Polytechnics had developed ultrasound to prevent tailgating.

The idea was that speed would be regulated to the distance from the car in front. It worked brilliantly and ensured safe braking distances without fault.......... until it went on the road. Th efirest outing a numpty pulled into the gap, car thought that the speed for thenew distance (only a few feet) was low and slammed anchors on accordingly


The problem is that you can only plan for the good drivers there is always the idiot you cannot plan for

 

[snorri]

I don't know. The steps people have to consider to control those who won't control themselves.

That is just how I feel, the law abiding majority have to pay for all this high tech equipment to restrain idiots who just need a good kicking should have had their car keys confiscated.

 

[BentMikey]

That's about as intelligent as saying you don't think we should have to pay for traffic police, only high tech is probably a cheaper way of controlling drivers' behaviour.

 

[2Loose]

Having automatically enforced speedlimiting could be very dangerous, especially for two wheeled vehicles. It was looked at a few years ago and the motorcycling lobby went absolutely nuts. Some of the reasoning being that having a two wheeled vehicle suddenly lose power in a turn with the bike leant over would very likely result in the bike flopping onto its side mid-corner. Instant accident.

I can't find a proper article but read the comments here for other examples, not all of them are of the 'I want to go fast, it is my right' type;
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/15/big-brother-could-slow-british-motorcycles-down-track-routes/

 

[thomas]

Having automatically enforced speedlimiting could be very dangerous, especially for two wheeled vehicles. It was looked at a few years ago and the motorcycling lobby went absolutely nuts. Some of the reasoning being that having a two wheeled vehicle suddenly lose power in a turn with the bike leant over would very likely result in the bike flopping onto its side mid-corner. Instant accident.

I can't find a proper article but read the comments here for other examples, not all of them are of the 'I want to go fast, it is my right' type;
http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/15/big-brother-could-slow-british-motorcycles-down-track-routes/

I suppose in a car ice could be similar. You wouldn't want your car to be doing something unexpected if you hit some.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

No matter how clever the technology becomes, it'll be a long time before it's as clever as the person behind the wheel. Even if that person is an idiot sometimes.

 

[Origamist]

Risk compensation. It's a problem even with fairly low-tech technology

But Buckley, an insurance executive, confesses his own weakness for Blackberry and Bluetooth. He feels compelled to conduct business by phone and e-mail on long, lonely drives between his offices in Rocky Mount and Nags Head.
“That’s more than two hours,” said Buckley, 49. “I’m not just going to sit there in the car. I get a lot of work done on that straight, dead stretch of U.S. 64.
“And if I run off the road, there are rumble strips that divert me back onto the road. That has happened occasionally. They seem to work, those rumble strips.”

http://www.howwedrive.com/2010/01/29/rumble-strips-and-risk-compensation/

Talk about the law of unintended consequences - I have read a lot on risk compensation and had never considered the possibility that people would come to rely on the warning vibrations of rumble strips in order to facilitate driving whilst distracted...

 

[Norm]

You'd be unlucky Norm. The calibration point for 40mph detection always used to be 47, and your speed limiter will almost certainly be like a speedometer, calibrated to err on the safe side. (according to a satellite unit mine lets me go 48 when set to 50)

Nothing received in the post and yesterday was day 14 so it looks like I got lucky with this one.

Lesson learned, though, just as much as if I had been ticketed.

 

[thomas]

Lesson learned, though, just as much as if I had been ticketed.

For good measure could I have the £60 fine

 

[Norm]

Nice try, but no.

 

[al78]

Absolutely - it's very movingly covered. They list the people who died and have a photo of a wrecked car, which they always seem to pick in a place you're likely to have driven yourself.

They also choose pictures which are shocking without being unnecessarily graphic.

It's impossible to pick up the paper and not think - hey I recognise that roundabout - that could be me.

Could try showing this on TV as a goverment safety campaign:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lCM9ElUqQ


WARNING: some people may find this disturbing.

 

[PBancroft]

Could try showing this on TV as a goverment safety campaign:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lCM9ElUqQ


WARNING: some people may find this disturbing.

Wow. That video is just...

...wow.

 

[MacB]

Could try showing this on TV as a goverment safety campaign:

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7lCM9ElUqQ


WARNING: some people may find this disturbing.

that's enough to make you want to bring back the guy with the red flag

 

[ufkacbln]

Look at one of the new Volvos (I forget which), but it has a sensor as part of a cruise control type system for motorway use, so that if a car pulls in your lane, it will slow the car down to keep a sensible gap. It was shown on Top Gear a few series ago. The main problem being, the system used the car's brakes, rather than just easing off for a bit which would be much better.

This is the same problem that (IIRC) Loughorough had in the 70's if the car is ony ten feet away then your car effectively emergency stops and causes an accident.... or in the best case scenario a "pressure wave"

The technology relies on common sense that is not evident in a significant minority of road users

 

[Black Sheep]

i got issued a speeding ticket from a camera on the way into birmingham not long back,

40mph limit, I got done for doing 35mph!

after pointing out the mistake it got cancelled.