XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.sf.science   
   From: robban@clubtelco.com   
      
   On 16/01/2014 10:12 pm, Michael F. Stemper wrote:   
   > On 01/15/2014 08:55 PM, Rod Speed wrote:   
   >> Robert Bannister  wrote   
   >>> Michael F. Stemper wrote   
   >>>> Doc O'Leary wrote   
   >   
   >>>>> The problem with intelligent highways is that drivers remain   
   >>>>> unintelligent.  And we're all to blame, in some ways.  Who among us   
   >>>>> hasn't had the "bright" idea to change over to a faster moving lane or   
   >>>>> take some other self-centered action?  Given human nature, it's   
   >>>>> almost a   
   >>>>> guarantee that telling people that there will be a traffic slowdown 5   
   >>>>> miles ahead would result in a lot of them gunning it in an attempt to   
   >>>>> get ahead of everyone else.   
   >>   
   >>>> Interestingly, in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul,   
   >>>> Minnesota),   
   >>>> MN-DOT (the Minnesota Department of Transportation) has spent the last   
   >>>> quarter-century adding more and more cameras, which are routed back to   
   >>>> the RTMC (Regional Transportation Management Center), and making the   
   >>>> information available to the public on a ten-minute periodicity during   
   >>>> both the morning and afternoon rush hours. The net result of that has   
   >>>> been to reduce (by miles) the backups caused by "events" on the metro   
   >>>> area freeway system. People will go elsewhere, if they have the   
   >>>> knowledge   
   >>>> that there's something to be avoided.   
   >>   
   >>> And they are receiving this knowledge via the mobile phone they are   
   >>> holding   
   >>> while driving?   
   >   
   > No. 25 years ago, phones didn't do that sort of thing, and very few people   
   > had mobiles anyway.   
   >   
   >> The GPS or smartphone receives it   
   >> automatically and routes you to avoid it.   
   >   
   > No special equipment needed. It comes over the radio (KBEM-FM, Jazz 88)   
   > and your   
   > brain reroutes you.   
   >   
   Right. I don't think we have a continuous road check programme like   
   that. They do quick segments during the rush hours, but they are easy to   
   miss and, I have noticed, frequently out of date - half an hour can make   
   a huge difference.   
      
   --   
   Robert Bannister - 1940-71 SE England   
                       1972-now W Australia   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)