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By Mike Jones
#73
This has been discussed many places but I think it would be great if the government would install chips or magnetic strips in the lines in the roads and require "black box" type computers in vehicles that could not be tampered with so that if a person runs a red light or stop sign, the computer records it. If a person speeds consistently for a period of time, it records it. Of course, the same will be true if a person gets into an accident, etc. The computer could run off the car's battery and transmit a signal to a server somewhere such as a gas station, so that a processing center using the information sends out tickets or fines automatically. It would also detect if the computer was tampered with or even missing, in which case a security camera would catch the car's image at the gas station. It would be expensive but well worth it. It would also let the drivers know when they have committed a violation. That's about it.

Reward: Safety conscious and RESPONSIBLE drivers with help from a digital babysitter.
By will
#300
isnt that a bit 'facist' for you americans
By Scott
#1235
What next, after our goverment places devices in our cars??? Let the Goverment Install camera's into the homes of all us Americans, that way the average innocent working man/woman who likes to light up a joint from time too time can't in the privacy of his/her own home without getting busted even though he's/she's considered one of the most responsible and friendliest guys in the world, that way your average Mother could get charged with child abuse just for correcting her child with a tiny open handed smack on the buttox for writing on the walls, pulling the dogs hair etc....etc...

When I read your post this's how it comes across to me!!
By Sean_Mastromatteo
#2658
Black Box in Automobiles??? Control Speed, and Traffic Violations??? You must be one of those control freaks out there who just philosophically think you can control mankind with the aid of computers??? Sorry to say, your on the wrong side of the fence, buddy!! Like you can't control water, you can't control life. Having a forward moving mentality, with some regard for safety and control, however, nothing like Hitler, Stalin, or Saddam. You can not win by restricting life, which is only self serving, greed based, and fear based, and control based, and does not logically fit in with the concept of what and how life is. Life goes on, life will find a way, life improves. All others are antagonists, and profit takers at the sacrafice of others.

Soon, very soon, the people are going to throw down and uprise against the ridiculous times we live in created by control freaks like your self. We will choose to live free and hinder all Brutal Regimes use less. Including the George W Bush Regime, Oil, and Automotive, and Financial Institutions as well. There is so much unknown than known, there will be an exodus from this infrastructure imposed and created by powerful silver back gorilla welll to do rich families that profit off of the masses. God did not create this earth for them, and they are not the beneficiaries of large number populations.

Live Free or Die.
User avatar
By Steve
#2665
Sean, we appreciate your input, but please don't get personal. Getting personal includes calling names on people just because they have submitted a certain idea, as well as comparing them to dictators and mass murderers, which is really far off topic. I am sure you can express your views just as well without those allusions. Thanks.
By Sean_Mastromatteo
#2676
Steve, I can see what you are say. I appear overzelous at times, and this may be one of those times.

When I feel passionate about a topic, and in the negative to it, I let it fly, just so as there is no question to how i feel. As I would in the positive. Its emotional not logical and another side of the human existance.

With the emergance of computers, many people in our society today feel they can left brain approach a problem and solve it by control and totally forget about abstract things, and get into human compassion, which includes trust, respect, love, understanding as subsets, and basically resolves into human compassion overall.

I see to much emphasis on non-trust actions by people, Black Boxes for traffic violations is just the stepping stone for a database to track where you are at all times, imprisonment before commiting a crime, desguised as a social control or latter still a marketing tool, however, all in the same.

People need to step away from their computers, get out and enjoy they day, enjoy life, and try to bring love and compassion into those lives that are upset by the way societal pressures are driving them, not add more pressures, we got enough. Too much.

If you look back through time, in my experience I can only go back to the early 70's, the perceptions of freedon have dwindled over time, you can see it in peoples faces and actions. People are so boxed in now days because they all know or perceive the efficiency of information that drives their actions which is not to far from robots and cattle on a ranch.

I am so sick of being farmed by others, and seeing others farm others, that i have to speak out strongly against this idea. I feel I am incapable of speaking out strongly enough against "black boxes" so all i can express is outrage. I can only pray we have compassionate people in congress who know well of the federalist papers, and the right to live. So we have swung far left, under the clinton admin, now we swing far right under bush admin, to look for balance is pointless and boring, and all their truely is, is difference, diversity, and different points of view, which is great! but missing a few things, fun! love! joy! life.

by the way, the speed limits are too slow. I think, for those that want to drive 100+ m.p.h. should be allowed to do so and a seperate highway built for them, so they don't mix with the status quo who prefer to drive 65-55. Now if the constitution were to be honored, America would have its Autobauns, under the constitutional rights of admendment one, freedom of speech, which can also be interpreted as freedom of choice, but in driving sense, we do not have freedom to choose a road thats is desginated "Any speed you want use at your own risk." Many people in America are capable of driving high speeds but are hindered by law. Many people want to drive high speeds on a road designed for that purpose only where people who prefer to drive slower should be required by law to keep off.

So Mike Jones sees the need for control, which is true, in highly conjested areas, where high speed would be ridiculous. However, the methodology pretty much violates and intrudes upon an area regarded now as 1 of the last two fronteirs of privacy, the automobile, and the home. Men and women need privacy to reflect their actions in public. Each of us need our own space, because we all are different in our thoughts and beliefs. Pooling people together always leads to differences, and agreements, and creates a dynamic enviornment or all varying experiences. Mostly now days it just gets violent. As a body of people we have to accept violence is part of us, and not try to stamp it out by kulling it out of our society. Violence is energy needing to be redirected.

i'm getting carried away again....

I still stand that black boxes suck, and i can see the real motivation behind black boxes in vehicles, which is a power postion device for government, large corporations, marketing analyists, and states to collect revenues off of their constituents in a forceful manner, in stead of earning it. Mayberry said, "The vikings got tired of traveling to town to pilage it, so they just moved in, set up government, declared themselves protectors, and pillaged it every day. They haven't left since."

so theres your government.


of course, this is just my opion and what i believe, which i'm sure you don't, but hey thats me.
By headwerkn
#3222
I think they already have something like this in Singapore. Apparently a great big red light flashes on your roof when you go over the speed limit. Anyway, that's what I heard.

Needless to say, civil libertarians would go tropo if this were ever to pass as law. Especially in the USA, where the Constitution protects the rights of all people to act like complete fools, including on the road ;-)

That said, for those who've lost their licence before because of drink-driving, recklessness or running over one too many children, I belive such a device would have a shoe in.
By mtd28student
#3240
In New Zealand the trucks have some what of a "black box". A small computer underneath the seat of the driver records the trucks speed, and other infomation. When the truck gets stopped by the highway patrol, the computers infomation is downloaded to a pc. The officer can then see if the truck has been speeding, having complusory stops e.t.c.

This insures that the driver fill out his log book correctly and does not speed.
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By Michael D. Grissom
#3266
Someone once suggested that cars should be smart enough to know what the speed limit is and sound a continous annoying alarm whenever exceeded -- loud enough to ruin your acid rock but not enough to cover an emergency siren. This might also work for tailgaters.

I think we could get creative with this thread like; when you tailgate or exceed the speed limit, it shuts off your speakers or intermittantly cycles them off and on at a 1/2 hz rate.

Any other solutions/ideas out there to make it at least uncomfortable for a driver to endanger the lives of others?

hmmm,... how 'bout verbal feedback like "your weaving" and "your speed is fluctuating excessively" and "your 10 over" etc.

I think we can have some fun with this one.
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By cynet
#3562
What about elemental changes.
I accidently ran a red light because of Ice on the road.
Wouldn't the black box have to record weather conditions as well.
Or what about, I was pushed throu a red light because someone hit me from behind.
That's not fair!
By A_Guy_Outta_Ideas
#8870
I both agree and disagree with sean, I realize that we have freedom and yes I agree everybody has rights and freedom. But to break the law is a totally different matter. Do I have the right to murder you without cameras watching me? No, of course not. I understand that murder and speeding are very different. But nevertheless speeding is a crime but not as horrible as murder. Frankly I would honestly not want one in my car, but if you aren't going to or are not doing anything wrong you really shouldn't mind people putting things up to catch you when you do a crime.
In response to the guy who wants light a joint, dude, thats illegal and a horrendous crime, you are feeding a habit of slow agonizing death and a life of leeching off of society just to be able to get your few minutes of dangerous pleasure. I hope you either get help or die by those drugs.
Sorry...I had to let out my opinion about drugs and drug dealers, all they are doing is causing our society to slowly crumble with their habit.
Getting back to the box, I honestly am not quite sure...its a fine line between protection of privacy and catching people doing a crime.
The idea about the warning siren sounds cool though, if you speed then it goes off.
By Rishi
#8873
Michael D. Grissom wrote:Someone once suggested that cars should be smart enough to know what the speed limit is and sound a continous annoying alarm whenever exceeded -- loud enough to ruin your acid rock but not enough to cover an emergency siren. This might also work for tailgaters.

I think we could get creative with this thread like; when you tailgate or exceed the speed limit, it shuts off your speakers or intermittantly cycles them off and on at a 1/2 hz rate.

Any other solutions/ideas out there to make it at least uncomfortable for a driver to endanger the lives of others?

hmmm,... how 'bout verbal feedback like "your weaving" and "your speed is fluctuating excessively" and "your 10 over" etc.

I think we can have some fun with this one.
Dear MDG,
While driving with a friend in Germany a few years back he demonstrated a street lights mounted radar surveillance and recording system.

First was a lighted sign giving the speed limit. This could be varied depending on traffic, road conditions etc.

A few lights beyond was another sign that remained dark if the passing car was below limits but lit up with a flashing 'SCHNELL' if it was going >5kmph over the limit. Next were a series of lights with video cameras to capture the image of the offending car.

My friend also told me that all except one of these were dummy cameras to discourage tyhose that tried to speed up once the lights seem to be free of 'seeing eyes'.

To me in Bangalore this is academic. It takes 60 to 90 minutes to travel the 3 miles from my home to office. I can easily walk it in that time but for the pollution and the fact that two wheelers are using the foot path to beat those on four wheels to the next jam.

I can see Sean_Mastromatteo's point, though minus the rather strong defence of the right to privacy. Mike Jones's idea may be a bit drastic. Yet there are obligations associated with rights. If these are violated repeatedly, society must protect itself.

rishi
By probass16
#8938
i'm a republican, and i like Bush (no one argue with me, i don't feel like doing it anymore), and even i think that is way to intrusive. plus i like speeding, i do it when no one is around of course, but i still do it. and everyone goes at least 5 over the speed limit, so the box would record that too, and everyone would get screwed. i know it could be calibrated to accept that, but then people would use that as the new speed limit. i just think it would turn us into little babies who can't control themselves. if you're going to speed, learn how to drive at that speed. and don't be stupid and endanger everyone else in the proccess.
User avatar
By Amelia_ott
#9079
I think it is a good idea, BUT the cost would be tremendous. Taxes would be raised,etc.
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