Speed Limiters

[dazzleman]

What do you guys think of this?  It seems that big brother is getting more and more powerful.... Pretty scary in my opinion.
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Forget cameras - spy device will cut drivers’ speed by satellite
Dipesh Gadher, Transport Correspondent

 
IT IS the ultimate back seat driver. Motorists face having their cars fitted with a “spy” device that stops speeding.
The satellite-based system will monitor the speed limit and apply the brakes or cut out the accelerator if the driver tries to exceed it. A government-funded trial has concluded that the scheme promotes safer driving.

Drivers in London could be among the first to have the “speed spy” devices fitted. They would be offered a discount on the congestion charge if they use the system.

The move follows a six-month trial in Leeds using 20 modified Skoda Fabias, which found that volunteer drivers paid more attention as well keeping to the speed limit. More than 1,000 lives a year could be saved if the system was fitted to all Britain’s cars, say academics at Leeds University, who ran the trial on behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT).

It is part of a two-year research project into “intelligent speed adaptation” (ISA), which the department is funding at a cost of £2m. Results of the initial trial will be presented to ministers this week.

A study commissioned by London’s transport planners has recommended that motorists who install it should be rewarded with a discount on the congestion charge, which tomorrow rises to £8 a day.

The trial Skodas were fitted with a black box containing a digital map identifying the speed limits of every stretch of road in Leeds. A satellite positioning system tracked the cars’ locations.

The device compared the car’s speed with the local limit — displayed on the dashboard — and sent a signal to the accelerator or brake pedal to slow if it was too fast. The system can be overridden to avoid a hazard.

“The trials have been incredibly successful,” said Oliver Carsten, project leader and professor of transport safety at Leeds University.

The DfT says it has no plans to make speed limiters mandatory but admits that it is considering creating a digital map of all Britain’s roads which would pave the way for a national ISA system.

Edmund King, of the RAC Foundation, said limiters might make motorists less alert: “If you take too much control away the driver could switch on to autopilot.”
 

[Platypus]

This sucks

[Schmitz in 1972]

Stay in Britain, for the love of freedom please stay in Britain!!!

Not likely though, it's probably already been developed somewhere over here already

[Emsworth]

What a horrid idea!

[MODU]

I like the systems which some trucking companies use.  It records the location and travelling speeds of their trucks.  After compiling, it will inform the company if their drivers were violating speed limits (since sometimes you have to speed up to pass someone or avoid a collision).  Having a system that automatically slows you down might put you in more danger when the accelleration is needed.

[7,052,770]

That's terrible and scary.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The idea is being looked into because apparently people would rather have there every move in a car tracked, rather than pay more for fuel.

Odd world at times, no?

[KEmperor]

It's dangerous, there are times where it might be necessary to exceed the speed limits in an emergency.

[Hatman 🍁]

Dont do the crime if you cant do the time!

Good people need not have anything to worry about. We do not have the "freedom" to commit crimes in public.

[Emsworth]

Good people need not have anything to worry about.

I feel that such a philosophy is discordant and inharmonious with basic human rights. Should the government be able to monitor Internet use, wiretap phone lines, etc., just because good people have nothing to worry about?

[Hatman 🍁]

Good people need not have anything to worry about.

I feel that such a philosophy is discordant and inharmonious with basic human rights. Should the government be able to monitor Internet use, wiretap phone lines, etc., just because good people have nothing to worry about?

No, pecause what you do on the internet, and on the phone is private. What you do in public should not be private.

[WalterMitty]

speed limits should be abolished.

it isnt about safety, it is about $$$$.

most of yall will allow the government to do anything if they mention the word(s) 'safety', and/or 'protect our children'

wake up people.

[A18]

Thankfully I doubt Americans will ever tolerate this. I agree that speed limits should be abolished.

[Hatman 🍁]

I would agree that speed limits should be abolished, but since they are the law, they should still be respected.

[MODU]

speed limits should be abolished.

it isnt about safety, it is about $$$$.

most of yall will allow the government to do anything if they mention the word(s) 'safety', and/or 'protect our children'

wake up people.

Ok . . . I guess it's fine for me to go 60 down unstriped residential streets.  Better keep your kids indoors.

[7,052,770]

Speed limits should definitely be there.  I don't want people driving 70 in my neighborhood and flying off the road on a curve and into my house.
But random police enforcement is sufficient.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

What's the big deal?

1. It's voluntary
2. You can over-ride it
3. It doesn't tell the police where you are
4. If you actually cared about privacy, there are far worst things out there like the Patriot Act, hidden cameras, and so on.
5. Driving is a right and not a priviledge
6. Who hell speeds on roads in London during rush hour?

[Gabu]

Personally, I think that this could be a good idea, if the following things were made to be true:

- It's entirely optional with no incentives to do it.
- You can turn it off.
- It transmits no information about anything to anyone.

Basically, I think that a tool that would simply slow down people who accidentally speed would probably be something that many people with a slightly too heavy foot would likely want to voluntarily buy.  On the other hand, I agree with those who point out that sometimes it's a good thing to speed in an emergency situation (such as when there's a guy behind who whose brakes have just failed or something), so I think that it should be able to be turned off.

Essentially, I think that it should be simply a guidance system, not some "father knows best" thing restricting you from what you perceive as being the correct course of action.  Sure there will be some people who just leave it off and get into accidents because of it, but that's pretty much the price of freedom - there's nothing you can do about it.  I would much prefer having to fear that some idiot might get into an accident from going to fast.

speed limits should be abolished.

it isnt about safety, it is about $$$$.

Er... disallowing people from going really fast in places where children might bolt across the street is about money?  There's a point where healthy fear turns into unhealthy paranoia.

[KillerPollo]

speed limits should be abolished.

it isnt about safety, it is about $$$$.

most of yall will allow the government to do anything if they mention the word(s) 'safety', and/or 'protect our children'

wake up people.

Ok . . . I guess it's fine for me to go 60 down unstriped residential streets.  Better keep your kids indoors.

actually I dont see it happening here in america (both the US and the continent) Gov't makes enough money out of speeding tickets than anything else!

[Ebowed]

What's the big deal?

You sound like a conservative defending the Patriot Act.

[TheresNoMoney]

All speed limits should be raised.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

AMEN!

speed limits should be abolished.

it isnt about safety, it is about $$$$.

most of yall will allow the government to do anything if they mention the word(s) 'safety', and/or 'protect our children'

wake up people.

[Nation]

Stay in Britain, for the love of freedom please stay in Britain!!!

Not likely though, it's probably already been developed somewhere over here already

[KEmperor]

All speed limits should be raised.

Not all, but some are badly in need of an update.

[Everett]

Speed limits should definitely be there.  I don't want people driving 70 in my neighborhood and flying off the road on a curve and into my house.
But random police enforcement is sufficient.

Yeah, that's basically my view. A few years back, someone completely disregarded the speed limit sign (25mph) and overturned right down the block (there's a curve - if you don't slow down, you WILL overturn). It was really stupid because the whole neighbourhood woke up and went out to see what had happened. Ugh. There are the occasional idiots even with limits, but I don't believe that removing the speed limits altogether will help...