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Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

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Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#91

Post by anotherevan »

On a related note, Dash Cam Owners Australia[1] just put up their monthly video of collected accidents and near misses.

I watch these with my kids, who recently started driving, as it is a good lesson in why you drive defensively and not be too arrogant about your own abilities and reaction times - because you have to take into account the abilities, reaction times, and occasionally the boneheaded idiocy of any other driver in your immediate vicinity.

“If it weren’t for physics and law enforcement, I’d be unstoppable.”

[1] https://www.youtube.com/user/DashCamOwnersAustral/videos

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#92

Post by hug »

jjulius wrote: post #56
quotemstr wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> absolutely worth it Can you demonstrate, using numbers, that the tradeoff is positive? > I cannot believe people are arguing for "efficiency" over traffic safety. People prioritize efficiency over safety all the time. It's a good thing. So do you, if you support non-zero speed limits. The current animus against cell phone use while driving is the result of a moral panic, not a rational cost-benefit tradeoff. > If I…

>Can you demonstrate, using numbers, that the tradeoff is positive? Are you kidding? If I pull over to a safe place to use my phone, nobody is harmed. If I'm driving and take my attention off of the road and over to my phone, and I smack into a motorcyclist because I didn't see them, I could kill them . >The current animus against cell phone use while driving is the result of a moral panic, not a rational cost-benefi…

There are 268 million vehicles in the United States. If we assume that each vehicle makes two trips per day on average, and than the number of minutes of inconvenience taken up by pulling over to operate a phone is 5, that’d be 2.68 billion minutes of inconvenience per day alone!

We can be generous and put the intrinsic value of a human life at the average lifespan in the US of 78 years, or 41 million minutes. That means you’d be inconveniencing people at the rate of 65 human lives per day by implementing your law.

Why do you hate human life so much? Think of the children. Hail Satan, etc.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#93

Post by foobar1962 »

gruez wrote: post #12

>But it is illegal to touch a phone while driving except to pass it to a passenger. The ban even applies to drivers who are stationary at red lights or stuck in traffic jams. This sounds like a hassle for anyone trying to use gps on their phones. Also, doesn't this essentially outlaw rideshare drivers? How can you accept rides or confirm a pickup if you can't touch the phone? I never saw any driver use voice commands…

I just read the NSW legislation. Phones cannot be touched except for passing to a passenger. To be used to take calls they must be operated hands-free.

For GPS and speed apps, it IS legal to touch the device, as long as it is mounted.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#94

Post by lukeylunchbox »

tenebrisalietum wrote: post #88

The only technology needed to solve bad/dangerous driving is a cheap camera phone. Allow people to turn in video of people violating traffic laws in public places for money. Receive more money if it leads to prosecution/fine. Rewards split amongst all who submit videos. Big bonus if person is DUI/OUI/OWI prosecuted. If it's too much to have just anyone do this, then have some sort of minimal-requirements program wher…

This does not work. A similar system is currently in place in Shenzhen and it is overrun by scammers deliberately running people off the road and doctoring the footage. Many are making a mint from it.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#95

Post by GordonS »

Sendotsh wrote: post #89

Good. People in Australia don't take driving seriously. I spend a lot of time on the road, and have lived all over Australia, and the one defining thing I've found in common all over the country is that people are WAY too casual about driving. Sydney and Melbourne being the worst by far, with it being so bad it has become entertainment[0] On any given commute you'll see dozens of people playing with their phone while…

True story, in the UK: I once saw a guy using an electric razor while driving - and overtaking at ~80mph.

I regularly see women doing makeup while driving, stretching up to see their face in the mirror, their car often drifting from left to right.

The things some people do while driving are... amazingly fucking stupid.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#96

Post by spike021 »

javagram wrote: post #4
y4mi wrote: post #3

So they're ramping up the detection of people using their phones while waiting for the traffic light to turn green? Doesn't really sound like this is actually about safety. I doubt these cameras can capture the photo do a decent quality on that angle for anything but standing or very slow moving cars But I guess we can hope it will stop some people, even if there will be a lot of people caught that weren't really end…

People using their phones while waiting for the light is absolutely a safety issue. They aren’t paying attention and when the light turns green they may either hit a pedestrian as they hurry to move , or not notice the green and be rear ended by a driver who expects them to begin moving.

>or not notice the green and be rear ended by a driver who expects them to begin moving.

That wouldn't be the front driver's fault at all. What if there's someone crossing the road in front of that person and they can't drive off. The person behind them shouldn't be so focused only on the color of the traffic light that they start moving the moment it turns green.

That'd be even more unsafe.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#97

Post by carterehsmith »

ticmasta wrote: post #35

One thing that is unclear is that the two independent images, one showing an individual using a phone where they may be personally identifiable and a second showing the car's license plate. So they fine the registered owner of the car for the driver being distracted? What if I'm in a car share? Do they subpoena the companies records or just fine them and have it passed on a la rental cars and speeding tickets? I thin…

>> So they fine the registered owner of the car for the driver being distracted?

Yes, I think that makes sense.

If the car owner is a car share company, they will know who the car was shared to, at the time, and then they will send the ticket to that person.

And if the car owner just borrowed the car to a spouse/child/friend/whoever, they can pass the ticket to the borrower.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#98

Post by SamReidHughes »

kazinator wrote: post #82
SamReidHughes wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Assigning fault has nothing to do with safety.

In this case, the fault assignment correctly identifies as unsafe that driver who started moving and rammed a stopped vehicle immediately in front.

The stopped vehicle at a green light also increased the probability of collision.

Most collisions require two unsafe drivers. One to swerve out of their lane, another who thoughtlessly drive down the highway alongside another car; that sort of thing.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#100

Post by andrewstuart »

No fancy technology is needed.

All they need is inspectors on motorbikes riding between cars that are stopped at traffic lights.

Large number of people are using their phones when waiting at the lights.

A motorbike inspector riding between cars would make an infinite number of catches.

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