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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

#101

Post by wiredone »

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…

>People in Australia don't take driving seriously.

Honestly, as an Australian living in the US, i'm not sure you have enough context. After living in both Asia and the US, we're a nanny state on this stuff. In the US, people barely ever get breathe tested and often drive drunk, speed everywhere (70-80mph is a lot faster than 110-120kmh). I've also seen Facetime in use multiple times while on the freeway.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#102

Post by xur17 »

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…

You could sit at intersections and make bank recording videos of people driving through. So many people are holding their phone in the hand and interacting with it.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#103

Post by meerita »

andrewstuart wrote: post #100

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.

Pretty much this. Same for bikers with headphones and phones. Just put more cops on intersections and you can feast all day.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#104

Post by skeletonjelly »

blahyawnblah wrote: post #33
chris_wot wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hold your phone to use it for contactless payment at Mcdonalds and they can fine you. I shit you not. Revenue raising is most definitely what it is.

You're not on the road at that point, so I doubt that

You are as private roads owned by businesses open to the general public have certain road rules still applicable to them. This is in Victoria (Australia) where that piece of news came to light.

http://www8.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/viewdoc/au/legis/vic/cons...

> (1) A "road related area" is any of the following—

> (d) an area that is not a road and that is open to or used by the public for driving, riding or parking motor vehicles;

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#105

Post by Franciscouzo »

megablast wrote: post #70
homonculus1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need police-connected camera networks running machine learning in any US city.

Yes, we do. Every single car should be tracked. 40,000 people are killed every year due to car drivers, we should start taking this seriously.

That just sounds like a band-aid solution, what is needed are walkable cities, and decent public transportation.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#106

Post by lovehashbrowns »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #15
homonculus1 wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We don't need police-connected camera networks running machine learning in any US city.

Especially when a officer on the street corner will do the job (and prevent a ton of other petty law violations) just as well without being Orwellian about it. Edit : Do the down-voters care to explain how a networked camera system is somehow better or less orwellian than a human cop?

1. A camera can't shoot you--seeing as this thread is about cameras in US cities, and police brutality is an issue here, I don't want a bunch of power-hungry cops with a license to murder on every corner of every US city. That sounds both insanely wasteful and also dangerous.

2. I really don't understand how having a cop on the street corner is any better than the "Orwellian" camera. In both cases, you're being watched, but one case comes with the added benefit that the watcher has a loaded gun.

3. The power imbalance is worse with a cop than a camera. With footage, you might be able to subpoena the footage. With a cop testifying against you, it's their word against yours and cops are almost always trusted more than the people they arrest/accuse.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#107

Post by berns »

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.

What? If you ever hit someone like that, I'd say you're ten times more dangerous than anyone texting.

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#108

Post by modzu »

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…

i also wonder what the real motive is. just expanding surveillance tech? ceo of this company pals with govt officials?

Re: Australia uses new technology to catch drivers on phones

#109

Post by NikolaNovak »

andrewstuart wrote: post #100

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.

But; are those really the people you WANT to catch as a matter of priority? What is our goal - sheer income, or safety? :-/

In my mind, I'd rather people check their phone at a stopped traffic light, going 0kph; then while driving at 100kph or turning etc...

Ultimately tickets should have a purpose - prevent the most atrocious behaviour we see.

There's a poorly marked off-ramp from a major freeway in Toronto; and after off-ramp it's still a divided highway that basically looks like freeway. Cops are constantly staking out this exit because they know they'll get tickets - but what are you teaching? Most of these people were honestly trying to do the relatively right thing. There's no lesson or behaviour modification, just income. (if you want to modify behaviour at that particular offramp, add signing and/or lights etc).

Understanding that it's against the law in most places (because technically you are "operating a motor vehicle", I honestly don't have a problem with people glancing at their phone on a red traffic light. Others, I suppose, may vehemently disagree.

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