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New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

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Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#321

Post by disambiguation »

oyebenny wrote: post #131

I wonder what else they're listening to. I wonder if their data streams are as regulated as private firms.

depending on how its implemented, it could be similar NYC's "gunshot sensors" which react to a decibel threshold rather than a full digital stream.

https://nypost.com/2020/07/27/nypds-gunshot-sensors-lay-out-...

though if you're getting at concerns of government surveillance and integrity of data management then i'm sorry to burst your bubble..

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/cia-secretly-collecti...

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#322

Post by lotsofpulp »

RivieraKid wrote: post #242
JohnTHaller wrote: post #231

For the unfamiliar, in addition to 'loud pipes' motorcycles, the biggest thing this is for are 'fart cars'. They're all over NYC. These are generally BMW 3 series, Infiniti, etc that are tuned and have specific exhausts to sound like they have more performance than they do, and to backfire after revving and then spooling down a bit... aka fart. They try to achieve the loudest possible rev and backfire, sometimes soun…

Why do they do that, is it basically sadism, i.e. deriving pleasure from others undergoing discomfort or pain?

I assume it fulfills their ego to know they have the power to affect unwilling others. They might not have a good education, retirement fund, upward career prospects, but they can impose at least this little bit onto the world to offset their broader lack of power.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#323

Post by Gigachad »

01100011 wrote: post #189
Zak wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems to me most traffic citations ought to be issued by mail based on dashcam footage now that the technology to do so is widespread. It would also reduce traffic stops as a pretext for searches, which act as an end-run around legal protections from unreasonable search. Traffic stops could then be relegated to imminent dangers like drunk or otherwise reckless drivers, and serious crimes.

They used to do this when red light cameras were popular in California. You could just write a letter saying the person in the pic wasn't you. As long as the ticket is tied to a driver you can basically get away with it via this route. If the ticket is for the vehicle owner then yes I could see this working. Perfect for emissions violations and vehicle code violations. You could also double-check for stolen license p…

> You could just write a letter saying the person in the pic wasn't you.

In Australia its still your problem. If someone else was borrowing the car you have to get them to admit they were using it at the time. The only way I think you will get off is if you report the car as stolen at the time.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#324

Post by pandaman »

brimble wrote: post #312
pandaman wrote: post #307

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The post you're replying to is not about Harleys being silent in absolute sense but about their noise not standing out to drivers over the noise of other cars, car's own noise, and sound insulation.

Right, I haven't found that to be true at all. Some are louder than others (I assume they've been modded so?) but they're ~always quite loud and do not fade into the general background noise of the road.

I found it to be true, all bikes are virtually silent when I drive. All the road noise is just monotonous hum in the background even with music off.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#325

Post by brokenmachine »

jrockway wrote: post #247
strangesongs wrote: post #200

Earlier quoted context omitted.

placardabuse really shows you how many of the most egregious traffic violations are done by unrepentant, repeat offenders. I think there was a story recently about an SUV who ran the curb and killed an 18-month old in Manhattan -- the driver had thousands of dollars of unpaid fines for blowing red lights, speeding, double-parking etc. I think people should be at a much higher risk of losing their license or driving p…

Most interesting to me are how many tickets police and politicians rack up with traffic enforcement cameras. "Do you know who I am!?" works on people, but doesn't work on robots. That's a good thing.

In Australia, rich people have their cars registered to companies so they are not responsible for the demerit points.

If the only punishment is a fine then it's only a rule for poor people.

edit: Just googled and they may have closed that loophole, I have no idea if any of it is actually enforced though. My point about fines only affecting poor people still stands.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#326

Post by thephyber »

darkwizard42 wrote: post #233
thephyber wrote: post #220

Would need to know more about the details, but I agree with the intent while being slightly fearful of police/prosecutions being automated. As many have posted, loud motor vehicles are a quality of life issue for me (live on a busy street, near an intersection, and not far from a freeway). I am frustrated that obnoxiously loud vehicles are not policed. And, yes, I went through the “loud car stereo” phase of my own yo…

I mean these seems like the lowest bar for enforcing a violation...I believe we should do something similar with parking violations, speeding violations, and others. The only one type of violation I generally dislike is red light violations given the predatory misuse we have seen and the contextual challenges of interpreting WHY a car goes or doesn't go during a yellow-red light.

Agree.

Some red light camera enforcement have proven to be schemes to generate revenue. Yellow light duration was shortened. Camera vendors have a revenue incentive to maximize the number of tickets, so they aren’t impartial and make pretty bad umpires.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#328

Post by Gigachad »

pedalpete wrote: post #123

About 7 years ago I was toying with making an open-source raspberry pi with a decibel meter you could stick to your window and it would listen for loud noises and tweet the police department to say that a loud noise (likely motorcycle groups that ride up and down my street) had been located at X location. I had a few friends who said they would also put them in their windows, so we could have a few devices coordinate…

>use a decibel meter on their phone to measure how loud

Phone microphones are not calibrated for this and the apps just spit out completely wrong numbers. They show relative noise changes fine but one phone could show the same sound at a higher or lower db rating just because the mic is a little more amplified or something.

The Apple Watch actually is calibrated for this and has a built in app which shows noise levels quite accurately.

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#329

Post by Maximus9000 »

rabuse wrote: post #257
Maximus9000 wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But loud pipes save lives! /s Bikers actually say that with a straight face. It drives me bonkers. If I look at any list on the internet about top 10 ways to stay safe on a motorcycle, none of those lists will include "loud pipes". Yet, those same bikers will ignore other items on those safety lists like wearing brightly colored high visibility jacket/vest.

Any evidence against this claim though?

Best I can find is this:

https://www.autoweek.com/news/industry-news/a35952569/loud-p...

Re: New York is using cameras with microphones to ticket loud cars

#330

Post by Gigachad »

acid__ wrote: post #298
treesknees wrote: post #33

>this new system uses a strategically placed sound meter to record decibel levels on the road, matching it to a license plate using a camera. Are there more details as to how this works and how it prevents false positives? Would the rumble or crack of thunder and lightning trigger a microphone to incorrectly mark a vehicle as loud? Or are there algorithms processing the recorded sound beyond just pure dB/volume to de…

One option could be to use an array of microphones to detect the source of the loud noise

This is how they do work, at least in the paris trial. Multiple mics around which can locate the source of the sound. They can also just record the sound + video and play it back in case of a dispute.
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