I'm mildly surprised that requiring trucks to file travel plans has not become a more widespread practice. What with terrorism concerns, and the widespread use of GPS monitors on trucks it's both feasible and plausible. It seems like major metro areas could institute a slightly tighter control of large load vehicles; which could actually benefit from coordinating with traffic control signals in some cases.
Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
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Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#72What a neat idea! But if these trucks are PURPOSEFULLY breaking the laws and continuing to go through the tunnel, I am not sure that this solution will hold up for too long; after all, the clever truck drivers will know it is a mere illusion. Furthermore, instead of a water screen, wouldn't a brick screen be more effective? Personally, I wouldn't mind going through water nearly as much as I would be running into a br…
The drivers aren't doing it purposely. They have been driving for 16 hours, are in an unfamiliar city, and are almost asleep at the wheel.
If you deliberately put yourself in a situation where you're operating a machine without the mental faculties you need to do it safely, then I think we can safely say that you deliberately caused the accident, even though you may not have thought, in so many words, "I think I'll go cause an accident now."
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#73Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's easy to not see stuff when you've been driving for 16 hours straight.
It's also easy to not see stuff when you're blind drunk. Both of these things are illegal, it's no excuse.
Not sure about Sydney, but there's no international law stating that you can't drive for 16 hours straight.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#74That's a cute high-tech solution. A simpler one is to put a horizontal bar, the same height as the tunnel's ceiling, which will physically stop the truck before causing millions worth of damages. It's often done in France, sometimes with an early warning: a first arch with chains hanging to the maximal height. It makes a lot of noise on the truck's top, but won't destroy it.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#75great article but terrible slug -- headline reads like a zippy the pinhead punchline.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#76Earlier quoted context omitted.
No. The whole point is to make this work for the sleep-deprived, inattentive drivers. Designing for "any reasonably alert driver" will result in horrible accidents.
When we have reliable, safe, self-driving cars this is the first industry that should be replaced by robots. How archaic is it that we pay people to ruin their bodies while attempting the inhuman task of keeping perfectly alert for several boring hours, while piloting a giant mass at lethal speeds.
Unfortunately when we have reliable, safe, self-driving cars, the loudest complainers will be truck drivers who now have to find new careers. I hope I don't sound too mean to hope their concerns are ignored.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#77Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's a really cool idea, but I couldn't help but think they should move the water stop sign to well BEFORE the million dollar damage point I thought the stop sign was only visible because of the dark background (i.e. moderately lit tunnel) behind it? My first thought was similar - it needs to be seen sooner - but I presume that even some braking before slamming into concrete is better than none.
You mean, before the 3 flashing stop signs BEFORE he got to that point? A better idea might be a low bar that causes the truck damage well before they reach the tunnel. Only issue is how to make it safe and very obvious it's done the truck damage?
You mean, before the 3 flashing stop signs BEFORE he got to that point?
The video shows why the stop-signs may be ineffective:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=...
They use the blinking not only for critical messages ("STOP") but also for unimportant stuff ("slow down"). The boy who cried wolf...
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#78And I think some people will STILL crash on the tunnel anyway. I made a arcade game once: www.abril.com.br/blog/campus-party/2011/01/19/fanatico-por-jogos-leva-seu-proprio-fliperama-para-a-arena/ It has instructions printed on the sides of the screen... It was VERY, VERY, VERY common to someone ask people around them what a button do (sometimes to even random passerby people, or for example a couple arrived at the ma…
Or alert boxes: Don't assume people read them. Most don't. They just click them away. Even if given several choices.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#79And I think some people will STILL crash on the tunnel anyway. I made a arcade game once: www.abril.com.br/blog/campus-party/2011/01/19/fanatico-por-jogos-leva-seu-proprio-fliperama-para-a-arena/ It has instructions printed on the sides of the screen... It was VERY, VERY, VERY common to someone ask people around them what a button do (sometimes to even random passerby people, or for example a couple arrived at the ma…
its because most instructions are unhelpful and a waste time to read, so we're conditioned to ignore them.
Re: Sydney tunnel water screen stop sign for oversized vehicles [video]
#80And I think some people will STILL crash on the tunnel anyway. I made a arcade game once: www.abril.com.br/blog/campus-party/2011/01/19/fanatico-por-jogos-leva-seu-proprio-fliperama-para-a-arena/ It has instructions printed on the sides of the screen... It was VERY, VERY, VERY common to someone ask people around them what a button do (sometimes to even random passerby people, or for example a couple arrived at the ma…
From their perspective, they can't really know whether the sign is accurate or out of date.
When you get somewhere and ask "Is this the address X?", it's not because you have absolutely no idea where you are, but rather because you're only 97% sure and hence would like a simple "yep" confirmation to reassure yourself.