The police may be going high-tech in the near future
At the SEMA Car show, there is a 'concept' police car named the "Ford Undercover Stealth Police Interceptor". OK, so I don't understand most of the references, but it sounds pretty awesome.
2010 SEMA: Ford's Undercover Stealth Cruiser is One Cool Cop Car - Wide Open Throttle - Motor Trend Magazine
Looks cool, I want them.
Here's some more high tech news:
Super speed camera 'to head to UK'
A 'super' speed camera - able to capture five offences at a time - is currently being tested, ahead of potentially being rolled out across the EU.
The multi-function Asset camera is being funded by the European Commission and could replace the traditional Gatso speed camera in the UK. In addition to identify speeding motorists, it is said to be able to detect drivers not wearing seat belts, measure distances between vehicles to tackle tailgating.
Meanwhile, Asset - which stands for 'advanced safety and driver support for essential road transport' - should also be able to pick out number plates, in order to catch drivers with no insurance or tax.
The technology is being developed by a group of European universities and research institutes and so far has had a cautious reception from motoring organisations.
AA president Edmund King told The Guardian that the association would back the cameras - providing they are used as a safety measure and not to make money - and highlighted their potential benefit over traditional speed cameras.
"Tailgating is more dangerous in most cases than speeding, so I think most motorists would welcome it," he added.
"We will need sophisticated technology to police the roads and there would have to be safeguards."
Initial tests of Asset began in 2008 and the results are expected to come next year. Developers hope to roll out the new multi-tasking system across Europe - including the UK - in 2013.
Motoring campaign group Speed Cameras Dot Org, expressed concern over the potential redundancy of traffic police. A spokesperson said that the group "cautiously" welcome the idea, but would wait and see both how accurate it proves to be, and how "fairly" it will be used.
However, Matti Kutila, who is testing Asset at Finland's VTT Technical Research Centre, said: "The main intention is to support traffic police to supervise that the drivers follow traffic rules such as wearing seat belts, preventing over-speeding and maintaining sufficient distance to the front vehicle."
Source: admiral
Blnkin' heck, that's pretty impressive.... and much more sophisticated than 'Big Brother' was ever dreamed to be. I can't see people being too happy about it, though.
It would be nice to see people start getting warnings for tail gating though.
Absolutely, it always amazes me how many people do it in dangerous conditions.
It says,
'Meanwhile, Asset - which stands for 'advanced safety and driver support for essential road transport' - should also be able to pick out number plates, in order to catch drivers with no insurance or tax.'
Now, to me, that would be a great thing - and would be well worthwhile. After all, these are the people who cause all the other drivers to receive massive hikes in car insurance - as well as usually being those who have no valid licence, and haven't even passed a driving test!
They have knowingly committed at least one crime before driving out on to the road. I'd attend to these guys first!
I agree with that. I used to work in the courts and I can't tell you the number of times a little 'scrote' who was banned, and so was without tax and insurance went through the system YET AGAIN, but got nothing but a re-banning. I have a feeling that they can now at least take the car off them, although that may just be wishful thinking.gif "Smile")
Talking about high speed cameras ....
Saw a Discovery program about LHC in Cern
They can (and will) take 40 biljon pictures in a blink (1s)
Cops may need to go hightec but some of them should at least pass the school. They should never miss that they are here to serve and protec, not to hassel.
I noticed lately that the Swedish cops seems to be more eager to take "care" of misuser(drugs and alcoholic) than interfere with a bank robbery.
On a slightly different tack - cyclists !!!! (I'm not a motorist-lover, but cyclists are no better!).
They are being tackled in Reading for having no lights. For 3 hours on Tuesday, any cyclist passing the police station were given a £30 fine which will be revoked if proof of purchase of lights can be provided within 7 days. 30 were caught. What I don't understand is how they really don't realise how much they are putting themselves at risk, although as a pedestrian I have just been missed by a light-less, black-clad cyclist on a dark pavement as I moved sideways into their path, so it's not just themselves who are at risk even when they are not on the road.
Don't start me on cyclists, of late they appear to think that traffic lights do not apply to them, up in London it's a nightmare, you go through a green light, and there's a cyclist in the middle of the road crossing in front of you.
Reading seems to be getting as bad, one of their most dangerous traits is suddenly turning onto a zebra (pedestrian) crossing, you get no notice that they're going to do it.
They DO seem to have gone really kamikaze in recent times. Although my beef is obviously on the pavements (I am nearly hit about once a month now, even though I don't actually go out much!), I have spotted so many close-calls on the road that it's not worth commenting on now.
One of the reasons may well be that cycling has become "the thing". Whereas once it was 'cranks' who would cycle, men (in particular) have taken it to their hearts. Hell, we now have loads in our family who cycle 30 miles for pleasure. It's now become a 'masculine' activity with the accompanying. ."mines bigger than yours..."
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