Scrap Ramps and use Cameras!

Bee

I think this is an excellent idea. I wonder would Seamus Brennan consider it with his forthcoming Speed camera camapaign? A sensible place for Speed cameras rather than the idiotically placed ones or the waste of Garda time on motorways.

The likes of DCC's "traffic engineers", the NRA and other amateurs usually unfortunately follow the UK slavishly; except in copying, something is lost in the translation as anyone can see by the dangerous and ill conceived speed ramps, mad cap junctions, painted cycle lanes on footpaths etc.

What do ye think of the following idea?

http://www.channel4.com/apps26/4car/jsp/main.jsp?lnk=211&id=6502

Speed humps out, cameras in, says Ken
London mayor Ken Livingstone, never one to avoid controversy, has baited the so-called motoring lobby today with a call for speed cameras to be installed in London's residential neighbourhoods. This move would be in parallel with a programme to remove speed humps; surveys have found that drivers dislike speed humps as they can damage the underside of vehicles, the Metropolitan Police Force has experienced increased damage to vehicles and slowed-down response times, residents living in a road with speed humps complain of increased noise and pollution, and the London ambulance service has claimed that up to 500 lives are lost each year when ambulances are slowed down by humps or the road is too bumpy for staff to give emergency treatment during a journey to hospital. Livingstone said "I think we should have speed cameras in every residential neighbourhood so we can fine people going too fast and don't inconvenience those obeying the speed limits... the vast majority of motorists cooperate and don't drive over the limit (in 20mph residential zones). Where we have worked on this in cooperation with the boroughs, accidents have been cut by 60 percent." (The Guardian)

Victor

Speed ramp €1,000 replace after 5-10 years. No maintenance required. Prevents speeders.

Speed camera say €25,000 replace after 5 years. Maintain every day (or two) at a cost of €100,000 a year. Catches speeders.

Both have their place, a blanket replacement of one with the other won't work.

Nutley Lane might be one place to use a camera(s) due to the high number of ambulance movements.

However, Bee you will be glad to know I gave Owen Keegan & Co. a right load of abuse yesterday to the point where one made the point "Well the engineers will have to raise that with their union. Can you put that in writing?".

Capt'n Midnight

You could use those rubber ramps with a pressure valve to release air. When a car goes over it the weight is not enough to deflate it but when an ambulance hits it's supposed to deflate faster - so less of a bump. Afterwards the ramp returns to original size sucking in air through the valve.

Kaner

Cap'n Midnight....you're a fookin genius

John R

Yes great, except for all the vans and trucks that would also avoid having to slow down.

Capt'n Midnight

Naw can't find a link for the collapsible ramps.

Fire engines would have no problems of course , but anything that lets ambulances through would allow a loaded van through too.

You can also use gaps in the ramps so ambulances with wider wheelbase can zip through.,

Other traffic calming measures include bollards that only allow one way traffic - the theory would be that the sirens would cause other motorists to leave a gap.

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All amublances should be fitted with GPS - so if there was a budget for it - you could remotley deflate ramps / open barriers in the nearby streets.. Not a technical problem - more of case of best use of resources.

Bee

Speed ramp €1,000 replace after 5-10 years. No maintenance required. Prevents speeders.

I don't thinks so Victor, I know of an area that has resulted in constant remedial work that has failed so far due to constant flooding of junctions, as after rain, normal kerbside water flow can't take place due to the ramps blocking the water and sewers beside the ramps becoming constantly blocked. Perhaps because I cycle/drive walk in associated areas I can see subsidence/damage to roads/kerbs created by the ramps.

Speed camera say €25,000 replace after 5 years. Maintain every day (or two) at a cost of €100,000 a year. Catches speeders

Low price high tech digi-cams cost a fraction of that price. Radio links back to base.

Presumably you are quoting similar kit to the ones that the Gardai bought for interrogation rooms! (Now under EU investigation as the Gardai paid 4 million euros for obsolete kit to an Irish firm whilst the Brits tendered a million cheaper for the latest digital kit!):p

Keep up the good work Victor

Bee

Capt'n Midnight

If money was no object..

Tethered ballons with radar. 10Km or higher above the city you would have a radar ballon (probably using a reflector for a beam produced on the ground) Computer software of a type originally developed in the 1950's would constantly filter the reflections and unlike the stuff in airborne early warning would use different speed filters in different areas - eg you would only show up on screen when above the known speed limit in an area.

Now how to link this into license plate reading telescopes or just direct a helicopter with speed camera to intercept.

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Why not go the whole hog and get a couple of big choppers with electomagnets, remember the Sea Knight in "You only live twice"

Victor

Originally posted by Capt'n Midnight
Fire engines would have no problems of course , but anything that lets ambulances through would allow a loaded van through too.

Speed cushions, which only go part way across the road, allow busses and ambulances (but also vans and trucks), with their wider wheel bases, to pass relatively unhindered.

Originally posted by Bee
I don't thinks so Victor, I know of an area that has resulted in constant remedial work that has failed so far due to constant flooding of junctions, as after rain, normal kerbside water flow can't take place due to the ramps blocking the water and sewers beside the ramps becoming constantly blocked. Perhaps because I cycle/drive walk in associated areas I can see subsidence/damage to roads/kerbs created by the ramps.

Newer ramps are made from asphalt, not brick, which means they don't break as easily, while being cheaper to install (they get the brick pattern using a steel mesh). They are also being built so they don't obstruct gutters. This in places is awkward for cyclists as the camber is quite steep.

Originally posted by Bee
Low price high tech digi-cams cost a fraction of that price. Radio links back to base.

The city council has quite an extensive network of fibre optic for trqaffic cameras at junctions and to control traffic lights. The cost of the bandwidth for sending large detailed photos would be prohibitive. Conversely, the amount of data being sent from parking meters is minimal - it just needs to send "This is parking meter #1148. I collected €123.45 today" or "I'm nearly out of paper" or "Help! I'm being mugged!".

Bee

The city council has quite an extensive network of fibre optic for trqaffic cameras at junctions and to control traffic lights. The cost of the bandwidth for sending large detailed photos would be prohibitive.

On the contrary, DCC's spare bandwidth capacity on it optical fibre network is totally underutilised (probably poorly managed) The amount of bandwidth required for a digi-shot in relation to the carrying capacity of DCC's available bandwidth is exceptionally small. If they used their heads and the spare capacity DCC could be onto a nice little earner.

Using available mobile technology (not quite what you see on the current picture phones), a digi cam can easily send a pic using currently available cellular technology. As far as I am aware a similar technolgy is to be installed on the new proposed network for speed cameras countrywide.

Newer ramps are made from asphalt, not brick, which means they don't break as easily, while being cheaper to install (they get the brick pattern using a steel mesh). They are also being built so they don't obstruct gutters. This in places is awkward for cyclists as the camber is quite steep.

I agree about the camber, as well as getting soaked as the gutter is usually blocked as its not wide enough and soon gets blocked. The asphalt that is used with the wire mesh giving the impression of bricks is very prone to failure as well as icing over with less grip than bog standard tarmacadam. Ably assisted by the grooves filling with water. The only fall I have had on my bike in ages was a skid caused by one of these madcap designs frosted over.

Sack the "traffic engineers" !!!!!!

Bee

Victor

Originally posted by Bee
On the contrary, DCC's spare bandwidth capacity on it optical fibre network is totally underutilised (probably poorly managed) The amount of bandwidth required for a digi-shot in relation to the carrying capacity of DCC's available bandwidth is exceptionally small. If they used their heads and the spare capacity DCC could be onto a nice little earner.

They do sell on spare capacity (as do the ESB and Bord Gáis on their control and safety networks), but there is so much fibre in the city these days, it isn't worth a whole lot.

I suspect the photo from a speed camera would have to be several orders better that a camera phone to ensure registration plate and face recognition and thus more expensive to send, unless you send them all off peak .

Combined these factors would mean the fibre optic sytem would probably be cheaper than using mobile phone technology, unless the councils / NRA / Garda used their own bandwidth and antenae.