Speeding Comic - Citizen's Rage

For some reason, I really like this comic! Is it true? So Mr. officer, please educate, not punish. Poor citizen.

Source: Email

Pay As You Speed

European roads are taking more than 40.000 lives every year and one of the main causes of the most of traffic accidents is illegal speeding. The research project "Pay As You Speed" from Aalborg University tries to give a solution to this problem by using unique technology to record and penalize every speeding case via GPS. Very nice!

Pay As You Speed from Steffen K on Vimeo.

Evil Eyes of AES - Life or Money?

I found this interesting article about some debate on Automated Enforcement System (AES) which soon will be used in Malaysia. Overseas, the AES is also known as "evil eyes" (I agree!). The system will catch you speeding and send you a ticket. Not many people like it (including me) but anyhow they manage to avoid getting its "wrath". Consequently, people tends to be kind of "chicken" to go beyond the speed limit on the road..which is a good news. Hopefully by this change of attitude, less accident will occur and the number of death on the road will reduce significantly. Hmmmm..

Maybe you've seen them in the vicinity of traffic signals. Those insidious cameras that stand ready to catch your transgressions on film, unbeknownst to you until that fateful day you receive a citation in the mail, accompanied by a photo of you blatantly disregarding the law as you cruise through a red light.

Red light cameras are meant to act as a much needed deterrent from running red lights. Motorists are more likely to be injured in crashes involving red light running than in other types of crashes. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), in 2007, almost 900 were killed and nearly 153,000 were injured in crashes that involved red light running. About half of the deaths are pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles who are hit by the red light runners. The IIHS has reported huge decreases in red light running in several cities in which the cameras were used.

As a result, traffic cameras are becoming increasingly common at America's intersections. As of April 2009, 25 states and the District of Columbia have installed them. The cameras are designed to snap photos of vehicles that enter an intersection after the light has turned red. Trained law enforcement officers review the photos before issuing tickets to make sure that a traffic violation did indeed occur. The idea is to catch motorists who intentionally run red lights, not people who get stuck in traffic and are caught in the intersection when the light changes, or people who cross the line while the light is still yellow. In states like New York, where the citation is treated like a parking ticket, the car's registered owner is automatically fined. In California the citation is considered a moving violation, which means you could get a point on your license and your insurance bill could rise for up to three years.

Some red light cameras photograph only a vehicle's rear license plate, while others record the driver's face as well as the front plate. In some states, the driver can dispute the citation if someone else was driving the car at the time of the infraction, in which case the photo itself comes in as handy evidence. The "How Stuff Works" Web site offers an excellent explanation of the technical details of red light cameras.

Drivers often ask about the constitutionality of the cameras — aren't they violating our privacy by taking our picture without our knowledge? Not technically. Driving is a regulated activity on public roads. By obtaining a license, drivers agree to abide by the law, which contains nothing to prevent local governments from observing and documenting violators. However, each locality must authorize the use of red light cameras and allow citations to be sent by mail.

What has created more controversy is the cost of implementing these cameras and the revenue they generate for their city. The approximate cost of a red light camera with installation and sensors is $100,000. For that reason, they have begun appearing primarily in wealthier cities. The cost for a ticket issued for running one of these camera-equipped lights can be as much as $370. If you are photographed running a red light, it is not impossible to argue your way out of it, but many people aren't aware of the ways to fight it. There are books and web sites that can show you how to beat these tickets. But overall, plenty of motorists feel these cameras aren't being installed to protect the public so much as to generate millions of dollars for the city.

Here's an example of why people have this negative perception of the cameras. According to an article appearing in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, the city of Lilburn, GA issued about 1,500 citations in January 2008. The citations dropped by 80 percent to around 300 in January 2009, after a new Georgia law mandated a longer yellow light duration. The extra second on the yellow light may have reduced the problem of red light running for the driver, but it almost worked too well for the city. Red light cameras were no longer issuing enough citations to keep them "profitable" and as a result, Lilburn and four other cities in the same county suspended their red light programs.

There are also circumstances in which a traffic camera will generate a ticket for an infraction that a police officer might let slide or not see at all. For example, if traffic comes to a stop while a driver is still in the intersection, the gridlock prevents him from moving and the light will turn red. This might not be cause for a ticket if an officer saw it happen, because the driver wasn't trying to run the red light. A camera, on the other hand, has no reasoning ability. There have also been numerous cases of cameras issuing citations for a red light violation that happened within a fraction of a second. This can be infuriating if you're the one paying $370.

In response to this controversy, states are enacting statutes such as California's Red Light Reform Bill, which became a law in 2004. This law prohibits vendors of red light cameras from being paid based on the number of citations issued. But grandfather clauses, legal loopholes and other problems with this law, work against consumers' interests as well. (See highwayrobbery.net for more.)

Finally, even the safety aspect of red light cameras has come into question. In San Diego, camera vendor Lockheed Martin IMS, placed some of the cameras too close to the intersection and reduced the yellow light time. Red light cameras have also been known to cause some rear-end collisions, as drivers may slam on their brakes well short of the intersection when they notice a camera.

Consumers are also fighting back by using reflective coating sprays on their license plates. While it doesn't prevent a police officer from reading the plate, reflective coatings foil both radar guns and red light cameras. Whether this technique is legal or not depends on your state's laws.

The Automobile Club recommends that cities installing red light cameras (or any photo traffic enforcement) abide by the following guidelines:

• Use the cameras to increase effectiveness of on-site police officers, not to replace them.
• Ensure that cameras are reliable and accurate.
• Install cameras only at high-risk locations to improve safety, not generate revenue.
• Focus the technology on preventing the crime, not punishing it. Motorists should receive adequate notice that the red light cameras will be installed.
• Time the signal intervals fairly, according to accepted engineering and safety principles.

Despite the ongoing controversy, there is still widespread public support for traffic cameras. No one wants to get caught running a red light, but it is a dangerous traffic violation. Red light cameras may be a little Big-Brotherish, but when used properly, can be a deterrent from potentially fatal driving behavior.

Source: Edmunds

Best Tip - How to Avoid a Speeding Ticket?

Source: Barnorama

The Fastest Bus Recorded - 367 mph!

This is just too insane! How many people in this earth can actually imagine that actually a mere school bus speed can reach 367 mph (590 kmh)? I don't until now...

The yellow American-style school bus has been fitted with a jet engine from a Phantom fighter plane, allowing it to reach up to 367mph. Paul Stender and his team from Indy Boys Inc, based in Indianapolis, USA adapted the bus which uses a full tank of 150 gallons of fuel in just one quarter-mile run.

Mr Stender's creation, which he has dubbed 'The School Time Jet-Powered School Bus', also fires out 80 foot flames from the back creating massive clouds of smoke. Mr Stender, 43, said: "I built the bus for two reasons. The first is to entertain people because, come on, it's a jet bus.

The second, is to keep kids off drugs. Jets are hot, drugs are not. The entire vehicle was custom built by myself. There's no way the original bus could have withstood the speeds that I take it to. We do a lot of displays at schools and we are trying to show them there's more to life than sitting in front of computers.

Mr Stender, whose mechanical skills are entirely self taught, said he has a passion for making things go fast.

He said: "I bought it just as an old school bus, but I have to say only about five percent are original parts. Actually a lot of it is hand-crafted and the types of metals used would be more at home on an aircraft. There's still some bus left on it, a little bit on the front. And of course the door handle and the door are all original. I grew up on a farm and to tell you the truth I always wanted to learn things myself and didn't like school much. I guess this is my revenge for all those days riding on the slow journey to school, now it goes at my kind of pace."

News Resource: Telegraph Co UK

Underrun Don't Work - Speed Do Kill!

1. Frequently there will be a sticker at trailer bumper stickers that reads "If you can read this, you're too close." Unfortunately, once the guy in the Corvette got "to close," it was "too late."

2. I am still trying to figure out how this happened along the shoulder of the road. Couldn't he find himself a better spot to park his car? I have seen some bad parking jobs before, but never this bad. Let's just hope that the driver was able to escape this mess in one piece, because his car clearly didn't.

3. Is it the fault of underrun that not working? Underrun is designed to stop or lessen the severity of the crash for only some speed (usually max at 60kmh). But this event speed is truly beyond the designated speed.

Source: Total Sport

Do Speed Really Kill?

1. I have been thinking for quite some time now whether does speed really can kill? From what I have learned so far at Birmingham Automotive Safety Centre (BASC), even it is a bit sensitive, SPEED DON'T KILL in the road accident. The real killer is THE SUDDEN STOP. Human cannot tolerate such huge negative G-force during the accident and thus, be a cause of injury and death for many cases.

2. Below is the infographic that show how with increasing speed, the number of accident is decreasing...for now only in the United States...

Click to Enlarge :O

Source: Auto Insurance

Datuk Hazam JSJK Died in Road Accident

1. From the pictures shown by Ondscene (pictures below), I think the main cause of the accident could be speeding. Then, for some reason the car lost control and spun (could be because of wet road surface, however this fact must be further verified).

2. During the car's spinning, the deceased victim could be thrown out onto the road and that could be the cause of his death (if seated at the back). If seated at the front, he could be trapped by the crumpled zone of the car (see photo 1). In the meantime, the car hit the trailer on lateral side but not underride. The driver of the car was severely injured by the impact (because of deformation on front car area - left side is more severe).

3. This is only my rough idea on how the accident occurred. Could be wrong though. Further information are needed for perfect reconstruction of the crash.

4. I have seen many severe crashes happened due to collision with trailers parked on the emergency lane. Authorities and PLUS must take some counter measure to solve the problem or else.....more casualties will happen in the future. Anyway, takziah to the family. Innalillah.

KUALA LUMPUR: Federal Commercial Crime Investigation Department principal assistant director (Investigation II) Datuk Mohd Hazam Abdul Halim, died in a road accident at KM 419.7 of the North-South Expressway near Bukit Tagar Interchange at 12.45am yesterday.

Mohd Hazam, 50, was in a chauffeur-driven Bukit Aman Proton Perdana V6 travelling on from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur when the vehicle hit the back of a stalled lorry parked at the emergency lane.

Mohd Hazam died on the spot and his body was taken to the Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital, while the lans corporal driving the vehicle was seriously injured and warded at Sungai Buloh Hospital.

He had earlier attended a Commercial Crime Investigation Department conference in Ipoh. Mohd Hazam body will be taken to his home in Taman Tuanku Jaafar in Seremban and buried at nearby Muslim cemetery there after dzuhur prayers. He is survived by wife Datin Siti Norziah Abdullah, 41 and six children.

News Resource: NST Online
Pictures Resource: Ondscene Blogspot

Slow Down, Wear Your Seatbelt..Or Else...

1. Or else...your daughter will come out from the car and hit your car...and maybe you too.

2. So please remember to (1) wear your seatbelt, (2) ask the occupants of the car to wear the seatbelt, (3) do not speeding, (4) give signals, (5) follow the road laws, and lastly (5) focus and focus...

Image Credit: Imgur

The Most Expensive Speeding Ticket - $290000

1. Cough cough cough...$290,000? Are you kidding me? If the money converted to Malaysia Ringgit, I think the value is expected to be equal to about RM1 million. With that amount of money, I can buy a large mansion (with two or three maids) and a sport car (Mitsubishi Evo 10? maybe hehe).

2. Regardless what I would do with the money, do you know how such expensive speeding ticket is possibly issued? Check this news out.

Speeding ticket fine record was broken for Switzerland after a St. Gallen court handed down a decision demanding a millionaire who was caught driving at 85 mph to pay $290,000, the Swiss media reported Thursday.

The speed is 35 mph faster than the limit which is at 50 mph. The unidentified millionaire was using a red Ferrari Testarossa when he was caught. The millionaire has a string of previous offenses.

“The accused ignored elementary traffic rules with a powerful vehicle out of a pure desire for speed,” the court said in its judgment. The court based the fine on how rich the man is. He has assets of up to $22.7 million which includes a villa with a garage for his five luxury cars.

The previous record was $107,000–handed to a driver using a Porsche in Zurich in 2008.

Sometime in October 2009, another driver was pulled for speeding. He committed 15 traffic offenses in 10 minutes.

News Resource: Daily Contributor

Treasure Hunt Crash

1. I had written a post entitled "Janitor on road is indeed a Hazard" that might relate to my current post today. Road janitor is undeniably among the most dangerous and risky job in Malaysia. While they are usually not practicing proper safety protection, they are working recklessly on the side of the road. My fear has become true. Below is the story that emailed to me.

2. The accident was occured in 2006 at Melaka near Malim exit. A speeding treasure hunt car (Proton Wira) hit a road worker that was doing some painting work on the fence divider. Then the car lost control and hit another car (Proton Iswara) from the opposite direction. The road worker died on the spot. Poor guy. It is not like his 100% mistake though. Sigh.

Images Resource: Jurugambar.com

Your Speed is 315km/h!

1. Who thought a bike can go up to 315km/h on the street?

Via

Tragic Proton Wira Crash at PLUS Highway Tapah 3 Died

1. Yesterday, I was attending a crash case involving Proton Wira and Scania trailer at PLUS Highway near Tapah, Perak. As the news said, 3 died and 1 severely injured in the crash at which happening during heavy downpour. Basically, the Proton Wira was heading northbound towards Ipoh when suddenly the car lost control and hit the median.

2. The impact was then made the car spun and instantaneously got rammed at the side by an oncoming trailer from behind. Besides involving issue of crash compatibility where the geometry height and mass ratio of particular vehicles were not match each other, the crash also possibly involved issue of speeding. However, this is just based on the witness statement.

3. The weather was bad (heavy downpour) and the driver of the Proton Wira car was probably speeding (according to the survivor, the driver drove at 140km/h). Aqua planning might be the issue but the crash occurred at the quite elevated ground. So it's not possible for hydroplane to occur on the spot.

4. The tragic event that really touched my heart came following this story. The police told me that the survivor of the crash (a woman's) husband was dead. He was not in the crashed car for your information. So what is the cause of his death? As told by the policemen, he was died due to suffering severe hyper stress.

5. The unlucky guy didn't have enough money to support the medical treatment for his wife who suffered broken femur. The hospital needed him to pay rm3000 to implants "steel" for the crushed femur. At the same time, he just lost 3 family members from the accident. He was then falling sick and died. The villagers knew the story and collected the donation and be able to save the wife. But it's already late, the husband was already dead!

6. I wonder why general/government hospital's charging the patient? Am I too naive? As far as I knew, the government hospital is free of charge. Why charged people now?

7. Something that me and all of you to learn is that the road crash affected not only those who directly involved, but also those who have relationship with the victims. If we heard 4 casualties in the accident, actually it is not only 4, might be 6 or 10, or even 15 people affected. Let’s work harder to reduce the number of road accident victims. Also, PLEASE DONT DRIVE FAST (more than 100km/h) ON THE WET ROAD!!

Hospital Patient Killed in Ambulance-Trailer Crash at Jasin

JASIN: A patient was killed and three other people were injured when an ambulance hit the back of a trailer near the Lipat Kajang toll plaza along the North-South Expressway here yesterday. This is the recent crash news from Malaysia and I found it quite irony case. An ambulance is basically used to transfer sicked patient urgently to the hospital so that the patient can be saved. But the patient is dead due to road traffic accident along the way? I've been thinking that even ambulance shouldn't be allowed to drive fast on the road.

Jasin deputy police chief Asst Supt Jasmani Othman said stroke patient Tan Hee Moi alias Tan Yi Noi, 62, died on the spot while the ambulance driver, a hospital attendant and Tan’s 21-year-old son were injured. He said the accident occurred at 2.30pm while the ambulance was taking Tan from a private hospital in Selayang to Tan’s home in Taman Maluri, Ulu Tiram, Johor.

Jasmani said the ambulance driver is believed to have lost control of the vehicle before it hit the back of the trailer laden with maize. The driver of the trailer was unhurt. The injured were taken to Jasin Hospital. Hmm see what the used of speeding and rush if the action can't guarantee your safety of the journey? We want to save a life but at the same time risking the lives of people around. How irony.

Source: TheStar Online

Can We Win Traffic Tickets?

1. When you reduce your speed while driving the car on road, you are indeed lower the risk of getting into any accident or at least make the crash less severe. However, driving too slow is increasing the chance of you getting into an accident too. Why? Because you are slow! So, if you afraid of getting caught go learn from this New Jersey Traffic Ticket case.

2. I know lots of people got the traffic tickets but nobody seems to know what to do next as majority of the cases is just unplanned or deliberately made. Last month I got a speeding ticket too but luckily it is what Malaysian people called as saman ekor. So no need to pay la as suggested by one of my friend. But as good citizen, I will pay it, if only if there are huge discount offered which I heard will be offered once in a year.

3. Whatever happens in Malaysia is definitely different in other countries. In New York for example, if you get caught into traffic ticket, you can easily bail it out by hiring good lawyer. This New York Traffic Ticket is currently getting useless as the authority can’t get anything out of it. The only condition is just don’t kill people. This kind of lawyer practice is still not well defined in Malaysia. Will this kind of practice will benefits us? Only time could tell.