Slashdot Mirror
Solutions for Avoiding Traffic?
gregwbrooks asks: "Technology lets us wardrive and kludge together interesting uses for the OnStar equipment in our vehicles, but what about the one thing I really need: On-demand, real-time traffic information? These guys have a BREW-based app that downloads real-time traffic maps to your cell phone -- it just rolled out in Chicago and Milwaukee, and apparently is going national soon. What other options are out there for someone who doesn't want to fiddle around with tiny web pages on his phone while driving?"
What would be very slick would be an open source system that integrates with wireless data (GPRS, EDGE, WCDMA, WiFi -- take your pick) and GPS to project onto your windshield in heads-up-display (HUD) manner what the traffic conditions are ahead of you. Being open source, you could then add whatever modules interest you so that your HUD could indicate when you are near a Starbucks, state park, 2600 meeting location, weather conditions ahead, or whatever you might want to know while driving. Heck, with a system like that motorists could even pinpoint the locations of speed traps for each other. Imagine your HUD flashing a red warning of "speed trap 1500 meters ahead"...
Good one less car on the road. Alternate transportation methods are nice but they all fail in the time catagory thats an important one for a lot of people. It's nice if you can combine your excersise and your commute. The only mass transit method that seems realy viable as an alterative to cars is high speed trains I'm talking about 150mph+ they can reduce the commuting time and arent subject to traffic as they use highly regulated and planed routes.
Bikes are nice if your talking a short distance or level ground.
Busses are allways a joke they are allways slower than a car offer no real bonus besides possibly being cheaper than a car.
Low speed trains are good if traffic is normaly bad if your on a well served route.
One of the problems with building new freeways is they are just that another path not an increase in the existing paths capacity. Adding alternate routes is good if you have a management systemt hat can divy things up in the right porportions.
No sir I dont like it.