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Texas Using WiFi to Encourage Driving Breaks

Posted by simoniker on from the clever dept.

squidfrog writes "An AP article reports: 'To encourage drivers to take more frequent breaks, the Texas Department of Transportation wants to set up free wireless Internet access at rest stops and travel information centers. TxDOT, which says Texas is the first state to provide such free access at rest areas, began experimenting with WiFi hotspots last fall... Andy Keith, manager of TxDOT's maintenance division, said the state hopes to reduce fatigue-related accidents by encouraging drivers to stop more often.' Is public WiFi becoming a trend?" We previously mentioned this scheme a couple of weeks back, although not the motivation behind it.

182 comments

  1. Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by cyb3rllama · · Score: 5, Funny

    "hopes to reduce fatigue-related accidents by encouraging drivers to stop more often."
    Bah... Increased driver fatigue and now they won't be able to get anyone to leave!

    --

    particlesphere.com - quantum
    1. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by josh3736 · · Score: 3, Insightful
      While it's a nice idea, chances are it won't work.

      I don't like rest stops. They are usually pretty dirty.

      Especially in the dirty, undermaintained rest stops, I don't feel safe. (Usually there isn't a staff person to be seen anywhere.)

      I would not bust out my $1300 laptop and sit around in a rest stop to browse the net unless I was packing.

      On the other hand, turnpike plazas are usually very nice. I would consider some web browsing there.

    2. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by DAldredge · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's Texas, most of the people you see will be packing. ;->

    3. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by siriuskase · · Score: 3, Interesting
      Who says that you must get out of your car? As long as you never get out of the car, you will be sorta comfortable, keep your doors locked and never come to a complete stop and you will be sorta safe.

      This could be a great way to do scheduled updates, maybe you won't get much rest, but truckers and others with the right automation could drive through and automatically log in, upload/download their messages and schedule changes, and just keep on going. Think of the productivity!

      --
      If you must moderate, please moderate as irrelevent, not something bad, because I'm sure someone will find this interest
    4. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by Storm · · Score: 0, Redundant
      This is Texas we're talking about...Who's not packing?

      --
      --Storm
    5. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by peeping_Thomist · · Score: 5, Funny

      I would not bust out my $1300 laptop and sit around in a rest stop to browse the net unless I was packing.

      This is Texas we're talking about. All of us are packing!

      --
      Anything worth doing is worth doing badly -- G.K. Chesterton
    6. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

      The rest stops in Texas are fairly clean. "Dirty" is a word that does not come to mind whenever I stop at one. Since they are along highways, I feel fairly safe when stopping there (at least during the daytime).

    7. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by Moofie · · Score: 2, Informative

      I don't know where you drive, but the rest stops on major thoroughfares here in Texas are pretty well-maintained.

      --
      Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
    8. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by Amarok.Org · · Score: 5, Informative
      I live in Texas and travel a fair bit.

      For the most part, the rest stops in Texas are well maintained, well lighted, clean, and generally very comfortable places to take a break. I wouldn't have any problem stopping at a Texas rest stop to check my e-mail, etc, any more that I would in ANY reasonably public place. If it's dark and you're alone, you'd be stupid to leave yourself vulnerable - rest area or no.

      --
      -- "Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?"
    9. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by mobets · · Score: 0, Redundant

      I'm not...

      --

      It was me, I did it, I moved your cheese
    10. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "hopes to reduce fatigue-related accidents by encouraging drivers to stop more often."

      Great! Now I will be able to surf the Intarweb while I'm driving!

    11. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by josh3736 · · Score: 1

      I've never been to a Texas rest stop. I have been to a lot along I-77 and I-80. (I drove to Wyoming last summer.) The I-80 rest stops weren't of the highest quality. (Ohio notwithstanding, the turnpike travel plazas are quite nice.) The rest stops were OK, but NOT somewhere I'd want to be after dark.

    12. Re:Free Wireless Pr0n At Rest Stops? by wyohman · · Score: 1

      Only in America would we be worried about stopping at a rest stop in an age where crime is the lowest in 40 years. Americans have become addicted to fear.

  2. Well either that by YouGotServed · · Score: 4, Funny

    or it's gonna encourage users to download more pr0n for the long trip.

    1. Re:Well either that by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just what every big burly truckdriver needs! More PORN right their in his cab... Just waiting to pickup all those inocent hitchhikers.!

    2. Re:Well either that by k4_pacific · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Does this mean we'll need one of these for wardriving?

      --
      Unknown host pong.
  3. I love the ad campaign by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Rest stops: Not just for anonymous sex anymore!

  4. Free hacking spots by fluor2 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Driving a while

    Fire up your laptop

    Welcome to the Texas State

    Login : root
    Pass : ******

    1. Re:Free hacking spots by jamonterrell · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      Whoever modded parent as troll should be slapped.
      It's a VERY legitimate point. What's to stop people from mis-using the stops for illegal activity such as Denial of Service, Hacking, etc?

      --
      I can count to 1023 on my hands. Ask me about #132.
    2. Re:Free hacking spots by cain · · Score: 1

      Burma Shave.

    3. Re:Free hacking spots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful
      It's probably modded troll for the way the message written, not the message itself. I wouldn't agree that it is a troll, but it's a pretty childish way of writing.

      As for you point, why bother to drive all the way to a rest area when you can get free unmonitored connections within a few blocks of your house.

      Ok, a real crook would drive farther, but if you want to hide something it's better to use an unsecured home network than one on state property.

      I honestly think we are going to have to give up the idea that all communications should be traceable.

    4. Re:Free hacking spots by tanguyr · · Score: 1

      What's to stop people from mis-using the stops for illegal activity such as Denial of Service, Hacking, etc?

      What stops people from engaging in these activities from any of the existing free WiFi access points? I don't think that the fact that these are at highway rest stops should make much of a difference (but cue Matrix Reloaded highway chase scene anyway)

      --
      #!/usr/bin/english
    5. Re:Free hacking spots by haystor · · Score: 5, Funny

      You've got it wrong:

      Welcome to Texas State

      Login: root
      Pass: *

      --
      t
    6. Re:Free hacking spots by asv108 · · Score: 1
      What's to stop people from mis-using the stops for illegal activity such as Denial of Service, Hacking, etc?

      What's to stop people from mis-using any open wifi AP? Open public wifi hotspots are growing like wildfire, so adding a few more isn't going to hurt. An open wifi hotspot does have the potential for misuse but not any more so than a public phone or your local post office.

    7. Re:Free hacking spots by cratermoon · · Score: 1

      Lone Star! +5 Funny

    8. Re:Free hacking spots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wayward hackers, come on by
      The law will follow, as you fly
      Always near your dear wifi
      But when you stop to shut your eyes,
      State trooper surprise.
      Burma Shave Lotion

    9. Re:Free hacking spots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you are going to do something, do it right

      Howdy root, welcome to Texas State

      Tip of the day: "Stay clear of the locals, they are gun nuts and always looking for 'a bloody hippycommie'"

      Yehaw!>

    10. Re:Free hacking spots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shhh, nigger, shhhhhh. Good boy.

  5. No wonder I feel so alert! by missing000 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The internet makes you rested? I never woulda thunk!

    I'll just stay on-line all the time - just think of the time I'll save not sleeping.

  6. Doubtful by domodude · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I doubt people will be too keen on the idea of using a government network to check email, IM, and surf the web. Also, not many people just carry their laptop with them in the car. Most drivers want to get to where they are going as fast as they can.

    1. Re:Doubtful by PepperGrunties · · Score: 1

      So with Mr. Rod's assessment above, here's my take:

      What's wrong with surfing the web on a government network at a rest stop? I can see not using anything that requires a password if you're paranoid about the geek a few cars down, but how about checking the weather? Or double-checking reservations or operating hours?

      If you've ever been on a long car trip, say 12+ hours driving by yourself, sometimes willpower is simply not enough to keep you operating as a safe driver. You need a bit of stimulation, even if it's just walking into a greasy spoon and ordering coffee. I'd rather surf the internet than eat a goddamn burnt omelette.

  7. Great! by eln · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Now the long-haul truckers will stay up all night at the rest stop surfing the web instead of sleeping.

    Personally, when I go on long trips, I don't like to stop at the rest stops any longer than necessary. They are, for the most part, not terribly pleasant places to spend a pleasant afternoon. If I want to take a longer break, I'll find a restaurant or a park in the nearest podunk town.

    1. Re:Great! by gl4ss · · Score: 2, Interesting

      ..the whole point is to make them a more pleasant place to stop.

      and at least around here truckers have their driving hours limited so they have mandatory sleeping pauses(trucks have black boxes to record when it's moving and what speed to check they really stop at their breaks). So they're stuck on these stops sometimes without real choosing of where, and if they can check email from their family that's a good thing(or view porno, whatever).

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    2. Re:Great! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Beats the hell out of Virginia. Not only do we have the retarded law that you can't stop at a rest area for more than an hour, we enforce it when there's no indication of malicious intent. Gang laws gone too far.
      At least if they're surfing the web and they crash, they crash into their laptop instead of oncoming traffic.

    3. Re:Great! by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 1

      Boy- with the number of comments like this, I'm damn glad to live in Oregon. Most of the rest stops I've been at in Oregon are little parks in and of themselves; usually with picnic tables, clean restrooms, vending machines, and free coffee from some local service charity. If they'd add WiFi here, that would be wonderfull. In fact, since I work at ODOT, I might just suggest it.

      --
      SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
    4. Re:Great! by Judg3 · · Score: 2, Informative

      and at least around here truckers have their driving hours limited so they have mandatory sleeping pauses(trucks have black boxes to record when it's moving and what speed to check they really stop at their breaks). So they're stuck on these stops sometimes without real choosing of where, and if they can check email from their family that's a good thing(or view porno, whatever).

      Well, that's true - SORT OF. I used to be a long-haul driver, so I'm speaking from experience here. Yes, we have mandatory breaks (At the time it was 10 hours on, 8 hours off - now it's different, 10 on 10 off I believe), and while we do have satellite tracking black boxes, they do NOT actually even attempt to record your on and off duty times. Especially when you factor in a team, they really can't anyway.
      What we truckers do (The majority, for the most part) is called speed averaging. Let's say the speed limit for your rig in a particular area is 55MPH. You go 300 miles, which should be about 5.5 hours or so. But let's say your going through Chicago, during rush hour. It actually takes you 9 hours. Well, what we do is simple do the math at a truck stop past where there congestion was. So we'd stop in Gary, IN and do 300/55 - and write down on our logs 5.5 hours, maybe 6 (to make it look good) and log 3.5 hours as "Off-Duty". If we're feeling awake enough, you better believe we'll go start on the road again for another 3.5 hours - so I've just done in excess of my federal mandatory of 10 hours by almost 4 hours.
      Illegal? Yes, but time is money. Do they know about it? Of course they do. Can they stop it? Nope, they can't. I've had logs scrutinized many times but never got a ticket because I did it right - as long as it looks "believeable enough" you'll be fine.
      As for not knowing where you'll end up stopping - well that's not real true either. After a few months, you know which areas you like to stop in and which ones you hate - and you speed average yourself so you conveinently use up your 10 hours in the place you want.

      It is a dangerous thing though - technically you can drive 14-15 hours and only log your 10. Since you want to make money, you go to sleep for the remainder of the 3-4 hours that you have left, which can cause sleep deprevation. But when you can pull in over 75,000/year within 2 years by hustling, you learn to drive tired hehe

      --
      Looking for hardware (Currently need: Large Etch-a-Sketch) Have one? See my journal!
    5. Re:Great! by Satan's+Librarian · · Score: 2, Interesting
      In Texas they're mostly pretty nice, especially along the Interstates. I've taken naps at some of them when I misjudged how awake I was for long hauls and decided I needed a nap *before* getting to my destination or a convenient town.

      Crime can happen, but if there's 10 truckers parked there resting (which is common), chances are people aren't going to try breaking into your car with you there as well. It's just too risky - the noise would bring additional help, and chances are at least one person at the stop is packing a piece.

      That's one nice thing in Texas - I've seen it happen. If a person calls for help, people still generally come to see what's up. I've arrived a couple of times for others here myself and helped make sure people stayed polite.

      --
      I write code.
  8. Maybe this is a bad idea... by shawn(at)fsu · · Score: 2, Funny

    For the wrong reason.

    If they had this all the way from Va to Fl, it would take me days to make it home, although everytime I get angry because X cut me off or Y was tailgating me I could pull over, play some CS and release all my anger.

    And besides this is Texas what else is their to do while driving on I-10.

    --
    500 dollar reward for tip(s) leading to the arrest of the person(s) who stole my sig.
    1. Re:Maybe this is a bad idea... by eln · · Score: 5, Funny

      And besides this is Texas what else is their to do while driving on I-10.

      Personally, I like to set the cruise control and take a nap.

    2. Re:Maybe this is a bad idea... by poofyhairguy82 · · Score: 1

      A nap! Obviously you have never actually been here in Texas. When we ain't driving to drive, we're driving to hunt. I bagged my last meal on highway 29.

      --

      Open Source Sushi

    3. Re:Maybe this is a bad idea... by DarkGamer20X6 · · Score: 1

      I like to get pulled over and ticketed in small towns for going 3 mph over the speed limit.

      Wait! No, I don't!

  9. Tis a dupe. by Slayk · · Score: 0

    Saw this the other day. Anyway, I wish they would take that money and make the rest stops worth a crap. The one just outside of Big Spring on I-20 is horrible.

    1. Re:Tis a dupe. by Slayk · · Score: 1

      Here's the origional article

    2. Re:Tis a dupe. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      I wish they would take that money and make the rest stops worth a crap.

      If you'd bothered to read the article, you'd know that. . .

      The chosen company won't be paid, however, to provide the free access.

    3. Re:Tis a dupe. by technoid_ · · Score: 1

      I agree, instead of wifi, I want a flushing toilet at every rest stop instead of just some picnic benches.

      BTW: i know the one you are talking about and it is even nicer than some between Vanhorn and Dallas.

      --
      Two wrongs don't make a right, but 3 lefts do - Lew of GO magazine
  10. Hmm, I don't know... by __aagctu1952 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Either it will make fatigued drivers stop, or it will make them learn to type really really fast as they zoom through the WiFi hotspots...

    1. Re:Hmm, I don't know... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      *** Trucker1973 (trucker1973!wifi@node4.wireless.tx.us) has joined #chat
      [Trucker1973] Hey guys!
      *** Trucker1973 has left IRC ( Quit: Connection reset by peer )
      *** Trucker1973 (trucker1973!wifi@node5.wireless.tx.us) has joined #chat
      [Trucker1973] What's happening over here?
      *** Trucker1973 has left IRC ( Quit: Connection reset by peer )
      *** Trucker1973 (trucker1973!wifi@node6.wireless.tx.us) has joined #chat
      [Trucker1973] Hang on, some asshole is tailgating
      *** Trucker1973 has left IRC ( Quit: Connection reset by peer )
      *** Trucker1973 (trucker1973!wifi@node7.wireless.tx.us) has joined #chat
      [Trucker1973] That ought to teach him!
      *** Trucker1973 has left IRC ( Quit: Connection reset by peer )
      *** Trucker1973 (trucker1973!wifi@node8.wireless.tx.us) has joined #chat
      [Trucker1973] Ah, the interstate exit... Bye bye!
      *** Trucker1973 has left IRC ( Quit: Connection reset by peer )

    2. Re:Hmm, I don't know... by AnomalyConcept · · Score: 1

      I go to Purdue University, which was recently ranked #2 in the 'most unwired campus' survey/whatever. The specific bus route I take gives me some wifi access (to the school network) when going around campus. Typing fast helps. It's also interesting to war drive/bus around the campus area.

  11. Would it be pointless to request that ... by burgburgburg · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    they spend that money on education instead?

    1. Re:Would it be pointless to request that ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, Texas spends quite a bit more than average on education already, at least for the region. I live in Oklahoma, and there is a real problem with teachers leaving the state to teach in the Republic of Texas due to the higher salaries.

    2. Re:Would it be pointless to request that ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you're really so concerned about the state of public education in Texas, why don't you quit your tech job and become a public school teacher? I suspect that you are more of an idealist than a realist...

    3. Re:Would it be pointless to request that ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      because we know that money solves all of the problems in public education?

      what a load of crap. you cant reform with money.

  12. I hate to say it but... by hackstraw · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a while. It really sounds like a push from some wifi startup or something to suck government funds.

    What percentage of sleepy people are there going to be on the road traveling in Texas that have a computer on them with wifi access and really want to stop to use it? Dunno, but probably not many.

    What percentage of sleepy people are there going to be on the road traveling in Texas that want to stop at a rest stop every once and a while that has clean bathrooms, palatable water (ie, not that recycled toilet water), and maybe a free, or affordable cup of coffee that is palatable? I'd guess about 100. Anything below 100 is for those that don't drink coffee.

    I vote put the wifi in!

    1. Re:I hate to say it but... by 'gourne · · Score: 1

      government fund sucking --> full ACK Besides this idea being expensive and almost useless, I'd enjoy free WiFi as it could make me take more breaks during driving. AFAIAC, I am no professional driver, but... what about professional (war:) drivers (reading slashdot)? (I do a 1200km trip by car once in a while and never take a break.)

    2. Re:I hate to say it but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why is it some people see government waste every where? Read the second paragraph of the article. Next time stick to calling Rush.

    3. Re:I hate to say it but... by singularity · · Score: 5, Insightful

      What percentage of sleepy people are there going to be on the road traveling in Texas that have a computer on them with wifi access and really want to stop to use it? Dunno, but probably not many.

      You know nothing about truck drivers, do you?

      --
      - (c) 2018 Hank Zimmerman
    4. Re:I hate to say it but... by CompressedAir · · Score: 1

      You know, Texas rest stops are already really nice. I can't speak to west Texas, but around Houston/Dallas/San Antonio/Austin they already tend to be clean and well maintained.

      As to your second point, my mom (who is 64 years old) takes a laptop on the road when she and my dad travel, and would love to check her email along the way. So it may be more common then you think.

    5. Re:I hate to say it but... by ElForesto · · Score: 1

      I think you're on to something there. The reason it makes sense in airports is 1) you're there for a while, 2) business travellers go through with their laptops, and 3) airports actually have a source of revenue to pay for such things.

      It wouldn't be the first time that some elected official has hooked up a buddy or 12...

      --
      There is a difference between "insightful" and "inciteful" other than spelling.
    6. Re:I hate to say it but... by letxa2000 · · Score: 1
      You know, Texas rest stops are already really nice. I can't speak to west Texas, but around Houston/Dallas/San Antonio/Austin they already tend to be clean and well maintained.

      I agree. In fact, I can attest to the rest stops all the way up the I-35 cooridor (Laredo, San Antonio, Austin, Waco, Ft. Worth) and then northwest on US-287 through the panhandle of Texas, northeastern New Mexico, and then up I-25 to Denver. All along the way the rest stops are excellent. They all feel clean and I certainly have never felt they were unsafe.

      I was especially surprised on my last trip along that path to find a very elaborate and beautiful rest stop on US 287 about 2 hours northwest of Wichita Falls. US287 used to only have picnic areas which is not surprising since it's not an interstate... but the new rest stops were truly amazing. And one on each side of the highway even though they could have just built one and sent you crossing the highway since it has crossovers.

    7. Re:I hate to say it but... by loraksus · · Score: 1

      It will absolutely suck /piss away government funds / your money.
      AT&T is charging the Denver International Airport $250,000 a month for wifi connectivity (See June Computerworld article by Bob Brewin)
      That said, Texas is the only place in the country where I found a "No Loitering" sign at a rest stop. I found that slightly amusing.

      --
      1q2w3e4r5t6y7u8i9o0pqawsedrftgthyjukilo;p'azsxdcfv gbhnjmk,l.;/
    8. Re:I hate to say it but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hmm I'd be one of them. I stop at the rest stops all the time, it'd be nice to use hopefully faster wifi instead of my cell-phone internet connection. Texas is big, even non-truck-drivers stop at these things all the time.

    9. Re:I hate to say it but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Texas is big, even non-truck-drivers stop at these things all the time.

      Texas isn't that big. All but 4 of Canada's 11 provinces and territories have more land area.

    10. Re:I hate to say it but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Because it is everywhere? Because government programs are riddled with corruption, wasteful spending, and overmangagement?

    11. Re:I hate to say it but... by dustyd63 · · Score: 1

      Truck drivers.... an entirely great breed of people. I write software for them and a quote comes to mind. "Truck drivers wouldn't breathe if they didn't have to" -- manager of thousands of truckers. I'm constantly being told to make the interface easier to understand... Are truck drivers really going to use the technology at hand to stop and use the internet?

    12. Re:I hate to say it but... by 16K+Ram+Pack · · Score: 1
      It sounds like a "monorail" of an idea (ref: The Simpsons).

      Someone somewhere thinks of a new idea, lobbies some politicians hard, and as the technology is the next big thing, something they are ignorant of, and want some kudos, the politician backs it. We're getting the same thing with trams in the UK, even though buses are a much more practical, but more boring solution.

      A much better idea to get breaks is what they do in France - have free drinks stops occassionally.

    13. Re:I hate to say it but... by akadruid · · Score: 1

      It's all about the local politians getting back handers for these 'new ideas'.

      Buses are more practical. Providing you don't spend over 30,000,000 GBP on new 'guided' bus systems like Crawley's Daft Monorail idea (Warning: Propaganda Site).
      Not only is the project over budget and behind schedule, but the disasterous effect on the remaining 'normal' buses has resulted in a negative overall improvement to date.
      At it's peak, the service will support just 5000 of Crawley's residents, while costing over 300 per year in delays to each of the 78,000 car drivers. And those are the conservative estimates taken from the offical fastway propaganda site. For more accurate information on the problem, see Crawley Fastway and RAGBUS, a protest site against a similar problem.

      Needless to say, a few people in the right places took some _huge_ back handers for that one.

      --
      "Those who cast the votes decide nothing; those who count the votes decide everything." (attrib. Joseph Stalin)
  13. Time for a road trip by alta · · Score: 1

    Can't wait to use my old mac to hack the matrix... http://www.blackhats.org/fun/nerd/Matrix-nmap-SSH- Sploit.html

    --
    Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
  14. Driving Breaks? by tomakaan · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It could be awesome. How about setting up some Ad-Hoc network across cars driving in between the rest stations. If you get enough users, you would never lose connectivity!

    1. Re:Driving Breaks? by sxtxixtxcxh · · Score: 2, Funny

      :) that would definitely be awesome...

      i'm sure if /.ers all got together and planned something out like this ... :D

      ... but imagine road rage + lag. hmm.

      --
      for a minute there, i lost myself...
    2. Re:Driving Breaks? by RackinFrackin · · Score: 1

      It'd be like the nerd version of Convoy.

      Then again, if you didn't limit it to moving vehicles, you could do a sort of wifi version of Hands Across America.

  15. The only thing that hurts more... by cornice · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The only thing that hurts my eyes more than driving is reading a computer screen...

    1. Re:The only thing that hurts more... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Here. Happy Seeing!

    2. Re:The only thing that hurts more... by Shinglor · · Score: 1

      It's just a guess but I don't think many people will be bringing CRTs with them.

  16. wow. by sxtxixtxcxh · · Score: 2, Funny

    in soviet russia, rest stops get wifi access from YOU.

    :P this would be kinda handy. i've several times wished i could email or IM or check my email (or mapquest :P) while driving on the interstate.

    i'm all for ubiquitous wifi :D

    [insert joke about the information superhighway here]

    --
    for a minute there, i lost myself...
    1. Re:wow. by Ghoser777 · · Score: 1

      I wish I could (insert), but slashdot doesn't allow you to edit other people's posts, let alone your own!

      And by the way, that was the lamest attempt at a soviet russia joke yet. You realize you're going to kill a long running joke by doing that?

      Matt Fahrenbacher

      --
      James Tiberius Kirk: "Spock, the women on your planet are logical. No other planet in the galaxy can make that claim."
    2. Re:wow. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Russia, lame joke kills off YOU!

    3. Re:wow. by sxtxixtxcxh · · Score: 2, Funny

      :) that's kinda the point, isn't it?

      it was a toss up between soviet russia, or "imagine a beowulf cluster of these" ;)

      --
      for a minute there, i lost myself...
    4. Re:wow. by WhiteDragon · · Score: 1
      slashdot doesn't allow you to edit other people's posts, let alone your own!
      If you want to edit other people's posts, go to a wiki. Although I've always thought slashdot would be interesting as a wiki. I think you could still keep the comment moderation system, but also have editing and meta-editing. Maybe only a few people could edit, similar to the moderation system now. Not a true wiki in that case, but still an interesting idea. Of course, on the other hand, a true wiki where anyone can edit anything, that would be ... wild!
      --
      Did you mount a military-grade, variable-focus MASER on an unlicensed artificial intelligence?
  17. This will increase accidents -- not reduce them by matthewcharlesgoeden · · Score: 1, Redundant

    So, the thought is "to reduce fatigue-related accidents by encouraging drivers to stop more often." How much do you want to bet that these hotspots will increase accidents caused by "trying to check my email while driving 75 mph through a 12 second ( [.25 mile/75 mph] x [3600 sec/1 hour]) hotspot."

    1. Re:This will increase accidents -- not reduce them by Frank+T.+Lofaro+Jr. · · Score: 1

      And it is only 9 seconds at 100 mph.

      Which a lot of truck drivers do, especially if they have perishables which will go bad and they won't get paid.

      --
      Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean it should!
  18. Dangerous for security reasons. by Trespass · · Score: 4, Insightful

    A rest stop in the middle of nowhere is really the last place you should lose situational awareness.

    1. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by switcha · · Score: 2, Funny
      A rest stop in the middle of nowhere is really the last place you should lose situational awareness.

      No, not the middle of nowhere, the middle of Texa... oh, wait.

      (Easy, longhorns...I lived there...)

      --
      You know what? ... A little club soda *did* get that out!
    2. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Lispy · · Score: 1

      Hey, you can always IM for help!

    3. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Holy cow! I just opened this article and most of what I see is "rest stops are dangerous, beware, beware!" I think most of these comments are from Americans and, while I'm aware that some parts of USA are not the safest places, this is still quite shocking.

      Here in Canada, I wouldn't hesitate to stop in a rest area, get out and stretch, have a picnic, even chat with other travelers. Has USA become such a war zone that you can't do any of this? Wow! Makes me almost glad that USA's new immigration policies have totally turned me off from visiting that country.

      (This is not a troll btw, I'm just expressing my shock at the tone of comments here.)

      -hadohk

    4. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by bluGill · · Score: 1

      I've only seen one rest stop in the US that was as bad as the rest stop in Canada. Note however that I used singular, I know there is more than one rest stop in Canada, I just didn't use it.

      The quality varies, but generally rest stops are very nice. (I'm informed even the ones in Canada) States know that the large majority of people using them are from elsewhere, so a nice rest stop with info on all the tourist places to visit in state can bring in a lot of money. A bad rest stop will make you want to get out of there, so you won't find out about tourist traps, and won't visit them.

    5. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm sorry but I don't quite understand what you're trying to say. A lot of people here are commenting that rest stops are dangerous, I take it they mean in a physical way like getting robbed or attacked. I don't see how tourist info, or lack thereof, fits in. Or am I missing something about American culture? Is tourist info dangerous somehow? Or maybe if there is no tourist info that makes it dangerous? ... *scratches head*

      -hadohk

    6. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by theLOUDroom · · Score: 1

      A rest stop in the middle of nowhere is really the last place you should lose situational awareness.

      *rolls eyes*

      Yes, you'd have to be absolutely crazy to do something like REST at a rest stop. A total madman even.

      Jeezus fucking christ people, this is America. Yes, we have crime here, but it's not so bad that you can't pull into your average rest stop and take a nap, despite media fearmongering.

      Look at it this way:
      You're probably at LEAST as likely to get killed by a drunk driver out on the road in a given period of time, than you are to get attacked at a rest stop.

      But hey why try to prevent the 10,000 times more likely case of you falling asleep and dying behind the wheel when there's a much less likely, but more dramatic way you might die?

      BEHIND A STEERING WHEEL is the "last place you should lose situational awareness."

      --
      Life is too short to proofread.
    7. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      situational awareness


      Aren't you cool for using the term situational awareness. You sound like some sort of spymaster or secret agent!

    8. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Lodragandraoidh · · Score: 1

      I have used rest stops all over the US - both night and day - and have never had a life threatening event occur. The people encountered were just like me - trying to get somewhere else. I will say this - I have never slept at a rest stop - just use them for short breaks, leg stretching and bathroom breaks. I have my itenerary planned such that I arrive at a hotel or campground at the appropriate stopping point.

      The best rest stops (in terms of clean full service facilities) I encountered were in Georgia. The worse were in Alabama. I live in Texas, and ours are middle of the road - which also is about average for the other states.

      I have noticed that some of the older rest stops are being rebuilt as time goes by, so this analysis may be outdated.

      --

      Lodragan Draoidh
      The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
    9. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Trespass · · Score: 1

      Right. Perfectly safe. That's why english tourist guides directed at overseas tourists consistently recommend against using them. Perfectly safe, of course. Nothing to worry about. No need to take precautions. No need to be careful where you can.

      Most statistics are 10,000 times more likely to be made up on the spot.

    10. Re:Dangerous for security reasons. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Florida is really nice. Armed guards at every rest stop. Definitely easy to take a nap there. well, unless you ask one of the guards why there are armed guards...

      See, a while back, German tourists were murdered at a rest stop...

      but it's safe now!

      really, I slept all over the place down there, saved a bunch of money on my car ins...err, hotel expenses. Tennessee is ok too, not armed guard nice...but...y'know.

  19. I could see this backfiring... by benjamindees · · Score: 1

    WiFi + Proxy Server + wget + driving 120 mph == internet *while* I drive ;)

    --
    "I assumed blithely that there were no elves out there in the darkness"
  20. First things first... by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 1

    There are rest stops along I-35 (the main N-S interstate) without restrooms for crying out loud! I think a place to piss is more important than internet access.

    1. Re:First things first... by LilMikey · · Score: 1

      It's Texas... miles and miles of wide-open nothing. Use your imagination.

      If you could WiFi behind a tree in the woods I'd sympathize with your argument :)

      --
      LilMikey.com... I'll stop doing it when you sto
  21. Cool! by cardshark2001 · · Score: 1

    Now I can read /. duplicates on my way to Houston. Like this one!

    --
    WWJD? JWRTFA!
  22. Cross Country Driving by EssTiDee · · Score: 0

    I can't wait to make another cross-texas trip, while still keeping my frag count high on FarCry... Now i've just gotta figure out how to cram a 21" monitor in my car, strap the tower in the passenger seat, keyboard in my lap, mouse... um.... safer driving?

  23. Great Idea. by jwcorder · · Score: 1

    Should cut prostituition(sp?) too...since Mr. Trucker can get some free pr0n! now when surfing the free Wi-Fi at the rest stops. I might even pull over for a little beef jerky and some...well you get the idea....

    --
    http://jayceecorder.blogspot.com
    1. Re:Great Idea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Should cut prostituition(sp?)

      Nope, that is what they call it at my university, you have to become a prostitute to pay for your tuition.

    2. Re:Great Idea. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative
      The internet was the best thing to ever happen to prostitution. This'll make it easier for Mr. Trucker to check out prostitute ads for where he's going, then check customer satisfaction ratings, to make sure she does what he's looking for. (Sometimes you need BBBJTC, sometimes you need FS.) Then email her to request an appointment, and drive to next rest stop to get reply.

      Combine this with GPS (or just figure out how to map the IP addresses to rest stop locations) and prostitutes could track their customers progress over the interstates, thereby optimizing the queue and maximizing revenue, without overflow (since overbooking causes negative consumer satisfaction). It would sort of be like how Wal-Mart manages their supply.

      "My three-o-clock is still 75 minutes out of town, so I have time to squeeze one more in before he gets here."

  24. ha! by mboverload · · Score: 1

    All I need is a tracking parabolic antena and I wont even need to stop! Suckers!

    1. Re:ha! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Additional note: Dish would be 5 feet wide and would be attached with 5 holes in my side door. Oh yeah, it would be pink! Pimpness!

  25. This is going to fail by Starji · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Only because when driving through Texas, as soon as you enter, the only thing you want to do is leave.

  26. Maybe they should get some restrooms first by madpoet_one · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It's cool they want to do this, but I recall driving from Dallas to Salt Lake City via state highways in Texas (Dallas to Amarillo) and there wasn't a bathroom to be seen.

    There was, however, a picnic stop every 50 miles. Didn't have the guts to relieve myself out those places, although I was tempted.

    --
    Remain lost in hidden worlds where I reign. Head engine and caboose in my toy train...
    1. Re:Maybe they should get some restrooms first by smf.ack · · Score: 2, Funny

      This is Texas man, your supposed to pee on the trees... we dont get much rain.

      Yeeha.

      Ack

    2. Re:Maybe they should get some restrooms first by poofyhairguy82 · · Score: 1
      Didn't have the guts to relieve myself out those places, although I was tempted.

      Don't know why you were scared. It seems the most popular thing to do on this board.

      --

      Open Source Sushi

    3. Re:Maybe they should get some restrooms first by letxa2000 · · Score: 3, Informative
      That's changed. They now have some very nice rest stops on US287 (the highway from Dallas to Amarillo). And, if push comes to shove, there's a town with a McDonalds every 30 miles or so.

    4. Re:Maybe they should get some restrooms first by smilingirl · · Score: 2, Interesting
      This is a very legitamite point. One time on a family vacation (though this was almost 10 years ago, I somehow doubt it is any different now) I was a little kid and we went through the whole state of Mississippi on the way back from Tennessee and every single rest area sign had NO RESTROOMS printed under it. I had to go really bad. Everytime we'd pass an exit that said it had a fast food place or something, we'd get off and it would say: Burger King 15 miles to the left. No way would my parents drive 30 miles out the way for a bathroom. So we finally see a rest area sign that does not say NO RESTROOMS. Of course, it has no restrooms once we drive into it. By this time, we all have to go really bad so we go in the woods. And lo and behold, there is so much toilet paper on the ground it looks like it snowed.

      I guess in Mississippi the bathroom is the woods. Hehe. They may have added on more restrooms to their rest areas since I've been through there of course, but if it's still like that, they definitely need to fix that before they think about Wi-Fi.

      --
      The Present is the point at which time touches eternity. - C.S. Lewis
  27. Happy Texan by smf.ack · · Score: 1

    I live in Dallas.. I think this is a really cool idea. Especially for when I dont pay my comcast bill. I dont know exactly where they are getting the money for this, maybe the lotto, but even if its taxes I rather my money go toward free wifi then alot of the other things the state government does. Ack

  28. ROR@GLORYHOLES by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I like them.

  29. Speed trap clearing house by freelunch · · Score: 2, Interesting

    1. Give people a website addr via bathroom wall to report/get speed trap info
    2. Share the info via CB and text to speech
    3. ???
    4. Profit

  30. Coming Soon: Wireless Dogging Broadcasts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    u kno tha deal

    ofcourse in tx, it'll be only MEN kekekeke ^_____^

  31. ugh. by supernova87a · · Score: 1

    great, now the creepy guys who lurk at the rest stops will be able to access their toilet cams wirelessly!

  32. Wired ethernet in restaurants by Eric+Smith · · Score: 1
    A friend and I drove from Denver to San Jose CA last week (23 hours 7 minutes trip time). We stopped in Green River UT (because there are no services on I-70 for the next 107 miles). We ate at the Arby's which is part of the Gas-N-Go at the west end of town. I was surprised that they provide free DSL internet access; on the wall under almost all of the tables one finds electrical outlets and phone and Ethernet jacks. Some of the tables have telephones.

    They might have also had Wifi, but there was no sign indicating such, and I lost my 802.11g card a week earlier so I couldn't check for it. Anyhow, we were in a hurry so I didn't try the wired Ethernet either.

  33. Oh great... by painehope · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    like we need more people jerking off at rest stops.
    The upside is that I'm going to get a free laptop.
    Because if I walk into a bathroom and someone's in there jerking it, well, let's just say I'll be leaving w/ a some new gear, a wallet, and a broken hand.

    --
    PC moderators can suck my White pierced, tattooed dick. If you think pride == hate, s/dick/Aryan meat mallet/g.
  34. I have one thing to say by slashhax0r · · Score: 0

    ROAD TRIP!!!

  35. Wow! by Larmal · · Score: 2, Funny

    This can only be good news for the rest stop whores... Download the porn to get you all in the mood for free while resting at the romantic, misquito flocked crosswalk illuminated rest stop sign, and then charge 200$ for a handjob. Brilliant.

  36. not surprised by rp4130 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    After living in Texas for all of my natural life I am inudated regularly with things that only make sense to those with large trucks and gun racks. This seems to me a waste of money that comes directly from my pocket. I could swear that they were going to raise the price of lap dances to pay for school books...i guess internet acess on I-10 is just more important.

  37. Tinfoil time of the month by t_allardyce · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not trying to be a privacy nut but this could easily be used to track you, if you had your laptop running in the car the service station logs could build up a map of your journey, even if you had it turned off and just used it at afew stops it could still give some decent location information. But then again, thats what wardriving is all about.. heh... ok ill stop.

    --
    This comment does not represent the views or opinions of the user.
    1. Re:Tinfoil time of the month by daveo0331 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      They can already trace you using your cell phone. Even if you turn your phone off, they could track your gas purchases if you use a credit/debit card. Even if they don't do these things, what's to stop them from installing cameras along the highway and using your license plate to track you? In fact, if you drive on toll roads (or toll bridges) they're already doing this.

      I wouldn't worry about the government using wifi to track you. Unlike the other methods, all they could get would be your mac address (and maybe a list of the sites you visited) anyway. Of course you were joking :) Mod parent +1 funny.

      --
      Remember the days when Republicans were the party of fiscal responsibility?
    2. Re:Tinfoil time of the month by barzok · · Score: 1

      Yeah, it scares the crap outta me that the all-powerful E-Z Pass organization knows that I drive to work every day.

      Well, it might really, if they start using the system to figure out that I'm driving those 30 miles in 24 minutes, whereas if I obeyed the speed limit it would be over 27 minutes.

  38. Track this! by cybermint · · Score: 2, Funny

    Public accessible wifi becoming popular? Just try and track me now RIAA!

  39. Goal? by EvanED · · Score: 1

    So what is it that they are trying to reduce here? Crashes along the highway?

    Better hope they don't use Windows...

  40. A whole new meaning... by Penguinshit · · Score: 1


    ...to the term War Driving...

    --

    I have something in common with Stephen Hawking...

    1. Re:A whole new meaning... by eofpi · · Score: 1

      What about running a game server on a rolling ad-hoc network?

      --
      Y'know, you blow up one sun and suddenly everyone expects you to walk on water.
  41. Re:This article is false by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    First of all, there is no such entity as the Texas Department of Transportation or TxDOT.

    Then you'd better report this website to the appropriate authorities as they must be impersonating a state agency. Strangely enough, this WiFi story is the first item on the page.

  42. rest stops vary quite a bit by timothy · · Score: 5, Informative

    In some states, they're dirty and usually sort of creepy. (Arkansas has some of these.)

    In some places they're functional (I'm thinking of the turnpike plazas along the DC-NYC corridor), with fast food, usually working restrooms, gas stations. Not a place to spend much time, and I know that at least some of the NJ ones have a 2-hour limit, so not a good place -- not just for that reason! -- for a nap.

    In some places they're actually friendly; the big state-entry ones in Tennesee, Colorado and Texas, for instance. Since I prefer to travel by car vs. airplane when possible, I've hit a lot of bad ones and a lot of good ones; Texas is high on the Good list in my experience. Also, Texas has a fair number of no-facilities parking rest stops out in the sticks, where there might be a few shaded picnic tables -- if fatigue creeps up, these are (literally) lifesavers when on rural roads with few places to stop. And free WiFi? Hey, even better :)

    timothy

    --
    jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5
    1. Re:rest stops vary quite a bit by dmayle · · Score: 1

      I'm thinking of the turnpike plazas along the DC-NYC corridor

      For crissakes, it's got a name! The DC-NYC corridor? Have some respect, it's called New Jersey... ;) <ducks>

  43. Why Stop? by elined · · Score: 2, Interesting

    When I'm traveling I generally use my cellphones gprs connection to get internet access on my laptop (the joys of bluetoothing). Given that basic browsing is readily available in my car, why would I want to stop anyway? It seems sort of silly that I waste time sitting in a rest-area just so I can browse the net...

  44. Re:This article is false by KevinKnSC · · Score: 1

    Then who are these people? And why are they talking about equipping the safety rest stops with wifi?

  45. Mod this down... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This post is a troll. Anyone who's ever driven through road construction in Texas, or had their car licensed, got a driver's license, etc... has seen the big signs saying Texas Department of Transportation.

  46. The trucker's life by furball · · Score: 2, Interesting

    This is entirely off-topic. Maybe it's on topic. I don't know. Maybe I'm just karma whoring.

    A few years ago I was trapsing across the country for kicks. I stopped by a truck stop in the middle of Wyoming to fill up on fuel for the vehicle and fuel for me. I chatted up with a trucker while we waited for our orders.

    This guy was hauling ass from Florida to Montana and he only had days left. His destination was getting back home. His daughter was graduating from high school. He didn't feel like he was going to make the ceremony, but he was trying. I don't know if he ever made it.

    But really this effort isn't going to do anything. Truckers live their life away from their family and if the gentleman I had lunch with that day is any indication, their goal is to drop off the payload and get home to their family. The stuff in the middle might seem cool to the rest of us here. Our lives aren't 90% away from home missing our kids childhood. Maybe our angle is all wrong on this.

  47. This screams "abuse me!" by Matt+Ownby · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If someone had evil intentions, someone could really exploit free anonymous wireless access on a lonely freeway road. For example, say a person has control over a number of zombie machines on the internet; that person simply drives to one of these free wifi zones and begins launching DoS attacks. When/if these attacks are traced, they will be traced to an anonymous wireless network along some highway.

    Also consider someone who is exchanging illegal files. You can trace their IP address, but what good is it if the only info in the logs available is a MAC address from a Linksys wireless NIC for a laptop?

    Worst yet, consider how easy this will make spamming. Just take your laptop to one of these "rest stops" and send out 1,000,000 emails to unsuspecting users. Then when law enforcement examines the email headers, they see that the spammer was some guy who stopped to use the restroom and was gone.

    1. Re:This screams "abuse me!" by Krojack · · Score: 1

      Wow.. you read my mind... This was the first thing that poped into my head when I read the article.

      Who wants to start the website listing all the IPs of the anonymous wireless access points so they can be added into tcp.smtp deny? :)

    2. Re:This screams "abuse me!" by MikeyVB · · Score: 1

      Consider one thing before you use an anonymous wireless access for DoS attacks and hacking. Some routers can keep a record of your MAC address when you use it.

      Did you know, that most manufacterers bind the MAC address of their wireless cards to the serial number of the card? And guess what. When you buy a wireless card, I bet you that your sales invoice will have both that serial number and your name on it.

      Not as anonymous as some people might think.

  48. YEA! by poofyhairguy82 · · Score: 1

    Now I have something to do at rest stops other than get high and have sex with strangers. Yeah the second one never happened.

    --

    Open Source Sushi

  49. You're a troll by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.dot.state.tx.us/

  50. DNS entries. by LothDaddy · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    This is a good idea blah safety blah.

    But, knowing the State Of Texas, every domain entry will be forwarded to here.

    1. Re:DNS entries. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nah...

      more probably here

  51. strange logic by f00zy · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I have to agree that this sounds like a useful idea and probably one worthy of the relatively limited investment required, but the stated goal is absurd. Yeah, I'm sure it will encourage sleepy drivers to pull over. And then what? They go to the jolt cola website and are instantly revived? Or maybe they visit their favorite pRon site and become zombified. The real, unstated goal is to provide network access to people traveling across Texas. Texas is large. If you don't believe me, you can look at a map.

    1. Re:strange logic by Raptor+CK · · Score: 1

      Not sleepy... bored.

      Driving down a highway for hours at a time is dull and monotonous. The rest stop is to get you to get out of the car, stretch, and focus on something other than the road.

      If someone's too stupid to nap, WiFi isn't about to change a damned thing.

      --
      Raptor
      "Procrastination is great. It gives me a lot more time to do things that I'm never going to do."
    2. Re:strange logic by f00zy · · Score: 1

      I see your point, but I'm not sure how net access fixes this. Staring into a little LCD screen is probably not as helpful as actually getting out of the car or truck and checking out Texas. The rest stops already do this. To me (and I've been known to be wrong), it seems more like an effort to create a redundant communication network over vast, rural space. cell phones don't always work.

  52. Yes, but are the rest stops any good? by mattjb0010 · · Score: 1

    Maybe they can set up web site polls instead of this at rest stops.

  53. Re:This article is false by Marxist+Hacker+42 · · Score: 1

    Just a guess, but I think: By MTT SLAGLE, AP Technology Writer tells us who wrote it.

    --
    SJW: a person who perceives an injustice, and while correcting it, commits a greater injustice.
  54. If this keeps up.. by NanoGator · · Score: 1

    .. I'm gonna buy that $300 Clie that comes with wireless. (Unless somebody can recommend a non-Sony PDA for $300 with built in WiFi...?)

    --
    "Derp de derp."
    1. Re:If this keeps up.. by Grimster · · Score: 1

      Absolutely - $249 Dell Axim X30 with 802.11b and Bluetooth built right in I have the older X3i looks about the same except mine doesn't have bluetooth (no problem for me). I don't understand why the Dell handhelds aren't a bigger conversation piece, when I shopped for a PDA I couldn't find anything even remotely as nice as the Dell for the price.

      --
      --- www.f-theocean.com
    2. Re:If this keeps up.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Dude, I'm *so* glad you pointed that out. Thank you!

      - NG

  55. Driving after staring at a screen by dindi · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Probably I am not alone with that, but I feel kinda spaced out every time I stand up from my 6-8 hours of screen-staring sessions and sit in a car ....

    I can feel it even more when I ride my (motor)bike after using the computer for a long time ....

    I think people need something "to not stare at" after a long drive .... maybe free massages ... swimming pools ?

    1. Re:Driving after staring at a screen by tuxedobob · · Score: 1

      Maybe if said swimming pools contain babes in them.

  56. My father is a truck driver . . . by millisa · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is a very true statement. I only make it 'home' every couple years now. The last was for one of my old high school reunion. I was only going to be around the house for 4 days after the reunion 2 hours away. My father was supposed to be there for the last two days. His pickup was delayed. -12 hours. He is limited to 8 hours a day. minus a few more hours. His drop off was delayed. He waited 12 hours. He hightails it home. And misses me by 2 hours since I had to leave amongst hurricane evac traffic and needed an extra hour to get to the airport to get out. (gotta love the carolinas in the fall . . .)

    Truck drivers don't want to spend time at rest stops. When they are resting, they are doing just that; resting. But, with limitations on how much they can drive in a given day and over a given week, there is time where they have to do something. Cell phones are getting cheaper, especially with family to family calling, but there are always limits and rules that eventually bring that bill up.

    Getting connectivity during one of those stops would allow him to IM with my mother and youngest brother. And if they do this in enough places (he doesn't often get down here to Texas that often), I'd be motivated to outfit his rig with some good wifi gear and try out some VOIP stuff (which might bomb, but its worth trying).

    Military pensions for those who've faithfully and honorably served decades just doesn't go far enough. It's bad enough that my father has to work his retirement years away from his family. Any little thing that could improve that time he spends away being a part of the grand interstate commerce scheme and let him keep in touch I see as a good thing. Truck drivers aren't the scuzzy hollywood stereotype (though I'm sure there're some that are, I haven't met any yet) . . . Many are ex-military. And most know how to use a computer since most of those semis are equipped with Sat driven comptuers to monitor their locations and times spent driving now . . . it's just too bad those don't allow for data uplinks for them to hookup pc's into or supply a voip connection.


  57. I love rest areas by Omega1045 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Being from Wyoming, and now living in Texas, I am used to long stretches of nothing. I love rest areas. In Wyoming the rest areas are actually pretty nice, solar power facilities. Here in Texas they are not so nice (some nice, some not so nice). Wi-fi will be a welcome addition. I can really some opening up my laptop at the rest area.

    As far as safety at rest stops, I have always packed my hand gun while traveling and always have it on-person at rest areas. Don't screw with me while I am taking a leak! This is just a force of habit, and a good habit at that. I know the "Michael Moore is God and we love Rosie O'Donnell" crowd will be all over my ass. Seriously, a rest area in the middle of nowhere means the only law might be you. So if you don't feel safe at a rest area (like a truck stop, etc is any better) please check into local gun safety classes and a nice Colt or Glock.

    So there you go. When in Texas, carry your wi-fi enable device and a nice hand gun, and you will have a great stay!

    --

    Great ideas often receive violent opposition from mediocre minds. - Albert Einstein

  58. What does this mean for the "glory hole" crowd? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Will George Michael and his cornholing cohorts now have free access to gay porn on the internet?

    Is this a scam by the state of Texas to attract larger numbers of gay men to these rest stops to they can arrest them for buggery in a public venue?

    What's next, handing out free kleenex at adult movie theaters?

  59. So use SSH, VPN, or some other encrypted tunnel. by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I doubt people will be too keen on the idea of using a government network to check email, IM, and surf the web.

    So use SSH, VPN, or some other encrypted tunnel back to your home or office machine. Read or download email that way, and surf the web through a proxy.

    Also, not many people just carry their laptop with them in the car. Most drivers want to get to where they are going as fast as they can.

    I do. Even on vacation. And it's a bitch to find a feed on a two week, 5,000 mile road trip. But not as much of a bitch as being out-of-touch for two weeks (with those I'm willing to be IN touch with on a vacation, of course. B-) )

    Truckers need to be in touch. So much so that the truckers often pay a significant charge at service plazas (i.e. Flying J) for internet access - either a terminal or WiFi to the cab. (Also: Many truckers live in their trucks for weeks at a time, so their recreational internet use depends on such feeds.)

    Salesmen and other "road warriors" need it, too. Only place I know they can reliably find it free is Kinkos. They provide lots of free office-on-the-road service (such as free local phone and handy calling card dispensers) to small businesses and road warriors, to entice such people in. They make it all back with significant profit on printing and other office services they provide for a fee. (Also: Their T1 brings in big print jobs from the local businesses. So letting the customers plug into the hub and use the net is essentially free.)

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  60. Public WiFi by TubeSteak · · Score: 1
    No one seems to be talking about the potential for abuse as public WiFi seriously starts to spread. The odds are that the AP is going to be sitting around unattended (who's going to be there at 3 AM?) so what's to stop me from sealing up & burying a cheapo laptop with a WiFi antenna sticking out? What if you setup a proxy on it? Schedule it to logon at certain times & bam you have a network of anonymous proxies spread around the state. Feel free to use them as jumping points for malicious activity. Maybe it'll just be some kid passing through Texas with a laptop, free time and a grudge.

    unless this WiFi points are seriously locked down as far as security goes... what's to stop rampant abuse?

    --
    [Fuck Beta]
    o0t!
    1. Re:Public WiFi by redfiveneo · · Score: 1

      What's going to stop rampant abuse by buried laptops?

      Oh, I dunno... maybe the battery life?

  61. They get it for free, dude. by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 1

    This has got to be one of the most ridiculous things I have heard in a while. It really sounds like a push from some wifi startup or something to suck government funds.

    RTFA.

    The state is taking bids from service providers to put in pay-internet-kiosks, on the condition that they also provide free WiFi.

    No cost to the state but:
    - The bidding process.
    - Providing the site (and maybe power) for the kiosks - at places where they already have the land and power.
    - The "opportunity cost" of having committed to a vendor (who will probably want an exclusive on the rest stops where he has a presence.)

    Let's see if anybody bites.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  62. Just finished xcountry drive.. by LinuxHam · · Score: 1

    Just wrapped up a killer vaca driving from Philly to L.A. and back over 2.5 weeks. I recently converted my nav display to also be a tv with 3 aux inputs, and I'm now building a mini-itx based carputer. I sure wish I had the 'puter done before the trip, because open wifi is great for pulling down the latest weather radar loop. BTW, the plan is to run Myth in the house and build a menu system for the car to let me select shows for rsyncing and local playback "on demand". Gonna need LOTS of wifi for that!

    --
    Intelligent Life on Earth
  63. How long until by Lord+Kano · · Score: 1

    some asshole downloads kiddie porn and ruins it for everyone else?

    LK

    --
    "Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
  64. How does it come from YOUR pocket? by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 1

    This seems to me a waste of money that comes directly from my pocket.

    How does it come from YOUR pocket? Are you going to feed coins into the kiosk?

    In case you didn't read the article: What is proposed is letting a service provider put in coin-operated internet kiosks at rest areas - and pay off the state by providing free WiFi at the same sites. No out-of-pocket for the TX taxpayers. Instead the coins going from tourists' pockets into the internet "payphone booth" pays for the WiFi and net feed for those with a laptop and adapter.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  65. For those who also want to pack while wardriving. by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 1

    As far as safety at rest stops, I have always packed my hand gun while traveling and always have it on-person at rest areas. Don't screw with me while I am taking a leak!

    For those who want to carry legally for self-protection while on the road (and checking out the WiFI access), here's the drill: Get permits from Florida, Nevada, and Utah. They will give permits to any law-abiding US citizen who takes the course, passes the "don't miss and hit a bystander" accuracy test, goes through the background check, and pays the fee. The approved courses are virtually identical and can be taught simultaneously by a single instructor.

    Add in the states that accept one of those three permits through reciprocal agreements or full-faith-and-credence, plus Vermont (which doesn't require licensing), and you have much of the contiguous 48 covered.

    But don't even THINK of trying to carry under one of 'em in California, Mass, DC, New York City, or any of the several other states/cities/places where you REALLY need protection. B-(

    Nowadays you need to take the course in Nevada to get the Nevada permit. And you need a reference from a Utah resident who is well known and of good character (i.e. any businessman you deal with regularly) for their permit.

    Florida started giving licenses to out-of-state potential tourists (and removed the distinctive license markings on rental cars) soon after they started handing 'em out to citizens, saw crime drop like a rock, and had a gang take to preying on tourists who had recently rented cars at airports. (Note that, even at the height of the gang's operation, a tourist visiting FL was far less likely to be attacked than one visiting CA.)

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  66. Money for this.... by dsp9852 · · Score: 1

    ...but until about 4 days ago, not enough to provide textbooks (for the coming year) to kids in public schools?

  67. rest areas are to revitalise or sleep by WiPEOUT · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Whoever came up with this hasn't really done much long-distance driving. When you pull over at a rest area, you generally fall into one of three categories:

    1. You're tired, and want to nap. Computers -- and the web/Internet specifically -- are great ways to kill time, but mean you don't sleep because there's just one more thing you wanted to do, so having WiFi is useless, or counter-productive at worst.

    2. You are stiff, losing concentration, and generally fatigued but don't feel like sleeping. What you need to do is stretch your legs, move around a bit, breathe some fresh air, allow your eyes to roam and relax rather than focusing on the road and speedo, maybe have something to eat/drink, maybe visit a toilet. Sitting down and surfing the web or reading your email won't help you here, except maybe on the can.

    3. You're a tourist or simply enjoying the scenic aspects of the trip, and stop to look around or maybe even have a picnic. People who simply cannot get away from the Internet are precisely those who will benefit the most from it's absence, whether they realise it or not.

    Sure, there are emergency stops, but unless there are lots of these rest areas, emergency stops are at least as likely to occur elsewhere, and in any case, emergency services are all contactable by phone, not Internet.

    There are other possibilities, of course, but they're so marginal that it's not worth wasting money on them.

  68. Worse: stupid by bluGill · · Score: 1

    Worse than pointless, it would be stupid. Mind there are many complex issues. However public education is a local thing, and state (must less federal) governments should just stay out of it. Beyond that though, we can't spend all our money on education. Roads need to be paved (actually they don't, but we have decided it is worth the cost), borders need to be defended (forget about Iraq, though some outside action is valid), and all of the million other things governments do.

    Personally I think anything to get drivers to take a break is worth it. That includes more than truckers, it includes people like me making the 23 hour trip to visit relatives. People should not drive for hours at a stretch, your body only thinks it can do it safely, and sadly you are lucky often.

  69. Meta-Moderators: READ THIS PLEASE by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Parent post is not flamebait, grandparent post is not troll. Please read the thread and metamod the moderator down. Blatent abuse of moderation system.

  70. Texas is on the leading edge of WIFI... by rulethirty · · Score: 2, Informative

    I live in Austin, TX the worlds leading city for free WIFI hotspot's and must say after you start wandering around this city and tapping into it's culture you really see the change it is making. Every local business is sprinkled with dozens of people on laptops carrying out net-related tasks. The leader of the revolution here in Austin is a man by the name of Richard MacKinnon, founder of Less Networks and the Austin Wireless City Project (http://www.lessnetworks.com/ and http://austinwirelesscity.org/), and I hope we will all one day (I already am) be indebted to to him and his promotion of free WIFI. This of course is partly in response to the T-Mobile & Starbucks companionship for paid wireless in coffee shops. Austin has free wireless in its public parks and is working to connect more businesses daily. For more on this I have written an article over here: (http://www.johnwyles.com/archives/2004/06/12/aust in_wireless_hot_spots.php).

  71. Texas rocks! by rice_burners_suck · · Score: 1
    I'm not gonna stop there... everybody knows that only queers hang out at rest stops.

    However, I do have to admit that of all the states I've driven around in, Texas does have the nicest rest stops of anywhere. Hell, even the restrooms are clean, don't stink, and the atmosphere (at the rest stop) is neat, clean, and feels good.

    Oh yeah, and this post wouldn't be complete if I didn't add the obligatory:

    DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS.

    (For those of you who don't know, it's not a macho thing; it's simply Texas' way of saying don't litter.)

  72. What are you nuts? by thedarb · · Score: 2, Interesting

    You folks can't really believe they are doing this to encourage sleepy drivers to pull over, can you? Let me spell it out for you plain and simple...

    They want to track your travel habbits, that's it. Most folks aren't going to change wireless cards at every stop... so they'll be able to see where your mac address stops, for how long, and how often. Hello?!? Folks, this is more obvious than the RFID tag monitoring... and probably far more effective.

    --
    This sig intentionally left blank.
    1. Re:What are you nuts? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL. The tinfoil hats are already out tonight.

      I suppose you drive with your license plates obscured? Oh no? Then you're a hypocrite.

  73. Can't wait to see... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    'FOR A GOOD TIME CALL 209.81.71.60' printed above a poor drawing of a vagina.

  74. Hurray for Texas - Hopefully Other States Follow by tortoise42 · · Score: 1

    As a family, we travel a lot during the summer. If California and Oregon were to start this type of program, this would certainly get us off the road. My wife and I are both email addicts, and it would give the kids some run-around time as well. As it is, we try to go for 4 or 5 hours without stopping if we can. This doesn't work well with a 4-year old a 2-year old and a newborn. Once again - free internet saves the day!!

  75. Safer? Perhaps not. by cra · · Score: 2, Funny

    Wife: How about we pull over here and get some rest so that we don't get in an accident from fatigue?
    Husband: OK
    Wife: I think I'll have a nap.
    Husband: OK
    Wife: ZZZZZZZzzzzzz
    Husband: *Flips open notebook* Ahh... WiFi....
    Wife: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzz
    Husband: Finally I can download all kinds of weird porn, and nobody can find out it was me. . .
    Wife: ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz
    Husband: Oh, a live hidden web-cam in the girl dormatory! Cool! I'll give it five more minutes. . .
    Wife: ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz
    Husband: Ok, I'll take a nap now. Oh, wait! That hot redhead is going in the shower! Just two more minutes. . .
    Wife: Yaaawwwnnnn..... 'Morning, honey.
    Husband: *Smacks lid on notebook shut* Uh... Umm... 'Morning.... I was just using my notebook for a pillow, by the way.
    Wife: Should we get going again?
    Husband: Sure. (Thinking: I can stay awake for another 24 hours, no problem.)
    Husband: ZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    Truck horn: BBBWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRR
    Wife: EEEEEeeeeeee
    Trucker: G*d d**n!
    Wife:
    Husband:
    Paramedic 1: Bag 'em!
    Paramedic 2: Things really got bysy after they put up them thar antennas at all the rest stops, I'll say.

    --
    This message has been ROT-13 encrypted twice for higher security.
  76. Shitters and WIFI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If they can't keep the shitters working properly,how then,can they keep WIFI operational?

  77. I could be wrong... by thrill12 · · Score: 1

    ..but do laptops not require power (even more so with WIFI), and does this power not come from the battery forever ?
    Is it therefore not true that the driver must connect it's laptop to the car to recharge ?
    And doesn't that car only last a certain term on it's own battery ?
    Therefore, shouldn't the car be running at every WIFI-stop the driver makes ?
    And isn't it true that the car keeps using fuel that way ?
    So what does Texas want ?

    Thousands of cars stranded alongside the road because they made too many WIFI-stops ?

    --
    Slashdot: stuff for news, nerds that matter, matter for news, stuff that nerd
  78. Packing? by mwilliamson · · Score: 1

    Packing? Uh, this is Texas. We all "pack" our six-shooters.

  79. right by twitter · · Score: 1
    Why bother driving when you could own your own army of windoze machines? What can you do with a Texas rest stop that you could not do with a bot?

    Wifi at rest stops is as good an idea as public phones and restrooms at rest stops. No additional harm will be done to the public and most people will enjoy the service. It might even do what it is intended to do and reduce traffic accidents. The worst thing that people can do is deny the service.

    --

    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

    1. Re:right by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Moderators: Please note that "twitter" is a known fanatical psycophant whose obnoxious offtopic rants are legend here on Slashdot. It doesn't matter what the topic is, he'll find a way to scrape in some pointless Microsoft bashing. While nobody expects us to love Microsoft in any way, his particularly tepid style of calling anyone he replies to "troll" or "liar" or "fanboy" because he happens to disagree with whatever they're saying is well documented and should not be rewarded. If anything, twitter is the type of person that should not be part of the open source/free software community. He is an anathema to all that is good about free software.

      I'm posting this so that you (the moderator) have some context to consider twitter and not mod him up whenever he posts his filler preformatted rants about installing Knoppix or whatever that unfortunately get him karma every single time and allow him to continue posting his trademark toxic crap (read on) day in and day out. You may consider this a troll - I consider it community service. And I ain't kidding.

      If you're a /. subscriber, I invite you to look through some of his posting history. I guarantee that you'll be hard pressed to find someone that is more "out there" than twitter. You'll also probably notice he's got quite an AC following. Don't just read his posts, make sure you go through the replies.

      To get an idea of what I'm talking about, check this post out. I mean, this is an article about email disclaimers, right? The parent of the post is complaining about the ads in the linked page and so on, and twitter actually goes off on a rant to blame it on Microsoft and recommend Lynx. WTF?

      Here's another. In this post twitter not only calls the OP a troll but attempts to "tell it like it is" while making some vague argument about "GNU". Yes, if you're confused, you're not alone. The reply (modded +4) proceeds to simply destroy his bogus argument. You will notice he did not reply. This is what some people call "drive-by advocacy". A sort of I'll just leave you with my thoughts here and move on to the next flamebait kind of deal. In fact, he almost never replies because he knows that his fanatical arguments simply do not hold up to any sort of discussion. It's not that he's chosen the wrong cause - he's just going at it in a completely wrong way.

      More? Just read though this post and the subsequent replies. I guess this stands on its own. Or these two. Or this one.

      More? Bad spelling in astounding conspiracy theories, more offtopic FUD and uninformed "I'm right, look at me" rants, promptly proven wrong. Worse even, twitter wants to be RMS, apparently (that first one is a winner). I mean, really. You think?

      FUD,

  80. I don't think so. by twitter · · Score: 1
    ... a person has control over a number of zombie machines on the internet; that person simply drives to one of these free wifi zones and begins launching DoS attacks

    Bot makers have long been concerned with anonymous and obscure control of their networks. Only the most clueless of script kiddies would need to drive to a public access point or think that would help them. They are also the type that would forget to reprogram their wifi MAC address or know about other identification mechanisms. A competent bot owner has thousands of computers to share the task of administering their network. The continued deluge of spam and DoS attacks coming from owned Windoze machines and the lack of arrested responsible parties proves the above points.

    People who are afraid of public access points would be better served by outlawing windoze on public networks.

    --

    Friends don't help friends install M$ junk.

    1. Re:I don't think so. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      Moderators: Please note that "twitter" is a known fanatical psycophant whose obnoxious offtopic rants are legend here on Slashdot. It doesn't matter what the topic is, he'll find a way to scrape in some pointless Microsoft bashing. While nobody expects us to love Microsoft in any way, his particularly tepid style of calling anyone he replies to "troll" or "liar" or "fanboy" because he happens to disagree with whatever they're saying is well documented and should not be rewarded. If anything, twitter is the type of person that should not be part of the open source/free software community. He is an anathema to all that is good about free software.

      I'm posting this so that you (the moderator) have some context to consider twitter and not mod him up whenever he posts his filler preformatted rants about installing Knoppix or whatever that unfortunately get him karma every single time and allow him to continue posting his trademark toxic crap (read on) day in and day out. You may consider this a troll - I consider it community service. And I ain't kidding.

      If you're a /. subscriber, I invite you to look through some of his posting history. I guarantee that you'll be hard pressed to find someone that is more "out there" than twitter. You'll also probably notice he's got quite an AC following. Don't just read his posts, make sure you go through the replies.

      To get an idea of what I'm talking about, check this post out. I mean, this is an article about email disclaimers, right? The parent of the post is complaining about the ads in the linked page and so on, and twitter actually goes off on a rant to blame it on Microsoft and recommend Lynx. WTF?

      Here's another. In this post twitter not only calls the OP a troll but attempts to "tell it like it is" while making some vague argument about "GNU". Yes, if you're confused, you're not alone. The reply (modded +4) proceeds to simply destroy his bogus argument. You will notice he did not reply. This is what some people call "drive-by advocacy". A sort of I'll just leave you with my thoughts here and move on to the next flamebait kind of deal. In fact, he almost never replies because he knows that his fanatical arguments simply do not hold up to any sort of discussion. It's not that he's chosen the wrong cause - he's just going at it in a completely wrong way.

      More? Just read though this post and the subsequent replies. I guess this stands on its own.

      More? Bad spelling in astounding conspiracy theories, more offtopic FUD and uninformed "I'm right, look at me" rants, promptly proven wrong. Worse even, twitter wants to be RMS, apparently (that first one is a winner). I mean, really. You think?

      FUD, FUD, FUD, FUD, offtopic FUD

  81. that's the part that dare not speak its name by timothy · · Score: 1

    OK, *most* of the way is New Jersey (unless you opt for a Pennsylvania route), but it's not the only part!

    There's also Delaware (easy to miss if a gnat gets in your eye for about 7 seconds ... if not for the tollbooths) and Maryland, which is your last chance to turn back before entering the fell swamp city of corruption, presumption and arrogance. (If you're going south, at least.) Nice thing about the NJ part though (and I think the northernmost plaza in MD) is that they have Cinnabons! Mmmm, cinnabon. I wish cinnabon had a pneumatic tube reaching my house, with an attached credit card swiper ... it would be like those rat/cocaine experiments.

    timothy

    --
    jrnl: http://tinyurl.com/c2l8yr / foes: http://tinyurl.com/ckjno5