Yahoo! Maps to Support Realtime Traffic

Great... by Icarus1919 · 2004-12-18 16:33 · Score: 3, Funny

Fantastic, now we have to deal with people stopping to gawk at accidents on the road AND on the internet. JUST DRIVE BY IT! DON'T LOOK! What's wrong with you people!?

Re:Great... by spac3manspiff · 2004-12-18 16:42 · Score: 0

Haha if only that were true! Most americans like to look at the blood and broken cars :/
That goes to show you just how inhumane we are.
Re:Great... by TheAntiCrust · 2004-12-18 16:51 · Score: 2, Insightful

So it would be more humane to ignore an accident and drive by it like nothing happened? People have been seriously injured and even possibly killed and the most you can say about it is that you are annoyed it adds five minutes to your commute? Inhumane indeed.

Not to support the rubber neckers or nothin'.
Re:Great... by nizo · 2004-12-18 17:12 · Score: 2, Funny

Actually I seem to remember reading that the number one cause of accidents is people gawking at other accidents. What they need is some kind of temporary wall that can be erected quickly to hide the accident, possibly in addition to glaring spotlights to keep people from staring at it like sheep as they drive by. Either that or maybe put pictures of the goatse guy or tubgirl around the accident so people avert their eyes quickly.

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I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Re:Great... by jellomizer · 2004-12-18 17:36 · Score: 1

I think it might be slightly that but it is not necessarily to see blood and gore and broken cars but to confirm what caused there delay in their driving although them slowing down to look makes it worse for other people. But if something distracts their day they kinda want to see a bad accident so when they explain that they are late they have a good true story.

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If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Re:Great... by timeOday · 2004-12-18 17:36 · Score: 4, Funny

Actually I seem to remember reading that the number one cause of accidents is people gawking at other accidents.
Oh yeah, right up there with all the other #1 causes of accidents such as aggressive driving, speeding, DUI, and talking on cellphones, which together account for 457% of all accidents on US roadways.
Re:Great... by ldspartan · 2004-12-18 17:50 · Score: 1

BS. People slow down at accident scenes because something out of the ordinary is occuring. This is not a bad thing, even if it inconveniences (sp?) all of us - you want to ensure that the cause of the accident isn't going to put you in danger. That's important, despite the congestion it causes.

And don't give me crap about slowing for things on the other side of the road. If bad stuff is happening over there, it's entirely possible for it to effect you.

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lds
Re:Great... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 18:05 · Score: 0

American's live closer to where you work then you won't have to worry about the traffic or perhaps try public transportation. Gas swilling swine.....
Re:Great... by krymsin01 · 2004-12-18 18:27 · Score: 1

Uh, yes. It would be more humane to not stare at people who are seriously injured and or dying. Just keep driving.

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stuff
Re:Great... by seann · 2004-12-18 19:51 · Score: 1

STOP HAVING ACCIDENTS

SERIOUSLY, STOP HAVING ACCIDENTS

i am not using caps, I am not using caps. Caps is not what I am using, slashdot filters are stupid, I am yelling.

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I'm a big retard who forgot to log out of Slashdot on Mike's computer! LOOK AT ME.
Re:Great... by VValdo · 2004-12-18 20:50 · Score: 1

Actually I seem to remember reading that the number one cause of accidents is people gawking at other accidents.

Clearly then the number one priority in automotive design should be to make new cars crash as uninterestingly as possible.

W

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This is my SIG. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
Re:Great... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 20:59 · Score: 1, Funny

You forget that someone who caused an accident by agressively speeding under the influence while talking on a cellphone and gawking at another accident can be counted in many categories.
Re:Great... by krymsin01 · 2004-12-18 21:33 · Score: 0, Redundant

What?

If there is something at the scene of the accident that is going to put you in danger, like say TOXIC GAS, you would be served better if you get out of there as quickly as possible. Staring out your window at it is only putting yourself in more danger.

Frankly, I consider this argument a mere rationalization of what is a deep human impulse: Seeing other people's misfortunes so that on some level you can feel better about your own situation.

If you are trained in life saving techniques (i.e. nurse, doctor, fire/EMS) you could and perhaps should go check out the scene of the accident in case your services are needed. If, like the good marjority of us, you have no training and can not contribute positivly to the situation, put your head forward and drive at a reasonable safe speed. Tune into the news when you get home if you REALLY have to know. Slowing down and gawking only puts others at danger.

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stuff
Re:Great... by whovian · 2004-12-19 02:15 · Score: 1

Fantastic, now we have to deal with people stopping to gawk at accidents on the road AND on the internet.

As a moderate techno-nerd, I am wondering what the delay time is between a traffic incident and having it show up on these traffic portals.

Now, for my experiment, I will need some volunteers from the audience....

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To-do List: Receive telemarketing call during a tornado warning. Check.
Re:Great... by nizo · 2004-12-19 07:09 · Score: 2, Informative

Ahh here is the study I was thinking of:
here is the full story
And here is the first bit of the article:
A new study of traffic accidents conducted on Virginia roads has found, unsurprisingly, that many car crashes are the result of driver distraction. But while cell phones are increasingly fingered as dangerous in-car distractions, the study, conducted by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), found that old-fashioned rubbernecking was the biggest single cause, accounting for 16 percent of distraction-related crashes.

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I Am My Own Worst Enemy
Re:Great... by ScrewMaster · 2004-12-19 15:19 · Score: 2, Informative

The real problem is stupid people. They're everywhere. And ... they don't know they're stupid.

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The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
Re:Great... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 15:55 · Score: 0

Yea, stop having accidents. A step in the right direction might be not to yell out your window while you are filming and trying to drive simultaneously.
Re:Great... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 18:45 · Score: 0

Damnit, somebody mod parent up... This is the most intelligent thing I have heard on /. in a long time.
Re:Great... by ldspartan · 2004-12-20 06:03 · Score: 1

When automobiles run into things at high speed, their component parts tend to come flying off of them. When I'm driving past an accident, I'm wary of such hazards, as well as emergency personel who might be working by the roadside.

No matter how much rubber knecking might bother you, it's perfectly justified for everyone passing the scene. At least, the act of slowing down is - the act of staring at the accident probably isn't.

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lds

Another way NOT to know the traffic. by tonsofpcs · 2004-12-18 16:33 · Score: 3, Interesting

The local radio can't even get the traffic patterns right, what makes Yahoo! think they can do better?

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Video Production Support

Re:Another way NOT to know the traffic. by lheal · 2004-12-18 16:50 · Score: 3, Interesting

>local radio

It's a start, but it will take them a while to get it debugged.

Yahoo and other services do a good job with sporting events, taking the AP, NFL/MLB/NBA and other feeds and using Java apps to turn that into dynamic box scores.

This will be no different.

One thing is that it could prove hugely profitable for Yahoo. According to CNNMoney, they plan to make it available for free, to distinguish themselves from Google. They may offer it as a premium service aimed at portable devices, but I think their first deliverable ought to be a nice app for those local radio stations.

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Raise your children as if you were teaching them to raise your grandchildren, because you are.
Re:Another way NOT to know the traffic. by Martin+Blank · 2004-12-18 17:14 · Score: 1

This information is used by radio stations, at least in Los Angeles. Exactly how they get it, I'm not sure, but it is available to them.

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You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
Re:Another way NOT to know the traffic. by ergo98 · 2004-12-18 17:20 · Score: 1

In the Toronto area I find that the radio gets the traffic right very frequently, and I've changed routes quite a few times based upon it. The most valuable information is the accident reports, which are provided by the regional police forces - obviously accidents (usually laughable accidents) are one of the worst traffic problems.
Re:Another way NOT to know the traffic. by xstonedogx · 2004-12-18 18:07 · Score: 1

Actually the Minneapolis Star Tribune has had this for awhile.
I haven't lived there for some time, but when I did, I used it daily, and I was impressed. It certainly seemed accurate, but if nothing else it gave me the impression I was saving time, and that's worth something. :)
Re:Another way NOT to know the traffic. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 06:55 · Score: 0

The local radio can't even get the traffic patterns right,

They're probably extremely delayed, or perhaps even faked. Accuracy doesn't matter, since people will continue to listen for it anyway.

Only the few who happen to be driving in the areas being reported on AND listening to that very radio station in their car will have an opportunity to discover the reporting inaccuracy at that time. Most of these won't notice anyting fishy, and everyone else at all other times will blindly swallow it anyway.

Seattle has had something like this for ages by breser · 2004-12-18 16:35 · Score: 5, Interesting

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/

and you can even get it on mobile devices:
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/seattle/products/

Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by breser · 2004-12-18 16:39 · Score: 1

Hell and Yahoo's maps are even harder to read, Ugh.

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?csz=seattle,+WA& country=us&trf=1

Least they could have done is copy it well...
Re: Seattle has had something like this for ages by lastberserker · 2004-12-18 16:40 · Score: 1

Seattle also has some of the worst traffic situations in U.S.: narrow floating bridges, rough terrain and Seattle weather (tm). No wonder bridges are monitored.

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My other Beowulf cluster is... er...
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by Darren+Foong · 2004-12-18 16:41 · Score: 1

What if Google had released such a thing?
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by jrockway · 2004-12-18 16:41 · Score: 4, Informative

http://www.ai.eecs.uic.edu/GCM/chicagoland.html

Thanks to UIC, Chicago has this too.

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My other car is first.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by spac3manspiff · 2004-12-18 16:44 · Score: 1

Yeah most cities have them.
http://traffic.houstontranstar.org/layers/
Just a matter of time for someone to integrate it into something more dynamic.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 16:44 · Score: 0

They aren't dumb enough to.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by justMichael · 2004-12-18 17:07 · Score: 1

This type of info has been available for many Metro areas in the US for quite a while from the Travel Advisory News Network.

Of course if you live in the L.A. area, you know that traffic sucks unless it's between 3:00 AM and 4:30 AM on Wednesdays.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by miltimj · 2004-12-18 17:08 · Score: 4, Informative

Add the Twin Cities to the list...

They also have traffic cameras, which I find much more useful.

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"Truth is not decided by majority vote" consensus gentium -- Norman Geisler
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by Saganaga · 2004-12-18 18:10 · Score: 1

I actually think that Yahoo is much easier to read than the Twin Cities own site. You can zoom in or out and get a much more detailed view of the situation. I'm pretty sure I'll be checking Yahoo every day now before heading out onto 494 between Bloomington and Eagan.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by xstonedogx · 2004-12-18 18:27 · Score: 1

and you can even get it on mobile devices:

"Honestly, officer, I was just keeping an eye on traffic!"
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 19:30 · Score: 0

GA has georgianavigator.com
It works great for me in Atlanta... though I don't know how good the information is for the rest of the state.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 20:07 · Score: 0

http://www.georgia-navigator.com

Honestly - when these stories come up, why does it seem like such a big deal? It seems like the DOTs of major metropolitan areas have had these kinds of systems in place for years now. I regularly use GA's to check traffic before I leave work and you can even see the views from the traffic camera's mounted along the highways. They also have accident types and expected time to clean up.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by register_ax · 2004-12-19 01:06 · Score: 1

They also have traffic cameras, which I find much more useful.
And I'm such a dork that rather than use it for traffic, I use it to watch the sunset.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by totatis · 2004-12-19 04:43 · Score: 1

It's been a few years (at least 2 or 3) that we have it free of charge here in Paris too : http://www.sytadin.tm.fr/.

Realtime traffic for major highways, center of Paris, time estimation for the whole périphérique (the ring around Paris), traffic camera at critical locations, all provided by the regional gov. For once, they did a great job.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by scumdamn · 2004-12-19 05:04 · Score: 1

Oh great, the only time of the week I ever venture out and now you've ruined it by telling people about it.
Time to move to Kansas.
Re:Seattle has had something like this for ages by rizzy · 2004-12-19 07:23 · Score: 1

That's a pretty old URL. You might want to update your bookmarks to take you here:

http://www.gcmtravel.com/gcm/maps_chicago.jsp

I use it every day before heading home to see if all those crazy side-road shortcuts will pay off "this time"

Damn by chrisgeleven · 2004-12-18 16:36 · Score: 2, Funny

Apparently my area is not available yet...and I live in the biggest city in NH.

Re:Damn by mordors9 · 2004-12-18 16:38 · Score: 4, Funny

Man, not the largest ciy in NH...... I can't believe they missed that one ;-)
Re:Damn by faedle · 2004-12-18 16:42 · Score: 1

That's funny. The whole state of NH has less population than.. what, the top 50 major cities in North America? The biggest city in NH is, like... Manchester, population 100,000.

Dude. Orange County, CA... just one suburb of Los Angeles, has over twice the population of your whole freaking state. Get some perspective.
Re:Damn by furrygeek · 2004-12-18 16:42 · Score: 1

It's not just NH. This service is utterly useless to the 90% of the world's population who don't live in USA or Canada.
Re:Damn by faedle · 2004-12-18 16:49 · Score: 1

This service is utterly unneeded by 90% of the population that lives in USA or Canada.
I live in North Portland (Oregon). I don't need a traffic camera, website, or news station to know that traffic is screwed up on I-5. And, with Vancouver WA shutting off the buses next month, it's only gonna get worse.
Just about everywhere I've ever lived, you get to know traffic patterns well enough that you usually don't need anybody to tell you how traffic is biffed. Yeah, when I lived in LA, it was handy to know where the wrecks were, but as a general rule, it didn't help me get home any faster.. usually because all the alternate routes were congested by everybody who heard the traffic report on KFWB.
Re:Damn by jpmkm · 2004-12-18 16:50 · Score: 4, Funny

The Taco Bell down the road from me is utterly useless to the 99% of the world's population who doesn't live in my city. They might as well close down since there are so many people who can't use it. How dare they provide a service for some people without taking the entire planet's population into consideration? Those arrogant pricks!
Re:Damn by LWATCDR · 2004-12-18 16:52 · Score: 1

I would bet that in Japan you can already get something like this data. Austraila is much the same as NH. Just not that big of a population. If you think that it could work in your local Yahoo not doing it means that you can. So step up and start a company.

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See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
Re:Damn by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:12 · Score: 0

That would involve the complainant to actually do some work.
Re:Damn by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:25 · Score: 0

> They might as well close down since there are so many people who can't use it.

You're talking about the people with taste buds, correct?
Re:Damn by Otter · 2004-12-18 17:26 · Score: 1

I would bet that in Japan you can already get something like this data.
Yeah, but that doesn't do me any good! I demand that they stop immediately!

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What I'm listening to now on Pandora...
Re:Damn by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2004-12-18 17:26 · Score: 4, Funny

"The Taco Bell down the road from me is utterly useless to the 99% of the world's population who doesn't live in my city."

1% of the world's population lives in your city? Why on earth would there be a Taco Bell in Mexico City?

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#DeleteChrome
Re:Damn by mobby_6kl · 2004-12-18 23:30 · Score: 1

Why are you all people laughing? I'm sure the parent poster wanted to say that he lives in the biggest city in the Northen Hemisphere..
Re:Damn by CommanderData · 2004-12-19 01:25 · Score: 1

You know, I'd like to see the geographic distribution of Slashdot readers. I'm sure there would be the usual clumps in large cites, but it sure seems like I know of or have read posts from a lot of /.ers that live in NH (I'm one of them). Much more than would be expected for the small population. We should band together and bring more high tech services into NH...

Oh, and build a bigger bridge between Dover and Newington/Portsmouth! I swear that 1/4 of the population of NH drives over that during rush hour in the morning and evening. Some parts of NH would not benefit from traffic maps, but Routes 3, 93, 101 and 16 sure as hell would.

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Urge to post... fading... fading... RISING!... fading... fading... gone.
Re:Damn by fabu10u$ · 2004-12-19 01:56 · Score: 1

Why on earth would there be a Taco Bell in Mexico City?
There are Taco Bells in Mexico City. The natives reportedly find it fascinating to see what Americans think they eat.

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They say the mind is the first thing to ... uh, what's that saying again?
Re:Damn by Rolman · 2004-12-19 20:35 · Score: 1

I can't even begin to think how on earth did that happen, but a long time ago (10 years or something) there used to be a Taco Bell in Mexico City indeed. Maybe they wanted to show us what a taco is supposed to be?

Very soon, as expected in this land of taco-ignorants, the place went bankrupt, never to be mentioned again. It seems we'll never know what a real taco is and it's a pity, our soft tortillas would never stand a chance against their V-shaped tostadas.

Seriously, though, I can't imagine anyone here remotely considering the idea to eat in Taco Bell, maybe some stray tourists from the US would find amusing to eat in such a place but I doubt that would guarantee its existence.

There have been other attempts by food chains to emulate some of the "taco culture". One of them is McDonald's with the "Mc Pastor", there were these TV ads showing the owner of a taco restaurant crying, while his former customers were running to get their fix at the McDonald's in the background. I bet nobody remembers that by now, it was so damn funny.

Now, to be on-topic, I'd be willing to pay some serious money just to get a realtime traffic map of Mexico City, now that's a challenge! And I know I'm not alone, there's a potential market of millions of desperate users here.

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- Otaku no naka no otaku, otaking da!!!
Re:Damn by mikegre · 2004-12-20 02:22 · Score: 1

Wait. Isn't New Hampshire a city?

This is great by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 16:37 · Score: 1, Insightful

Now if only they can get the maps right!

This will be incredibly useful by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 16:39 · Score: 0

For when I'm at home and not actually on the road.

Just like Simcity 2! by OccidentalSlashy · 2004-12-18 16:40 · Score: 5, Funny

I hope they tie into emergency services too and show lazily rendered orange flames coming from the windows of any burning buildings.

Come to think about it, how about a Average Income Overlay while we're at it so I know where to look for cheap girls. Er, for cheap monitors.

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vicious, untreated political sewage...niche entertainment for the spiritually unattractive...worshipless pap

Re:Just like Simcity 2! by LordEd · 2004-12-18 19:58 · Score: 1

Just as long as they have the large 'police light' symbol showing where the cops are so i don't get speeding tickets.

Don't get it in NH?!? by StratoChief66 · 2004-12-18 16:40 · Score: 1

Well, I live in the biggest city in my province, and I bet I'll have to wait longer than you do. Thats why I live in an apartment next to a major roadway, I don't need no stinking Yahoo to see real time traffic patterns, I just open the shades. :P

--
Frylock: "We should have cloned twenties, Jackson wouldn't have given a fuck."

Re:Don't get it in NH?!? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:50 · Score: 0

Oh, is that why? I live near a major roadway cause I'm a cheap college student - now I can tell people it's to see "real time traffic patterns."
Re:Don't get it in NH?!? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 01:34 · Score: 0

StratoChief66, just a friendly heads up for you- you need to learn to reply to a thread if you have something to contribute to it, not to the article itself. I assume your comment was meant in reply to this guy. You see the little
[Reply to This]
after every message? Use that.

Oh, and welcome to Slashdot. Watch out, there are a lot less friendly people here than me, so try to learn the rules of the game and you won't get flammed/modded to hell!

declined because...? by SuperBanana · 2004-12-18 16:41 · Score: 3, Interesting

Yahoo declined to identify the exact sources of its traffic data

I'm going to bet it's because some company is getting data from all the sensors and "traffic center" infrastructure we paid for.

I seriously doubt they have to pay anything for it aside from maybe the cost of a leased line...and I doubt Yahoo gets it for free from said company. Someone's making a lot of bucks off equipment and staff we pay for...even assuming costs for processing the data.

Interestingly, I was just driving down Route 3 here in MA, and noticed that they finally had finished most of the construction for widening the road. Also installed- cameras. The tilt-pan-zoom kind. About every mile or so. In between, or sometimes on the same pole, some sort of antenna box pointed at the road, probably to sense how fast cars are moving by.

Someone want to explain to me how a camera reduces traffic? Considering they have no dynamic ways to alter traffic patterns, seems like a royal fucking waste of money and something bound to be abused.

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Please help metamoderate.

Re:declined because...? by StratoChief66 · 2004-12-18 16:44 · Score: 2

Hmmm... A camera... and a radar detector on the roads you say? Maybe its to clock and photograph speeders.

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Frylock: "We should have cloned twenties, Jackson wouldn't have given a fuck."
Re:declined because...? by karlowfwb · 2004-12-18 16:59 · Score: 3, Informative

Actually, when you view the map, it displays exactly where its getting its information from. Whether it pays for it or not is still to be determined.

In regards to traffic cameras being a waste of money, perhaps. But even if they do not currently have any ways to reduce traffic, a simple easy way of knowing where traffic is bad and being able to redirect accordingly should be of some help. Additionally, when the technology is developed to dynamically, intellegently alter traffic patterns, then the infrastructure will be in place to make it possible.
Re:declined because...? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:18 · Score: 0

The antenna thing is an RFID sensor - people voluntarily (yes!) place the RFID cards in their cars. The system can then detect traffic patterns and flows.
The cameras are there so they can quickly address one class of traffic problems: stalled vehicles and accidents. Slippery slope issues abound, but they do have a useful purpose.
Re:declined because...? by Myself · 2004-12-18 17:20 · Score: 1

I don't know if this is one of their sources, but Oakland County, Michigan has had this online for years.

Traffic and construction maps
Re:declined because...? by ergo98 · 2004-12-18 17:25 · Score: 3, Informative

Someone want to explain to me how a camera reduces traffic? Considering they have no dynamic ways to alter traffic patterns, seems like a royal fucking waste of money and something bound to be abused.

Obviously cameras don't reduce the gross flow of traffic, but they might help ensure that the traffic keeps flowing as smoothly as possible - for instance dispatching police, tow trucks, or other emergency crews where necessary. It can also be used for road condition analysis for display on information boards that might lead some to take alternate routes (just as the local media usually monitors them as well to gauge traffic patterns in real time).

http://www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/traveller/compass /camera/camhome.htm
Re:declined because...? by MichaelSmith · 2004-12-18 17:26 · Score: 2, Interesting

Someone want to explain to me how a camera reduces traffic?
The main reason is so they can take a look if there is crash requiring the attendance of emergency services and repair crews.

In the normal course of events there would be an automated incident detection system, using online traffic flow data from vehicle detector loops under the road surface, which tells traffic controllers that there is a problem at a particular location

The camera would be used to quickly book ambulances, fire trucks, etc, if they appeared they may be required. This kind of system can save lives by knocking 10 or 20 minutes off the time required to get people to the site of the accident

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http://michaelsmith.id.au
Re:declined because...? by Animats · 2004-12-18 19:03 · Score: 2, Insightful

CALTRANS has both cameras and sensor loops in the road, for most freeways in the SF and LA areas. When the sensor loops detect a discontinuity in traffic flow (usually a slow area with high vehicle density followed by a fast area with low vehicle density) they connect to the appropriate camera and take a look.
You need both. Without sensor loops, there's too much camera data for anybody to watch, and without cameras, the control center can't see what the problem is. They can usually tell if an incident requires a fire truck or tow truck, and dispatch those sooner.
Aggressive accident clearance is roughly equivalent to adding one lane, but far cheaper.
Re:declined because...? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 19:05 · Score: 0

For the busier traffic intersections here, they control the lights based on how many people are coming from each direction... the more people who would constantly be flowing through, the longer it stays green, and its never green when the traffic starts to "let up" a little bit (no more constant flow from one direction when there would be from another)
Re:declined because...? by The+Psyko · 2004-12-18 20:36 · Score: 1

Um... it says the source right on the map.

"Updated: 2:31AM CST
Source: Wisconsin DOT and ClearChannel"
Re:declined because...? by michaelhood · 2004-12-18 23:18 · Score: 1

Yahoo declined to identify the exact sources of its traffic data

Funny, because when I look at a traffic map I something such as:
"Updated: 3:13AM PST
Source: Caltrans and CHP" in the upper-right corner.

Someone want to explain to me how a camera reduces traffic? Considering they have no dynamic ways to alter traffic patterns, seems like a royal fucking waste of money and something bound to be abused.

Perhaps because travelers can alter their plans and choose alternate routes based on the conditions of the roads they would have used without this knowledge - therefore not adding more to the mess?
Re:declined because...? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 00:44 · Score: 0

I used to work for the North Carolina DOT watching a whole wall of traffic cameras along I-40. I worked in conjunction with the Interstate Motorist Assistance Patrol (IMAP), a fleet of utility vehicles that would help stranded motorists, clear roadway debris and usually be the first on the scene at an accident. I would identify congestion or an accident with the pan-tilt-zoom cameras and let them know what I saw. I also created messages on those large message boards warning drivers of traffic conditions.

It wasn't a perfect system, but those guys are trained up and know how to manage a traffic problem. They certainly help reduce the amount of time we spend waiting in traffic.
Re:declined because...? by tswann01 · 2004-12-19 01:42 · Score: 1

looking at the local DC area -- the legend on maps.yahoo.com states "Source: Virginia, Maryland, and DC Dept. of Trans."

"our tax dollars at work"
as long as yahoo isn't charging for it, I don't necessarily see a problem w/ that

from their traffic home http://maps.yahoo.com/traffic:
Supported Locations "Yahoo! Maps has traffic information for most cities across the country and we're adding new locations all the time so check back frequently for your town. * Albany, NY * Atlanta, GA * Austin, TX * Baltimore, MD * Boston, MA * Charlotte, NC * Chicago, IL * Cincinnati, OH * Cleveland, OH * Columbus, OH * Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX * Denver, CO * Detroit, MI * Hartford, CT * Houston, TX * Indianapolis, IN * Kansas City, MO * Las Vegas, NV * Los Angeles, CA * Memphis, TN * Miami, FL * Minneapolis, St. Paul, MN * Nashville, TN * New Orleans, LA * New York, NY * Norfolk, VA * Oakland, CA * Oklahoma City, OK * Orlando, FL * Philadelphia, PA * Phoenix, AZ * Pittsburgh, PA * Portland, OR * Raleigh Durham, NC * Sacramento, CA * Saint Louis, MO * Salt Lake City, UT * San Antonio, TX * San Diego, CA * San Francisco, CA * San Jose, CA * Seattle, WA * Tampa, FL * Washington, DC

BTW, the data seems to be updating fairly frequently -- which does not necessarily translate to "accurately", but is probably a good sign

also interesting, some data points are not displayed, but you can still get delay info by hovering -- check out I-66 at Oak St if you're familiar w/ that area

--

Ha ha
Re:declined because...? by mesach · 2004-12-19 01:54 · Score: 1

check out Sigalert.com

they have realtime traffic for Los Angeles, and some if you pay for the service you can look at the traffic cameras. IIRC the cameras arent there to reduce traffic, they are there to monitor traffic, not alter it.

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moo.
Re:declined because...? by espo812 · 2004-12-19 02:32 · Score: 1

Someone's making a lot of bucks off equipment and staff we pay for...even assuming costs for processing the data.
So? Assuming you are correct that some company is collecting, consolidating, and putting it in a single format so an end user can make use of it, this is a sigificant ammount of work. What's wrong with making money off of adding value to mostly raw resources? Lawyers make a lot of money off of reprocessing court judgements (which we pay for.) Shipping companies make a lot of money driving over roads we pay for.

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espo
Re:declined because...? by jiggahertz · 2004-12-19 07:26 · Score: 1

I drive rte 3 everyday to work, I doubt it's to catch speeders since I've never seen anyone pulled over on rte 3. Hopefully, they'll tie their video feeds into smartTraveler.com.

Fix Yahoo! Maps First by phalse+phace · 2004-12-18 16:41 · Score: 1, Insightful

Maybe Yahoo! should fix their mapping software first. Whenever I use them to find out how to get from point A to point B, they always seem to give me directions with a longer route rather than the shortest one. Same thing with Mapquest.

Re:Fix Yahoo! Maps First by SandmanCL · 2004-12-18 20:30 · Score: 1

Always ?
Give an example.
Re:Fix Yahoo! Maps First by IANAAC · 2004-12-19 03:44 · Score: 1

For that reason I've switched to maps24.com. It seems to give more accurate results, for me at least. I don't know if they get their info from other sources - they must, since the results are different.
Re:Fix Yahoo! Maps First by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 05:51 · Score: 0

Of course it does. Mapquest even says so directly, and even has feature that allows you to get shortest mileage routes. It tries to get you on roads with higher speed limits first, even though maybe you go a few more miles. If the higher speed holds true, you get there FASTER, and more often than not, spending less fuel getting there (due to not stopping and going). It also likes to avoid giving you left hand turns if you've ever noticed.

There is a checkbox on mapquest that allows the engine to find the shortest route, and all things being equal, it's going to take longer to get there.

I'd hardly say that mapquest or yahoo needs to be fixed. It was made that way on purpose. It's not a bug. IT'S A FEATURE. Frankly it's more likely that PEBDWAD.. Problem Exists Between Driving Wheel And Driver.

old habbits are hard to break... by ccbutler · 2004-12-18 16:41 · Score: 1, Funny

Yahoo's chat'n'maps applet draws on the win32 clients real-time web-surfing information from metropolitan users and private sectors, including embedded mouse sensors, usb cameras, sniffers, and packet helicopters. Yahoo declined to identify the exact sources of its dll's... and will prove to be a pain in the ass to remove even with a sophisticated spyware removal program. A user can stand over the burnt and charred remains of his CPU after he installs Yahoo's chat'n'maps to view details of impediments.

"SimCopter One Reporting Heavy Traffic" by dcollins · 2004-12-18 16:42 · Score: 3, Funny

TRAFFIC WARNING -
Traffic in this city is expanding.
The commuters are getting militant.
Highway shootings are on the rise.
Either build more roads and rails or get a bulletproof limo.

--
We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes

Limited Coverage by spdt · 2004-12-18 16:43 · Score: 2, Informative

Looking at the country map, it seems that this only covers the larger metropolitan areas, so far.

So don't get too excited if you happen to be from a place like Mianus, Connecticut.

Re:Limited Coverage by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 17:52 · Score: 0

So don't get too excited if you happen to be from a place like Mianus, Connecticut

Aaah, how could we forget the rich spoiled kids...

Why not show public transportation routes? by RyanMuldoon · 2004-12-18 16:44 · Score: 5, Insightful

Instead of just showing road traffic and only offering driving directions, Yahoo could make using public transportation easier by offering directions using buses, subways, and commuter rails as an option. It would allow people to use public transportation without having to spend a lot of time figuring out all the different bus routes and schedules. Maybe it would reduce the traffic a bit.

Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by belg4mit · 2004-12-18 16:53 · Score: 1

Indeed. Even in someplace like Boston where'd you think they might have their act together the subway website's facilities are lacking. There's a minimal trip planner but it sucks, and it's difficult if not impossible to find the addresses of stations so you can get a real map somewhere else.

--
Were that I say, pancakes?
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by Martin+Blank · 2004-12-18 17:19 · Score: 0, Offtopic

Providing the addresses of subway stations would be a security risk. If the terrorists knew where they were, they might attack them.

--
You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by Ilgaz · 2004-12-18 20:24 · Score: 1

We got such a thing in Istanbul which you can tell where to go and it displays all buses numbers etc.

Interesting is, it can route you over sea sometimes, thanks to Bhosphorus :)

Sadly, not available in english
http://gis.iett.gov.tr/map.asp
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by Late · 2004-12-18 23:56 · Score: 1

To my knoweledge such advanced integration of route guidance has not been attemted anywhere yet. We did scetch out such a system as coursework at the Helsinki University of Technology with my friends a few months ago though.

Some cities in Germany do offer real time traffic information and park and ride information on the same web pages. It is also possible to book a park and ride place online.

Gothenburg (Göteborg) in Sweden has experimented with using road signs which show the estimated driving time to the city center as well as the estimated time on public transport from the neares t park and ride station.

It will still take time for the necessary information systems to be created and then to actually make them work together. In Finland the government has helped somewhat by providing a free national architecture for telematics with open XML interface descriptions so that different applications can easily be integrated, but we're such a small market that commercial applications probably won't appear immediately.

I'd still love to see agent type navigation systems which could offer not just alternate routes but also alternate modes of travel on badly congested days. In an optimum situation they could also automatically reserve a park and ride place when the user chooses such a route. It just remains to be seen if any party is willing to pay for such a service.
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by jrumney · 2004-12-19 02:33 · Score: 1

To my knoweledge such advanced integration of route guidance has not been attemted anywhere yet.
Transport for London has quite a good integrated public transport/walking route planner. I'm not sure the route planner takes account of temporary travel disruptions though, only planned ones I think, but the current disruptions do scroll across the top of the screen, so if you are leaving immediately you can choose your route accordingly.
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by tswann01 · 2004-12-19 02:45 · Score: 1

two words: "metro sucks"

seriously, they make other state and local governments look like beacons of brilliance

this is DC -- YMMV
Re:Why not show public transportation routes? by mingrassia · 2004-12-19 04:26 · Score: 1

Of all places, Dallas has had this for years.

--
OS X, Linux, Tivo, Amiga, my fascination with cult-like technologies would intrigue any psychiatrist.

Could it get any longer? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 16:44 · Score: 3, Funny

Wonderfully readable URLs these people use:

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?csz=Pittsburgh %2 C+PA+15217-3040&state=PA&uzip=15217&ds=n&name=&des c=&ed=T0qRZep_0Tr4Np7V.TbRpftsXKUsg.181R_6HssRgbH4 .yRRzOjaX0DeuaWWJS56AXckQ40QmpAModdDHtclDakA.aSV.z FfQG0V3OHy5Mk_pwdSUUJlFw--&zoomin=yes&BFKey=&mag=2 &resize=s&cat=trav&trf=1#mapcontent

Re:Could it get any longer? by gregeth · 2004-12-18 18:43 · Score: 1

Sure it can. How does this sound:

http://hugeurl.com/?MzdmNDEwYzBhZWVlZDhmMjhlY2I4Mz c4ZjI1MWQ3 OWMmNCZWMVpXYjFVd01VaFVhMUpYVjBoQ1UxWlVSbGRPVmxaMF lrWmFiRlpy Y0RCVVZtUnZZV3hPUmsxVVJtRldiVkpJV1dwS1NtVlZPVWxXYk hCT1lXMTNk MVV5ZUZOVE1VbDVVMnhvVTJKdFVuRlVWbEp6VGxaa2MyRkZPVT VXTUhCS1Zs WmtORlJyTVVkalNFWmFaV3MxTWxsclZYZGtNVlp6VW0xb1dGSn JiRE5YV0hC TFV6QXhXRlJ1VW1GU2VteE1WbXRXY21WR1VsaGlSRUpUVWxoQ1 ZsVXlkRTlX YkVwV1ZtNU9WVll6VWt0YVZWVXhWbFpPV1dGRk9XeFdSVWt5Vm taV1UxVnRV WGRqUmxaVVZrVndjVlJVUmt0aU1YQkdXa1phYVZKVVFqTldWM2 hIVld4VmVG WnFWbFZpVkZaWVZHMHhSMWRXUmxobFJUVk9VbXRaTUZaSGVGTl RiVlpHVGxS V1YxZEhlRkJaYkZwTFRteE9jMVZyT1ZOV01IQjNWbXhvYzFReV NsVldiVGxh WWtkU1YxbHJWWGRrTVZaWVpVVTFhR0pJUW5sV01uaHZWRzFPYz JKRVZsZFhT RUpVVlZSR1YwNVdVblJOVm1Sb1RVaENWbFpIZEZkV01VcEdVMn BTVjFZemFE TlphMlJQVWpBNVNWcEdaRlJTVjNRelZtdGpNVkZyTUhoWGJrSl BWbXhhWVZs clZuZE5NV1IwVGxaT2JHSkhVa2RhUlZwaFlXc3hkRlJxUmxWV2 JFcDFXbFZh VjJNd09VVlRiRkpVVWxSVk1sWnNZM2hoTWtaWFZHdFdWbGRGY0 U1WmJURTBW a1phV0U1WVpGWlNNRm93VlcxNGMxUnNTbGRUYms1aFVtMVNTRl l3V2xwa01r NUhWV3M1VjFKdVFrUldha0pyVkRKT2MxWnNWbFpYUjFKWFZtNX dSMDB4Vmxk V1dHaHJZa2hDU1ZaWGRGZFdSazVIVTI1R1dtRXhXbFJaVldSR1 pERktXVlpz Y0ZkaGVsWlpWa1ZqTVdSdFRuTlRibEpZWWtWd1ZGcFhkRXRYUm xKVlVWUldW Rll4V2xaV2JYTXhZVVV4VldKRVRtRlNSWEJVVm10YVlWWXhXbk prUjJ4VFZt MDVObFpGV2s1a01rcEdUVmhHV0dGc2NIQlVWM0J6VFVac1YxbD ZRbWxTVkVJ elZsZHdWMWxXWkVaTldFNVZWak5DYUZWVVJrdGpiVkpJWlVkNF ZrMVdXVEpX VjNSUFZtMVdWazVZVWs1V01taG9XbFphVjA1c1ZuSlZhM0JxWV ROQ1ZsVXhV a3RoYlVwWFYycGFXbFp0YUROWmExWjNWbFpTY2xadGNHeFdiRm t4Vmtjd2VG UXlSa2hWYTFKWFYwaENWRlV3V2t0T1ZtUlhZVVp3YVZKVVJuaF dNbkJEWVcx S1YySklUbFZXUlVwVFdsVldkMVpXVGxsalIyeFhUVVp2ZWxZeF VrcE9WMUpZ Vld0b1YySnNXbkpWVmxGM1QxRTlQUT09

As they always say, bigger is better. :)
Re:Could it get any longer? by prockcore · 2004-12-18 22:18 · Score: 3, Funny

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?csz=Pittsburgh%2 C+PA+15217-3040&state=PA&uzip=15217&ds=n&name=&des c=&ed=T0qRZep_0Tr4Np7V.TbRpftsXKUsg.181R_6HssRgbH4 .yRRzOjaX0DeuaWWJS56AXckQ40QmpAModdDHtclDakA.aSV.z FfQG0V3OHy5Mk_pwdSUUJlFw--&zoomin=yes&BFKey=&mag=2 &resize=s&cat=trav&trf=1#mapcontent

Hey, that looks just like some of the posts on the old BBS's I used to frequent. It just needs ++ATH0 NO CARRIER at the end to make it complete.
Re:Could it get any longer? by mbaciarello · 2004-12-18 23:47 · Score: 1

Map service URLs to be sent over email were one of the main reasons for my discovery of SnipURL.com.

Then I found out in Pennsylvania, only old people click URLs in emails.
Re:Could it get any longer? by martinwallgren · 2004-12-19 01:34 · Score: 1

Looks like some embedded Perl code in the middle.

Mod Parent Up by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 16:45 · Score: 0

Pretty damned good idea if you ask me

Finally... by jpardey · 2004-12-18 16:49 · Score: 1

Sim City is reality!

--
I have freaks! I did something right...

Already Available...? by sam5550 · 2004-12-18 16:50 · Score: 2, Interesting

I would imagine that this service is already available elsewhere. Googling "traffic conditions" with various city names usually turns up decent results.

Many major metropolitan areas have government agencies devoted to controlling traffic; their websites might also be a good place to look.

Re:Already Available...? by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 19:29 · Score: 0

I would imagine that this service is already available elsewhere.

Simcity has had it for years.

Washington, DC already does this by friedegg · 2004-12-18 16:51 · Score: 2, Informative

The WMATA RideGuide lets you enter a starting point and a destination and offers you multiple routes using rail, buses and walking.

--
Google doesn't index user sigs, so stop trying to "Google Bomb" with them.

Re:Washington, DC already does this by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:14 · Score: 1, Informative

...and for the SF Bay area there's 511 TakeTransit

The DOT should give us traffic reports by Calcothar · 2004-12-18 16:55 · Score: 1

Where this traffic information come from? This seems like something that you local department of transportation should be providing, but the only thing I can find on the Florida DOT (I live near Orlando) website is this map (http://www3.dot.state.fl.us/trafficinformation/) which is scant on any real data. The only sources of substantive information are local news stations or http://www.traffic.com/.

Why doesn't the DOT release traffic reports in XML just like the NOAA does now with weather reports?

one possible source for data by Fratz · 2004-12-18 16:56 · Score: 4, Informative

Traffic.com also posts realtime traffic flow information, and they say they get their data from these sources.

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-- Fratz, human

Radar traps by Ph33r+th3+g(O)at · 2004-12-18 17:02 · Score: 1

A popular and useful service would be to point out the locations of current radar traps and Fourth Amendment violating DUI checkpoints. Of course, this might cause the flow of data from municipalities to dry up pretty quickly once it started impacting government revenue negatively.

--
I too have felt the cold finger of injustice.

Re:Radar traps by System.out.println() · 2004-12-18 17:24 · Score: 1

Heaven forbid people, you know, drive sober.

--
I've got more mod points and GMail invi
Re:Radar traps by Martin+Blank · 2004-12-18 17:29 · Score: 1

In Michigan v. Stitz, 1990, the US Supreme Court found in a 6-3 decision that DUI checkpoints do not violate the Fourth Amendment. From the end of the opinion:

"In sum, the balance of the State's interest in preventing drunken driving, the extent to which this system can reasonably be said to advance that interest, and the degree of intrusion upon individual motorists who are briefly stopped, weighs in favor of the state program. We therefore hold that it is consistent with the Fourth Amendment."

I'm not sure what the fines are for DUI, but the numbers I usually see for arrests seem to be on the low side of things. I've never been through a DUI checkpoint, either, though I have been through a checkpoint for immigration, and I didn't really mind since there was a quick glance in the vehicle for anything that might be in the open, and a brief question on my name, where I was going, and where I was coming from. My understanding is that DUI checkpoints are similar.

As for speed traps, there are plenty of notes online about where they are. In some states, if you can prove it's a speed trap (the states have laws against them), you can get the ticket tossed out.

--
You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
Re:Radar traps by Ph33r+th3+g(O)at · 2004-12-18 17:43 · Score: 1

The Supreme Court's error doesn't change the fact that it's a violation of the Fourth Amendment.

--
I too have felt the cold finger of injustice.
Re:Radar traps by timeOday · 2004-12-18 17:44 · Score: 1

Here's an interesting article on DUI - and how far our founding principles can be bent in such circumstances. I'm not really taking a side on this (and for that matter I don't even drink), but it's interesting to hear both sides.
As for the Supreme Court, no doubt they have the final word on what's legal. But that doesn't always mean they're right.
Re:Radar traps by Ph33r+th3+g(O)at · 2004-12-18 17:45 · Score: 1

And that end justifies the stopping of citizens, who ostensibly enjoy the presumption of innocence, by armed forces of the state, impeding their right to travel. Uh-huh.

--
I too have felt the cold finger of injustice.
Re:Radar traps by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 18:14 · Score: 0

Where in the Constitution does it lay out our right to travel, again?
Re:Radar traps by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 23:31 · Score: 0

Read the Constitution. Specifically the bit about the bit about rights not enumerated are still kept by the People.

What I really want... by Fratz · 2004-12-18 17:04 · Score: 4, Interesting

is to make use of historical traffic flow data to plan out a route based on start time. This is mostly only valuable for out-of-town travelers, but I'm sure everyone's had one of those experiences where they figured 3:00PM was early enough to be driving near, say, NYC, to avoid rush hour.

I want my navigation system to adjust to unforeseen (realtime) traffic data and re-route me when appropriate, but the most important thing is for it to calculate an effective top speed for each potential road along the path, based on their historical flow data on various days of the week, holidays, and at various times of day. That way, it may realize that a 35MPH side-road that parallels the highway is actually faster than the 65MPH highway at 4:00PM on days when there's some sporting event going on. Prevents me from having to know this stuff :)

Yes, I still want to actually drive the car, thank you very much :)

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-- Fratz, human

About time. by evilviper · 2004-12-18 17:05 · Score: 4, Interesting

I have a hard time believing how slowly online maps are progressing.

I don't care about traffic info, I can get that myself, elsewhere, but online maps don't even ALLOW you to request an alternate route. You have time and distance to choose from, and that's all.

While I'm complaining, let's talk about the weather channel's web-site. They show you the weather over the major freeways in the country, but it is horrendous at predicting anything. It simply takes today's weather, and assumes everything will be less severe every day after... It's perfectly consistent in this behavior, even when their own forecast know, a week in advance, that the weather is actually going to get worse.

And radio stations are no better. All the "highway stations" tell you a little bit about traffic if you tune-in at the right time, but never anything about bad weather. I was driving directly into the path of a 300mile blizzard, and I didn't have a clue. Even after there was a massive accident that completely blocked the freeway, none of the new media reported (or knew) about it until the next day.

It seems like everything we have in-place is completely impotent. It's even that forecasts are bad, it's that all the information that is well-known is kept isolated, and only provided to the people that need to know about it the MOST, after everything is over.

These are all VERY, VERY simple and easy things, yet nobody has bothered to do it. I think this is clearly an indication of what happens when media outlets are consolidated, reduced to doing nothing but imitating the competition, etc.

--
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant

Re:About time. by jellomizer · 2004-12-18 17:44 · Score: 1

Yea me to I would love it if I can fix a map site so I can put the directions that I am conformable with and get good directions. Say Take I90 E to get to Boston while because of my location some Map Programs tell me to take RT 2. It is funny I have seen some Map Programs that have features for shortest distance, fastest travel and avoid highways. I would like features like lest amount of turns or use highways when possible. I would also love it if when it gets the traffic information that it would give me possible better routes to match the difference in traffic. There is a spot in Upstate NY where i787 exits to Rt 7 going west and there is a big sign saying i87 having an accident find different route. I really Wish I knew this before I left 787 because then I could have a different route. But if you want to find bad engineering and stupidity at its max take a look at the US road system.

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If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
Re:About time. by cortez · 2004-12-18 19:51 · Score: 1

Thats because statistically speaking, naive forecasting (just say tomorrows weather will be just like today) is the most accurate.

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Paizurishitetai desu ka?
Re:About time. by SpaceCadetTrav · 2004-12-18 19:52 · Score: 1

online maps don't even ALLOW you to request an alternate route.
Sorry, you have to pay for that. Maybe you think that everything should be free for your own benefit?

--
Life in Orange County
Re:About time. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 20:10 · Score: 0

I don't know who's charging for that kind of service, but mapsonus lets you choose the route type (fastest | shortest | favor freeways | avoid freeways) and add intermediate destinations for free.
Re:About time. by adpowers · 2004-12-18 20:59 · Score: 1

I wonder if the reason they limit you to only certain path options (most/least freeways, etc.) is because it would be otherwise too expensive. I read one time that there are algorithms for picking the very best path from one place to another, but they are way to expensive. The online map servers use one that is almost as good most of the time, but much less expensive in processing. This is just what I heard, so take it with a grain of salt, however it sounds believable. Now... Google bought Keyhole and has computers up the wazoo, so who knows :). I'd love to see an integrated system that takes into consideration all modes of transportation (mass transit, etc.) for all cities. That might be difficult, though. I'd also like them to be smarter about avoiding traffic, like you said.
Re:About time. by evilviper · 2004-12-18 21:01 · Score: 1

Sorry, you have to pay for that.

Funny, I don't see anything about paying for extra services on mapquest or yahoo maps.

Besides, it's a service that is no more technically difficult to provide than what they currently provide for free.

--
Slashdot gets worse every day... Pipedot: News for nerds, without the corporate slant

Here's what I want: by Ensign+Regis · 2004-12-18 17:10 · Score: 1

South Carolina, and, I'll bet, other states, make traffic webcams available on the internet. I want something like this, but with actual video (instead of stills apparently taken at random intervals) and on my Clie. That way I can actually see the road conditions/traffic congestion and decide where and whether to change my route.

My route to work... by XplosiveX · 2004-12-18 17:12 · Score: 2, Interesting

I have taken the source of the traffic images from my local transportation website and hosted them on a page so I don't have to click on each section of the map. Saves me a lot of time. I know many people do this. Feel free to use this webpage I have setup if you take the Don Valley Parkway, Gardiner, and QEW. Also the traffic flow map located at the top of that website is handy.

http://3dnewsnet.com/drive.htm

TMC in Europe... nice if this could be here... by cytoman · 2004-12-18 17:13 · Score: 5, Informative

Apparently, in Europe, there is something called TMC which is a standard for all of Europe. The GPS software there can make use of this to give you additional information on traffic. Below is an excerpt of a review on OnCourse Navigator from http://www.pocketgpsworld.com:

TMC

Traffic Message Channel is a pretty successful system in some European countries that transmits current traffic conditions via the RDS (radio data system) components of standard FM radio station broadcasting. Provided with a special GPS receiver (which basically includes a FM radio) users in Europe can let Navigon adjust it's routing decisions based on the incoming TMC messages. In the US the picture is very different. Every metropole has its own traffic messaging system, they are all incompatible, and most of them are not free services anyhow. As a result the OnCourse Navigator program has left out the TMC functionality. If you come over from Europe and use your MN|4 with the maps of OnCourse Navigator then keep in mind that TMC is of no use here.

Re:TMC in Europe... nice if this could be here... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 19:58 · Score: 1, Informative

It's coming!!

XM started a new service call XM navtraffic which beams traffic information to cars via their satellites. The system is currently available in 20 metro areas. From what I understand, it will be a subscription based service.

The GPS systems that use navtraffic can tell you how long you trip will take with traffic and how long a proposed detour would take. Very cool.

The 2005 Acura RL was the first car to have this available.

More info here
http://acura.com/models/model_comfort_realtime.asp ?module=rl/

and here
http://www.xmradio.com/newsroom/screen/pr_2004_04_ 07_2.html

I think maybe by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:17 · Score: 0

Before yahoo starts trying to figure out what roads are clogged with traffic they should make sure they know.. you know.. WHICH ROADS STILL EXIST...

That would be an awfully useful feature, you know. I mean, if it gave directions that didn't periodically have you driving, you know, THROUGH A BUILDING.

Not Complete? by Anti_Climax · 2004-12-18 17:17 · Score: 1

I looked at the info for the Metro Phoenix area and it seems to only have data for the freeways and not suface streets.

Further to that it seems to have them all listed as a fairly uniform near zero speed which is definitely not the case right now (about 10:15pm on a Saturday).

--
Even people that believe in pre-destiny look both ways before crossing the street.

Re:Not Complete? by finker · 2004-12-18 18:33 · Score: 1

Everything shows up as green to me. However, what I don't understand is why the 101 and 303 are not filled in at all. They have the 17, 51, and 202 all filled in, though. Trying to get from Scottsdale to Glendale gets to be a pain in the ass sometimes; it'd be awesome to be able to find alternate routes before I left to go somewhere. I sincerely hope they decide to update this.

Doing similar stuff at work by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:20 · Score: 0

We've been playing with some database technology at work that would let you do something similar, provided you can get the real-time traffic data feeds - thanks to the horsepower of Oracle Spatial and MapViewer.

First they need to get the maps right!! by the_rajah · 2004-12-18 17:20 · Score: 4, Interesting

Mapquest is worse than Yahoo, but they both are years out of date for the roads in my neighborhood and both are useless in giving directions to our house. A railroad that was taken out some ten years ago and converted to a bike path is still on Mapquest. Both maps show a road that has been closed and don't have a new road that replaces it hundreds of yards away.

Last year I was scanning Popular Science and saw an ad for a Garmin GPS with a street map on the color display. Lo and behold, it was centered on my house, but it was screwed up as I related above. We wrote to them and told them that if they really used that map, people would be getting lost in my area if they used their unit since that road isn't there any more and, oh, about that railroad.. They replied that they'd be in contact with their map source (Looks like Mapquest) and would be sure to get it corrected... Over a year later, it's still inaccurate.

I can understand that it's a huge task to keep things like that updated, but when you get information handed to you about inaccurace, you'd think it'd get fixed within a few months.

"Do the Right Thing. It will gratify some people and astound the rest." - Mark Twain

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"Do the Right Thing. It will gratify some people and astound the rest." - Mark Twain

Re:First they need to get the maps right!! by digitalsushi · 2004-12-18 17:41 · Score: 2, Interesting

gps companies like gtk and teleatlas and many others all have giant workcenters for data pluggers -- they just sit there with lists of nodes to verify. they have to use multiple souces to update an error. it's no surprise with the amount of red tape involved with getting a correction done that the updates are delayed.

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Re:First they need to get the maps right!! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 00:12 · Score: 0

Y'know, there needs to be an open-source GPS mapping solution. Commercial mapping programs use teams of drivers that drive around all day and record the roads. There's no reason an open-source project couldn't do the same - but with public volunteers.

Something like: everybody with a mobile GPS system can download the latest database, then as they drive they can make corrections (ie: somebody sitting in the passenger seat with a notebook computer hooked up to a GPS receiver). The position of the road and the maximum speed limit could be automatically updated as the vehicle travels - only road names would have to be entered manually.

With a couple of thousand volunteers driving around, I bet that a pretty damn good map could be built up very very quickly (not to mention that it would stay up-to-date with the huge number of volunteers constantly correcting it).

Think Wikipedia - but for GPS navigation maps.
Re:First they need to get the maps right!! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 01:00 · Score: 0

now think of the problem of erronius data, in wikipedia, not much harm done, in mapping software your navigating with, potential for harm increases.
Re:First they need to get the maps right!! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 03:37 · Score: 0

Man, I HATE it when I'm driving my train and I run over a bunch of bikers because teh computar gave me bad directions. What a bunch of losers, they really need to get their priorities straight!

Portland, OR's Tri-Met by SendBot · 2004-12-18 17:23 · Score: 2, Informative

The trip planner is a wonderful companion to Portland's (tri-metropolitan) transportation system of busses and light rail.
http://tri-met.org/.
There are also lots of bike paths that are neatly mapped somewhere, but I don't have a link.

Re:i want... by Bill_Royle · 2004-12-18 17:31 · Score: 1

"I want a map service that says "Travel advisory: Avoid I-57. 1274 blondes at this moment on I-57" :)"

What is this I-57 you speak of? And why wasn't I alerted of the high concentration of blondes there before getting married?

I think maybe by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 17:42 · Score: 0

I think mapquest tries to redirect you to take "better" roads. Like the software will often go out of its way to put you on a freeway. The theory seems to be that by doing this they can get you there quicker even if the route you take this way is physically longer. Unfortunately this isn't always a good assumption plus their idea of what is a better road is sometimes quite silly.

actual Minneapolis real time link by snooo53 · 2004-12-18 17:43 · Score: 1

Traffic Map

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The sending of this message pretty much inconveniences everyone involved.

My list of traffic maps list for L.A.... by antdude · 2004-12-18 17:44 · Score: 3, Informative

Note: Some of these URLs are other cities too.

TANN
Sigalert.com
Metrocommute
MSN Autos
CHP Traffic Incident Info.
Caltrans Realtime Freeway Speed Map (Java)

Any more I missed for Los Angeles area? :)

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Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).

Re:My list of traffic maps list for L.A.... by polyiguana · 2004-12-18 18:12 · Score: 1

Any more I missed for Los Angeles area?

Iteris Traffic has drive times for freeway segments. It's where KFWB gets the drive time predictions.
Re:My list of traffic maps list for L.A.... by antdude · 2004-12-18 18:23 · Score: 1

Thanks polyiguana (cute name)! How do you get there from http://traffic.iteris.com ? I keep going to http://traffic.iteris.com/SoCal.htm?lac ... :(

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Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).
Re:My list of traffic maps list for L.A.... by polyiguana · 2004-12-18 18:43 · Score: 1

How do you get there from http://traffic.iteris.com?

Through a Google search. The link is nowhere on the traffic.iteris.com site; you just have to know about it or find it through Google.
Re:My list of traffic maps list for L.A.... by antdude · 2004-12-18 19:13 · Score: 1

polyiguana: Thanks again. I will have to bookmark both. ;)

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Ant(Dude) @ Quality Foraged Links (AQFL.net) & The Ant Farm (antfarm.ma.cx / antfarm.home.dhs.org).

Can this tie into the directions it gives? by sahonen · 2004-12-18 17:49 · Score: 1

Can it suggest an alternate route if the shortest route has heavy traffic?

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Combine with ondemand Sat = RoadkillCam! by infonography · 2004-12-18 17:57 · Score: 0, Offtopic

High Resolution pics of Dead bodies from high orbit. What an amazing world we are about to live in.

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Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23

Re:Combine with ondemand Sat = RoadkillCam! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 18:01 · Score: 0

"Combine with ondemand Sat = RoadkillCam! (Score:1)
by infonography (566403)

High Resolution pics of Dead bodies from high orbit. What an amazing world we are about to live in.
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Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know. "

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Thats creepy

Never work by gremlins · 2004-12-18 18:00 · Score: 1

I think you fail to see the problem in this. If there was something that good it would be like the IPod for cars. Then everyone is using it but they are all rerouting because they think each other is going the other direction. What is really needed is some sort of automated transportation like in Minority Report where the cars drive together so a central place and regulate traffic. But I say do it anyway because as long as I go the normal way by the time i get there all you with your fancy maps will stuck in a traffic jam of your own creation.

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just because your a schizophrenic doesn't mean people arn't really out to get you

Re:Never work by The+Clockwork+Troll · 2004-12-18 19:46 · Score: 1

You assume that the historical mapping software would give the same route to all its users.
Why couldn't it do the equivalent of load balancing?
In other words, it could use historical information, real-time information, and round-robin route allocation to break ties.
Not to say the solution wouldn't be without its problems. It would certainly be harder computationally, and users would have to abide by the route they were given for the system to work. Might make for an interesting study though.

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Re:Never work by gremlins · 2004-12-18 20:59 · Score: 1

mapping software would cause the same result if everyone used it at the same time, you can see the same result when you hear on the radio there is an accident up ahead of you on a road and they suggest an alternate route to avoid the traffic but when you take it there is a traffic jam there. That is because everyone who was lisening to the same radio as you too the short cut.

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just because your a schizophrenic doesn't mean people arn't really out to get you

This is VERY cool by EvilStein · 2004-12-18 18:02 · Score: 2, Interesting

I noticed this a few days ago and it's been GREAT so far.

Uh, it doesn't suggest alternate routes, though. So I see "Hmm, Hwy 880 is, as usual, fucked." but can find no way around it.

On the bright side, the "Show local Starbucks" works.. I can sit around and wait out the traffic. :)

Gecko by sicking · 2004-12-18 18:04 · Score: 0, Offtopic

The big question is.... will it work in Mozilla/Firefox?

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Failing to learn from history dooms you to repeat it.

Re:Gecko by keeleysam · 2004-12-18 18:14 · Score: 1

yes

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Nothing for you to see here, Please move along.

No! SLOW DOWN! by bluGill · 2004-12-18 18:08 · Score: 1

Anytime there are flashing lights, or people by the side of the road you need to slow down. Doesn't matter that it is on the other side, slow down. You never know when an emergency vehicle is going to be doing a Uie and coming out in front of you, or up behind you. You never know (until you are there) that there isn't a car that skidded across your side.

For that matter, you never know what the car next to you is really gawking, and will run into you - you need the extra reaction time a slow speed allows. (not to mention less energy involved if you are hit) So slow down for safety's sake when there is an incident.

Re:No! SLOW DOWN! by MoriaOrc · 2004-12-18 20:42 · Score: 1

You never know when an emergency vehicle is going to be doing a Uie

Including over a 5x2 foot (Height x Thckness) cement barricade? Because I've been slowed down by NB gawking at a SB accident over the center divider and SB gawking at a NB accident. Or at least, the lights flashing over the center divider (which is in fact 5 feet high and at least 2 feet thick on the freeway in question).

It annoys me to no end when I get to the part where everyone is speeding up only to find out I had a 1/2 hour delay because of an accident that happened on the other side of the freeway.
Re:No! SLOW DOWN! by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 20:57 · Score: 0

Worse, after they get past the accident they accelerate like their transmission is made of glass.

I'll never understand why people who seem to be upset that they are being slowed down by an accident are perfectly content to go 40mph in a 65mph zone with an open road in front of them once they get past the accident.

Something Awful by Fancia · 2004-12-18 18:09 · Score: 2, Funny

This is nice, but the good people over at Something Awful beat them to it four years ago!

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Bít, zabít, jen proto, ze su liska!

Re:Something Awful by fingerfucker · 2004-12-19 18:12 · Score: 1

I believe your sig is misspelled.
Re:Something Awful by Fancia · 2004-12-20 07:20 · Score: 1

You're right, I missed a comma. I'll fix that up. Thank you for pointing that out!

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Bít, zabít, jen proto, ze su liska!

boo hoo hoo by adeydas · 2004-12-18 18:24 · Score: 1

big fleshy deal, you get the same on radio, mobile phones and police check posts...

My route to work by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 18:33 · Score: 0

Bicycle, blue skies, and never any traffic.

Laptop Ban??? by King_of_Crunk · 2004-12-18 18:38 · Score: 1

Not only do we have to worry about idiots on cell phones and putting on makeup during rush hour but now commuters on thier laptops as well.

I can wait for the law banning laptop use as well as any and all cyborg implantations to be banned from the roads under penalty of death.

Re:Laptop Ban??? by LordEd · 2004-12-18 20:04 · Score: 1

Things get even worse if they make a USB ready car. Some guy in marketing is going to love letting laptops drive cars with this technology.

Ditto for Seattle by ArtWDrahn · 2004-12-18 18:53 · Score: 1

Well at least the buses.

Found at Metrokc.gov

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The Tweak Files: Sanity is for t

Competition from Map24 by G3ckoG33k · 2004-12-18 18:53 · Score: 1

This may have been accelerated by the launch of Google's partner Map24.com.

Other places? by Jafar00 · 2004-12-18 19:02 · Score: 2, Informative

Apparently only the US and Canada exist at the moment. I wonder if they will expand to the rest of the world?

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RebateFX.com - Spread rebates for Forex traders

Re:Other places? by SandmanCL · 2004-12-18 20:37 · Score: 1

Wake up and smell the roses. Companies (including Slashdot's favorite pet, Google) release product like this to make money.

It's interesting to read these comments. I am fortunate enough to live in an area large enough to be covered by this new service, and I for one is excited about this offering. Yet the overall vibe among the comments is a negative one. WTF ?

If Google had released a similar product, most slashdotters would have gotten an orgasm.
Re:Other places? by gfreeman · 2004-12-20 05:39 · Score: 1

Yahoo! maybe, but the UK has had realtime web traffic maps for at least 5 years. I remember seeing this in action during 1999 - so it may be older than that.

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Ceci n'est pas un sig.

Radar traps-Unhappily Ever After. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 19:04 · Score: 0

"A popular and useful service would be to point out the locations of current radar traps and Fourth Amendment violating DUI checkpoints."

Oh gee, lookee here. Another "can't deal with authority" rant. Is there anyone out there who's happy with:

A) A particular business

B) A particular branch of government.

C) A particular organization.

D) A particular person.

E) A particular product, or service.

F) Just damn happy with their life.

If you are, then why are you reading this board? Go were the happy people are. Misery loves company, and birds of a feather are hanging out here.

Re:Radar traps-Unhappily Ever After. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 01:12 · Score: 0

Go were the happy people are. Misery loves company, and birds of a feather are hanging out here.
Which brings us to the question: Are you here because you are one of the miserable people you're lamenting, or because you see yourself as the savior of all us miserables?

Re:i want... by digidave · 2004-12-18 19:19 · Score: 1

You MARRIED a blonde you lucky dork :)

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The global economy is a great thing until you feel it locally.

I'm skeptical by SethJohnson · 2004-12-18 19:35 · Score: 2, Informative

I just checked Sixth street in Downtown Austin, TX at 1:30 am. The map indicates 'minor traffic'. Funny thing, that street is closed with barricades at this time of night on a weekend.

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$5 / month hosted VPS on linux = awesome!

This is ticks me off.. by bmantz65 · 2004-12-18 20:12 · Score: 1

This isn't Yahoo's fault or anything, but I'll check the traffic before I leave for school and everything is fine and dandy. Then I hit certain sections on my commute and there is a nice backup with no forewarning. This is around noon, so no radio stations are broadcasting traffic. Basically, it leaves me screwed. I dunno, just ticks me off.

Still in beta? by flynns · 2004-12-18 22:11 · Score: 1

Looks like it might need some work, still. Maybe they should re-stamp BETA on this one:

hmm.

Fire, on TRYON ST at REET Close

Severity: 4

Direction: SB

31 December 2004 Friday Downtown Countdown at Tryon and Trade Streets. Come ring in the New Year starting with a family event from 11am to 1:30pm. Sponsored by Radio Disney. Beginning at 9pm, there will be live music, dancing, fireworks and a countdown clock to bring a taste of Times Square to Charlotte's Center City.

Reported Time:
Wed Nov 24 07:25:00 2004
Estimated End Time:
Sun Jan 02 05:30:00 2005

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'If you're flammable and have legs, you are never blocking a fire exit.'

Map Art by prawnpie · 2004-12-18 22:21 · Score: 1

So when's some squad of geeks taking the streets to block traffic in just the right places paint out a big red "SLASHDOT" accross the map of a major metropolitan area? Helluva of a screenshot that would be.

That's all well and good, but... by billyradcliffe · 2004-12-18 23:05 · Score: 1

...when will they finally integrate "Not Getting Me F%&#ing Lost" technology? Expedia.com is far superior; Yahoo! Maps never failed to get me lost.

Sim City by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 23:14 · Score: 0

As if we didn't have time sinks aplenty, now you have to give people a real-life version of the traffic inspector from Sim City...

We already have this in Atlanta Georgia. by DeanFox · 2004-12-18 23:49 · Score: 1

In Atlanta Georgia, we have already had this for a while. www.georgia-navigator.com it comes complete with text messaging to your cell/pda about accidents, etc. You can even see the image from any traffic camera. They've done a good job. The site is often slow but as for spending tax dollars in a way that helps the community, this is leaps and bounds ahead of other metro areas.

Presumably... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-18 23:59 · Score: 0

.. this applies to the USA only? Or do the rest of us count in the world of Slashdot?

traffic disruption by lkcl · 2004-12-19 00:21 · Score: 1

ha, cooool!

people can now go out, armed with laptops sitting at well-known unsecured WiFi points, coordinating traffic blocking exercises at choke points in order to deliberately cause gridlock - AND they can verify within minutes whether they've done it correctly.

coool!

Cameras on Roads by lxt · 2004-12-19 00:37 · Score: 2, Informative

The wonderul privacy country where I come from (the UK, AKA "CCTV Capital of the World") have multiple cameras on roads, mainly motorways and A-(main)Roads. They're mainly used to monitor traffic remotely, and reduce the need for police patrols. They don't directly reduce the traffic, but the information they provide is used on radio reports etc. A side effect of the proliferation of cameras has been the availability to the public - you can access nearly all of the cameras via the BBC websites - London alone must have well over 50 you can look at ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/travel/jamcams/camloco /camlist.shtml ).

This won't last long... by bs_02_06_02 · 2004-12-19 01:33 · Score: 1

This won't last long. The government will step in and declare this confidential info. No one wants terrorists to have this info too!

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-- No sig for you!

GPS Map by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 02:32 · Score: 0

If a small percentage of population can report their gps position, heading and speed to an open source website anonymously, we can get a dynamic speed map of the entire region. Your navigation system can then calculate the fastest route based on that dynamic information.

Autobahn by Hank+Chinaski · 2004-12-19 02:48 · Score: 1

We have this since about 1999 without any adverts, e.g. here:

http://www.wdr.de/themen/verkehr/verkehrslage/stre etmapDesign.php?karte=1&java=1&area=260&land=Nordr hein-Westfalen&map=Nordrhein-Westfalen&auswahl=&pa rtstartX=37&partstartY=93&partendX=108&partendY=15 7&status=zoomBox

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IAAL

cars per minute by Dr.+Cody · 2004-12-19 03:02 · Score: 1

Does the map start showing little car icons when the traffic reaches 35 cars/minute? I think Chicago should start building more Bus Depots--they can absorb up to half of the total traffic.

Ditto for Brisbane, Qld, Australia mate, by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 03:05 · Score: 0

Brisbane has a website service that tells you the best bus/train/ferry route to take that gives you walking directions and times. It even allows you to adjust timetable info based on walking speed under advanced settings.

Check out http://www.transinfo.qld.gov.au/.

I'm sure they'd welcome feedback.

You get what you pay for. by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 03:09 · Score: 0

The technology is there to get alternate routes, it just costs money to implement and maintain the features, and for the extra bandwidth involved when people spend more time on the sites.

If enough people were willing to pay, I'm sure they'd these options up. In fact, Mapquest recently deleted some features because it was costing them too much to keep them going.

In the meantime, if it's that important to you there are numerous trip planning software packages you can buy that will do what you want.

Real time traffic sensors on the road, thats how by Ars-Fartsica · 2004-12-19 03:33 · Score: 2, Interesting

In California, many of the highways are already "wired" - they can in fact tell you in real time how traffic is flowing in certain areas, and this info is available to the public.

Portland Oregon has had this for ages as well by blargorama · 2004-12-19 03:43 · Score: 1

Oregon Department of Transportation has a similar site (and will also be displaying info from WaDOT in the near future). A map display of current traffic conditions as well as links to traffic cameras, roadside weather stations and construction and incident data can be found at www.tripcheck.com.

spam already! by DMaster0 · 2004-12-19 05:09 · Score: 1

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?csz=Charlotte%2C +NC&state=NC&uzip=28202&ds=n&name=&desc=&ed=ZmqqR. p_0Tol2K1o94tozZKOm8y2Y4UWMv9nfsUOXmXck.GJK_VeuWmd 4ZeDCnuszT6aVdPGBrFJ8FnjYc2U0rs-&zoomin=yes&BFKey= &mag=4&resize=s&cat=shop&trf=1#mapcontent

That's nice isn't it? An advertisement for a new years party in Charlotte, NC where there's a severe report of a fire.

I'm not sure that's a party I want to be going to if they're already reporting a fire and it's a couple of weeks away. Sounds like someone has something planned...

interesting application for cameras by incog8723 · 2004-12-19 08:39 · Score: 1

Dear parent,

The cameras are there not because of any DOT initiative, but because a virus from outer space infected the DOT workers who then got two jobs to pay for the camera infrastructure themselves, unbeknownst to any oversight panel.

But seriously, I think a really good application for cameras would be to have a video display on the side of the road, displaying traffic conditions at the the next exit. Ergo, to give you an opportunity to get off at the exit which is half a mile ahead of you. Would be incredibly expensive right now.. but maybe not in the future.

Cheers

Re:i want... by Bill_Royle · 2004-12-19 14:06 · Score: 1

I'm not complaining about marrying one! I'm just saying - it's just good karma to alert a single guy to clusters of blondes :)

Re:Real time traffic sensors on the road, thats ho by tonsofpcs · 2004-12-19 15:58 · Score: 1

The roads approaching the George Washington Bridge from New Jersey have those giant signs with yellow light bulbs in an array that tells you the time to the bridge tolls. They're always wrong, but they're there.

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Video Production Support

Long since been done... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-12-19 16:34 · Score: 0

This has been done a number of times already by several other people/companies, not least of which is the Evil Empire at this URL: MSN Autos - Traffic Reports Beware though, you may have to jump through all of the Passport crap to see it. This thing appears to update frequently and they even offer alerts to your Windows Messenger account including mobile devices.

Combine with ondemand Sat = RoadkillCam! by infonography · 2004-12-19 18:53 · Score: 1

Just wait till somebody used it to get High Resolution pics of Dead bodies from high orbit. What an amazing world we are about to live in.

--
Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23

why not just listen to the truckers? by garwain · 2004-12-20 01:47 · Score: 1

I purchased a small, cheap CB radio a while ago, and it's wonderful for finding out traffic conditions. Just listen in on the channels that the truckers usually chat on (19 is the main one in my area). Just this morning I heard one guy asking about a slowdown on the highway I take to work, so I immediatly cut across to the secondary road, and was at the office 25 minutes before a co-worker who travels the same section of that road.

You are soooo wrong. by lorcha · 2004-12-20 03:02 · Score: 1

This woman has personally saved me from hundreds of hours of sitting in the awful DC traffic. If she didn't scare me so much with her cheerful depictions of road carnage, I'd offer to to take her to lunch out of sheer gratitude.

Incidentally, I had never seen a picture of her before. She definitely has a face for radio. ;)

Be that as it may, her reports are the most accurate, timely, and informative of any traffic reporter I have ever heard. We're talking a precise location of each incident, the current delay in each direction, and which alternate routes are good or bad choices.

Lisa Baden is the queen of DC traffic, and to call her merely "accurate" would be insulting.

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Yahoo! Maps to Support Realtime Traffic

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