Getting out of speeding tickets using a combination of savvy, hustle, gumption and sheer dumb luck might be on its way out thanks to Cordon, new radar system that tracks with Terminator-like accuracy tracking dozens of cars — and their licence plates — at a time.
Cordon can simultaneously track 32 vehicles across four lanes, and automatically generates images of both the vehicle and a close-up of the licence plate. It’s got integrated IR spotlights to scope out your plates at night and automatically detects bus-only lane violations by cross-referencing your licence plate with which lane you’re in. It stores the data on an onboard SD card, but it can also sync to central databases over wireless networks. Basically, it’s a speeder’s worst nightmare.
Apparently Cordon isn’t coming to North America until early 2012, but a sampling of the comments of the above video (e.g. “this is why I f**king hate the world!”) might prove this to be the least popular amazing technological achievement ever. [Peak Gain Systems via Engadget]
Michael
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:35 AMBut when is it coming to Australia? I want to know that so I can prepare myself. Not for the speeding fines, but from all the morons who speed through the publically avaliable locations of speed cameras who will bitch to the newspapers about it being revenue raising.
If you want to stick it to the man, don’t speed. That will stuff them
Sam D
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:43 AMI used to agree with you, but when they dropped the limit to 3km/h in Victoria (from 10%), they lost me.
John
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:56 AMAnd me. Speeding is now defined as exceeding the posted speed limit by any amount – which fails to take into account factors – mostly outside the control of the driver – that can cause you to exceed a speed limit while still believing you are complying with the law.
This current (and future) rigid focus on speeding is not doing anyone any favours – except the state governments revenue. All that the huge numbers of speeders currently being caught prove is that speeding is not intrinsically dangerous – not in the way that drink driving for example is dangerous.
Anthony
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:59 AMand don’t tell me 3% is enough to account for tyre wear, speedo inaccuracy, calibration error etc etc. If they put as much effort into policing mobile phone use, tailgating, drink/drug driving and other just as common but far more dangerous driving offences, the roads would be much safer.
Speeding is just a really easy way to raise revenue. I wish I could invest in speed camera’s to secure my retirement. They are literally a license to print money when used with such low tolerance levels.
Stew
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:21 AMAgreed. Speeding is the easiest thing to police & raise money off, but certainly not the most dangerous.
Driving tired, driving drunk or on drugs, driving angry, morons changing lanes without indicating or shoulder checking, tailgating, not modifying behaviour in the wet, too inexperienced or too old.
With automated systems, there’s no way to take into consideration things like speedo inaccuracy, tyre wear, human error blipping the accelerator at the wrong time, and other factors like how doing the traffic speed is safer than doing the speed limit.
I’d much prefer people to drive/ride safely with their full attention on the road – instead of constantly checking their speedo ever few seconds to make they’re not a whole deadly 3km over the limit.
red t-rex
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 8:06 PMSo basically you are all proving @Michael right. This is the most avoidable government charge. They lowered the threshold as technology got better with a lower margin of error combined with the fact that everyone allowed for this tolerance and would travel at 68 in a 60 zone. If you were actually concerned about the fines you would travel under the speed limit, say 57 in a 60 zone then you have nothing to worry about. It is after all a speed limit not a speed average or recommended speed. You can travel under the limit but trying to stay exactly on the limit gives you no margin for error.
Your countering argument will probably be along the lines of “but it will be dangerous as everyone else will be speeding around me”. If you think you have to speed like a lot of other people to be safer then there is something seriously wrong with you.
If you choose to exceed the limit then you pay the price. It’s not like you don’t know what you are doing. Accept the consequences of your actions and move on. Stop blaming everyone else. If you like to speed then take it where it belongs to a racetrack.
I hope that the technologogy gets cheaper so that they can put them on every intersection and street. I know the fines I will receive will be very little.
John
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 9:57 AMWell, you’re apparently happy to let the government off the hook as they pursue profit over safety by rigidly enforcing what is probably one of the minor contributors to the road toll – but others aren’t happy to bend over and take it for the team.
If speed cameras worked the road toll should have plummeted – they don’t and it hasn’t (though the government is happy to claim otherwise, supported by chumps like you).
Stew
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 10:53 AMI am so glad my motorbike only has a rear licence plate.
Colin
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:01 AMfor now…
Stew
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:22 AMIt was proposed & it was canned. I hope it stays canned.
Scott
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7:50 PMhttp://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/police-call-for-e-tags-to-catch-speeding-bikies/story-fn7x8me2-1226169081446
wsDK_II
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:20 AMim glad my number plate is always dirty (i drive my car though mud and ensure that everything on the bottom half of the car is muddy including both number plates).
i can drive at a speed which is appropriate for the road conditions (above or under the limit) and i dont have to worry about Big Brother raping my wallet.
when the cops pull me over (only 2 times in 3 years so far) i just say im coming back from a trip up the mountains :)
maddogeco
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:12 AMI’ve said it before. Nothing good can come from image recognition software
Lox
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:15 AMI thought this tech was in police cars in Aus already?
james
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:16 AMMore revenue raising tactics, great.
Car manufactures are making car that can handle high speeds with ease, adding more saftey features and effeciency. The ‘high’ speed limits were set many many years ago when cars had horrible handling and not up to todays standards.
in the end it’s all revnue raising.
“i should sell my performance car and become a murderer, i’d get less hassle from the police let alone get away with being one since they are more busy doing more ‘important things…”
np
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 11:53 AMJust do what they do in the UK & Thailand. Set fire to them. And when they replace them; set fire to them again. Always surprised this never took off here in Australia. We will put up with anything (thats why councils and governments abuse us with over priced fines and ridiculous rates).
Stew
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 12:04 PMThe slow, seething anger arising from seeing where you live becoming more & more of a nanny state may very well lead to something like this.
Once things like this are accepted & in place, it’s so hard to go back.
james
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 12:11 PM+1. seen a few vids on youtube of ‘revenue camera burning’ the feeling you get from watching them is so damn satisfying, that i wish it happend more often. People need to start taking actin instead of twiddling their thumbss
Mugget
Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 2:34 PMPokies and speed cameras – same affect on the road toll.
MaZ
Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 11:49 AMThere was a car towards the end that did not get tagged. yea a very good system :/
Paul
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 12:49 PMI live near the Mascot area, and no one obeys the speed limit there. They’re all speeding to get where ever it is they need to be doing 60 in 50 zones, doing 80-85 in a 70 zone just to get to east gardens or where ever. I say they should impose more on those dick heads.
I ride a motorcycle, I fear for my life with these wank stains on the road, P platers, Full license holders, they’re all a bunch of impatient F***s.
Paul
Thursday, November 3, 2011 at 12:50 PMIf you’re doing the right thing, who cares how many of these they put up. You won’t get caught, the idiots will.