Missouri will fire deafening 'sound cannons' at drivers to deter work zone speeding

[dmcowen674]

4-14-2014

http://www.theverge.com/2014/4/14/5...rad-sound-cannons-to-deter-work-zone-speeding

Missouri will fire deafening 'sound cannons' at drivers to deter work zone speeding

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Apparently the threat of a costly ticket isn't enough to slow down drivers passing through work zones on Missouri's highways, so the state is taking extreme measures to solve the dilemma. Missouri's Department of Transportation is preparing to deploy the LRAD sound cannon — a tool (some might say "weapon") that's been used to break up mass gatherings like Occupy Wall Street — to warn motorists that they're going too fast. The device emits a targeted, deafening siren that "easily penetrates the windshield and well-insulated cab of a car, even overriding the vehicle’s engine sounds and a radio turned up loud enough to jam to tunes at highway speeds."

Transportation officials claim that they provide an unmistakable alert about slower roadwork vehicles up ahead, and insist LRAD will only be directed at speeding drivers that haven't yet moved out of work lanes. Still, critics maintain that the ear-piercing nature of the alerts presents a clear danger in and of itself. LRAD's sirens can reach up to 153 decibels, more than enough to potentially cause hearing damage. This is technology that's been deployed in war zones, after all.

 

[dmcowen674]

Until it causes the first fatal wreck.

 

[MongGrel]

Until it causes the first fatal wreck.

Yep, looks a good way to start a lawsuit real real fast.

I'd have trouble even them being that dense, more likely PR BS.

 

[Jaskalas]

Just ask the NSA for everyone's mobile phone position. If you moved at X speed over a certain place, we know you're speeding. Case closed.

 

[mizzou]

seems like a good tool. drivers are too often oblivious to what goes on in front of them. It sounds like just loudspeaker to say "slow down". also, i dont hear people bitching about how loud tornado sirens are


one thought....could this fuck up the equilibrium of a motorcycle driver without a helmet on??

 

[mrjminer]

Pretty stupid and dangerous solution. Sounds more like them trying to get "revenge" on people more than trying to come up with a way to solve the problem that doesn't involve shooting unsuspecting passerby's on dangerous (in that if you go off the road in many places, you are going down 20+ feet straight or steep decline in lot of areas) stretches of highway with a noise cannon.

If it's really an issue, they should write more tickets. Or change the law from a ticket to 30 days in county. Or raise the fines. Or have the fines be incremental. Or require a class along with the ticket. Or do a better job of notifying drivers when they need to slow down. Etc.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Pretty stupid and dangerous solution. Sounds more like them trying to get "revenge" on people more than trying to come up with a way to solve the problem that doesn't involve shooting unsuspecting passerby's on dangerous (in that if you go off the road in many places, you are going down 20+ feet straight or steep decline in lot of areas) stretches of highway with a noise cannon.

If it's really an issue, they should write more tickets. Or change the law from a ticket to 30 days in county. Or raise the fines. Or have the fines be incremental. Or require a class along with the ticket. Or do a better job of notifying drivers when they need to slow down. Etc.

This is doing a better job of notifying drivers when they need to slow down and I like the immediacy of the warning.

 

[Ventanni]

I don't like the response of the government to get drivers to slow down. I think it's barbaric, and will not only potentially cause accidents, but damage people's hearing as a result. I have hearing loss, so I know what that's like, and it's not fun!

But at the same time, the core issue here is that drivers don't take the road laws seriously enough as a whole. If we want to ensure the government isn't firing sound cannons at us, then maybe we need to start thinking about making better decisions while driving on the highway. Road laws aren't a totalitarian thing, but the responsibility of following them rests on us.

Personal accountability. Ho-lee crap!

 

[Slew Foot]

Just getting the sheep ready for the real cannons

 

[Newell Steamer]

How many of you have been hit by one of these cannons??

 

[Matt1970]

How many of you have been hit by one of these cannons??

What did you say?

 

[Newell Steamer]

What did you say?

Yup, neither have I.

But, given how I should do as the Romans,..

I heard these cannons sterilze you and brand you with sub-sonic micro transponders that resonate a trackable frequency, which can be picked up from 3000 miles away,.. that's right, the White House wants to keep track of us. All of us. And, they are using the highways to tag us.

Notice how the speed limits have been lowered over the past 32 days? No? Of course not,.. damn sheeple.

 

[mrjminer]

This is doing a better job of notifying drivers when they need to slow down and I like the immediacy of the warning.

Historically:
One day long ago, a man had an idea. That idea was a sign.

Much further down the line, another man had an idea that signs should be used as an immediate way to warn people of things like "Work Zone Ahead" or "Reduced Speed Ahead," and to notify them of things like "Speed Limit: 50 MPH," "Work Zone Speed Limit: 35 MPH," and "Work Zone Begins: Penalty for speeding doubled." Even further down the line, another man had an idea that these signs could also be affixed to vehicles when the area to which the sign referred was mobile -- and further, that signs can also be used with something that produces what is typically referred to as "light" to produce an even better immediate way to warn people.

During this period of time, the police have been capable of deterring people from ignoring these new-fangled contraptions we know as "signs," potentially affixed with another new-fangled contraption known as "light," by forcing them to get off of the road and subjecting them to a variety of consequences.

Presently:
One day, a stupid man had the idea to project targeted sound waved up to 153 decibels instead of using signs, despite them carrying the risk of someone getting startled and losing control of their vehicle, or having their judgment impaired by their natural response to escape a piercing noise. The stupid man claimed this was for safety, but offered no explanation as to how it was safer than the use of "signs." He also didn't explain the operation, maintenance, installation, programming, public awareness, or training costs for these devices, but that's something that can be addressed in the future.

During this period of time, the police will still be capable of deterring people from ignoring these projected sound waves by forcing them to get off of the road and subjecting them to a variety of consequences.
--

And no, you aren't the stupid man. Whoever came up with this idea is the retard (and the politicians, which pretty much goes without saying)

 

[Scotteq]

153 db is more than enough to instantly cause permanent hearing loss. (160 will instantly destroy your eardrums)

That thing is a Weapon. I can't imagine this surviving a legal challenge.