# Safer Roads



## mermaid (Jan 8, 2013)

Qoute

A futuristic highway that can save energy and improve road safety is set to be installed in the Netherlands by mid-2013. Two companies, Studio Roosegaarde and Heijmans Infrastructure, came up with the highway, which includes: glow-in-the-dark road markings painted with photo-luminescent paint which are charged during the day and light up during the night; temperature-responsive paint which indicates slippery roads when temperatures fall below zero; and interactive lights along the highway that light up as cars approach. Wind lights that light up using the draft produced by cars and priority induction lanes that can recharge electric cars as they run along them also feature.
The luminous road markings and weather indicating roads will debut in the Dutch province of Brabant in the middle of next year. The wind powered and interactive lights along with the induction lanes are also planned to go into service in the next years.


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## TWHRider (Jan 8, 2013)

Not a bad idea, I guess but I spent the first 50 years of my life on the OH/PA border and the bulk of the drivers back then were "Black Ice Savvy".  I made the 15 mile one way drive to work every winter for 17 years and honestly never saw an accident, unless a teen (they know everything ya know) was involved.

What would really be the epitome of safety would be for the idiots that text while driving to NOT text while driving. 

Second to that are the people that can't walk and chew gum at the same time, yet they're talking on their cell phones while driving.

It's a good thing I physically can't ride more than 30 minutes anymore as about the time one of those fools crashed into my truck and horse trailer while I was on my way to go trail riding, I'd be in jail because I'd probably shoot them with the gun I used to keep under my seat in case something did happen and I had to put a horse down.

That was the longest sentence I've ever written, but I really don't know where to put the period nor do I care - lol lol  I just know that texting and driving needs to be a jail sentence - I don't care who or how old that person is.  I'm sure I'm not the only one that knows some head-on-crash-and-kill stories from the county they live in.  When one lives in a small rural county, it's even more devastating as everyone is just about familiar with everyone.

Stepping down off the Text while Driving Rant Soap Box:butterfly:


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## SifuPhil (Jan 8, 2013)

I think that's a great idea for the Netherlands, but here in the States? 

As Mrs.Rider said, texting is one of the biggest devils we have. I would add to that the insane schedules that truckers have to keep, the display-screens in cars nowadays that beg you to play with them instead of just glance at them, the GPS toy hooked up on the dash that you keep frittering with, the loud music, the cars that are too powerful for their drivers, the loss of common courtesy on the road, people being in an awful hurry all the time ...

Those are a few of my favorite things ...


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## mermaid (Jan 8, 2013)

Texting whilst driving

This powerful ad was run in the UK a few years ago...and it still didn't stop people from texting. To see the damage caused to a human body after an RTA takes some getting used to for relatives... who have to deal with the aftermath of a few minutes lapse of concentration by their loved ones.

Texting and drink driving are my personal dislike.


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## Elzee (Jan 8, 2013)

I would think those 'snowflakes' on the road would be more distracting than helpful when indicating an icy patch. Also, if drivers get too used to all this techy help and then, drive on normal roads expecting the same techy help, they may end up causing more accidents. 

The glow in the dark line markers is a good idea or just bright yellow paint. There are many curbs and lines on roads that just need repainting with yellow paint.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 8, 2013)

Personally, when I become King of the World I'm going to make it MUCH more difficult to get - and keep - a driver's license. There will be REAL training and REAL tests that you WILL have to pass with flying colors. In addition psychological profiling, intelligence assessments and genetic typing will be necessary for ALL applicants. 

Oh, and ALL vehicles will have governors installed to limit speeds to 5mph under posted limits. Hey, if they can make glow-in-the-dark snowflakes then I can make smart cars that obey speed limits.

THEN you'll see the number of auto-related injuries and fatalities fall.


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 8, 2013)

I've seen people texting while driving all the time, and I hate it...they don't know how serious it is to take your eyes off the road for so long.  One teenager they showed on the Oprah show was video taped while she drove 75 miles an hour while texting and steering the car with her knees/thighs.  She said going higher speeds was much easier to control the car, and she was proud of her texting speed and expertise.  But...the video also showed her visiting the adjoining lanes. 

I don't even like those who have the cell stuck in their ear while driving, they're using one hand for sign language, like the other person is there with them, the other hand is holding a cigarette, forget about them using their turn signals...that's our problem.   Joining you on the soapbox, TWHRider, lol.  Really, it's scary nowadays with so many young people with these driving habits, someone with half a load on is probably safer. :very_drunk:


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## R. Zimm (Jan 8, 2013)

Well, won't the self driving cars that will be coming out in the next few years solve much of this? I was thinking just recently how nice it would be to sleep on the way to work or play my guitar or whatever. Traffic is really getting to annoy me lately.


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## SifuPhil (Jan 8, 2013)

R. Zimm said:


> Well, won't the self driving cars that will be coming out in the next few years solve much of this? I was thinking just recently how nice it would be to sleep on the way to work or play my guitar or whatever. Traffic is really getting to annoy me lately.



I would think it would be a boon, but then Anonymous will probably hack into the mainframe and old Mrs. Petuniabottom will be going 95 MPH in her Prius down Main Street ... 

... which, when you think about it, might actually be amusing! layful:


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## TWHRider (Jan 8, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> Oh, and ALL vehicles will have governors installed to limit speeds to 5mph under posted limits.



So how much will it cost me to bribe my way out of that one???  I STILL like to dump the clutch at the traffic light, just to show the smart alec kid in the next lane he "ain't as cute as he thinks he is"  -- unless of course I know I am really out-horsepowered, then I'll behave and keep eating my Sonic burgernthego:


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## SifuPhil (Jan 8, 2013)

TWHRider said:


> So how much will it cost me to bribe my way out of that one???  I STILL like to dump the clutch at the traffic light, just to show the smart alec kid in the next lane he "ain't as cute as he thinks he is"  -- unless of course I know I am really out-horsepowered, then I'll behave and keep eating my Sonic burgernthego:



WHAT?!? You're EATING while you're driving? And a Sonic burger, to boot?!?

... and you didn't get ME one? 

Now see, I don't know how multi-talented you are, but dumping the clutch while wolfing down a SuperSonic Bacon DoubleCheeseburger is just wrong, so terribly wrong! It's just ... 

... it IS a DOUBLE, right? With all the fixin's? 

... need a navigator? nthego:


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## SeaBreeze (Jan 8, 2013)

Here's a solar roadways plan...http://solarroadways.com/main.html


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## R. Zimm (Jan 10, 2013)

SifuPhil said:


> I would think it would be a boon, but then Anonymous will probably hack into the mainframe and old Mrs. Petuniabottom will be going 95 MPH in her Prius down Main Street ...



Well, DO NOT read the book "Robopocalypse" by Daniel H. Wilson! If you do you will NEVER buy a self powered car or have a domestic cleaning robot. And Slielberg is making the movie to be out early 2014!


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