Speed Warning Device

almillar

I'm not knocking sat navs per se but I really wish that there was some sort of device which would gather data multiple pieces of information from just in front of the vehicle as well as further afield then process it, then not only react to last minute events but would anticipate changes before you get to them....

Your eyes? A camera? Something that can see around corners or through fog?

StripeyMiata

ado wrote: »

I'm not knocking sat navs per se but I really wish that there was some sort of device which would gather data multiple pieces of information from just in front of the vehicle as well as further afield then process it, then not only react to last minute events but would anticipate changes before you get to them....

Closest to that that exists at the minute is the Waze App - https://www.waze.com

I use it every day for my commute for that reason, as I know where I'm going

Stoke

StripeyMiata wrote: »

Closest to that that exists at the minute is the Waze App - https://www.waze.com

I use it every day for my commute for that reason, as I know where I'm going

My Head unit has TMC which I've now been using for the last 2 years. I've noticed a big improvement in TMC recently which I plumbed into my car using the stock aerial and an antenna booster. This gives me between 70% and 100% reception at all times (biggest complaint about TMC is no reception).

I'm not keen on online traffic which my head unit also supports. I find that it pulls down about a thousand traffic events and a huge percentage of those are either fake, expired or grossly exaggerated (i.e. offers to re-route a few miles to avoid a simple set of temporary lights).

IamNotAllowedToUseMyName

Stoke wrote: »

My Head unit has TMC which I've now been using for the last 2 years. I've noticed a big improvement in TMC recently which I plumbed into my car using the stock aerial and an antenna booster. This gives me between 70% and 100% reception at all times (biggest complaint about TMC is no reception).

I'm not keen on online traffic which my head unit also supports. I find that it pulls down about a thousand traffic events and a huge percentage of those are either fake, expired or grossly exaggerated (i.e. offers to re-route a few miles to avoid a simple set of temporary lights).

I've got TMC and my view is that you have to judge it by what you see around you (much like speed warnings!). About a month ago it put me around the M40 pile-up without significant delay. This Sunday it reported the M5 blocked near Gordano services and had a lovely reroute along the A38 and even when I was on the "blockage" it was offering a 30 minute diversion. As gantries were waffling on about the A14 (yes, in Bristol the closest thing of interest was in Derby) I suspected I could ignore it and sailed through while I had notice quite a few cars making a late dive off the motorway.

In the past I've been rerouted by TomTom around the M25 to avoid a blockage only to be brought back on at the junction where the M25 was closed - I suspected that the system was using automatically measured traffic flow and was confused by zero traffic flowing. I've also been rerouted by TMC to a place 400 yards before the roadworks, which turned out to be a one way restriction, not affecting me.

So I have trust issues with SatNavs!

Stoke

IanMSpencer wrote: »

I've got TMC and my view is that you have to judge it by what you see around you (much like speed warnings!). About a month ago it put me around the M40 pile-up without significant delay. This Sunday it reported the M5 blocked near Gordano services and had a lovely reroute along the A38 and even when I was on the "blockage" it was offering a 30 minute diversion. As gantries were waffling on about the A14 (yes, in Bristol the closest thing of interest was in Derby) I suspected I could ignore it and sailed through while I had notice quite a few cars making a late dive off the motorway.

In the past I've been rerouted by TomTom around the M25 to avoid a blockage only to be brought back on at the junction where the M25 was closed - I suspected that the system was using automatically measured traffic flow and was confused by zero traffic flowing. I've also been rerouted by TMC to a place 400 yards before the roadworks, which turned out to be a one way restriction, not affecting me.

So I have trust issues with SatNavs!

I've only followed my TMC advice on a few occasions. I sometimes use it on the way to work to let me know whether the A500 or A50 is blocked. That can be a nightmare.

It was worth the hours worth of electrical hackery to make it work properly though. Biggest problem with TMC is often due to the signal issues.

londonTiger

if you're constantly going over the speed limit without realising you need to be driving 1 gear down than what you are currently driving.

BeenThroughItAll

londonTiger wrote: »

if you're constantly going over the speed limit without realising you need to be driving 1 gear down than what you are currently driving.

What? So because I inadvertently managed to do 80MPH on the M62 yesterday I should drive everywhere on motorways in 4th?

Get a !!!!ing grip.

AdrianC

Not to mention that the OP's problem isn't sticking to 40, but knowing that 40 IS the limit in the first place.

cajef

londonTiger wrote: »

if you're constantly going over the speed limit without realising you need to be driving 1 gear down than what you are currently driving.

That is going to do their petrol consumption a lot of good.:T
LT strikes again:eek:

marleyboy

londonTiger wrote: »

if you're constantly going over the speed limit without realising you need to be driving 1 gear down than what you are currently driving.

That does not necessarily work in all scenarios.

My Car will scream at me in 3rd Gear if I am doing 30mph, insisting it wants to do it in 4th. All makes of cars are different in the respect of what gear they are happy with.

On saying this, if the speedo isn't enough to tell me I am speeding, there is this instinctive feel when driving. I guess over time you know the difference between 30 or 40mph as well as 70 - 80mph as you drive.

If your unsure exactly how fast you are going, you can easily double check on that big dial, conveniently placed in such a position as to see it at a glance if you need to.