Paul G. Allen wrote:
Richard Ernst wrote:
Hi all,
I found this so slick, I wanted everyone I know in SD to know about it
too in case it'll help 'em.
Free service from UCSD and Calit2(???) and KPBS. Can get free, up to
the minute traffic report via phone, or web, or email, or text message
to phone.
Check it out and see if it'll help you.
http://traffic.calit2.net/index.jsp
I really like the graphs that show when traffic is highest/lowest for
your commute. Can make a big difference for some folks.
Rich
I'd rather people keep their hands on the wheel, eyes and attention on
the road and cars (and motorcycles) immediately around them, rather than
worry about what might be 10-15 minutes down the road.
One more thing to have people using their cell phones for while driving.
Great. Guess I'd better get even more armor to wear when I ride the bike
and buy a tank when I want more than two wheels.
Now, if everyone could learn to use their phone responsibly (and drive
the same way), then I thinks it's a great service. Since people in
general can't drive and breath at the same time without great confusion,
then I don't think I like it.
PGA
It's not all bad. I don't have the graphic thingies on my cell phone.
And although I realize that the trend is *toward* graphical thingies on
the cell phones, this service *can* be used just audibly, on a level
just slightly below conversation. Try calling the toll free number.
It's really slick. If I have it on speed dial, I would barely even have
to look away from the road to dial it. (866-500-0977)
And if (while *not* on your bike) you find yourself stuck in traffic
that is not normal rush-hour traffic, then it would be really *really*
nice to know whether this blockage is 5 minutes more up the road or 45
minutes up the road. I still remember one time going southbound on 805
(on the hill just south of the 8) and seeing people on the northbound
side standing on top of their cars to try to get an idea of why they
hadn't even been moving. This toll free number may not help you in that
type of total gridlock, but if you're even inching along with an
opportunity to exit, and you know that this 5 mph traffic is backed up
for the next 3 or 4 miles (36 to 48 minutes), then you would know that
you might want to exit and go around. If you know that the blockage is
only a mile up the road, then another 12 minutes to get through it is
probably worth the wait.
I agree that stop and go traffic is *not* a good place to be studying a
visual map of the traffic problem.
--
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