| Tuesday, January 12 2010 |
Smrt!
This is just brilliant.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) will issue a final rule next month that will force states to spend an estimated $1.2 billion to implement the “511″ traffic information hotline championed by former Vice President Al Gore. So far, thirty-two states have established telephone numbers that provide callers with pre-recorded traffic updates. The rule will standardize the data formats and required features that will apply to all the states, beginning with coverage in the top-fifty metropolitan areas.
Beyond 511, the new federal rule will force states to offer real-time traffic information already being provided by a number of companies including Google, Yahoo!, Clear Channel, Westwood One and Navteq. These firms distribute high-quality traffic information to the Internet, 2400 radio stations, 170 television stations and countless GPS units and mobile phones throughout the country.
So, let me get this straight. A perfectly workable service that is already being distributed by a billion and five private companies, and generally in considerably more useful formats than a frickin'
phone number isn't good enough, no. We need to build a system, using a pile of taxpayer money, that doesn't work as well and causes even
more bloody morons to crash into each other because they can't drive and use a cell phone at the same bloody time.
And, of course, we'll need to post up a few zillion more
signs to alert people to this new service that doesn't work as well as something they already probably have built into the radio or navigation system of their frappin' car.
When I come to power, I will have very few, simple instructions for all arms of government. One of which will be: If Al Gore suggested it,
do not do it.
Guh.
posted by Mr. Lion
@
14:08 hours | comments
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