D.C. Commuters to be Scanned With Infrared Cameras 452
owlgorithm writes "Washington, D.C. area commuters are going to be "scanned like groceries at the supermarket" in order to catch single-occupant vehicles who are illegally using carpool lanes. The article, from the Washington Post, says that infrared cameras capable of detecting human skin will be installed, rather than the visible-spectrum cameras in use today. So much for using dummies in the front seat."
I'd almost bet some money... (Score:4, Informative)
...that a few things will happen:
1. Burqa-wearing folk will have a field day.
2. Some ninny will don tin-foil to jack with the system. He/she will later collapse from heat.
or
3. Some enterprising yob will try to create a heated, moving dummy. This will culminate in a video shot on the news: "Flaming Car Of Doom in a HOV lane near you....film at 11!"
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Informative)
Re:More seriously, that's not what HOV lanes are f (Score:4, Informative)
I hope this clears things up.
And to be serious, I don't know what the specific law is in Virginia, Maryland, or Washington, DC, for HOV/HOT lanes. But the idea, purpose, and principle is what I said above, not for someone to be able to get somewhere faster or more conveniently because they have a child with them.
Hmm (Score:5, Informative)
Do children and infants count as passengers?
Yes. All states with HOV facilities count children and infants as passengers.
Why do children count as passengers in the HOV lane?
The main law governing HOV lane use is WAC 468-510-010. This law merely states "occupants." HOVs may therefore include passengers who are not licensed drivers. These can include senior citizens, people with disabilities, and children as well as other people who do not, or can not, obtain a drivers license for various reasons.
HOVs with non-licensed passengers do not always help to remove cars from traffic. However, one of the Department's considerations in determining HOV eligibility policy is the degree to which the policy will be enforceable by the State Patrol. It can already be challenging to accurately determine how many occupants are in a vehicle. It would be much more difficult, and more expensive, to additionally be required to determine occupant age or licensing status. Another consideration is that carpools are sometimes driven by parents or caretakers who transport groups of children to activities. This does keep additional vehicles off the road.
http://www.rtc.wa.gov/Studies/Archive/hov/faq.htm#Q12 [wa.gov]
Why are people with children allowed to use the HOV lane?
HOV policies everywhere have allowed children to be counted as occupants of a carpool to meet the necessary occupancy requirement. While children may not be of driving age, there are two major reasons that we allow people with children to use the HOV lane: school and day care responsibilities and the idea of educating our children regarding ridesharing. Often, it is difficult to drop kids off at day care, drive to a park-and-ride, catch the bus, and get to work on time. Allowing parents to bring their kids along with them in the carpool, or on the bus, gives them an opportunity to use the HOV lane. This also keeps enforcing the lane very simple: two or more people per car.
Re:Politicians flunk physics again (Score:3, Informative)
Here is some backup data... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:More seriously, that's not what HOV lanes are f (Score:3, Informative)
I car-pool to work every day, and it pisses me off to no end when single occupant vehicles use the HOV lane, but then, I'm an asshole so I like to report them. The driver doesn't get cited, but he does get a nasty-gram through the mail courtesy of WSP.
Roman Grammar Nazi to the Rescue (Score:3, Informative)
I knew all that my latin in highschool would be useful for something. I just never dared to hope it would be something as important as correcting trivial errors on Slashdot!
Here goes:
Habius might a singular genitive of an irregular noun, or a masculine second family nominate noun, but either way, it isn't "habeas" which is a subjunctive 2nd person singular verb meaning "may you have" [the body].
That felt great. Hail Caesar!
Re:More seriously, that's not what HOV lanes are f (Score:1, Informative)
Re:More seriously, that's not what HOV lanes are f (Score:3, Informative)
-jcr
Slug Lines (Score:5, Informative)
This makes a whole lot more sense because it actually reduces the number of cars on the road. The HOV lanes are silly anyway, they need a Metro Bus system that doesn't scare away everyone but those with no choice. Or maybe better Metro (light rail) and VRE (commuter train) access. To get to a train station in northern Virginia, you usually have to drive fifteen minutes away from the interstate, through twisty two lane roads, four way stops, and even G^d d*mned subdivisions with 15MPH limits. Every day after work, people huddle near the train doors as it stops, and run to their cars to get out of the parking lot as fast as they can. Few have the luxury of being the first to wait in traffic on the main road or interstate while the rest curse the stupid road planning for what would otherwise be a perfect alternative to spending three hours driving thirty miles up the interstate.
Re:No more HOV (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Definitely not a new violation of rights (Score:4, Informative)
Dunno about you, but my home has heat insulation in the walls. And in any case, infrared is only slightly more penetrating that visible light, so it couldn't be used for seeing through opaque objects anyway.
Re:Definitely not a new violation of rights (Score:4, Informative)
Actually, it's the prevention of the passage of infrared waves which causes the greenhouse effect. Light enters through the glass and is absorbed into various surfaces, which heat up as a result; the warm surfaces radiate the heat away in infrared radiation, but if the glass doesn't let them through, they rebound and are reabsorbed back into the surfaces. Since energy keeps entering the system in the form of visual light, but can't exit, the system heats up.
Re:But.... (Score:3, Informative)
Easy solution. Ever cooked a brat or a potato in the microwave? Just grab a fork and poke a few holes in the body and that'll let out the steam. No kaboom. Simple. Now, if you want to keep from even having to do that, just remove all the body fluids and replace them with buckwheat and rice. That way when you nuke it you can also pull the body's arm around your neck for a nice heating pad on the way to work. Enjoy!
Re:Definitely not a new violation of rights (Score:2, Informative)
If you are driving too fast to comply with traffic regulations such as stopping for a light, then regardless of condition, regardless of posted speed limits, you are speeding.
You still deserve a ticket.