Give the police the ability to broadcast short range fm signals when required, on a recognised frequency (99.9fm or 91.1fm in the usa), to give specific updates to specific drivers.
I was stuck in a jam in glasgow at the weekend, the traffic was at a standstill for about 90 mins, and numerous phone calls to the folks yeilded no information as to the cause, waiting time etc.
Using this emergency channel, the police could have recorded regular updates (left to run on a loop), and drivers could tune in to find out what is going on.
Also, after this 90 mins of inactivity, they sent a couple of officers down the queue of cars, to tell every driver to turn around and drive back up the motorway in the wrong direction and off the on ramp. This all could have been orchestrated alot quicker using such a system.
Finally, using a variable strength signal, the broadcast could be tailored to individual circumstances, to incorporate as big an area as required.

Also, using existing technology, the broadcast could be treated as a traffic announcement, allowing most radios to tune in automatically.
-- MikeOliver, Mar 24 2004

Road Condition Information http://www.zetron.c...ish/realw/7050.html
Been done all over the US already. Here's one example. [Nitehawk, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

One such sign http://www.theradio...nion-beach-sign.gif
[waugsqueke, Oct 04 2004, last modified Oct 05 2004]

This is already in use all over the U.S. You tune to a certain AM frequency to hear about road conditions, though with stationary transmitters. Well baked. See [link].
-- Nitehawk, Mar 24 2004


If they really wanted to irk the drivers, the road condition broadcast could use those "on hold" messages.

"Thank you for using the M-5 Motorway, your car is very important to us. Cars will be released in the order they were queued. Your car will be released in 85 minutes."
-- GenYus, Mar 24 2004


Yep, commonplace here. You see signs with lights on them. "If light is flashing, tune to XXX AM radio for emergency information."
-- waugsqueke, Mar 24 2004


Hmmm, not sure if this is quite the same as i meant (having never heard anything like that her). I was meaning a mobile transmitter to be taken to the scene of accidents etc. to relay very specific information about such events, eg "there has been a crash, police are on the scene and expecting a delay of x minutes".
We do get traffic info, but it is generally just updates about certain areas (ie there is a queue at point a) relayed to the station from listeners who phone in. These links seem to be fixed signs offering information about set areas, whereas i was suggesting a standard, well known frequency that could be tuned into to get a) reliable information and b) relevent information (to a very specific area, i.e a mile or two around the problem).
Whadda you think?
-- MikeOliver, Mar 24 2004


As far as traffic accidents go, my favorite rock station does traffic reports all the time as do many other stations.
-- Nitehawk, Mar 25 2004



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