But What Happens When Speeding Revenues Plummet?
Canada.com reports that Transport Canada has concluded a pilot study of a GPS-based speed governing system that may intervene to cut throttle inputs in speeding cars based on their location. T-Can researcher Paul Boase breaks it down: "The technology has the ability of just saying, OK the posted speed limit is 50, so we'll let you go 55, that's it". Though the vehicle could be fitted to any new vehicle, Boase suggests its primary application should be for repetitive speeders who need a little "help" maintaining a safe cruising speed. So… what about those rare moments when breaking the law is actually the safer thing to do? What if an emergency vehicle comes up behind you? What if you need to speed to duck out of the way of someone who has crossed over the median? What if you're driving a woman in labor to the hospital? A manual override makes the device useless, but no override makes its dangerous. Nevertheless, the idea grabbed the attention of the Alberta's transportation ministry, which is highly interested in the research.
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The only time I see an ambulance speeding with his lights/siren and running red lights is when they are going to get lunch around here, cops too. As soon as they pull into the Wendy's or Country buffet parking lot they turn off everything park and mosey on out. And don't get me started about the college football player busses with 6 police escorts running red lights and doing 60 mph in town.
I really had to drive my wife to the hospital quickly. My son was born about an hour after we got there. But I didn't put my wife in danger by driving too fast. This attempt at creating fear "ZOMG teh baby!" is really offensive to those of us who have actually been in that situation. I took extra good care of my car in those last few weeks of pregnancy. Kept the fuel up, kept the tires inflated, kept the insurance and registration up to date. Now I'll add "don't get caught speeding repeatedly" to the list.
Nonce... You shoulda just slammed on the breaks, your son would have just popped right out!
One of the absolutely stupidest things I ever did, 25 years ago, was race our three-year-old daughter to the hospital, five miles away, after she'd accidentally scalded herself. My wife had already done the intelligent thing of putting the arm under cold water, etc. but I had to be the big guy and head for the hospital at 99 in our Saab 99. Almost lost it halfway there, on a moderate bend at the bottom of a long downhill. Got the the hospital thoroughly shaken, and spent 20 minutes doing the paperwork before they even let us in.