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Speed Control

To hopefully stop people from "accidentally" speeding...
  (+6, -3)
(+6, -3)
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There should be a small control panel on the dash board of cars that will allow the driver to input a maximum speed. The car will then not be able to travel over that speed limit, helping to keep things under control. It wouldn't take long, just reach your left hand over, type in a '35' for example, and hit the enter. Bam. Not matter how hard you press on the gas, the car can't exceed the speed.

This would be especially helpful to us new drivers who accidentally press too hard on the gas pedal...

heroofmight, Apr 15 2005

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       I kind of wish they had a pedal tension adjustment knob set by speed limit.
If you set the knob to 45, you can go faster than 45, but you have to push much harder.
I think this would allow you to just rest your foot against the tension point acting as a sort of cruise control you can use in heavy traffic.
Zimmy, Apr 15 2005
  

       <obiligatory "just use cruise control" comment>

I think I like [Zimmy]'s idea more, there's safety issues with not being able to speed up. Then again, I like poor safety issues.
AfroAssault, Apr 15 2005
  

       With [Zimmy]'s mod, I like it.
phundug, Apr 15 2005
  

       Put in rear seat of cab to control to control cabbies max speed.
Widgit, Apr 16 2005
  

       That's an interesting variation, Widgit. My only defence so far is to fall asleep, and whatever happens, happens.   

       But how could one control the cabbie who insists on continuously working the accelerator pedal up and down, even for open road steady speed motoring? I was a pale shade of white, and feeling quite unwell, when I got out of one recently.
Ling, Apr 16 2005
  

       No problem sir! If GPS is installed with a mapping system and ummmm satellite observation of cars ahead (or tap into progressive cruise control radar) why then the system would know if these gyrations in pedal work are needed and can dampen your spasmodic cabbie automatically. I also suggest not tipping!
Widgit, Apr 16 2005
  

       No, the only resorts I have are to either change taxi or improve my local language so I can say the equivalent of "Do you mind not jumping up and down on the F***ing accelerator pedal?".
I suspect that drivers who have this annoying driving habit probably don't realise it.
Not tipping is an action which is too late.
  

       Perhaps throwing up in the back seat might be a subtle enough hint.
Ling, Apr 16 2005
  

       I usually tip more when I get a crazy driver. Much more fun.
AfroAssault, Apr 16 2005
  

       [Ling] Stop the cab and get out.
david_scothern, Apr 27 2005
  

       A very similar idea exists today- my Audi comes with 2 speed monitors that start beeping and blinking when I go over the speed I set for 5-10 seconds.   

       One of the speed monitors can be set and canceled while moving and the other can only be set and canceled when the car is parked and the engine is off- I have this set to 140 Km/h which is about 40 Km/h over the speed limit in Canada.   

       Audi does mention in the owner's manual that the monitors cannot regulate the speed meaning that if you choose to continue to speed, the car will let you do so (while beeping which is very annoying I can tell you that)...
Sprokets, Apr 28 2005
  

       It's a good idea [heroofmight] but if it became widely available it wouldn't be long before governments started to make it compulsory to:
a) Fit the speed control device and
b) Set it to the legal max speed.
  

       You're then reliant on said government to set reasonable speed limits. Witness the laughable 55mph limit prevalent in much of the States, or the 70mph on UK motorways as evidence that they're too often set way too low.   

       Also, how would you adjust the speed control for varying speed limits? To reach over and adjust mid-drive would cause a lapse in concentration as dangerous as speeding itself. Might need some sort of wireless comm. with speed zones but you're then back in the compulsory speed control measure section, which I cannot bring myself to endorse. It's worth looking at though, since I think speeding in areas with lower limits (ie. heavily populated urban) is likely to be more dangerous than speeding on maximally limited highways.   

       Good idea I say but t'would be coopted by the dark powers of Boredom & Nannying so I'm afraid I can't bun.
DocBrown, Apr 29 2005
  

       Philosophically, why dont cars communicate? When I see a hazard (aka cop) I want to alert others. Its the trust part that kills this idea. Why not like filesharing?
carterson2, Aug 09 2006
  
      
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