Satellites to issue speeding tickets

[TxKimberMan]

April 22, 2010
Satellites to issue speeding tickets from space
Posted: 03:14 PM ET

From our content partner Mashable:

UK drivers had better stay under that speed limit, because the traffic authorities are watching… from outer space. According to The Telegraph, an American company called PIPS Technology has developed a system that uses two cameras on the ground and one mounted on a satellite in orbit to catch speeders.

The system - called “SpeedSpike” - figures your average speed between two points, captures an image of your license plate and reports you if you’re going faster than the law allows. Oh, and if you’re hoping Great Britain’s notoriously gray weather will save you, you’re out of luck; the system works even when it’s cloudy or dark.

SpeedSpike will be tested in two places: the London borough of Southwark, and along the A374 between Torpoint and Anthony in Cornwall. If the trial is successful, the tech may be used to enforce speed limits near schools, to reduce the need for speed bumps, and for “main road enforcement for traffic reduction.”

And I thought red light cameras were a pain...

[Outbreaker]

Same could be done with the "EZTAG" toll tags.

[WildBill]

Just what we need, an eye in the sky.

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Some American rental cars have been fitted with a GPS
which reports to the rental car's computers.

If you speed in your rental car, you will pay some serious
surcharges when you turn it in.

Everybody's got their hands on our wallets, eh? Sheesh.

SIA

[stroo]

This is really getting to be like Big Brother.

[Medic218]

seems a little far fetched to mornitor ones speed with a satellite.
but then again who knows...

[particle]

Seems pretty unrealistic to me. Let's say you have a satellite up there monitoring school zones. How many cameras would have to be installed on a satellite to cover one school district? Seems like a colossal waste of money, especially if the tax payers are footing the bill. It'd be cheaper just to install toll-tag type check-points along the road or mount them on stoplights - pass from point A to point B too quickly, and you get a ticket.

No, I don't support the toll-tag system, but if they were serious about cracking down on speeding, that would be a pretty effective & automated way to do it!

I love the signs that say "radar enforced". Really? Was it necessary to waste the money on that sign? What do they measure speed with everywhere else? "one-thousand-one, one-thousand-two, one-thousand...."????

[cowboymd]

Must be some hefty fines for speeding to justify the cost of a satellite.

[Fangs]

I've heard of them using helicopters in some states... this doesn't seem that far fetched. Doesn't mean I like it though.

[cougartex]

Someone is always watching.

[williamkevin]

April 22, 2010
Satellites to issue speeding tickets from space
Posted: 03:14 PM ET

From our content partner Mashable:

UK drivers had better stay under that speed limit, because the traffic authorities are watching… from outer space. According to The Telegraph, an American company called PIPS Technology has developed a system that uses two cameras on the ground and one mounted on a satellite in orbit to catch speeders.

The system - called “SpeedSpike” - figures your average speed between two points, captures an image of your license plate and reports you if you’re going faster than the law allows. Oh, and if you’re hoping Great Britain’s notoriously gray weather will save you, you’re out of luck; the system works even when it’s cloudy or dark.

SpeedSpike will be tested in two places: the London borough of Southwark, and along the A374 between Torpoint and Anthony in Cornwall. If the trial is successful, the tech may be used to enforce speed limits near schools, to reduce the need for speed bumps, and for “main road enforcement for traffic reduction.”

And I thought red light cameras were a pain...

I just don't see how they could make this system work. The only imagery technology that I am aware of that can see through clouds or when it's dark would be Synthetic Aperture Radar. I wouldn't think the resolution would be good enough. Also, I don't think a moving target can actually be tracked with a satellite.

[puma guy]

Just what we need, an eye in the sky.

Beam me up, Scotty!

[Fangs]

They have 2 cameras on the ground too... the only thing I could see them even needing the satellite for would be the internet connection for the ground cameras to upload their data to.