GPS System to Help Emergency Vehicles

N.McCormick

Hi guys just looking for some feedback from emergency services personnell about a project I'm involved in in college. A part of the idea involves basically a software package to train people how to respond to emergency services when they meet them on the road.

The sat nav would alert road users to a responding vehicle approaching them and would give directions as to how to react. eg. "Emergency vehicle approaching, please keep left/do not enter right lane." etc.

The project is in the very early stages so I haven't got huge detail. I am aware that a company in the US is designing similar software but I just wanted to see what the reaction would be to introducing a system like it in Ireland.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

pa990

if it involves emergency vehicles having to install extra equipment to alert other devices ie. SWS , i cant see it happening.

in the USA very few vehicles were ever fitted with SWS or Safety Alert



SWS was/is a system to alert radar detector users of approaching emergency vehicles and of other road hazards

audidiesel

i think it would be a great idea. sadly it wouldnt make it in the guards anyways. we cant even get a normal sat nav, never mind any kind of transmitting device.

Zambia

I thought there was one out already that just said. 'Brake Brake oh Jesus Brake'

audidiesel

Zambia wrote: »

I thought there was one out already that just said. 'Brake Brake oh Jesus Brake'

i disconnect that when im in the money seat

Paulzx

N.McCormick wrote: »

Hi guys just looking for some feedback from emergency services personnell about a project I'm involved in in college. A part of the idea involves basically a software package to train people how to respond to emergency services when they meet them on the road.

The sat nav would alert road users to a responding vehicle approaching them and would give directions as to how to react. eg. "Emergency vehicle approaching, please keep left/do not enter right lane." etc.

The project is in the very early stages so I haven't got huge detail. I am aware that a company in the US is designing similar software but I just wanted to see what the reaction would be to introducing a system like it in Ireland.

Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

If you're doing this solely as a project for college fire ahead.

If you're doiing this with a view to a commercial venture and its going to cost you money on devolpment i wouldn't bother your arse.

There is not a spare penny at to be had at the moment for day to day running costs within most emergency services. What you propose hasn't a hope in hell being used if there is any sort of cost factor involved.

Sorry to put a downer on it

Zambia

Just so we are clear OP

Your idea is for a GPS like a tom tom that has some way of Warning a driver when a Emergency vehicle is approaching then instructing them what to do.

The fact is everyone should already know what to do. Its in the rules of the road. Everyone should know what's behind them if they see a ES Vehicle with Blues on pull over safely and let it by.

No device can predict what the best course of action is because it cant account for traffic condition road/lane closures. It cant tell what the ES driver is intending.

Your idea in short has to many unknown variables to be programmable.

In a lot of cases people know this and do so however there is always one when a ES vehicle is flying up behind them will be faced with a choice.

1: Pull into left lane
2: Pull onto right grass verge
3: Slam on Brakes and expect Es Veh to fly over me.

Will choose Option 3

Paulzx

Zambia wrote: »

Just so we are clear OP

.

In a lot of cases people know this and do so however there is always one when a ES vehicle is flying up behind them will be faced with a choice.

1: Pull into left lane
2: Pull onto right grass verge
3: Slam on Brakes and expect Es Veh to fly over me.

Will choose Option 3

Some will actually do all three.


That's when things get interesting:eek:

I thought we had something already? They're called lights and sirens! How about a project to make people aware of them?

N.McCormick

Yes this is purely for college, it's not going to be a commercial venture of any kind!


I found this company in the USA earlier today that are developing software just like it: http://www.911eta.com/

I know that people should know exactly what to do when an ES vehicle comes up behind them but this is just an extra feature which may help drivers and ES crews, particularly drivers who may not be very experienced at driving. We're only starting off with the project as I said so there's still a good bit of work to be done on research etc.

One aspect in particular where we thought it would be useful is that it would warn you in advance, before you see the ES so that it gives you extra time to consider your options and how to get out of the way.

N.McCormick

N.McCormick wrote: »

Yes this is purely for college, it's not going to be a commercial venture of any kind!


I found this company in the USA earlier today that are developing software just like it: http://www.911eta.com/

I know that people should know exactly what to do when an ES vehicle comes up behind them but this is just an extra feature which may help drivers and ES crews, particularly drivers who may not be very experienced at driving. We're only starting off with the project as I said so there's still a good bit of work to be done on research etc.

One aspect in particular where we thought it would be useful is that it would warn you in advance, before you see the ES so that it gives you extra time to consider your options and how to get out of the way.

It's kinda pandering to the stupid though. People just need to cop on to whats around them on the road, not just es vehicles. Plenty can't even cope with road markings.

challengemaster

Zambia wrote: »

Just so we are clear OP

Your idea is for a GPS like a tom tom that has some way of Warning a driver when a Emergency vehicle is approaching then instructing them what to do.

The fact is everyone should already know what to do. Its in the rules of the road. Everyone should know what's behind them if they see a ES Vehicle with Blues on pull over safely and let it by.

Erm... if possible then it'll help surely, but you're not obliged to move out of the way - and if you cause an accident by doing so then you've no defense.

Zambia

challengemaster wrote: »

Erm... if possible then it'll help surely, but you're not obliged to move out of the way - and if you cause an accident by doing so then you've no defense.

Are you sure ? Here in Victoria it would cost you dearly

Note Victorian State Law Not Irish legislation

(1) A driver must give way to a police vehicle,
emergency vehicle, enforcement vehicle or escort
vehicle that is displaying a flashing blue, red or
magenta light (whether or not it is also displaying
other lights) or sounding an alarm.

Penalty: 5 penalty units.

challengemaster

Zambia wrote: »

Are you sure ? Here in Victoria it would cost you dearly

Note Victorian State Law Not Irish legislation

There's no specific law that says you must give way to ES vehicles. Most people will anyway if it's possible, but the fact that you can be held accountable if you do move out of the way and something happens is counter-productive IMO.

Bang Bang

Zambia wrote: »

1: Pull into left lane
2: Pull onto right grass verge
3: Slam on Brakes and expect Es Veh to fly over me.

Will choose Option 3

Option 3, I love it, oh how often we see that one, even in the outside lanes of dual carriageways and motorways:eek:

wreckless

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1108/1224307208449.html

Bosh

foreign wrote: »

It's kinda pandering to the stupid though. People just need to cop on to whats around them on the road, not just es vehicles. Plenty can't even cope with road markings.

And your point is, given Irish driving standards???

In an ideal world...

Bosh

challengemaster wrote: »

Erm... if possible then it'll help surely, but you're not obliged to move out of the way - and if you cause an accident by doing so then you've no defense.

There is no obligation on traffic to cede passage to an ES vehicle on blues & twos.

Lights & music are merely notification of the presence of ES and a REQUEST for priority of passage.

Locust

N.McCormick wrote: »

The sat nav would alert road users to a responding vehicle approaching them and would give directions as to how to react. eg.

What if i am a criminal and the emergency services/guards are looking for me in traffic --- i assume this system would alert me to a garda car coming and give me time to evade them like pulling offside or turning around?

N.McCormick

As I've said already we're still doing alot of research into the idea and how it could work but it is possible to cloak certain responding vehicles such as Garda vehicles. At the minute we're focusing on making the software work for ambulances and rapid response paramedics.

We realised that people are not obliged to pull over so we can programme the software to simply state that there is an emegency vehicle approaching it, this would at least alert the driver, and if the driver wishes to receive suggestions on what to do then that could be incorporated into it.

goldie fish

N.McCormick wrote: »

As I've said already we're still doing alot of research into the idea and how it could work but it is possible to cloak certain responding vehicles such as Garda vehicles. At the minute we're focusing on making the software work for ambulances and rapid response paramedics.

We realised that people are not obliged to pull over so we can programme the software to simply state that there is an emegency vehicle approaching it, this would at least alert the driver, and if the driver wishes to receive suggestions on what to do then that could be incorporated into it.

At sea AIS Transponders are fitted to naval vessels, but they can go "invisible".

bk

wreckless wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/1108/1224307208449.html

An unfortunate side effect of Ireland not having post codes.

seniorstaff

challengemaster wrote: »

There's no specific law that says you must give way to ES vehicles. Most people will anyway if it's possible, but the fact that you can be held accountable if you do move out of the way and something happens is counter-productive IMO.

Hi, first of all , see if its]safe] for you to pull over to let the emergency vehicle go past you, if it is ,then indicate to let others and most importantly the person driving the emergency vehicle which direction your going to go, when its safe , check your mirror/ blindspot /indicate and move out again to the flow of traffic, a word of caution, there can often be a convoy , say 3 or more fire appliances responding to an incident so dont assume that its safe to pull out again ,when the first one is gone past you.;)

Me again!

I use two devices in my car

(1) the mirror
(2) my brain

No 1 is more reliable than no 2