GPS with "intelligent" speed alert?

[100mpg]

My cheapo tomtom and my expensive Garmin 660 shows the posted speed limt in most areas. I believe they use the locations of the actual speed limit signs since when the current speed limit decreases or increases, the GPS changes speed within a few FEET of the new sign! But I am in the US, not sure if that is world wide.

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by metromixx

in my area there a lots of variable speed limits changing through the day ..mainly 40km/h - 50 km/h then 50km/h -60km/h zones. it's really hard to maintain these slow speeds on a bike as you'd know...especially when you need to look down at the tank (on a cruiser) to check you're speed...(not the best place to be looking when riding through crazy shopping strips and intersections) !!! Does anybody know of any speed zone alert device for a motorcycle...or ANY other alternative I can look at ?

You could get an iPhone (preferably a 4S, since it has a more accurate GPS), some kind of earbud or bluetooth helmet headset, and CoDriver (free for 30 days, then $3/month or $18/year). CoDriver is an australian company, and they only have speed limit data on this country. The subscription means they are able to keep their database up to date.

You can get it here: http://itunes.apple.com/au/app/codri...345707059?mt=8



Since you can loose your license even over with a minor offence, you need to be aware of various various legal grey areas. The police feel that anything electronic is a distraction from driving and there are all sorts of confusing laws.

You need to check your local department of transport to find out what they are, especially since they've changed recently. Last time I looked it up in QLD the gist was something like:

* mobile phones or any other electronic device are illegal to operate in any way, even just looking at them or listening to them can get you charged
* navigation aids are allowed, with restrictions on how they are mounted/etc
* some hands free phone systems are also allowed, however not all handsfree setups are legal in australia - just because it's sold here doesn't mean you are allowed to use it
* a phone being used as a navigation aid is technically not allowed but that is being changed (maybe it has by now) and both police and traffic courts are involved in bringing the changes into effect, so they will give you a bit of leniency as long as you're being sensible.

Pay attention to how it's mounted on the bike (if it's mounted on the bike), do not ever touch it unless you've pulled over into a car park or moved well off the road. I would even be careful at petrol stations/etc.

Maybe take your helmet and/or glove off before operating the phone, since that will make it perfectly clear that you're not riding the bike even though you're sitting on it.

If you use earbuds, only use one ear. And don't use it to play music. Having a headphone setup inside the helmet is a safer option than earbuds... they're expensive, but you could buy a cheap pair of headphones and pull them apart to fit under the padding of your helmet.

Sounds like you're on a harley... open face helmets create a lot more wind noise than a typical full face helmet. At city speeds it might not be an issue, but it is around 80km/h. I have a semi-off road helmet that's full faced but lets a lot of cool air in, and there's enough wind noise I have to set the volume to levels that cause hearing damage. For an occasional speed warning you should be fine though.

If you're going to be riding over long distances, you will need to setup a charger on the bike. The iPhone uses USB, there are various USB chargers available for bikes/cars... pay attention to how many watts the charger puts out, some are too weak. If you ride in wet weather, make sure you don't spend much money on this stuff. Low voltage power (12V for the bike, 5V for the USB) does not arc across water and will function even submerged fully under water, but it will eventually suffer from corrosion/etc and you'll probably have to replace it every now and then.

Beware that GPS speedometers measure your average speed over the last few seconds (combined with other more complicated techniques). They are completely inaccurate while accelerating or braking or turning corners. Inaccurate as in they could be as much as 100km/h under or over the speed you are actually travelling at. On the other hand, when you've maintaining a fixed speed they are perfect, far more accurate than your bike's own speedo and certainly more accurate than a police officer's lidar/radar.

If you've got a modern bike, it's possible to hook an iPhone into the bike's electronics and get a direct reading of the speedo, which is accurate while accelerating/etc. But this stuff is pretty expensive to setup, and it's more oriented towards collecting racing and engine tuning data. I've never seen anything that will warn you about speed limits (I would love to create such a system... I reckon it'd sell).

[metromixx]

Thanks abhibeckert, there's some really useful info in there...but as you said...it would be fantastic if we could buy something that was purpose built to help keep us at legal speed limits without (ironically) risking our lives ... eg...glancing down at speedo (tank mounted) whilst riding through intersections... and shopping strips full of radical mums in SUVs ;)

[dlh62c]

You might try this site:http://www.gps-data-team.info/poi/australia/safety/

Using either the gps or Garmin Basecamp, you can add proximity alerts to way points. On the 62s, I can set the radius to miles, yards or feet. As you approach the way point, the gps will warn you at the set radius as you approach it and as you leave it, using a prompt and/or a tone. The 62s and BC will display a red circle around the way point.

I have mixed feelings on speed and red light cameras. While they are reported to save lives, they are a easy revenue maker for any city. As a rider, its easy to overlook speed signs when scanning for threats

Ride Safe!
daryl

[abhibeckert]

Originally Posted by metromixx

Thanks abhibeckert, there's some really useful info in there...but as you said...it would be fantastic if we could buy something that was purpose built to help keep us at legal speed limits without (ironically) risking our lives ... eg...glancing down at speedo (tank mounted) whilst riding through intersections... and shopping strips full of radical mums in SUVs ;)

A few years back I heard about a prototype IBM was working on. It would monitor your speed, via satellites, and beep if you exceeded the limit.

If you ignore the beep, the next stage was to send a detailed report to the cops.

Honestly, I dunno what the solution is. I just wanna live in a country with more relaxed rules, one where nobody accuses us for "putting lives in danger" when we travel 41km/h, but pat us on the back for safe driving if we go 39km/h. WTF.

[metromixx]

Originally Posted by abhibeckert

A few years back I heard about a prototype IBM was working on. It would monitor your speed, via satellites, and beep if you exceeded the limit.

If you ignore the beep, the next stage was to send a detailed report to the cops.

Honestly, I dunno what the solution is. I just wanna live in a country with more relaxed rules, one where nobody accuses us for "putting lives in danger" when we travel 41km/h, but pat us on the back for safe driving if we go 39km/h. WTF.

Huh yeah Ive often thought surely there must be the technology to govern a vehicles speed via satelite.

Seems speed camera are definitely more aimed at revenue than saving lives !

[250senuf]

With all the errors I've seen in Garmin's maps I wouldn't want to rely on my GPS warning me about speeding.