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Air traffic controller found asleep on the job

<p>An air traffic controller has been found asleep on the job, with the incident prompting calls for better fatigue management, according to Australia's transport watchdog. </p> <p>The report by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) dates back to December 2022, when the Airservices Australia controller was found lying across two chairs with a blanket covering them at 5am.</p> <p>The controller had worked multiple night shifts with reduced extended rest periods, "which likely reduced their ability to obtain restorative sleep", the report claimed. </p> <p>ATSB chief commissioner Angus Mitchell said the controller had increased their chances of falling asleep "by lying across two chairs, not moving, and not undertaking activities to maintain mental alertness".</p> <p>When a colleague discovered the snoozing worker, there was no traffic in the Cairns airspace they were responsible for managing, which was usual for that time of day, and there were no scheduled flights until after their shift.</p> <p>However, the report highlighted the possible problems the incident pay have caused, saying if the traffic controller was woken up by a radio broadcast, they may have experienced "sleep inertia", with the risk of delayed communications, or incorrect instructions or actions.</p> <p>"There were no negative consequences from this occurrence, but it does highlight areas for improvement in work scheduling and fatigue risk management," said Mitchell .</p> <p>Since the incident, Airservices Australia has increased its overall number of air traffic controllers, and has also drawn up new guidelines and training about fatigue risk assessment.</p> <p>"Fatigue remains one of the most relevant ongoing concerns for safe transport, despite increased awareness across the transport sector," said Mitchell.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Aussie mum with no licence or car fined thousands for traffic offences

<p>An Aussie mum has copped thousands of dollars worth of traffic fines, despite not owning a car or holding a valid driver's licence. </p> <p>Victorian woman Tamara, 32, claims that she has received 16 different infringement notices this year alone in relation to 14 different licence plate numbers, and none of them are hers. </p> <p>The incorrect fines have been sent to her from as far back as 2022. </p> <p>Several of the alleged offences captured on road safety cameras show bearded men behind the wheel. </p> <p>"Clearly, I don't have a beard. The person in the picture is a male. Anyone with eyes can see it's not me," she told A Current Affair. </p> <p>The saga has badly impacted her mental health and she has called on both the police and road officials in the state to overhaul the system to prevent other people from ending up in the same situation as her. </p> <p>The mum fears that her identity or her expired licence number may have been compromised during Optus' mass data breach two years ago.</p> <p>"I am not the driver. I don't drive a vehicle, I don't even have a licence. I have no idea what to think actually because it is unexplainable."</p> <p>"It doesn't make any sense and it shouldn't make any sense in anyone's eyes. It doesn't add up and it's clearly fraudulent."</p> <p>Lawyer Justin Lawrence agrees with the 32-year-old and said that she is entitled to challenge the fines. </p> <p>"There is a system glitch there somewhere and she's entitled to challenge those fines. The system relies on the information that it has. If the information is inaccurate, then the system can't work," he said.</p> <p>Tamara has made a formal complaint to Victoria Police in a bid to clear her name, and they are now working with Fines Victoria to "investigate the circumstances around these incidents and resolve these matters". </p> <p>"Members of the public who believe they have been falsely nominated for a traffic infringement should contact Fines Victoria," a statement from the police read. </p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair/ Nine</em></p>

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"Absolute joke": Hefty pay rise for traffic controllers met with outrage

<p>A new union pay agreement that would see junior labourers and traffic controllers working 36-hour weeks earn $120,000 a year has received mixed reviews. </p> <p>According to reports by the <em>Herald Sun</em>, the Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) was close to cementing a new pay agreement with the Victorian state government that will see its workers given “at least” a 5 per cent pay rise.</p> <p>The three-year agreement would guarantee that basic labourers and traffic controllers would earn more than $2000 per week plus another $260 a week in travel allowance, equating to 23 per cent more than the average full-time weekly income of $1838.</p> <p>Those working overtime or more than five days per week would earn much more than the $120,000 a year figure, which is for a basic 36-hour week.</p> <p>CFMEU boss John Setka told the publication that the rise was to help workers combat the rising cost of living. </p> <p>“It could be more than 5 per cent,” he said.</p> <p>“Everyone is allowed to increase the cost of everything but we are not allowed to increase wages — fair dinkum? We want a pay rise to keep up with the cost of living and we are not allowed? We are not going to be the sacrificial lambs.”</p> <p>The proposal was met with mixed reactions online, with some people on social media wondering how the labourers were able to make higher wages than those with valuable degrees. </p> <p>“Let me see. Get a tertiary education and become a teacher or a paramedic. Or hold up a pole all day and get paid 50 per cent more. Only in Victoria,” one person wrote.</p> <p>“Visit any of the train crossing removal sites around town and you’ll see dozens of people doing nothing but standing around and looking at their phones, and just a handful doing anything that could be described as work. It’s an absolute joke,” another said.</p> <p>A third added, “Who other than the union thinks it’s realistic for a labourer to earn $120,000 in the same state where a trained doctor earns $83,000 first year post grad and doesn’t get to $120,000 until five years post grad.”</p> <p>Despite the outrage, many came to the defence of workers, saying the pay rise is well overdue. </p> <p>“It’s called traffic control and it is dangerous, hard work,” one X user wrote.</p> <p>“We respect trades in this country do not try to be America about this. Also a field that’s becoming more and more female dominated I’m sure that plays no part in the righteous indignation of men who earn $200,000 a year to say things on radio.”</p> <p>Another said, “I dare anyone talking s**t about this job to do it for a single summer day.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Instant karma": Road rager charged after fleeing police

<p>A Melbourne man has been slapped with a series of charges after he was chased by police in the middle of a busy road. </p> <p>The intense road rage incident was captured on a dash cam, and shared to social media where it quickly went viral in what many called a display of "instant karma". </p> <p>The incident took place when the irate driver leapt out of his car at a stoplight and menacingly approached the driver behind him. </p> <p>He shouted at the other motorist, and began banging on the car while screaming obscenities and threats. </p> <p>Unbeknownst to the angry driver, police were watching the entire altercation unfold. </p> <p>The man quickly saw the officers and sprinted away, as police pursued on foot but ultimately lost the road rager, who left his passenger stranded in the car. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Well that escalated quickly <a href="https://t.co/cSTJ7QX4MA">pic.twitter.com/cSTJ7QX4MA</a></p> <p>— Dash Cam Owners Aus (@DashCamOwnersAu) <a href="https://twitter.com/DashCamOwnersAu/status/1720730266770321661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Despite the video ending before the fate of the man was made known, Victoria Police has now confirmed to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/on-the-road/rattailed-road-rager-charged-after-fleeing-police-leaving-passenger-behind/news-story/a7e6ba8c5f737045aa4914953ad7ecde" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that a 22-year-old man has been charged with a number of offences following the incident, which occurred in the Melbourne suburb of Clayton on October 27th.</p> <p>“Investigators have been told a man approached a car on the Princes Highway near Clayton Road about 12.30pm in an aggressive manner,” a spokeswoman said.</p> <p>“As he was remonstrating with the driver police approached the 22-year-old. He ran from the scene leaving his vehicle and passenger behind.”</p> <p>She added, “He later handed himself in to police and has been charged with criminal damage, unlawful assault and traffic offences. He has been bailed to attend Moorabbin Justice Centre on February 6.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p>

Legal

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L-plater attacked with traffic cone reveals what sparked road rage outburst

<p>A Perth teenager was behind the wheel for the first time, when the "classy" passenger of a BMW behind erupted with rage.</p> <p>The woman attacked the L-plater behind the wheel in a bizarre outburst, yelling out expletives and hurling a traffic cone in their direction. </p> <p>The L-plater behind the wheel, Aleyna Helvaci, 16, was accompanied by a professional driving instructor when the ugly incident occurred after she accidentally stalled at a busy intersection. </p> <p>“She was just full out wild, I turned (the car) back on, put my foot on the clutch, and everything was ready," Helvaci told 7 NEWS. </p> <p>“I was going to take off, but before I could there was a really loud horn.”</p> <p>Footage of the interaction went viral after the teen's mum posted the outburst on TikTok. </p> <p>“F*** you” the woman screamed as she stormed down the road in front of standstill traffic before pretending to chuck her handbag in the car's direction. </p> <p>She then reaches for a nearby traffic cone and hurls it at the car. </p> <p>“F***ing sl**, move on up!” she screamed before storming back to her own car - its horn still blaring at the teen. </p> <p>At one point, the equally enraged male driver held the horn down for nine seconds straight, as the person calmly filming the incident is told to note down the plate number. </p> <p>The woman eventually sits back down in her car, but doesn't stop screaming expletives at the teen. </p> <p>When they finally merged right to flee the scene, the driver got in on the action himself, honking his horn and flipping his middle finger at the teen. </p> <p>The video racked up thousands of views on TikTok before it was removed, a number of people have slammed the SUV owner's “disgusting behaviour”, adding that “we were all learners at one stage”.</p> <p>“Absolutely disgusting behaviour. I am so sick of this sh*t. Control your anger and grow up!”  one commented. </p> <p>“This is so bad! It’s always the ones with the rich cars too hey … Y’all so 'classy,'" wrote another. </p> <p>Helvaci's family has since filed a police report and the teen told 7News that it would take some time before she felt safe behind the wheels again. </p> <p>“It is all about building confidence in the end, so this is all part of the experience,” she said.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Hero we need": Fed-up tradie disrupts Bunnings traffic

<p>A tradie at his wit's end has pulled a petty stunt to fire back at Bunnings customers who “use the trade entry as easy access” and held him up.</p> <p>The tradie shared his stunt to the Tradie Mayhem Facebook group alongside images of the row of parked cars at the Artarmon Bunnings, which sparked his frustrated act.</p> <p>The man said he did it for all tradespeople who have been “held up during the week at Bunnings by people that use the trade entry as easy access, taking their sweet time” after parking in the easy access area.</p> <p>“I double parked blocking them all in at Artarmon Bunnings,” he said.</p> <p>The staff announced over the speaker system that his ute needed to be moved, to which he responded, “just made me take my time and let them know that’s how we feel during the week when we’re trying to get work done and are held up by them”.</p> <p>Initial responses were positive, praising the tradie and labelling him as the “hero we need”.</p> <p>“Tradie privilege, don‘t think so,” one member commented.</p> <p>“It‘s so they can load their vehicle instead of dragging it through the car park. If you’re driving a normal car park outside and enjoying some exercise.”</p> <p>“Love this, trade yard always packed with cafe dwellers,” a third wrote.</p> <p>Some individuals shared their frustrations of having to share the space with the general public, calling for the original poster to “pester Bunnings about it”.</p> <p>“Bring back the trade only access to Bunnings before 8-9 am that they had during Covid.”</p> <p>Others were quick to point out a major flaw in the tradie's argument, saying the undercover parking is not reserved for tradies but a loading area of things that cannot be taken through checkout.</p> <p>The loading bays are for any customers who are temporarily loading timber or bulky items in the trade yard.</p> <p><em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">News.com.au</a></em> asked Artarmon Bunnings for a comment about the stunt, and the warehouse manager said the area in question was a “load and go area”.</p> <p>“We don’t usually have too many long waits there, but there is the occasional one-off when a customer will come in and park on the side or right in the middle of the driveway,” he said.</p> <p>“We did have a little shortage of our load and go guys that usually work down there, but that is currently being fixed.”</p> <p>The manager said the fact the area was only one lane for a busy, multi-use loading area meant that there can be waits, but there was a staff member there to direct the traffic.</p> <p>“But because it is one lane obviously our main priority is our customers and getting them in and out of here as quickly as possible.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, other stores have five lanes, we only have one.</p> <p>“There are occasional customers who want to get through and load personal items because it’s easier to bring down to the car, so we are looking at getting it to be the best system possible.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Mourners at Archie Roach’s funeral hit with hefty fines

<p dir="ltr">Mourners who were hit with traffic fines during the funeral procession for Indigenous singer Archie Roach won’t see penalties dropped, Victoria Police has confirmed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Seven infringements were issued to people who were part of the funeral cortege and ran red lights during the procession from Melbourne to Gunditjmara country, where Roach was laid to rest in a private ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">The driver of the hearse carrying Roach’s body was among those fined.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Disobeying a red light signal is considered a serious traffic offence," a police spokeswoman said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It poses a significant safety risk both to the driver and other road users. Seven infringements were issued for disobeying a traffic control signal in relation to this matter."</p> <p dir="ltr">After reviewing three of the fines, Victoria Police didn’t overturn them due to what they called the seriousness of the offence, per the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-09/archie-roach-funeral-procession-fined-victoria-police/101753002" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-65ff09d4-7fff-eb96-765d-bf555d6b76e9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">It’s understood that the fines were $462 each.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ArchieRoach?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ArchieRoach</a> Community members gathered in the streets of Melbourne this morning as Uncle Archie Roach took a final journey through Collingwood, Fitzroy and St Kilda as part of a walking service 🖤💛❤️<br />The cortege continues to Warrnambool ahead of the funeral tomorrow. <a href="https://t.co/iF7NoLrL5x">pic.twitter.com/iF7NoLrL5x</a></p> <p>— Madre Swift Justice - Cave Dweller (@JayStill4) <a href="https://twitter.com/JayStill4/status/1561591323651899393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The Gunditjmara and Bundjalung musician was farewelled in August, two weeks after he died <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/adored-australian-musician-archie-roach-dead-at-66">aged 66</a> from a long illness.</p> <p dir="ltr">His hearse was flanked by members of Indigenous motorcycle club the Southern Warriors, with members of the public lining the streets of Fitzroy and Collingwood to pay their respects.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement, Victoria Police said its offer to assist with the funeral cortege’s movement through Melbourne was declined by funeral organisers.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-5934d18b-7fff-5726-2dcc-afb0ec34a3f1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

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New rule poses major changes for popular tourist destination

<p dir="ltr">With its impressive sheer drops down to turquoise waters below and roads seemingly chiselled out of the surrounding cliffs, the Amalfi Coast has become an iconic road trip destination - a status that has brought plenty of tourists and traffic with it.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Italian location has now become known for stories of miles-long traffic backups, as buses and vans packed with tourists navigate multiple narrow stretches of single-lane roads with switchbacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, a new rule could spell the end of heavy tourist traffic on the roads - and mess with plenty of holiday itineraries.</p> <p dir="ltr">A newly-launched alternate number plate system means that cars can only access the stretch between Vietri sul Mare and Positano every other day during peak hours in peak season.</p> <p dir="ltr">On odd-numbered dates, only cars with plates ending in odd numbers can use the road, while cars with even numbers at the end of their plates will be able to drive along it on even-numbered dates.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rule applies for the entire month of August between 10am and 6pm, as well as on weekends from June 15 through to September 30, Holy Week, and the dates from April 24 to May 2.</p> <p dir="ltr">Residents from 13 towns along the coast will be exempt, along with public transport vehicles, taxis, and cars that are hired with a driver.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, vehicles longer than 10.36 metres will be banned from the road entirely, while caravans and vehicles with trailers are prohibited from using the road from 6.30am til midnight, all year round.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rules, introduced by Anas, also see vehicles over six metres long and 2.1 metres wide restricted to using the road within certain hours and being completely banned on peak dates.</p> <p dir="ltr">Deputy mayor of Vietri sul Mare Angela Infante told <em>CNN </em>the new rules had been needed for some time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s started again this year - you can’t drive at weekends, people are trapped at home,” Ms Infante said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prior to the pandemic, she said there would sometimes be backups up to six kilometres along the coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You have to drive incredibly slowly because there are so many cars, and often it is completely blocked,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Apart from anything else, you could have an ambulance [in that traffic] and anything could happen - we have to limit the heavy traffic.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While Ms Infante is among many locals welcoming the new rules, others aren’t so happy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Antonio Illardi, the president of a local association of hoteliers called Federalberghi Salerno, argued in an open letter to Anas for the rules to be tweaked to allow overnight tourists to drive to their hotel and for hotel workers to reach their work if they live outside the coast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The policy is a ‘disaster’,” he told <em>CNN</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It discourages tourists. It makes it impossible to stay for an odd number of days. If you arrive on Wednesday, you can't leave on Thursday. It's not like you can send your rental car back on Amazon."</p> <p dir="ltr">Others are concerned that tourists will be unaware of the changes and may be fined if not alerted by the rental companies and end up driving on the wrong day.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The rules are written in bureaucratese, they're not easy to read,” Mr Illardi said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Maybe rental car companies won't know, or maybe the visitor won't mention where they're going. So they'll get a car with the wrong plate and will be met with a fine on arrival."</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the contention, the rules are said to have been created with the blessing of the town councils along the coast, with the exception of Minori and Maiori.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e5324476-7fff-6205-d778-8a558901ee83"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Traffic cop shares best ever excuses for being caught speeding

<p dir="ltr">South Australia Police have called out speeding drivers in what has been described as a “sassy” video on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@southaustraliapolice/video/7121530775543041282?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Senior Constable Matt Browne was filmed dancing along to Alexis Jordan’s hit song, Happiness, sharing excuses as to what drivers give when they are caught speeding.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No excuses. Especially not these. Please drive safely! #roadsafety,” the caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video then showed Constable Browne dancing as different excuses popped up on the screen.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7121530775543041282&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40southaustraliapolice%2Fvideo%2F7121530775543041282%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26lang%3Den&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was just trying to get there quickly before I forget where I’m going,” one excuse read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was just seeing if your radar is accurate. It appears it is,” another one.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The wind was pushing my car faster,” was another excuse.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought speeding was going REALLY fast, I’m only 20km/h over”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has been viewed almost a whopping 4 million times with many social media users sharing other excuses they shared when they got caught.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One cop told me it was my own fault for buying a red car cos red goes faster,” someone wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I remember when I was younger I told the police officer Daniel’s that Jesus took the wheel, he laughed, I laughed, he gave me a fine and I paid the fine,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My excuse once was; I’m just really hungry &amp; need to get home to eat. He gave me a fine &amp; a snickers bar I was thankful,” someone else wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My favourite is that I was keeping up with traffic and when told there isn't any, I say that's how far behind I am!” another read.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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AI-based traffic control gets the green light

<p>At the end of my Melbourne street there’s a new system being installed for traffic management. I hadn’t even noticed the extra cameras, vehicle and pedestrian sensors, LiDAR and radar on the intersection, but these tools are all part of a larger system, with researchers hoping that a 2.5km section of Nicholson Street, in Carlton, will eventually be run by an artificial intelligence (AI).</p> <p>This might sound a little nerve-wracking to the average commuter, but these “smart corridors” are popping up around the world – systems that promise to provide us with less traffic and better safety. </p> <p>“Many cities around the world have dedicated corridors or smart motorways that are equipped with sensors, CCTV cameras and AI for predicting the traffic flow, speed, or occupancy at a specific moment in time,” says Dr Adriana-Simona Mihaita, an AI infrastructure researcher at the University of Technology Sydney, who was not involved in the research.</p> <p>“Accurate predictions will provide transport operators with the means to make informed decisions and apply new control plans, or adjust the current ones according to ongoing traffic or eventual disruptions.”</p> <p>Even without AI, <a href="https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/traffic-and-road-use/traffic-management/traffic-signals/how-traffic-signals-work" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our current traffic light systems are complex technology</a>. Detectors under the road surface clock the presence of vehicles and determine whether the lights change, and how long the green lasts for. The “push button” changes the green walk display, and some detectors even determine how fast or slow the pedestrians are moving. This is all controlled – in Australia at least – by a system called SCATS, or <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Coordinated_Adaptive_Traffic_System" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System</a>.</p> <p>This is an “intelligent transport system”, but it’s not machine learning or AI. Think of it as a calculator, but the values being input are cars and pedestrians, not numbers. And SCATS does have its flaws. To start with, it’s unable to see cars coming – only registering them once they’ve arrived on the detector. And the system is also not particularly good at including other modes of transport such as trams, cyclists and pedestrians.</p> <p>This is where Nicholson Street – home to plenty of cyclists and the 96 and 86 trams – will come in handy.</p> <p>“With SCATS there are loop detectors that tell us how many cars are in the queue from all directions, but we don’t really see the number of cyclists, or pedestrians, and we don’t take their delays into account,” explains one of the researchers on this Nicholson Street project, University of Melbourne transport engineer Dr Neema Nassir.</p> <p>“As long as we build our environment around cars, and prioritise their right of way over other modes of transport, we are promoting people using that mode of transport.”</p> <p>Using 180-degree high-definition cameras, as well as a range of detectors (including the normal SCATS detectors), Nassir and the team of researchers are currently testing the AI system using this real-world data in a computer simulation.</p> <p>When the AI eventually starts testing and directing traffic in the real world, it will be done using “edge computing”. This means that the AI-based traffic optimisation will happen at the intersection or “node” rather than at a central system. With the sensors taking and analysing the data almost instantly, the lights might change if there are more pedestrians waiting, or a tram might get right of way if it’s running behind schedule.</p> <p>Nassir hopes the intersections will be safer, trams will run more evenly, and there will be less stopping for cars on the road.</p> <p>However, there might also be some hiccups on the way.</p> <p>Safety is the top priority for the system, with efficiency coming in second. This means that the AI will be more likely to cause traffic jams than accidents.</p> <p>“If everything goes wrong with the algorithm and with the computations, it’s more likely that we may end up with a gridlock as opposed to safety concerns,” Nassir says. “We’re talking about an intersection that is designed to be robust enough that it can operate even when the traffic lights are off.”</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> <p>The AI will be more likely to cause traffic jams than accidents.</p> </blockquote> <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p197191-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.62 spai-bg-prepared init" action="/technology/ai-based-traffic-control/#wpcf7-f6-p197191-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <p style="display: none !important;"><span class="wpcf7-form-control-wrap referer-page"><input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page spai-bg-prepared" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/" aria-invalid="false" /></span></p> <p><!-- Chimpmail extension by Renzo Johnson --></form> </div> </div> <p>Having humans in this scenario, who are able to stop if required, is actually helpful. Unlike an autonomous car, which needs to function in an almost <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVkLI9pPd24&amp;t=166s" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unlimited number of circumstances</a> without a human behind the wheel, traffic systems are comparatively simple. And, if something was to go wrong, humans are able to make a judgement and stop or swerve if required. Plus, because SCATS is already automated, it means that that the commuters coming through Nicholson Street might not even notice the change.  </p> <p>But that presents another dilemma – is it okay to record all this extra information and send it through an AI to make decisions?</p> <p>“The most important type of sensors are high-definition cameras,” says Nassir. “These are mounted high on poles and have 180 degrees of coverage, up to 50 metres down each approach. These are coupled with image-processing software that can help us detect and register and classify different types of passengers.</p> <p>“We also work with the data from key cards on public transport . There are tight regulations and rules regarding this personal data. It is always anonymised and protected.”</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> <p>Because SCATS is already automated, the commuters might not even notice the change.</p> </blockquote> <p>Nassir says the cameras are not capable of being used for facial recognition. In a world where facial recognition is happening every time you <a href="https://mashable.com/article/police-try-to-unlock-handcuffed-man-iphone-face-id" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open your phone</a> and <a href="https://www.choice.com.au/consumers-and-data/data-collection-and-use/how-your-data-is-used/articles/kmart-bunnings-and-the-good-guys-using-facial-recognition-technology-in-store" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in stores like Bunnings and Kmart</a>, traffic lights are probably not the place we need to be too concerned about our privacy being invaded.</p> <p>“Several phone applications that are currently in use today are already collecting private mobility data, together with personal preferences and route choice patterns, which represent a deeper concern for daily transport choices,” says Mihaita.</p> <p>“Similarly, public parking areas in large shopping malls have automatic plate recognition capability and store daily information on all vehicles entering/exiting the malls, which could be seen as personal information shared with the consent given while entering the parking area.”</p> <p>But ethical issues don’t just stop at these records. According to Professor Toby Walsh, an AI researcher from the University of New South Wales, there’s a number of ethical questions we should be aware of as these systems become integrated into our daily lives.</p> <p>For example, if our traffic systems know who we are, it might not just be a case of prioritising cars over other forms of transport, but instead the rich over the poor, or the paying verses the non-paying.</p> <p>“At stake are fundamental issues of fairness and justice,” Walsh explains. “You might start having to trade off my journey time against your journey time. Who gets priority?</p> <p>“Then there’s an environmental ethical issue: are we encouraging people to make more individual car journeys by improving traffic flow? Should we actually be trying to discourage people from getting in cars, and encouraging them to Zoom for work or get public transport?”</p> <p>Although the Nicholson Street AI project is trying to balance the priorities of trams, pedestrians, cyclists and cars, <a href="https://www.unimelb.edu.au/newsroom/news/2022/march/worlds-smartest-traffic-management-system-launches-in-melbourne" target="_blank" rel="noopener">easing urban congestion</a> is also an important part of the project, and as Walsh says, “Traffic is like an ideal gas that expands to fill the roads available.”</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote"> <p>“You might start having to trade off my journey time against your journey time. Who gets priority?”</p> <p><cite>Professor Toby Walsh, UNSW</cite></p></blockquote> <p>Despite these questions, Walsh argues that even if AI isn’t perfect, humans are worse. He has been involved in the research for another AI intersection – a particularly busy roundabout in the south-west of Sydney.</p> <p>“A thousand people are going to die in Australia in the next year, caused by traffic accidents. Almost all of those accidents are caused by human stupidity. Almost all of those accidents wouldn’t happen if we ceded our human control and all of our misjudgements – all of our texting and drinking and driving – to machines,” he says.</p> <p>“There’s always going to be unintended consequences – random shit happens, and the death rates are never going to be zero. But it would be a small fraction of what it is today.”</p> <p><!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --></p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=197191&amp;title=AI-based+traffic+control+gets+the+green+light" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><!-- End of tracking content syndication --></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/ai-based-traffic-control/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jacinta-bowler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jacinta Bowler</a>. Jacinta Bowler is a freelance science journalist who has written about far-flung exoplanets, terrifying superbugs and everything in between. They have written articles for ABC, SBS, ScienceAlert and Pedestrian, and are a regular contributor for kids magazines Double Helix and KIT.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Traffic controller goes viral for sharing her weekly income

<p>A teenager has gone viral for sharing her weekly income as a traffic controller, describing it as a "sign" to others to take up the profession. </p> <p>Tahera Raedd, 19, directs cars through road closures affected by construction work in the busy streets of Sydney. </p> <p>In a now viral TikTok video, Tahera revealed exactly what she gets paid for a typical week's work. </p> <p>“Your sign to be a traffic controller,” she captioned the video. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7088853180938784002&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40taheraraedd%2Fvideo%2F7088853180938784002&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F590a784fb844491699d2280429c54404_1650502253%7Etplv-tiktok-play.jpeg%3Fx-expires%3D1652594400%26x-signature%3Dam1amiUSCyDqqxDvQGxQt5MfilU%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Tahera claimed she earned $520 for a 12-hour shift on a Monday, while a 10-hour shift the next day saw her rake in $495.</p> <p>A lengthy 13-hour stint on Wednesday earned Tahera $600, before a four hour shift on the Thursday netted her $300 and a 20-minute job on Friday made $100.</p> <p>In total, she scored $2015 for her almost 40-hour working week.</p> <p>Despite claiming that the job is "hard work", Tahera encouraged others to take up the lucrative job, with many commenters wanting to know more. </p> <p>“OK but like how do you get into traffic controlling?” one person asked. </p> <p>“I just applied for traffic controller must be a good sign,” another said. </p> <div id="indie-campaign-EAbKwvW1L2TJ5OnFRiOT-0" data-campaign-name="NCA LIFESTYLE Newsletter OneClick SignUp" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="" data-from="1650290400000" data-to="1681826400000"></div> <p>Another keen person wrote, “Gonna stop studying and work for this instead.”</p> <p>Since being posted last month, her video has been viewed more than 359,000 times – but some have pointed out, it’s not clear if her pay packet was before or after tax.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p> <div class="media image venti" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 493.7315979003906px; margin: 24px auto 32px;"> </div>

Money & Banking

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Teenage "speed camera warrior" confronted by grouchy "Karen"

<p>Teenage "speed camera warrior" Beau Jackson has been confronted by a disgruntled middle-aged woman as he warned motorists of an upcoming speed camera. </p> <p>The Central Coast local has dedicated his free time to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ve-been-saving-them-heaps-teen-speed-camera-crusader-hailed-a-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alerting drivers</a> to hidden speed cameras that can often result in <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/speed-camera-crusader-cops-highly-dubious-fine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hefty fines</a>. </p> <p>While parked on the side of the road with a sign bringing attention to the sneaky cameras, thankful motorists often show their appreciation to Beau by honking their horn. </p> <p>Despite his noble cause, the 17-year-old had his first unpleasant experience with a local, and shared the confrontation on <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@scamerasloveme/video/7088872965651172610?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>. </p> <p>Beau filmed the woman, who he dubbed 'Karen' walking away and said from behind the camera, "This lady tried getting me by complaining about the honks - tried getting a photo of my number plate."</p> <p>"It's the first Karen interaction," he laughed, as another passer-by honked their horn.</p> <p>"She tried to take a photo of my number plate - I'm legally parked, there's nothing she can do about it."</p> <p>When speaking to <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10753241/Beau-Jackson-teenage-speed-camera-warrior-confronted-grouchy-Karen.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a>, Beau explained the woman lived close to where he was parked, and got sick and tired of the honking noise. </p> <p>"She asked me to move because she was sick of the honking," he said.</p> <p>"I told her I was only parked there because the speed camera van was parked a few metres in front of me."</p> <p>The woman was unfazed about his mission to save locals from spending hundreds of dollars in speeding tickets and continued demanding that he move.</p> <p>When he continually refused, she started taking photos of Mr Jackson and his bike.</p> <p>"So I started taking photos of her," he recalled.</p> <p>"She backed right off when I did that, and then she starting making phone calls."</p> <p>Beau was unsure of who the woman was calling, but explained that as soon as the mobile speed camera took off from the area, so did he. </p> <p>"When they left, I had no reason to be there anymore so I left," he added.</p> <p>As Beau's video of the encounter racked up thousands of views, many people left comments telling the teenager to ignore the haters and keep protecting the community. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Speed camera crusader" cops highly dubious fine

<p>Beau Jackson has been dubbed the "<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/i-ve-been-saving-them-heaps-teen-speed-camera-crusader-hailed-a-hero" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speed camera crusader</a>" of the NSW Central Coast by helping motorists to avoid an "unfair" fine at the hands of sneaky speed cameras. </p> <p>Beau spends his spare time on the side of main roads with a sign warning drivers of upcoming cameras, and is often thanked with a honk or wave of appreciation. </p> <p>The 17-year-old had never had a fine himself, because "I just do it for the community in these tough times".</p> <p>However, after <em>A Current Affair</em> spoke about Beau's selfless acts, he received his first fine the very next day. </p> <p>But the fine isn't for what you think. </p> <p>"They fined me $250 for littering. I couldn't believe it. I don't litter, all my friends and family know that," he said.</p> <p>"I rang them and they said my sign and some drink cans were on the side of the road."</p> <p>"But I pack up my sign and rubbish and take it home. I still have my sign, so I certainly didn't leave it on the side of the road."</p> <p>Upon investigation, Beau still has his old sign and decided to contest the fine. </p> <p>"I rang and asked for proof of the rubbish and they said there was no photo," he said.</p> <p>"Clearly someone is upset with what I am doing, because I'm costing them revenue."</p> <p>Police have previously told Beau they don't have a problem with what he is doing, as at the end of the day, he is not breaking any laws and is helping keep roads safer. </p> <p>"The only person other than me there would be the speed camera operators," Beau said.</p> <p>A Current Affair contacted Revenue NSW to explain the situation, as they responded that Beau is welcome to take the fine to court, which is exactly what he plans to do. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Legal

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Dangerous traffic crash rocks Scott Morrison

<p dir="ltr">Scott Morrison’s dedicated security team have been involved in a serious car crash. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Prime Minister who is currently campaigning in Tasmania, was not in the vehicle which collided with another car near Elizabeth Town on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily, no one was killed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The security team were in transit when they were hit by the other car, which saw their vehicle roll onto an embankment and flip onto its side.</p> <p dir="ltr">The four men - two from Tasmania Police and two from the Australian Federal Police - were all transferred to hospital. </p> <p dir="ltr">The driver of the other vehicle was not injured in the crash. </p> <p dir="ltr">A spokesperson from Mr Morrison’s office confirmed the men were conscious with the prime minister being updated of their condition. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Family members of the officers have been contacted and are being kept informed of their condition," they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The PM is always extremely grateful for the protection provided by his security team and extends his best wishes for their recovery and to their families.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This afternoon's event has been cancelled."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Morrison was at Brunie for a defence industries event when the collision occurred. </p> <p dir="ltr">The event was immediately cancelled with Mr Morrison and his press team taken back to the airport. </p> <p dir="ltr">On Thursday afternoon, the prime minister released a statement sending well wishes to the officers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Earlier this afternoon two of my protective detail, along with two Tasmanian police officers were involved in a terrible car accident, while they were supporting my visit to Northern Tasmania," he wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I am relieved they have all been safely transferred to hospital where they are receiving care.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Our police do an amazing job in keeping us all safe. I am incredibly grateful to all the police who look after me and my family. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We have all got to know each other over the year. They are selfless, professional and incredibly generous. I hope to hear further good news about their condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Jen and I also send our thanks, love and best wishes to them and their families."</p> <p dir="ltr">Opposition leader Anthony Alabanese also thanked the officers for their incredible work.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Best wishes to the @AusFedPolice and @TasmaniaPolice personnel assisting the PM who were involved in the car crash in Tasmania today. They do a fantastic job and I wish all a speedy recovery," he tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

News

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The most bizarre traffic fines you've never heard of

<p dir="ltr">These little known road rules could cost you thousands of dollars - from splashing pedestrians, to honking goodbye to your mates. It’s just not worth it. </p> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Leaving your key in the ignition</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">You may think it’s saving you time because “I’m just going to be a couple of seconds/minutes” but doing this can cost you $114. </p> <p dir="ltr">Also, why would you risk having your car stolen?</p> <ol start="2"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Flashing headlights to warn of speed camera or RBT</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Other motorists will love you for the heads up but at what cost? $116 and a loss of one demerit point. </p> <ol start="3"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Not giving way to horses</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Bit of a weird one but you could be slugged with a $130 fine if you do not give way to horses on the road. </p> <p dir="ltr">Motorists must move as far left as possible and turn off the engine until the horse has trotted past.</p> <ol start="4"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Splashing pedestrians</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">It may look like fun but imagine how the pedestrians feel? However, the $187 fine is actually only limited to splashing pedestrians waiting at a bus stop. </p> <ol start="5"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Speeding up while being overtaken</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Drivers who speed up while someone is trying to overtake them could be slapped with a $344 fine and lose two demerit points. </p> <ol start="6"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Cutting through service station</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">We’re all guilty of cutting through the servo to not waste time at the red light. Not only is it dangerous and puts pedestrians at risk, but you will be handed a fine of $349. </p> <ol start="7"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Driving over nature strip in school zone</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Just don’t do it. You have kids walking, running or playing around and the last thing you want is to endanger them. </p> <p dir="ltr">If caught driving on the nature strip say goodbye to four demerit points and hello to the $464 fine. </p> <ol start="8"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Throwing apple core out the window</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Wait until you get home to throw away your rubbish and not out the car window. You may think it’s fine because an apple core is biodegradable, but it’s not. </p> <p dir="ltr">It will cost you $533 and two demerits so save your rubbish for when you get home.</p> <ol start="9"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Using your phone to pay at a drive-through</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">We all know it's illegal to touch your phone while driving and in the drive-thru it’s not any different.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before even grabbing your phone to pay, you need to put your car into park and switch off the ignition. </p> <p dir="ltr">If caught doing the wrong thing you better hope the meal is worth the $534 fine. </p> <ol start="10"> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>Beeping goodbye and waving</strong></p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">We’re all guilty of tooting our horn when leaving a family or friend’s place. But the fine is so hefty just remember you already said goodbye.</p> <p dir="ltr">If caught using your horn unnecessarily, you will be hit with $349 and waving will cost you another $349 because no body part should be outside of the vehicle.</p> <p dir="ltr">All together it’s $698 and three demerits. Not worth it at all. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"I've been saving them heaps": Teen speed camera crusader hailed a hero

<p>A 17-year-old from the Central Coast has found a unique way to help out his community, by warning motorists about upcoming speed cameras. </p> <p>Beau Jackson has been hailed a national hero for spending his spare time on the road helping drivers to avoid unnecessary speed camera fines by alerting them to mobile speed cameras hidden out of sight. </p> <p>No matter the weather, Beau can be seen before and after work on most days across the Central Coast on the lookout for "unfair" cameras that are collecting revenue from unsuspecting drivers. </p> <p>He stands out on the side of the road next to his motorbike with a handwritten sign warning passing drivers. </p> <p>Motorists express their gratitude by beeping their horns and yelling out messages of support. </p> <p>"I want to look out for people as it's a pretty hard time right now," Beau told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/aussie-teens-speed-camera-crusade-helping-locals-avoid-fines/1ab8ed54-1a3c-4396-a2da-ff2c3aa5b422" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">A Current Affair</a>.</p> <p>"I don't want people getting a fine. I've been saving them heaps in the month I've been doing it."</p> <p>"People can cop a $170 fine for just going four kilometres over the limit and right now people are struggling so I just want to help them."</p> <p>Beau claims he has checked with local police to check that what he's doing isn't illegal. </p> <p>"They think I'm doing the community a service as I'm actually making people slow down," he added. </p> <p>Local motorists have declared Beau a national hero for the work he haas done. </p> <p>"He's great at it, saving all our licenses," one man said.</p> <p>Others have pulled over to offer Beau drinks and chocolate while a local tyre business showed their appreciation by giving him new tyres for his motorbike.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Manhunt after policeman injured in shocking hit and run

<p>A senior constable has undergone surgery after he was seriously injured during a ‘shocking’ hit and run, as police hunt the runaway driver.</p> <p>State Traffic Commander, Mike Bell said the officer is in “good spirits” despite suffering serious leg injuries and head wounds.</p> <p>Police were conducting traffic duties around 6:10 pm on Holcombe Road in Warnbro, south of Perth. The officer apparently attempted to stop a speeding motorcycle.</p> <p>“The traffic officer has stepped out on the road to stop the motorcycle and has indicated that,” Commander Bell said.</p> <p>“The motorcycle has moved further to the right and made his intentions clear that he was not prepared to stop.”</p> <p>“The officer and the motorcycle have come into contact. The officer was knocked to the ground.”</p> <p>Commander Bell said the motorcyclist continued to drive on the incorrect side of the road and did not stop. The injured officer was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital for treatment, where he on Thursday underwent surgery to his leg.</p> <p>Police are hunting a “very distinctive motorcycle” and are calling on the public for information.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/Perth-.jpg" alt="" width="633" height="434" /></p> <p>“I have no doubt some members of the public will know this bike,” Commander Bell said.</p> <p>“It would appear to be a Caucasian male with a dark helmet, he was wearing shorts and had a black backpack on.”</p> <p>Commander Bell said police had received complaints about traffic behavior in the area.</p> <p>Nola Holden has lived in the area for 42 years and said hearing sirens was a common occurrence.</p> <p>“They had been doing speed checks on our streets because it’s shocking here for speeding,” she said. Personal care worker Marcy Dougan was driving home from work when she came across the scene, stopping to help and give first aid.</p> <p>“He had a nasty gash on the back of the head .... there was an open wound on the leg,” she said.</p> <p>“He was in a bit of shock, I just kept reassuring him and keeping him conscious.”</p> <p>Ms Dougan said she immediately jumped into action to help, claiming she’d do it again without thinking.</p> <p>“You don’t go to work thinking that will happen ... they’re out to protect us, it’s the least I can do,” she said.</p> <p>Major Crash officers are working to determine the cause of the collision and WorkSafe will launch a separate investigation.</p> <p>Commander Bell said traffic work was a “dangerous” job.</p> <p>Anyone with information regarding the crash, or who recognises the motorcycle and/or rider pictured is asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report online at <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/wa/www.crimestopperswa.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crimestopperswa.com.au</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: 7 News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Is this the future of pedestrian crossings?

<p>Pedestrian crossings in Melbourne have attracted global attention on TikTok, as Aussies are stunned by the new technology. </p> <p>A TikTok user in Victoria has shared footage of lights embedded into the footpath at crossings that change from red to green to reflect whether you can cross the road or not. </p> <p>The tech has been installed to help "phone zombies" from not getting in an accident in street traffic from staring down at a mobile device.</p> <p>The TikTok user Veronica shared footage of the lights she came across saying, "<span>Bro, look how sick Melbourne is."</span></p> <p><span>"The light across the road is red, so the floor flashes red, and when it's green so you can walk - guess what? The floor flashes green!"</span></p> <p><span>The 12 second clip has racked up thousands of likes, with hundreds of comments being shocked by the relatively new technology.</span></p> <p><span>One person said, "I've been living in Melbourne my entire life and have seen none of these."</span></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"I literally live in the city and didn't know this, what?" another commented. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">A third user pointed out the lights were installed to protect people who were distracted by their mobile phones when crossing the road.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"It's because people are looking at their phones while walking and are not alert while crossing."</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Despite the technology being seemingly rare, the in-ground lights, also known as Tactile Ground Surface Indicators (TGSI), have been installed around the globe since 2017.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">Places in Sydney and Melbourne have been adapting to the new tech, following in the likes of South Korea to increase safety around being aware on the road. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Road rule myth that WILL see you slapped with fines

<p>When it comes to speed limits, many drivers will say that you are safe if you only slightly exceed the limit as police give a 10 per cent leeway when checking speed.</p> <p>Believing this urban legend could be a costly error to make as authorities can punish anyone driving beyond the speed limit even if it is just a couple of kilometres over the actual limit.</p> <p>We all know speeding comes with heavy penalties, fines and demerit points and poses a danger to not only the driver, but fellow passengers and other cars on the road alike. Why has this myth become so prolific?</p> <p>No matter where you go in Australia, every road has a speed limit that must be obeyed and police officers say they won’t give any leeway to anyone being caught breaking it. Their argument is backed by Australian Road Rules where Rule 20 spells out that going over the limit is an offence no matter how small or large the breach may be.</p> <p>Of course, speed limits do vary depending on the environment that you are in. Many states apply the same limits as one another with some of the most common limits including:</p> <ul> <li>60 km/h in residential areas and estates.</li> <li>80 km/h on major urban roads</li> <li>110km/h on freeways and rural roads.</li> </ul> <p>If you were to believe the 10 per cent rule then you would expect that police would not fine you if were going 66km/h or under in a 60km/h zone.</p> <p>That would mean on freeways you would be able to go 11km/h over the limit which would put you into the higher tier of punishments and see you run the risk of copping some serious fines.</p> <p>This thought echoed by Victoria Police when asked about the truth behind the myth.</p> <p>In a statement a spokesperson told Yahoo news Australia that “our role is to prevent people from becoming seriously injured or dying on our roads”.</p> <p>If you are detected travelling over the limit you should expect to be caught” the statement said.</p> <p>As you would expect anyone caught speeding and given a ticket will find themselves staring at a combination of both fines and demerit points.</p> <p>The punishments for speeding differ depending on how far over the limit you are. Fortunately, only slight breaking the speeding limit (less than 10km/h) comes with a fairly lenient penalty will that allows you to keep your license with some penalty points added. If you are caught prepare to take a double penalty combo wherever you go. These vary across Australia with each state offering the following combinations:</p> <ul> <li><strong>NSW:</strong> Speeding penalties are based on the vehicle type. Most road users will have a Class A vehicle which will see you given a $123 fine and issued one demerit point. The penalty is harsher for new drivers, as P-platers will be issued four demerit points instead of one.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>VIC:</strong> Drivers are given the same penalty regardless of their experience level and face a $227 fine and one demerit point if they break the speed limit by less than 10km/h.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>QLD:</strong> Drivers are driven a bit more leeway with speeds as the lowest penalty boundary is stretched to 13km/h. However, offenders can still get a fine of $183 and one demerit point will be added to their license.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>SA:</strong> Drivers must be 9km/h or under if they want to escape harsh penalties. Those caught just breaking the speed limit face a combined fine of $275 and could receive two demerit points to their license.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>WA:</strong> A slight enigma as they are the only state not to issue demerit points for speeding just over the limit. If you are caught doing 9km/h or less over the limit you will only receive a $100 fine.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>TAS:</strong> These rules are lenient for anyone who is found only just breaking the speed limit. If you aren’t move than 10km/h over the limit, you will be given an $83 fine as well as two demerit points added to your license.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>ACT:</strong> The lowest penalty band is extended to 15km/h however, the penalties are some of the harshest in the country. Anyone caught travelling just over the speed limit faces a fine of $301 and one demerit point. If it occurs in a school zone the fine increases to $325.</li> </ul> <ul> <li><strong>NT:</strong> Similar to the ACT, the NT extends penalty band to 15km/h. The penalties for getting caught are harsh with $150 fine and one demerit point issued to offending drivers.</li> </ul> <p>Despite risk of fines, there are some leeway’s given to drivers as authorities do acknowledge speedometers and other measuring devices have a slight degree of inaccuracy. This thought was echoed by the NRMA to spokesperson Peter Khoury who says that drivers are “given restricted leeway to accommodate slight inaccuracy of measuring devices within a reasonable degree of concession”.</p> <p>“We strongly urge drivers to stick to the speed limits regardless of a potential leeway given to them by police” he added.</p> <p>It is always best to stick to the speed limit, even when in a rush.</p>

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Traffic noise could increase your risk of dementia

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The amount of noise a person is exposed to from road and railway traffic could affect their risk of developing dementia, according to international research.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A team from Denmark has investigated the connection between long-term residential exposure to road traffic and railway noise and dementia risk among two million adults over the age of 60 living in Denmark between 2004 and 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">To do this, they estimated the level of road traffic and railway noise at the most and least exposed sides of every residential address in Denmark.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, they analysed national health registers in search of all cases of all-cause dementia and different types, including Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and Parkinson’s disease related dementia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After taking other potentially influential factors into account, the team found that an average of 10 years exposure to noise was associated with a higher risk of dementia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They also found that both road and railway noise were associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s, with a 27 percent increase for exposure to road traffic noise of 55 decibels and a 24 percent increase for exposure to railway noise of 50 decibels.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, they found that the increased risk of vascular dementia was only associated with road traffic noise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers note that the study is observational and doesn’t include information about how lifestyle habits could have played a part in participants’ risks of developing dementia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They conclude: “If these findings are confirmed in future studies, they might have a large effect on the estimation of the burden of disease and healthcare costs attributed to transportation noise.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Expanding our knowledge of the harmful effects of noise on health is essential for setting priorities and implementing effective policies and public health strategies focused on the prevention and control of diseases, including dementia.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers estimate that as many as 14 percent of the 8,475 cases of dementia in Denmark in 2017 could be attributed to transportation noise exposure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Transportation noise has been previously linked to several other health conditions, including coronary heart disease, obesity, and diabetes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study was published in the journal </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bmj.com/content/374/bmj.n1954" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The BMJ</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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