A Modest Proposal for traffic safety.

The GPS receiver has become a must have accessory for many automobile owners.

Its amazing powers of location coupled with an accurate map can help to guide the most directionally challenged to their destination.
The problem arises  when the GPS's internal map no longer matches the reality of the road.
Updates are available from the manufacturers, usually at a cost.
There is a technological cost as well. The units generally do not update themselves.
They require a web connected PC or Mac, software, cables, and the ability for follow instructions.
In short, beyond the capabilities of most users.
Most people will use the same GPS until it physically fails.
It is painfully obvious when a GPS directed driver with an out of date map meets a new traffic pattern.
The car slows, turn signals go on, but the expected turn does not materialize.
The car stops in traffic, the drivers brain apparently has locked up.
Most of the time there is adequate signage directing drivers to the appropriate turn or ramp for the new traffic pattern.
The magic box, does not show the new traffic pattern , so the only solution must be illegal U-turns and making your own road.

The solution could be found in several places.
GPS units could be required to update their maps regularly, without user intervention. That would require a radio system , and cost more.

Automotive GPS systems could use something like Google Maps or TeleNav which do not hold local maps, but download map tiles of the area via a cellular data connection.
These maps are generally updated more frequently. Most smartphones have this capability today.
Just Bluetooth or WiFi link the phone with the auto navigation system.

The basic GPS could be cheaper and not upgradeable. They just quit after some time period, 1 year or there about. That GPS would go out of date, but then become unusable and no longer a problem.
Not very sustainable.

Make the portable GPS easier to update, with reminders. Really annoying reminders.
 Keep the price about the same.

I just want to keep people headed in the right direction, in spite of their techno toys.

In the spirit of easter

So today was a slow day.
I ripped old vinyl to FLAC's.
Got them on the NAS so I can enjoy them again.
The workflow took a while to get used to.
I am using Audacity, a right nice product. Version 2.0 was just released a couple of weeks ago.
It would be nice to have something that would automatically split the tracks, but hey if I Really wanted something like that I should learn to write the proper scripts or something like that.
Looking through the old albums was fun.
It makes more sense to me at this time to rip old records rather than buy new cd's.
I don't listen to them enough to worry about the quality and I already spent the money thirty years ago.
Anyhow it was nice to listen to some classics from the '70's .