This would be a great idea, if people used it for its intended purpose (as you have described). I can see a great deal of abuse as well, like goons hitting on single women in their cars. Also, 20 feet is a little too close, particularly if you get into a heated exchange with another driver. If you are traveling directly behind, 20 feet will not give you much time to react let alone stop. Drivers are already distracted enough with cell phones and hot coffee and such. Your device could work if the majority of drivers didn't consider their vehicles as personal spaces that shouldn't be encroached upon.

Good Luck

Good idea; this could prevent many difficult situations and accidents.
Maybe it would be a good idea to add this function to the current GPS systems (to prevent a new gadget which is distracting you.)

Nice video by the way!

Thanks for the comments. I know that this can be abused. So can the human voice, and the hand, especially one of its fingers in particular... The question is (and the market will determine) whether people will use this *at all* for the intended purpose.

If nothing else, it would be an interesting social experiment, wouldn't it! Pick a community and equip all vehicles this way and see...what...happens....!!!

Wouldn't work in the UK.

People are too angry/flirty to use it properly and also the police will not like another driver distraction.

Rich, what do you think the cost and target price of these devices should be? You are right, it could work, if they are used FOR their intended purpose. But, how many people have you seen that even actually signal or even wave thanks? If you are in a large city, the numbers are dwindling. That's why I think that it would be more prone to abuse as well as another distraction for the driver. It could work in a smaller community, although I think that drivers in smaller traffic areas tend to be more courteous to other drivers anyway.

Richexclaim, this device would certainly make for an interesting world... probably one with unintended consequences... but what the hey! I don't think you'll be able to roll it out though as a 1-purpose instrument. To say "I'm gonna make a car device that only has value if other cars have the same device" is being like trying to sell the first fax machine... its only good if someone else with a fax machine can receive your transmissions so it has zero value.

(Except of course with fax machines you'd buy 1 for each of your office branches, so it was able to take off.) On the road, until you've got 1% market penetration you'll never get any use out of the device. And don't count of the Gov enforcing a roll-out (we don't do infrastructure here at CH... its too hard and we're a small community).

So is there a way of making this work given existing technology? Maybe you could do this via Android (or very flexible cell phones) with Bluetooth enabled? So maybe you're always broadcasting your audio (when you're not making a call) and any nearby cars can pick it up.

This is the only way I can think of it working... and again those other drivers around you need to be running the same app to receive. So even with the low entrance costs (its just software) of this approach I doubt it'll take off.

Offhand I'd say its an iffy idea (which is still worth considering) which MIGHT not have any likely path to successful implementation.

Ever here of a CB radio?

Thanks, I knew this would be a fun one to talk about. Here are some interim comments.

Yes, I have "heard" of Citizen's Band radio. It was a fad, and unlike a true hobby (like ham radio) it passed. This is not meant to be a fad but rather a standard equippage in automobiles just like a car radio now is. In fact, this could be integrated into the car radio system.

To the point about fax machines - good one! Yes, others will have to have this in their cars or this loses significant value. Again, I think it would have to be tested in a few communities.

It *would* be interesting to see how a UK versus a US versus a Brazilian versus a Taiwanese community reacts to this "capability".

All I really am talking about here is a more "amplified" and "facilitated" version of what we already do - roll down windows, gesture, yell. This opens another channel.

So 10-4, Elinor, that's my 10-20, over and out. I'll let you know if I see any smokies!

I really can't see this flying- more and more crackdown on cells in cars and you can see the statitics about distractions- how is this any different?

or honestly any different from putting a CB in everyone's vehicle?

A citizen's band radio is as different from this idea as a bicycle is from a volcano.

==> A CB radio has 40 channels. You have to consciously choose a channel that someone else is on to have a conversation. There is a standard emergency channel (9) but people do not leave their radios on that channel. DriveMeSane would use a common hailing frequency. Think Old Star Trek and Lt. Uhura. ...if you are old enough...

==>A CB radio has enough power to reach not only to the other side of town but across the world (CB is 27 MHz or the 11-meter band) via ionospheric skip. DriveMeSane is intentionally limited to a short radius.

==>CB radio has its own set of codes, lingo and subculture. This is simply humans talking to humans as they would when they are, for example, in a supermarket checkout line.

With regards to distractions, this is handsfree, would use the car's own radio and audio system.

I realize (as I said in the introuction) that this is not without logistics issues, and I'm fully aware that it can be abused. But...so can the human voice and hand. So does that mean we prevent those from working, too?

Logistics of the idea are over the top-
and please "human voice and hand?"
I wasn't referring to abuse, but the simple crackdown on distractions...
IE you are driving in a parking lot and you have this device on and suddenly someone say "hey you in the red convertible" how is that not a distraction like a cell phone etc?

Thyden - you are right, it would be a distraction. No question. But maybe we <I>want</I> to distract the red convertible who is about to hit your car or run over a duck....

To your point - the logistics probably make this impossible. But I'm just testing the idea...

Well I happen to think that bicycles and volcanoes are very similar. Lets imagine that you are working as a PM and the 'Volcano of Tasks' is about to erupt. Would you not grab your fiddle and climb on board the 'Bicycle of get off your ass and do something, before it is to late'?

I think you would! Each resource (bike and volcano) is interlinked and indeed dependent on the other for their very existence.

IMPORTANT: Please take this in the sense of humor that it was meant to be taken, because this was just too funny to pass up, Rich2809...

Ready...?

If you think volcanoes and bicycles are so similar, then GO SIT ON A VOLCANO!

Let me know how that works out for you!

Richex,

Don't now how you would eliminate the cross-talk. If you needed to direct a comment to a specific vehicle how would you do that? "Hey you in the white car... move out of the way" If a number of people were trying to catch the attention of the same person the message might get lost.

Perhaps the device design could be reconsidered and rather than making it hands free, I propose the following:

Make it a square, with EIGHT buttons, one in each corner and one on each side.

-----------------
| 1 2 3 |
| |
| 4 5 |
| |
| 6 7 8 |
-----------------

When you want address the driver ahead of you, you would press "2", behind you, press "7".

Just another take on your idea.

Sorry, my diagram got messed up by the text editor. I think you get the picture though.

Basically people will still be yelling and screaming and cursing - only now they will have a direct link to the asshole who cut them off. Will the device have a middle finger option that pops up to let you know when someone has flipped you off?

All radio frequencies are regulate you can't just use a frequency without approval.

"It was a fad, and unlike a true hobby (like ham radio) it passed. "
CB radio is used is just about every truck I have ever seen. Including a few cars. It is still being used frequently.

Next, on the CB radio you could use the PA system if you have an external speaker.

Ham radio is also still being used but, you need a license and special equipment. So, that is harder to find.

"So 10-4, Elinor, that's my 10-20, over and out. I'll let you know if I see any smokies!"
Ya, for got to say just to let you all know:
10-4 = affirmative I heard you
10-20 = your/my location
smokies = police

CB is indeed used by truckers as a legitimate form of communications.

As a "hobby" for individuals and regular vehicle drivers, it's uncommon, and enjoyed brief 'fad' status for a short time. That's what I meant. Yes, for ham radio one needs a license, has to learn radio theory and in some cases Morse code.

But we're way off topic. We need to continue listing reasons why this is a crazy idea!

I think this is more likely to be used to start fights than stop them.

And what if there are more lanes?
It would only work if everybody has and I am for sure not going to buy it!
Tommy

I tend to agree with Davidwei,

Quote:" I think this is more likely to be used to start fights than stop them."

I imagine that this would be a great idea in a civilised community.

Unfortunately I am familiar with cities where, drug dealers, bank robbers and lunatics of all sorts drive cars. Choosing which one to offer free advice to, could be more risky than playing "Russian Roulette" Lol ?

The idea is nice and sometimes i would like to ask people what they are doing but at the moment itself i wouldn't do my best to be civilised ;-)

and most people that would get comments get them because they don't care about the people around them so they turn the system of.

maybe common offences could have their own code and via bluetooth you send someone the code of what they are doing wrong and if they get the same code a lot it might get them thinking.

davidwei nails it

There are already modified automotive horns you can purchase with a fixed set of (~10) *.mp3 format messages. Some permit you to pre-record your own *.mp3.
At least pre-recorded messages would avoid the tendancy for abuse due to impulsive messages with the proposed Drive Me Sane idea.

At a busy intersection, even with a keypad that can be used for bearings, the possibility of talking to a driver other than the one you think you're talking to would inevitably lead to lawsuits and liability issues. It would only be worse if everyone had one. The only time you'd know who you're talking to is when there is only one vehicle nearby.

IMHO, this idea should be left in the daydream department. Alvin

The idea is incedibly appealing - but I just can't see it working :-(

A very cheap way to implement would be very short range FM transmitters [which have just been made legal in the UK for iPod to in-car radio links]

I have to agree with tlyden. It sounds like a good idea, but in practice it can be more of a distraction. At the moment at least each person has to take responsibility for their own action rather than finding the blame with others.

From a business point of view, I think the device needs to reach a critical mass to be able to work and I can't see that happening. For such technologies to work, it needs to get standardised and incorporated into one of the existing devices such as sat navs.