Infograph: Red Light Running – Get the Facts

March 14, 2012 at 11:31 am

(Source: National Coalition for Safer Roads)

No technology in the transportation domain gets the general public in a tizzy as much as the red light enforcement. Though the technology has been in use for  over a decade and raked up some impressive stats in terms of lives saved, the sight of cameras at the intersection continue to remain a point of contention in many communities across the country.  For the naysayers, here comes an infograph highlighting the dangers of red light running and how enforcement technology has helped address this problem.  Also check out the one-page Get The Facts (PDF document) that accompanies this infographic.

Poetry at Bullet Speed – MotoGP World Champion Casey Stoner Breaks Down Technique For Cornering At High Speeds

March 12, 2012 at 8:58 pm

Earlier today, a Redditor (iamstandingbehindyou) first posted this picture shown below of MotoGP world champion Casey Stoner. The way this rider was captured made a lot of folks wonder if it is photoshopped or a real one.  Looking at the banking angle, one would assume that either the rider & the bike are already in the process of biting the dust or have to conclude that it is no way a real one.

Image Courtesy: Sharonov.Tumblr.com via Reddit

Later in the day, another Redditor (unfknreal) posted the Red Bull Moments video below which confirmed that it is NOT a silly photoshop but a very real and  legendary live performance caught on camera. Sheer poetry in  motion caught on camera and the 1000fps slow motion reveals the beuaty of that split second action in all its glory! Just look at that sheer talent! I had goose bumps just watching it on video.  I think this is what legends are made of – delivering such virtuoso performance as part of their everyday business.   For a guy who has been riding bikes since he was 4 years old, it shows how much talent he has handling a screaming monster on the race track. Casey Stoner = LEGEND.  Respect!

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4snkUUolJ0&hd=1′]

Racing Masterclass – This is what gliding on ice at 258 kmph at looks like (with -4F temperature)

March 9, 2012 at 8:12 pm

My heart skipped a beat watching this video. Let’s leave it at that.  The details from MotoJournal about this video:  EXTREME, 258 KM/H ON ICE: Porsche GT3RS, Mitsubishi Evo 9 face to Yamaha R1 and WRF 450 in Lapland by minus 20 degrees on the replica (scale one) of the legendary track of Le Castellet. Who will win? Don’t miss “Ice Age 5” on the 27th of March! Now, I can’t wait till March 27 to catch the whole craziness.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OX_weIUwd_o&hd=1′]

Padded Landing for Pedestrians – Volvo Introduces World’s First Pedestrian Airbag

March 9, 2012 at 7:13 pm

(Source: Mashable)

In line with its tradition of producing many of the safest cars on  this planet, Volvo is once again upping the contributions towards road user safety.  Mind you, this is not just occupant safety but also one that cares about the most vulnerable of all road users – the pedestrians.  The video below explains how this tech. feature will help save pedestrians during a collision.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOlEt_Acq4o&hd=1′]

Portland, Oregon: Home of the kilt-wearing, bagpipe-playing, unicycle-riding Darth Vader

March 9, 2012 at 6:12 pm

(Source: via Reddit)

Image Courtesy: Imgur.com via Reddit

Transit Refugees – London’s homeless prepare for rough nights as bendy buses pave way for double decker buses

March 8, 2012 at 2:41 pm

(Source: Telegraph)

Hundreds of homeless people travelled on London’s bendy buses at night, finding a safe haven and a place to sleep. But now the buses have been withdrawn, where will they all go? Filmmaker Robert Wilkins spent a week travelling the N29 meeting homeless people who use it as a refuge and a warm place to sleep. As double deckers come back onto London’s streets, it’s expected that fewer people will be able to get on without a ticket.

Checkmate, TSA – Blogger unmasks the flaws in the $1Billion nude body scanners deployed at U.S. airports

March 6, 2012 at 11:07 pm

(Source: TSAoutofourPants.wordpress.com via Reddit)

Blogger Jonathan Corbett is upping the ante in his protracted fight against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) much criticized Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In the video below, he demonstrates the flaws in the nude body scanners widely deployed at US airports.  Amazing to see how simple yet effective his strategy is  as he clears the security check points at multiple airports with hidden materials completely undetected.  TSA is going to have some serious explaining to do soon as this video is starting to go viral. It is already generating a brick ton of comments on Reddit.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olEoc_1ZkfA’]

Click here to read more.

Petrol and Politics – How Rising Gas Prices Make For Silly Political Games

March 2, 2012 at 2:54 pm

(Source: Reddit.com)

The brilliance of this image lies in exposing the hypocracy surrounding the escalation in gas prices. Too bad such political ploys have become the norm at Capitol Hill.  Can we let the President focus on solving the nation’s problems and spare him these silly distractions?  Compelling enough for a web post.

Image Courtesy: via Reddit

Metro Bus Drivers Pay Scant Attention To Washington, DC Traffic Lights & Rules

March 1, 2012 at 6:04 pm

(Source: WJLA.com)

A local news agency’s investigation shows countless red light violations by Metrobuses plying the streets of Washington, DC.   Some of the incidents caught on camera show how crazy these bus drivers are to do what they do on the roads.  This video below should become an integral part of WMATA’s training for bus drivers, esp. for repeat offenders.

Too bad WMATA’s communications team now looks like a deer caught in the headlights. They really do not have a strategy in place to handle this PR nightmare and could not come up with even a single example of how it reprimands such careless drivers when asked what disciplinary measures they undertook to stem this problem.