Re: OT: Converting miles/km

On 21/09/2024 12:52, Silvano wrote:

Hibou hat am 21.09.2024 um 09:20 geschrieben:

Le 20/09/2024 à 20:05, Sam Plusnet a écrit :

>
Also, most modern cars can be persuaded to display speed (digitally)
in either mph or kph to suit your current needs.

>
Our recent hire cars have displayed the speed limit, as read from limit
signs via their cameras. It is often wrong, displaying a recent speed
limit, not the current one - unsurprisingly, since in France there are a
variety of signs that set the speed (a crossed-out place name, for
instance), the camera lens may be dirty, a lorry may mask a sign, and so
on.
>
Apparently, the crazy EU has made this flawed system the basis for
mandatory speed limiters (and the crazy UK has followed suit). If you
run into someone stuck at 30 kph on a 130 kph autoroute, that's probably
the reason.
>
"However, our experience of such systems suggests they can get it wrong.
In one instance, a car's traffic sign recognition system picked up a
30mph sign on a turning off a dual carriage and dramatically slowed
down, despite the fact the car was actually travelling along the outside
lane" -
<https://www.parkers.co.uk/car-advice/speed-limiters-what-they-mean-for-you/>
>
>
God preserve us from government!

 
 
Japan was already wiser 40 years ago, but the more appropriate name is
probably "speed limit warnings".
A friend gave me a ride there when an alarm sound went off.
- What does this noise mean?
- I was driving at over 100 km/h (the speed limit on their highways at
that time). We have a warning system on all our cars.
- What about all those cars overtaking us? Do they produce the same noise?
- Yes.

This sound warning is optional on my car (i.e. can be disabled). The
visual warning (on the GPS display) however, is not.  As soon as you go
over the speed limit, the colour of the limit indicator changes (to
red). The absence of a sound warning is a blessing, rather than a
handicap. It is annoying most of the time, and can be dangerous at other
times e.g. when you are accelerating for a good reason.