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Crushing on the highway
July 19, 2012
Mexican construction giant Ingeniero Civiles Associados is using five Fintec track-mounted mobile crushers to aid in the construction of a key highway project to link Queretaro with Irapuato in the centre of the country. The project forms a key part of an infrastructure upgrading programme that will cost in the region of US$72 million and bring faster transport connections to the central part of Mexico. The road will help boost the economy in the State of Guanajuato by improving transport links to Mexico's
No men at work
July 19, 2012
A campaign by the editor of a women's magazine resulted in road signs being altered in the US city of Atlanta, Georgia. Following this move, over 50 'Men at Work' or 'Men Working' warnings will be repainted at a cost of US$22/sign. The city says that all future signs it buys will be gender neutral. Over half of the Atlanta Public Works department's employees are women, and some had complained about the signs in the past.
Name and shame
July 19, 2012
Police in the Chinese city of Shanghai are using naming and shaming tactics to try and prevent pedestrians, moped riders and cyclists from breaking traffic rules. The police are filming and photographing key intersections and will publish photos and videos of jaywalkers in newspapers and on a special TV channel set up for the purpose. However some human rights lawyers have criticised the scheme, saying that public humiliation is too great a punishment for the offence.
No superhero
July 19, 2012
In the Australian city of Melbourne, an 18- year-old man was critically injured when he was hit by a four wheel drive vehicle. The man had been dared by his friends to stand on a freeway, wearing only his underwear for protection. The vehicle was written off in the incident although its occupants were unhurt. Local police criticised the man for his "utter stupidity" and said it was lucky that no-one was killed.
The wrong stuff?
July 19, 2012
Holidaymakers to Spain are realising to their cost that driving a vehicle while not carrying their license risks a fine from the police if caught. Meanwhile in France, drivers can be fined by police for not carrying a reflective jacket or a hazard warning triangle in their vehicles. Exactly how these measures are expected to tackle factors that provide a major source of road accidents in both countries, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or overtaking dangerously, remains to be seen.
Fuel savings
July 19, 2012
Police in the US and the UK are being forced to tackle motoring expenses due to rising fuel costs. In various US states, police are being told to turn off engines and air-conditioning when vehicles are at rest and that patrols should open windows and park under trees to stay cool on warm days. In some states, drivers stopped for speeding will also have to pay a fuel surcharge on top of their fine, to cover the cost of the fuel used in their pursuit. Meanwhile in the UK, the Devon and Cornwall police force i
Speed record
July 19, 2012
In the UK, a new speed record has been achieved with a Honda Formula 1 car clocking an eye-watering speed of 1,600km/h (1,000mph). However, this was a scale speed and was achieved using the popular Scalextric slot car racing set. For the record attempt a 60m stretch of track was used and this beat the previous scale speed record of 1,115km/h (697mph). The Scalextric cars are 1:32 scale so in fact, the slot car was travelling at a real 50km/h, itself no mean achievement.
Video evidence
July 19, 2012
A man in Leeds has been described by the authorities as the UK city's most stupid criminal, after posting 80 videos on the Internet involving a range of vehicle-related offences. One of the video clips showed the man recording the speed of a vehicle in which he was a passenger. It hit speeds of over 224km/h (140mph), double the maximum allowable speed limit on the UK's fastest roads. The man also recorded clips of the car in which he was a passenger when racing other vehicles, driving away from a petrol fil
Stolen goods
July 19, 2012
A booming construction market in Russia has prompted thieves to target construction equipment rather than up-market car brands such as Mercedes as was the case in the past. The Moscow police have had to undergo training to learn about construction equipment, to deal with this new crime wave. Asphalt pavers, cranes and dump trucks all number amongst the machines taken, with equipment even being stolen in broad daylight on occasion.
Scanning accurately
July 19, 2012
Riegl says that its innovative laser scanners allow accurate 3D mapping from the air or on-road. The system uses high-speed laser pulses to capture millimetre accurate measurements at ranges of up to 500m. The scanners offer online full-waveform analysis, digital processing and high data capture rates, according to the firm. With scanning rates up to 100 scans/second and pulse repetition rates up to 200 Hz the range is said to offer multiple, unlimited target capability. A range of additional options includ
Streetworks management
July 19, 2012
New software from Mayrise Systems is designed to allow local authorities to improve street works. Contractors use permits to restrict works to fixed dates and conditions and the latest version of the Mayrise Street Works software allows better scheduling of operations. The package can be used to manage notices, updates and the tracking of works status with automated alerts on over-running work. It also offers integrated MapNow mapping to provide a quick visual works locator, geographic sites analysis and fo
Tamper-proof cab cameras
July 19, 2012
A frequent problem for fleet operators is created by drivers interfering with the CCTV monitors in their cabs, making them unable to show reversing or other camera images. Brigade Electronics has responded by developing a new tamper-proof model, and this means the top-of-the-range BE-870FM's software upgrade allows fleet operators to disable the driver's ability to adjust monitor settings, by locking the control panel, while retaining necessary functionality. The flat-screen colour monitor has single, sp
Real time site monitoring technology
July 19, 2012
Leica Geosystems is broadening its site monitoring technology with the introduction of the GeoMoS package. This can be linked to the firm's existing GNSS Spider software to offer an array of TPS and GNSS monitoring tools. Combined, these tools provide a web-based service for visualisation and analysis of monitoring. Authorised users can access a monitoring project using a web browser, pocket PC or mobile phone. Using the GeoMoS Web service, graphs and views can be customised and be tailored to the needs of
Emulbitume pushes forward in Russia
July 19, 2012
Strengthening a ten-year partnership with its sole distributor, Emulbitume trained Agrimex to install, start and ensure the after-sales service of the whole range of bitumen emulsion production units and polymer modified bitumen (PMB) units in Russia. "With 16 plants already in service in Russia, Emulbitume and Agrimex are confident that this step forward will enhance their presence and activity in this fast growing economy " says the company. Meanwhile, the French manufacturer of emulsion plants has des
Old and new wearing well
July 19, 2012
Kirkstall Abbey is hundreds of years old, while Stonegrip, manufactured by Prismo Road Markings, is by comparison extremely new, but both are wearing extremely well. The abbey in the northern English city of Leeds dates back to 1125, and is one of the most complete examples of a medieval Cistercian Abbey in Britain. Over the past few years it has benefited from a £5.5 million (E7 million) National Lottery-funded investment, granted for the general upkeep of the structure and its surrounds. As a result, more