Are the E/W N/S important?
Wed, 06/27/2007 - 10:00pm
 16 years
|
I'm just wondering if the E/W (east / west) directionals for the cameras actually work. In other words if I am heading North and the camera file has E/W does it alert me? or are they there just to let you know if you are reading the alert?
Not yet
Garmin haven't yet provided a means of setting a directional alert. The unit can do it - Garmin's Safety Camera database (available in Europe) does provide directional alerts, using a different 'flavour' of .GPI file.
Presumably, the "Content Toolkit" will unleash this functionality. (When it will be available and how much it will cost is not known at the moment).
------------------------ Phil Hornby, Stockport, England ---------------------- http://GeePeeEx.com - Garmin POI Creation made easy »
Camera Locations
At least where I am in Texas, all the red light cameras cover both N/S and E/W. This doesn't make sense since generally people run the lights in the direction of the most traffic or the direction that stays red the longest.
E/W
While the cameras may cover the entire intersection/roadway, for speed purposes it is helpful to know where the speed measurement will be made. In Scottsdale,AZ the sensors are embedded in the roadway lanes.
Based on the alert distance set on the GPS, alerts for cameras on the opposing side of the freeway then can be determined. At intersections or mid-block locations, knowing the direction being measured is helpful.
Intersections with red light cameras have a red line painted perpendicular to the traffic lane as a reference point. These cameras are triggered in the direction being monitored.
Recent installations monitor both speed and red light activity, with sensors in the pavement.
E/W
I agree except I rarely look at the GPS unit. I just listen. Many of the cameras in Arizona are one direction camera's, some of them are listed that way in the red / speed files, while others are not.
Examples:
Northbound Scottsdale Rd at Thomas Rd Speed/red
Northbound Scottsdale Rd at Cactus Rd Speed/red
Southbound Hayden Rd at Indian School Rd Speed/red
Southbound Pima Rd at Pinnacle Peak Rd Speed/red
Northbound Hayden Rd at McCormick Pkwy Speed/red
Northbound Scottsdale Rd at FLW Blvd Speed/red
Southbound Scottsdale Rd at Shea Blvd Speed/red
Eastbound Shea Blvd at 90TH St Speed/red
East & Westbound Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd at 77th ST Speed only (mid-block)
+ Garmin nuvi 350 + Garmin nuvi 755T
...and another
The city was inspired to locate the new mid-block camera on Pima between Hualapai and Downing-Olsen on a curve blind to both N/S directions! Pima has recently been realigned to the east, so the maps (V8 and 2008) do not show the realignment. It was fun entering enough alert points so that the alerts work while traveling north-bound.
...haven't seen the proposed camera on Shea at 120-124th as yet, but I suspect it is not far off.