Driving While Distracted - Teens, 37% Gen Y-ers admit to texting while driving
Best quote: "However, multitasking while behind the wheel is quite different from multitasking while sitting at home"
U of U: Cell Phones = Plodding Along
The University of Utah took 36 Psych undergrads and put them into PatrolSims, which are basically Crown Vic simulators, and had them talk on cell phones while driving. Guess what? Cell Phones + driving = traffic
Traffic in LA
The LA Times has a great blog on the subject of traffic in Southern California: Bottleneck. Last month, a good piece was published in the Times on the controversy on the 405 freeway widening. I am one of the last paper subscribers (I like the random access that the web doesn't (yet) provide); as Arthur Sulzberger owner of the NY Times was recently quoted, "I really don't know whether we'll be printing the Times in five years, and you know what? I don't care either"
I'll post some information on some of the more unusual traffic situations we face in a major city like Los Angeles. As I have written before, most Angelenos regard late arrivers with indifference. Is this a permanent condition? Where is my Stanley?!?
Not Late today
I am taking a vacation down south this week. There is a different sense of urgency in sleepy beach towns in Mexico. Staying here too long and I might forget why I started a website on lateness to begin with. :)
Back in L.A. next week: fighting traffic and rethinking the problem...
Common Use
From Wikipedia on Late:
Late may refer to: The word "late" (see Wiktionary)
A delay, The designation of a person or thing as "Deceased",
Late, a 2000 album by The 77s
Which one of these didn't you expect? The album of course. That's the issue with Wikipedia as a trusted authority. I'm sure it's a nice album with the 77s though. Late lately? Tell you story! Take the Questionnaire below.
"The Late Guide"
One of the opportunities I had while working on Oops I’m Late! was with Robert Moskowitz, who wrote "How To Organize Your Work and Your Life,", "Total Time Management," and "Dollar$ and Sense". His work is found in the Quick Reference and has good tips on both how to deal with being late and what to do after. He does a great job prioritizing and putting things into perspective.
Getting less late
For the past six months I have been moonlighting a project of mine called Oops I'm Late! Check it out; it launched today!
The skinny: it uses the CC-licensed lateology formula (below) and automatically notifies people when you are late. If everything is set up in Outlook before you sync - there is nothing left to do!
Take the Lateology Questionnaire!
Dial (310) 424-1195 (charges may apply, int'l welcome)
Please don’t use offensive language and you can leave extra comments and promo at the end.
1. What is your first name?
2. Including city, state and geographic area slash landmarks, where were you headed when you were late?
3. Were you late previously?
4. Why were you late?
5. How late were you?
6. How did your being late affect others?
7. Did you get in trouble from being late?
8. What was the most frustrating thing about being late?
9. Upon reflection, what lesson, if any, did you learn?
10. How likely is it that you will be late again in the near future?
Introducing Fake GPS Helper
Fake GPS Helper works with the Windows Mobile system (5/6) and allows users to generate their own NMEA text files for use w/Fake GPS. Check out my blog for more info.
Lateology Formula
I have been working on a formula for solving the world’s ancient planning problem; arriving on time. Please feel free to make questions and/or comments on your thoughts regarding this theory for finding one’s ETA. It’s a fool’s errand, but partially solvable, I think.
Released under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 License is the following formula, based on the well known ETA = Distance/Speed, is my enhanced version below:
ETA/ETE = Current Distance / ((Rate/Average speed over the last x period (i.e. five minutes) + past avg speed )/2)
The past average speed is optional and is not factored in if not available but serves to create a less erratic result. Consider traveling along the route of a bus that is often late on certain days because of an event, a protest, sporting event, celebration, etc. If one has the practical knowledge on known traffic issues around certain areas, the data can be shared and accuracy would increase.
From Wikipedia on ETA, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estimated_time_of_arrival
For example, a certain flight may have a calculated ETA based on the speed by which it has covered the distance traveled so far. The distance remaining is divided by the speed previously measured to roughly estimate the arrival time. This particular method does not take into account any unexpected events (such as new wind directions) which may occur on the way to the flight's destination. [Emphasis added.]
Why is this? Cars on the grounds are not equivalent to wind; even unfortunate freeway accidents should have a predictable casual effect upon most of the commuters traveling through the effected areas. We have had accidents before and generally know how it will affect our commute. Moreover, many people have traveled the same route as part of their daily commute and could tell you how long it takes to get from X to Y.
Couldn’t we combine the 2 elements, real-time “facts on the ground” and known averages? Would that give you the correct and actual ETA each and every time you tried it and at any point? Of course not, but this a start and should make the general result more useful.
I welcome others to use this formula in development. Please give feedback, post your own opinion and findings here.
I’m Late! I’m Late! I’m Late!
I’m late for a very important date.
- The Mad Hatter – Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll