Area Entity

Personal Console PUBLIC APPLICATION
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District is the lowest level of government responsible for basic services like collection of rubbish, provision of libraries etc.

In Australia they openstreetmap administrative area level 9, often call local government area (LGAs) or councils.

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District Status is still in its early stages of development, but you can already see bits and pieces inside your Private Cyberspace (from road speed limits inside community maps to voice interfaces for those on the move).

Reducing Deaths and Fines

Speeding is the top contributor to death and injury in our state (NSW, Australia) and also a significant contributor to fines collected.

Increase situation awareness provided by Citizen Synergy solving the Privacy vs Visibility conundrum can reduce road deaths and traffic fines.

1. Speed Limit

The privacy protection provided by your Private Cyberspace mean you can query the latest up to the minute speed limit of your stretch of road WITHOUT disclosing your location to others and get notifications anonymously if you have exceeded the speed limit.

Ringtone Notification is especially helpful to drivers of old vehicles that do NOT have access to voice based speed limit warning (which automatically gives out a warning when the car has exceed speed limit).

This not only help drivers of old cars, but also passengers of commercial vehicles monitor speed of their travel.

Speed limits are available in most community maps e.g. in NSW Australia where streets without labels are set with a "default speed limit" of 50 km/hour.

Currently the global openstreetmap database for road speed limits.

2.1. Google Maps Alert

Google does offer speed limit alert with Google Maps App problems include

  1. Better Privacy - Google Map speed alert is based on your profile so knows almost everything else about you. Citizen Synergy separates your speed with your identity.
  2. Better Indication - Google Map only changes the colour of the speed indicator - take eyes OFF road to see. Citizen Synergy can ring the mobile and play custom ring tones or voice messages e.g. above 10km different voice to above 15 km.
  3. Better Control - Google Map cannot set when to activate the alert. Citizen Synergy alerts are controlled by user.
  4. Better Reach - Google Map need to be ON for the alert to work. Citizen Synergy works in the background, all passengers (no just the driver) no matter what app they have on their screen will get speed alert if they are exceeding the speed limit of the road they are on.
  5. Better Impact - Google Map cannot warn others about your speeds. Citizen Synergy's unique privacy protection means if you are a professional driver required by your employer or if you are worried that under the influence of alcohol or friends you might act badly, then you can optionally set an alert speed (e.g. 40 km above limit) which OTHERS within the same area entity will be alerted.

2.2. User Update

Background speed limit data are normally available from governments through their open data programs e.g. the NSW Australia road speed limit data is available for free at Speed Zones | TfNSW Open Data Hub and Developer Portal It is provided as a Shapefile which can be read using the free QGIS program:
Download QGIS

An advantage of using a community map is that you can update those government open data sourced speed limit at any time!

If you spotted an error or a change in the speed limit you can fix it directly using the inbuilt editor at openstreetmap.org:
For example:
OpenStreetMap
the value to change for a road is "maxspeed":
Key:maxspeed - OpenStreetMap Wiki

Or if you are really keen you can perform a bulk upload of speed limits (e.g. using shapefile) with the free JOSM software.

Large shapefiles needs to be reduced in size first and Import Guidelines must be followed.

Recommended steps for Bulk Uploads:

  1. Create a wiki page YourUserName/ImportName with all the info about your import (e.g. how you plan to merge your data).
  2. Create OSM file using JOSM including converting, reviewing and adjusting.
  3. Upload the OSM file on public server (not to real openstreetmap yet), and link to it on the wiki page.
  4. Send a message to the imports mailing list pointing to the wiki page.
  5. Wait for feedbacks and adjust OSM file taking all feedbacks into account.
  6. Upload OSM file.

1. Emergency Vehicles

1. Voice Interface

If voice interfaces in car are more accurate and flexible than the use if touch screen can be much reduced.

The voice interface in your Private Cyberspace is trained exclusively by you so can be close to 100% accurate, allowing you to keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel. Studies have shown that touch screens are much worse than driving above the drinking limit.

handsfree

Besides driving a private and accurate voice interface can also help when walking and running along the road, the hands are more free and there is less need to look down on the phone.