My local BBC radio station (Three counties radio covering Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire) have removed the part of the traffic announcement signal that causes audio equipment to override and switch to the station broadcasting a traffic announcement.
The radio station have stated:
'I have had quite a significant number of listeners contact me to say they find the system irritating. On that basis, we have decided to suspend the automated service.'
I cannot follow the logic of this. The radio station still broadcast traffic announcements as it did before. If listeners found it irritating before, then I'd guess they'll still find it irritating now. If they were irritated by the interruptions to whatever they were listening to, then all they have to do is turn off the TA feature.
Is it me? Am I missing something?
I believe it takes about an hour after a an incident occurs before it's broadcast and so traffic announcements aren't always very useful. But I still find them helpful in avoiding problems if you're far enough away.
Does anyone know if other radio stations have taken similar measures?
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Maybe it is the rip-off OFCOM license.
OFCOM have become a rip-off beurocratic tax-collector under Labour.
Alternatively, they do seem to abuse the system and use it to switch people to their station. In Nottingham, they seem to use it randomly, and leave it on for 10 mins even if they just quip a remark about traffic.
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The explanation sounds suspect to me too, given that you can just turn the feature off with a single button press on every car stereo I've ever come across. I've been using this function for years and on the whole it's very helpful, despite some stations abusing it as Hamsafar says.
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Sounds like a lie to me - my guess is they've lost the engineer who knew how to make it work.
In particular, how can it annoy usual listeners of 3CR? The switching signal doesn't affect them. Its presence or absence can only annoy NON-listeners...
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I believe it takes about an hour after a an incident occurs before it's broadcast and so traffic announcements aren't always very useful. But I still find them helpful in avoiding problems if you're far enough away.
Traffic announcements can be useful - mostly when there is a major incident, but my main iritation with them is that the "system" is not updated and they are still giving out - for example - 2 lanes blocked by junction x on Mx when the blockage is long since cleared up.
Many times I've driven past the very spot that is referred to in the bulletin, and there is no longer any delay - vehicles already removed to the hard shoulder - and yet up to an hour later they are still giving out...." accident 2 lanes blocked long delays etc". I'm sure many drivers exit the motorway/A road and take a alternate route unnecessarily.
As to the switching signal - I'll put the TA on when I go out later and see if the local BBC (Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wales, Wiltshire, H & W are all within range !") are still operating the system
Jacks
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Jacks - local radio relies on local input - one way to get things removed is to tell them.
I called about a 3 mile tailback on a local road due to a wagon breaking down at a set of lights. By the next bulletin it was being reported on.
Edited by daveyjp on 12/03/2009 at 11:19
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I agree with the misuse of the system, some of local commercial stations switch you onto their station, for some trvial peice of "Traffic News", and then dont switch back so you have to manually switch back, i take they do this in the hope that you carry on listing to there station but everytime its happened to me all i get to listen to is commnercials., however Usually have it switched off, becasue i find it very annoying when it stops playing a CD im listing to and i have to fiddle about putting the CD back on again
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Jacks - local radio relies on local input - one way to get things removed is to tell them.
I think they get the information from AA Roadwatch.
Calling up the station from your vehicle is a good way to give feedback - but not always practical or legal unless you have a hands free phone (I don't!).
J
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Depends on the Radio station, I've phoned into Wave 105 so many times I'm on first name terms with the travel team ;-) They use information from listeners, the Highways Agency, the Police, traffic cameras and speed sensors ( presumably trafficmaster). Certainly way more useful than the big expensive overhead signs on the M3 / M27 that are usually hopelessly out of date. BBC local radio do seem to be the worst offenders for 'hanging on' after a traffic announcement is finished IMX.
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Tried the TA service on first car that came with it. Picked up every travel flash from Oxford to Cambridge and Nottingham to Luton. Nothing much about Northampton though.
Radio 5 Live has very good coverage of major routes and of significant disruptions in towns etc. As above they use a mix of cameras, police and listener reports.
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