Motorway fog-warning system may have to be scrapped

[Bostonmess]

A high-tech motorway fog warning system in Germany may have to be scrapped because of spiders.

The spiders apparently spin their webs on automatic sensors which cost millions of euro to install across the country.

The sensors, which appear to be an ideal place for the webs, register when there's fog or mist by measuring the quality of the light.

But the webs have led to a series of glitches that cause the warning system to operate even when it's not foggy.

Motorists have been puzzled by road signs flashing on in bright sunlight, ordering them to reduce their speed to 30mph because of "heavy fog".

Every time the glitches happen, motorway police have to be called out to find the offending web and remove it before the system can be reset.

A police spokesman said: "It has happened a lot that we have had fog reports on a sunny day. We do not have a solution but we cannot keep sending police officers to remove the webs, the system may have to be scrapped."

http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_975134.html?menu=news.quirkies

[Loathing]

If they contract me for about a million euros, I will embark on an in depth study for a cost effective resolution, that will take, say, six months to deliver.

The verdict will be in two simple words - surface spray.

Surely you have that wonderful product in Europe - an insecticide that has about a 6 month persistence, killing any insect/arachnid that comes in contact with it. They could apply it with their routine maintenance crews.

Damn, I blew the big ending, and spending those euros would have been lovely as well - still cheaper than scrapping the system, so my consultancy would have been a bargain at the price.