Tuesday 29th March 2005

Magnets to keep motorways clear

Not strong enough for middle lane

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Johnstone Sweeper

Nails and other metal objects will be swept off the hard shoulders of motorways and trunk roads in Hampshire, Surrey, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire, Dorset and Wiltshire by a new vehicle equipped with a giant magnet.

No, it's not an early April Fool -- the mechanical road sweeper will be used on the strategic roads network in the South by the Highways Agency's maintenance contractor Raynesway Construction Southern Ltd (RCS).

The 18 tonne VT800 Series Johnston road sweeper vehicle is equipped with a bar magnet which can pick up an assortment of nails and other metal objects, reducing the risk of tyre damage for drivers. The road sweeper is also equipped with a high-powered brush, high pressure washing system and nozzle and acts as a litter picker, road sweeper and gully cleaner.

It will be used on the hard shoulders of the Highways Agency's motorways and trunk roads, which include the M3, M4, M27 , A3, A31, A303 and A34, and will benefit all motorists and the emergency services when they need to use the hard shoulder in an emergency.

Now, all it needs is a way to re-direct the magnet as middle-lane morons saunter past...

[doddi]

fantastic, as you drive past it your credit cards can all be wiped too!

[annodomini2]

name said:

fantastic, as you drive past it your credit cards can all be wiped too!

Assuming the engine management system etc still work while passing it!

[docd]

And pacemakers...

[DanBoy]

Assuming they keep these things at a depot, how do they drive past one another without repelling?

[Pesmo]

They probably can't get it past the metal gates at the depot as well

[mybrainhurts]

Don't walk near that if you've got plated/screwed bone fixes.......

[mikeatBB]

Those lovely folk with the multiple body piercings could have their human rights infringed or worse by such descriminating machines!

[cjbolter]

Primus Ignoramus - please note "my friends" that your GPS devices will also be "wiped" clean !!. What price your elected New Labour now ??. you stupid thick easily lead morons !!!!.

[cdp]

Place large magnet over gantry with a radar speed detector.

When car travels under at less than 60mph (with +-30mph tolerance - speed cameras are hardly accurate are they?) pick up offending Proton/Skoda/Nissan/VW.

Trouble is Reliant Robins also have so little steel that they won't be picked up so back to the drawing board

[viggen114]

Does it remove drain/sewer/cable covers as well.

[FunkyNige]

viggen114 said:

Does it remove drain/sewer/cable covers as well.

Yes, as it's designed to pick up nails and screws from 6 inches away I'm sure it will have no problem picking up drain covers, wiping credit cards and affecting pacemakers in cars 30ft away, destroying photo film, casusing accidents by dragging cars towards it...