TELECOM Digest     Fri, 8 Apr 94 14:04:00 CDT    Volume 14 : Issue 172

Inside This Issue:                          Editor: Patrick A. Townson

    38.4K Sync 5x5 Switch Box Sought (Daniel J. McCoy)
    Low vs. High Fiber Optics (Margaret Henderson)
    ADSL Information Needed (Louis Laborelli)
    Please Explain These Terms (vmatho@mason1.gmu.edu)
    True Voice Poem Wanted (Tom Ward)
    Sharing Modems on a Network (Mike McWhinney)
    Notice to AT&T Long Distance Customers (Paul Robinson)
    CO's and Disasters (Thomas Tengdin)
    SID Codes For All Cellular Systems (John Musselman)
    Non-Profit Needs Help Upgrading Phone System (Harold Hedelman)
    Consumer Market For PCS (Monte Hall)
    Hacking the Motorola Keypad Light (Don Montgomery)
    Looking For Good Ways to Move 1-20Mb Files Overnight (Peter Rowley)
    Information Wanted on PABX/PBX/Centrex (Richard S. Boswell)
    Information Wanted on Long-Distance Pricing Packages (Hjalmar Syversen)
    Need Technical Information on CPDP (Abnan Hafeez)
    NANP: Numbering Scheme? (Stan Schwartz)
    France's Departments (Anton Sherwood)
    800-555-1212 Question (Lindy Williams)
    Unshielded Twisted Pair in Conduit? (Chris Plonski)
    Re: AT&T Cellular Privacy System (mcharry@cwc.com)
    Re: Please Explain the Term 'Steaming Terminal' (Dave Levenson)
    Re: International Free Numbers (Gregg Siegfried)
    Calling 911; Reporting Disabled Vehicles (Jonathan Loo)

TELECOM Digest is an electronic journal devoted mostly but not
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----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: djmccoy@netcom.com (Daniel J. McCoy)
Subject: 38.4K Sync 5x5 Switch Box Sought
Organization: NETCOM On-line Communication Services (408 241-9760 guest)
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 15:11:26 GMT


A coworker is looking for a piece of equipment that allows one to have
a bank of ten modems or RS232 ports that can handle 38.4K synchronous
links configured in a 5x5 matrix (see the figure below).  In addition,
it should be able to be configured remotely (via modem) and configure
any particular path (ie: A1 to B5, A2 to B2, ect).  Defaults should be
used if something happens.  This coworker says such equipment exists
for asynchronous links and would like one capable of synchronous
links.

If you know of such a piece of equipment, it'd be more appreciated if
you could e-mail the appropriate info (company, address, phone numbers, etc).

        +++++-A1
        +++++-A2
Remote==+++++-A3
        +++++-A4
        +++++-A5
        |||||
        BBBBB
        12345


Thanks,

Daniel J. McCoy    
Internet : djmccoy@netcom.com or Daniel_J_McCoy@cup.portal.com 
Portal   : Daniel J McCoy        BIX: dmccoy 

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 12:02:38 EDT
From: henderso@cshl.org (Margaret Henderson)
Subject: Low vs. High Fiber Optics


Please respond to me and not to the list.  I do not belong to the list
but I need your expert advice.

I researched various lists and I felt this list could help me with
this problem.

Our laboratory is installing a fiber optic network to replace our very
old, barely hanging on, network.  Right now plans are for a "low
density" network but several people recommend a "high density"
network.

We would like to know, from experience, what is the best to choose.
We have over 300 computers on the network so far doing all sorts of
scientific applications and there are definite plans for expansion.

Please advise so I can back up the articles I have found.  I would
also appreciate any suggestions for articles in case I have missed
something.

Thank you very much.


Sincerely,

Margaret Henderson      henderso@cshl.org
Head of Library Services  Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
1 Bungtown Road  Cold Spring Harbor, NY  11724   (516) 367-8493

------------------------------

From: laborell@ina.fr (Louis LABORELLI)
Subject: ADSL Information Needed
Date: 8 Apr 1994 15:29:04 GMT
Organization: INA, Institut National de l'Audiovisuel, Bry-sur-Marne, France
Reply-To: laborell@ina.fr


I would like to obtain some information on the ADSL technology for
pushing up to 6 Mb/s on standard copper telephone lines.  I haven't
any pointer now.  

Thanks in advance,


Louis Laborelli    Institut National de l'Audiovisuel 
Departement de la Recherche   94366 Bry sur Marne Cedex, France
Tel (33) (1) 49832009 ,  Fax (33) (1) 49832582   Email : laborell@ina.fr

------------------------------

From: vmatho@mason1.gmu.edu
Subject: Please Explain These Terms
Date: 8 Apr 1994 12:18:08 GMT
Organization: George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA


I was wondering if anyone knew what these terms meant:

Locator Service
Credit Adjustment
Auth-Code Verification
COS Override
Traveling Classmark
NAC-per bridge port/min
NAC-Reservation/port
Translation-per call
In Stat Access-per call
In Sel Access-per call
Off-Net Information

These are features to a point to point pricing manual and I don't know
what they mean!  If anyone could help me I would be most appreciative...


Thanks in advance!

Victoria

------------------------------

From: gaypanda@pinn.net (Tom Ward)
Subject: True Voice Poem Wanted
Date: 8 Apr 1994 15:58:43 GMT
Organization: Pinnacle Online


I am looking for the words of the AT&T TrueVoice poem you hear in the
television ads.  Does anyone have this information or can you help me
aquire it?

Thanks in advance!!


Tom

------------------------------

From: ELJA inc <ELJA.inc@mixcom.mixcom.com>
Subject: Sharing Modems on a Network
Organization: Milwaukee Internet Xchange BBS, Milw, WI (414) 241-5469
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 22:44:53 GMT


Does anybody use any of the following products?
 
Articom (Artisoft, Inc)
Modem Assist Plus
Netware Connect
 
I am trying to use Telix for networks, but need a NASI driver or a
INT14 redirector compatible with Novell Netware 3.12.  These above
products all provide network communication services for programs like
TFN and others (Crosstalk, Procomm Plus LAN, Dynacomm, WinComm, etc.)
 
If anybody knows of any pluses or minuses of these products, or use a
*different* modem-sharing/redirector package, I would be glad to hear
about it.

 
Mike McWhinney   Elja, Inc.
tel: (414) 357-6771    FAX: (414) 357-9394
INTERNET: elja.inc@mixcom.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 19:16:49 EDT
From: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Reply-To: Paul Robinson <PAUL@TDR.COM>
Subject: Notice to AT&T Long Distance Customers


 From an ad on Page D12 of the April 7  {Washington Post}

NOTICE TO AT&T LONG DISTANCE CUSTOMERS

On April 1, 1994, AT&T filed tariff revisions with the Federal
Communications Commission to increase transport rates on international
card and operator handled long distance calls.  These rates will
become effective on April 15, 1994.

These revisions will affect international operator handled and card
standard, discount and economy period rates to 21 countries/areas,
with an average price increase of 6.4% for a ten-minute call to these
countries/areas.  The increase in transport prices applies to calls to
and from the U.S. Mainland.

The affected countries are:

Argentina, Columbia, Ecuador, Egypt, Ghana, Greece, Guam, Guatemala,
Haiti, Japan, Nicaragua, Panama, Phillipines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore,
Spain, St. Kitts/Nevis, St. Vincent/Grens., Trinidad/Tobago, United
Kingdom and Venezuela.

In addition, AT&T filed tariff revisions with the Federal Communications 
Commission on April 4, 1994 to increase its interstate operator assisted 
sent-paid coin and coin person-to-person per minute rates.  These
changes will result in an overall increase of 0.79% for these calls.
These revisions are scheduled to become effective on April 18, 1994.

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 17:31:57 -0700
From: Thomas Tengdin <teto@mbari.org>
Subject: CO's and Disasters


I was at an earthquake disaster training session this week and 
a statement was made:

 The telephone company computers will connect some customers
 at a higher priority that others.  

Doctors, etc were mentioned.

This is the first I have heard of calls being processed in any other
way than first to finish dialing, first to be processed (more or
less).

Is there something in CO Class of Service? or other programming that
gives "priority" service to a select class of lines?


T3

------------------------------

From: jcm@frank.nccom.com (John Musselman)
Subject: SID Codes For All Cellular Systems
Date: 7 Apr 1994 17:40:25 -0700
Organization: North County Communications, San Diego, California


I am often curious when I am in other cities what that city's
particular SID (System Identifcation) code is while I am there. I had
a perfectly good reason for this a month ago ... 

I lived in Los Angeles for about two months. While I was there I was a
PacTel Cellular (B system) customer. PacTel's coverage does not extend
past Palm Springs while enroute on I-10 to Phoenix, AZ. LA Cellular
covers about 50 or so miles east of Palm Springs to the Arizona
border.

I encountered something very frustrating. I attempted to place a call
on LA Cellular (the A System in Los Angeles) when I had reached the
point at which PacTel Cellular could no longer reach. Well, due to
the fact that LA Cellular and PacTel are in the same market, they do
not have a valid reason I guess to allow roaming on each other's
systems. (I guess it would make sense for a phone that might be
programmed with the correct NAM and the wrong SID to prevent the user
from a month or so of roaming charges). Anyway, I attempted to
place various calls -- Customer service and several local calls -- ALL
WITHOUT LUCK, BUT the most frustrating part was:

::READ THIS::

911 was blocked also!!!

In a 50 mile part of Eastern California ... if you are a local Pactel
L.A. Customer attempting to dial 911 ... you get a REORDER!!!!

I spoke with Mike Kennedy (Vice Pres of Cust Svc) at LA Cellular who
told me that must have been an error ... however in the process of
researching the issue, he stopped answering questions and returning
calls to me ...

Does this mean that the limitations of LA Cellular (by NPA-NXX) also
apply to 911 and their switch cannot make this exception? This problem
STILL remains unsolved ... I plan on contacting several members of the
media in L.A. to help ...

Isn't it written that it is ILLEGAL to do this? (Block 911 Access)

Anyways ... when I switched my NAM to 111-111-1111 it worked ... but who
knows ... the next case may be limited by SID.

Anyone have a list of ALL the valid SID's?


jcm@nccom.com   John C. Musselman, Systems Engineer

------------------------------

From: harold@futon.SFSU.EDU (Harold Hedelman)
Subject: Non-Profit Needs Help Upgrading Phone System
Date: 8 Apr 1994 04:20:51 GMT
Organization: San Francisco State University


Hi!

The Center for Electronic Art is a non-profit school, and we have to
save money as we upgrade our phone system for both office and Internet
uses. We need some advice from experts.

We need to have 20 inside lines as follows:

  > We'll only have six handsets, each accessing four lines; 
  > Intercom and speakerphone on all sets, if possible;
  > Eleven lines to a computer lab (one line per computer);
  > Four lines to computer modems;
  > One line in waiting area for portable computers;
  > The inside lines might grow from 20 to 40 over the next year.

We need eight outside lines as follows:

  > Four to the handsets;
  > Four to the computer modems;
  > The outside lines might grow to eight over the next year.

We will be training people to install and configure modems on their
PC's and our students will be calling a local extension to access our
modem pool. We want these calls to not route through the local phone
company, only through our inhouse phone system. We want the lab lines
to be blocked from making outside calls.

Voice mail would be nice, but we don't need a lot of it, or we could
leave it out completely if it helps us save money.

Call accounting is not needed.  We're willing to use used equipment.

We don't know what's out there, and will consider all kinds of
options.

The ideal would be donated equipment in exchange for tax deductions,
with us paying reasonable installation and maintenance fees.

If you can help, even with advice only, we'd be very grateful. 


Thanks,

Harold Hedelman   President
Center for Electronic Art  San Francisco
Internet: harold@cea.edu  Voice: 1 415 956 6500

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 00:06:12 EST
From: Monte Hall <jhall3@mason1.gmu.edu>
Subject: Consumer Market For PCS


I am curious as to whether any market research exists as to the
viability of a consumer market for PCS services.  The need for a PCS
offering such as data services as an addition to voice is clearly
there for business customers.  But it seems that pricing for PCS voice
and data services will need to be significantly lower than current
cellular services in order for the consumer market to grow rapidly.
The growth of a strong consumer market for PCS seems necessary to
justify the high cost of the license, equipment, site leases,
marketing , and so forth.  But how many consumers really wish to carry
a personal digital assistant with them at all times?

If anyone has an educated opinion on this issue or can point me to
some answers, I would appreciate it.


James L. (Monte) Hall   jhall3@mason1.gmu.edu  703 476-2691

------------------------------

From: donrm@sr.hp.com (Don Montgomery)
Subject: Hacking the Motorola Keypad Light
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 20:58:25 GMT
Organization: HP Sonoma County (SRSD/MWTD/MID)


I have a Motorola Ultra Classic cellular phone, and was wondering if
anyone on this forum knows if there is a way to program this beast so
the keypad light stays on instead of timing out after eight seconds or
so after last keypress.  Motorola customer service says they don't
think so, but enterprising designers can't resist putting backdoors
into firmware to use up empty PROM space.  Firmware on this phone
appears to be the same as any of their more modern "Classic" series.


Don Montgomery   donrm@sr.hp.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 17:17:17 -0400
From: rowley@phoenix.oise.on.ca (Peter Rowley)
Subject: Looking For Good Ways to Move 1-20Mb Files Overnight


I'm trying to come up with a plan for transmitting about 2-40Mb of
data per week from schools to a central site and a limited amount of
data (probably under 1Mb) back from the central site.  The data will
be generated by students and stored on a Mac for transmission.  The
central site is in Toronto Canada and has a good Internet connection.
Initially, there will be around a dozen school sites but there may
eventually be hundreds.

I'm looking for low cost first and reliability second ... as long as
the data makes it (wholly intact) within a day or so, that will probably 
be fine for now.

  The main choices appear to be:

1: 14.4K modems with late night phone calls direct to the central
   site, using either a discount carrier or a 1-800 number;

2: 14.4K modems to local access numbers that lead directly or indirectly
   to our site, via public data networks and/or online services (e.g. AOL)
   and/or Internet access (e.g. Well, Portal);

3: SLIP or PPP connections to the Internet;

Choice 3 will certainly be much more expensive, maybe an order of
magnitude I believe, but would offer a lot of other advantages of
course.

I'm really not sure which of 1 and 2 would be better; any words of
wisdom? ISDN doesn't seem like it would be competitive with 14.4K
modems at this point, but I could be convinced otherwise.  X.25 could
be part of solution 2.

As for the details of any scheme, I will be contacting suppliers for
recent figures; are there particular questions I should be sure to
ask?  Are there organizations that publish up-to-date comparative
reports of services for moving data around?  We'd be willing to pay
several hundred dollars for a comprehensive comparative report.


Peter Rowley, OISE, Toronto   rowley@phoenix.oise.on.ca

------------------------------

From: rsb9883@zeus.tamu.edu (BOSWELL, RICHARD S)
Subject: Information Wanted on PABX/PBX/Centrex
Date: 8 Apr 1994 05:25:00 CDT
Organization: Texas A&M University OpenVMScluster


I am writing a term paper on PBX/PABX/Centrex respective advantages/
disadvantages.  I have found several sources in trade/technical
periodicals but find myself short of the type of information I am
searching for.  If you have any old posts on the subject or know where
I can find that type of information I would greatly appreciate your
help.


Yours ect.,

Sid Boswell   student at Texas A&M University

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 08 Apr 1994 20:01:57 EDT
From: hsyversen@BIX.com
Subject: Information Wanted on Long-Distance Pricing Packages


I am doing a comparative study on the packaging of long distance
services for both business and residential subscribers.  I am
interested in price points and unique selling benefits, package
naming, hidden disadvantages. If anyone else is interested I will be
happy to e-mail compiled information or post it here if applicable.
Please respond via e-mail to hsyversen@bix.com.  Thanks for any
assistance.


Hjalmar Syversen   hsyversen@bix.com

------------------------------

Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 19:24:52 -0400
From: ahafeez@mason1.gmu.edu (Abnan Hafeez)
Subject: Need Technical Information on CPDP.


Can somebody provide me some information on CPDP?

------------------------------

From: stans@panix.com (Stan Schwartz)
Subject: NANP: Numbering Scheme?
Date: 8 Apr 1994 01:13:25 -0400
Organization: PANIX Public Access Internet and Unix, NYC


Is there any rhyme or reason with which the new area codes are being
assigned? (Those like 334 in Alabama).  Wouldn't it make sense to at
least relate them back to the locality by tying them into the letters
on the keypad? (692, for example for NYC, New York City).

Just a thought ...


Stan


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: And not a bad idea, actually. Some large
national private networks do that such as Unitel, the United Airlines
telephone network which covers the USA and anywhere United Airlines goes
to. From their network for example, 732-xxxx reaches extension xxxx at the
SEAttle airport. 673 is ORD, which means O'Hare, here in Chicago, and
so forth. Makes sense to me.   PAT]

------------------------------

From: dasher@netcom.com (Anton Sherwood)
Subject: France's Departments
Organization: Bureau of Making Sure You Eat Your Vegetables
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 05:42:27 GMT


In article <telecom14.158.18@eecs.nwu.edu>, Jack Hamilton <jfh@netcom.
com> wrote:

> If I were in charge of France Telecom, I'd probably use the department
> number plus a third digit for overlays and very large departments.

Good idea!

> (A department is roughly equivalent to a state or province in North
> America.  Postal codes start with the department number.)

More like a county, I'd say, both in size and in degree of independence.


Anton Sherwood   *\\*   +1 415 267 0685   *\\*   DASher@netcom.com

------------------------------

From: Lindy Williams <willi087@maroon.tc.umn.edu>
Subject: 555-1212 question
Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 12:03:24 GMT


I subscribe to AT&T long distance. I called 800/555-1212 to get a
firm's 800 number and was told they didn't have one. Later on it
talking to the firm, they gave me their 800 number. I told them that I
had tried to get it from the phone company and couldn't. They asked me
who was my long distance company and proceded to tell me they were
with Sprint and an AT&T information operator wouldn't have their 800
number. Is this correct?


Lindy Williams    willi087@maroon.tc.umn.edu


[TELECOM Digest Editor's Note: Yes and no. 800-555-1212 is not run by
AT&T. It is managed on a day to day basis by Southwestern Bell Telephone
Company under a contract with (I think) Bellcore. It is physically lo-
cated in St. Louis, or maybe East St. Louis, IL ... down there someplace.
Anyone with an 800 number is entitled to be listed with 800-555-1212.
Unlike regular phone numbers where the default is to be listed and
non-pub numbers having an additional fee, with 800 the opposite is true.
With 800, non-pub listings are free and listings with 555-1212 cost
money -- several dollars per month in fact. 555-1212 should not be con-
fused with the various paper directories published by carriers. AT&T
lists only their own 800 subscribers in their directory; ditto Sprint has
an 800 directory I think (not certain) as does MCI. In whatever resources
the your carrier has of its own, 800 numbers will probably be listed at
no charge (or for some fee) as a routine thing. But if you wish to have
your 800 number listed in the 555-1212 database, then your carrier --
whoever that might be -- has to submit it to the database and pay the 
monthly fee which is then in turn billed to you. Not many people bother
with it where 'personal 800 numbers' are concerned; no one wants to bother
getting a bunch of curiosity seekers calling them asking about their 
number -- yes, people do that, they go through the AT&T paper directory
for example and call at random just to snoop around -- and besides, my
800 number as an example costs me $4-5 per month; the carrier said a 
listing with 800-555-1212 would cost me another $12 per month -- twice
the cost of the number itself!  So I imagine the firm you are dealing
with might have been hedging a little in what they told you. They probably
did not want the additional expense of a listing and the large number of
idle time- and money-wasting calls that come with it. Your choice of
long distance carrier or the firm's choice of 800 service provider has
nothing to do with what you get when you call 800-555-1212.     PAT]

------------------------------

From: cplonski@crow.csrv.uidaho.edu (Chris Plonski)
Subject: Unshielded Twisted Pair in Conduit?
Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 23:49:16 GMT
Organization: University of Idaho Media Center


I have heard that if you run Category 5 UTP in EMT conduit that it
becomes shielded and therefore changes its bandwidth specifications.
Is there any research/papers/personal experience to confirm or deny
these allegations?  We are starting to put alot of cat 5 cable into
our campus and I need to know if this will limit running at 100Mb/s in
the future.  Please post or E-mail me with any info.


Thanks,

Chris Plonski

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 08 Apr 94 09:52:28 EDT
From: mcharry@cwc.com (McHarry)
Subject: Re: AT&T Cellular Privacy System


David Arneke wrote regarding the AT&T Cellular Privacy System:

> This is the strongest scrambling algorithm available
> for handheld, transportable and mobile cellular subscriber equipment.

This appears somewhat disingenuous -- there are cellular STU-IIIs
available.  The commercial versions use DES encryption.  Granted, you
need units at both ends of the link.  I have only seen the units as
mobiles and transportables.  They are likely too large to build as
handhelds.  Nevertheless, to render Arneke's claim true, either one
has to hold that encryption is different from scrambling, or to
strongly construe the 'and' clause to take advantage of the lack of
DES handhelds.

------------------------------

From: dave@westmark.com (Dave Levenson)
Subject: Re: Please Explain the Term 'Steaming Terminal'
Reply-To: dave@westmark.com
Organization: Westmark, Inc.
Date: Fri, 08 Apr 1994 02:49:05 GMT


wjhalv1@pacbell.com writes:

> 2.  In a LAN: 

> Say your ethernet machine has a problem -- maybe it continually
> transmits ICMP packets because its PING code is buggy -- so it just
> "babbles databits" onto the LAN.  How does Ethernet deal with this by
> itself?  Ultimately somebody has to figure out which machine is
> causing the problem and turn the machine off.

Some ethernet equipment uses twisted pair and an active hub.  This
equipment, called 10BaseT, connects an individual drop line between
the hub and each network node.  Some hubs are capable of detecting
this fault, and disabling the defective node without interrupting
communications between other nodes.  Our AT&T StarLAN hubs have a
'jabber alarm' LED associated with each tap, to indicate that the tap
has been disabled in this manner.


Dave Levenson  Internet: dave@westmark.com 
Westmark, Inc.  UUCP: {uunet | rutgers | att}!westmark!dave
Stirling, NJ, USA Voice: 908 647 0900 Fax: 908 647 6857

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 94 07:12:00  PDT
From: grs@claircom.com (Gregg Siegfried)
Subject: Re: International Free Numbers
Organization: Claircom Communications, L.P.


In article <telecom14.151.14@eecs.nwu.edu> was written:

> What do you do when you want to call Britain from America (or vice
> versa) and all you have is an 800 number?  I'd happily pay the toll,
> but last time I tried it the call was simply refused.

I'm not sure about the Britain from America case, but to call a US 800
number from the UK, one can simply use USA direct, 0800-89-0011.  This
probably requires an AT&T calling card.  Collect calling is also
available, but I'm not sure whether that works to 800 numbers.  I'm
headed to Britain on Sunday ... I'll try a collect call to our 800
number while I'm there.


Gregg Siegfried   grs@claircom.com

------------------------------

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 10:56:19 -0500
From: Jonathan <jdl@wam.umd.edu>
Subject: Calling 911; Reporting Disabled Vehicles


I read in the TELECOM Digest:

> In Seattle WA, the 911 dispatchers have said that they often receive
> up to 30 calls from cellular phone users when an accident occurs on a
> major highway. This results in a massive overload of the 911 system.
> The result is that US West Cellular announced last winter that they
> would begin charging 50 cents for each 911 call, in addition to
> airtime charges, to discourage overuse of the system and to help fund
> additional 911 dispatchers to answer the phone.

Interesting.  I thought that sometimes these accidents go unreported.
In the future maybe I will ignore major accidents.  Actually you have
made a good argument for two things: (1) Increase the total number of
dispatchers, 911 trunks, etc. drastically and (2) fund this partly by
charging for calls to 911 from cellular telephones.  If you can afford
a cellular telephone then you can afford to pay $10 for each 911 call.

I also read:

> Your state may wish that you report motorists with disabled vehicles
> along freeways.

In general:

I report disabled vehicles along regular roads but not along freeways.
The rationale for this is that there are too many disabled vehicles
along freeways, and problems on regular roads are less likely to
already have been reported.  Also, the problem with disabled vehicles
is that you don't know what actually is happening.  A vehicle sitting
by the side of the road may be: illegally parked; disabled because of
mechanical failure; disabled because of driver illness; stopped so
that the driver can sleep; stopped because the driver is lost; etc.

In general, along freeways I would report it to a nearby state police
barracks if the driver appears to be ill (which often happens when the
driver is merely sleeping!) or if there appears to be some other type
of problem (smoke coming from under the hood) or if the driver is
actively trying to get help or leaning on the horn, flashing headlights, 
etc.  If there are any police from Maryland reading this, then please
advise me on the correct way to deal with various problems that occur
along highways.


Jonathan D. Loo

------------------------------

End of TELECOM Digest V14 #172
******************************


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