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Google Car Pulled Over For Driving Too Slow, Doesn't Get a Ticket (thenextweb.com)

New submitter slickwillie writes: A Google self-driving car was pulled over for going too slow. A photo uploaded to Facebook by Zandr Milewski shows one of Google's self-driving cars being pulled over by a Mountain View, California police officer. On on its Self-Driving Car Project page on Google+ the team wrote: "We’ve capped the speed of our prototype vehicles at 25mph for safety reasons. We want them to feel friendly and approachable, rather than zooming scarily through neighborhood streets. The Mountain View Police Department also commented on the traffic stop in a blog post saying in part: "...The officer stopped the car and made contact with the operators to learn more about how the car was choosing speeds along certain roadways and to educate the operators about impeding traffic per 22400(a) of the California Vehicle Code. The Google self-driving cars operate under the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Definition per 385.5 of the California Vehicle Code and can only be operated on roadways with speed limits at or under 35 mph. In this case, it was lawful for the car to be traveling on the street as El Camino Real is rated at 35 mph."

217 of 350 comments (clear)

  1. Mixed by markdavis · · Score: 5, Funny

    >"Google Car Pulled Over For Driving Too Slow, Doesn't Get a Ticket "

    I think you mean "slowly" (echos of my HS English teacher are in my mind).

    I can think of many times I am driving I wish others would get pulled over for driving too slowly :)

    I do not look forward to the day of mixed autonomous vs. non-autonomous conflict on the road! At least I hope the autonomous vehicles are predictable..... somehow I doubt my motorcycle will be self-driving.

    1. Re:Mixed by epyT-R · · Score: 2

      or they'll illustrate all the conflicts the law has with itself and reality..with bloody results.

    2. Re:Mixed by the_Bionic_lemming · · Score: 3, Funny

      There will be no blood, because nothing on a car ever fails - especially computers.

      (frankly, I will be terrified when there are people texting while their 6 year old car is driving for them - my parents have a 2014 Cherokee latitude that's had 8 recalls)

      --
      _ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
    3. Re:Mixed by jimtheowl · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I can think of many times I wish others would get pulled over for tailgating.

    4. Re:Mixed by l3v1 · · Score: 2

      "I can think of many times I wish others would get pulled over for tailgating."

      While I also hate tailgaters, as a European who spends many months each year in the U.S. I have to say average American driving habits sometimes make me pull my hair out. I know driving rules and habits are different, still, if most drivers would at least try to keep to the right, to at least try to drive fast enough to be close to the speed limit on highways (not forcing 65-goers to constantly change lanes), to signal lane changes (left and right, yes, both), and not to break randomly on the open road (i.e., even when there's nobody ahead for hundreds of yards), well then maybe I wouldn't curse so much while driving. Oh, and for f* sake, if you enter the freeway and don't plan to leave at the next exit then you might sometimes consider shifting left 1-2 lanes.

      Well, going back to going "slow", that can be really annoying, however, speed limits are upper bounds and I don't think going 25 instead of 35 would warrant a fine in any circumstance.

      --
      I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
    5. Re:Mixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Great example why autonomous cars will be far superior to human drivers.

    6. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Do that and I'll add hardware to apply Grateful Dead bumper stickers to your car while I'm stuck behind you.

    7. Re:Mixed by Person147 · · Score: 2
      Yes, could Americans please learn the lost art of adverbs?

      Are they really that hard? Mostly it is a case of just adding "ly".

      It sounds so jarring when they use adjectives in place of the adverbs.

      "Come quick(ly)!"

      "He is walking too slow(ly)"

      "I have fresh(ly) made cookies!"

      Give it your best, reach for an A+!

    8. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      A hard tap on the brake can often cure a tailgater.

    9. Re:Mixed by tburkhol · · Score: 2

      or they'll illustrate all the conflicts the law has with itself and reality.

      That's exactly why these 'impeding traffic' laws are written. In most cases, it's perfectly legal to drive 10 mph below the speed limit, even though "everyone" will drive 10 mph faster than the limit. So here you've got this self-driving car, going at bicycle speed on a busy road with everyone else trying to go 45. They can't put the self-driving car in the bicycle lane, so traffic backs up. Add in some gawking by drivers passing by, and the car sounds like a major hazard, even if it's behaving entirely by the letter.

      Do you ticket the 10,000 people going 45 or the one going 25?

    10. Re:Mixed by jeremyp · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Not a good idea. The last time I had to do a hard tap on the brakes (enforced, not voluntary because the car in front stopped), with a tailgater behind me he nearly lost control and only just avoided veering into the next lane.

      The best thing to do with a tailgater is to gently allow the gap between you and the car in front increase to give yourself a margin of error so you don't have to hit the brakes hard and then let the tailgater past at the first opportunity. It's better to have such idiots in front of you than behind.

      --
      All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
    11. Re:Mixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "I can think of many times I wish others would get pulled over for tailgating." While I also hate tailgaters, as a European who spends many months each year in the U.S. I have to say average American driving habits sometimes make me pull my hair out. I know driving rules and habits are different, still, if most drivers would at least try to keep to the right, to at least try to drive fast enough to be close to the speed limit on highways (not forcing 65-goers to constantly change lanes), to signal lane changes (left and right, yes, both), and not to break randomly on the open road (i.e., even when there's nobody ahead for hundreds of yards), well then maybe I wouldn't curse so much while driving. Oh, and for f* sake, if you enter the freeway and don't plan to leave at the next exit then you might sometimes consider shifting left 1-2 lanes. Well, going back to going "slow", that can be really annoying, however, speed limits are upper bounds and I don't think going 25 instead of 35 would warrant a fine in any circumstance.

      If you find people randomly braking on the open road in front of you... you are tailgating. Or, possibly completely oblivious to hazards on the road. Or, in Florida.

      In any case, you should figure out which it is, as if someone brakes because you are tailgating they are pissed at you. Another fun fact, lots of Americans carry guns, either just in the car or on their person. Especially in Florida.

      So you should figure out why this is happening to you and fix it.

    12. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Not a good idea. The last time I had to do a hard tap on the brakes (enforced, not voluntary because the car in front stopped), with a tailgater behind me he nearly lost control and only just avoided veering into the next lane.

      That sounds like more than what I would consider a tap.

    13. Re:Mixed by dcw3 · · Score: 1

      A hard tap on the brake can often cure a tailgater.

      And if you cause an accident (yes, you would be found at fault) then what?

      --
      Just another day in Paradise
    14. Re:Mixed by bws111 · · Score: 1

      No, you would not be found at fault. There are no laws against braking. There are laws against following too closely. Unless the person in front did something illegal, like an unsafe lane change, the person in back is always at fault.

    15. Re:Mixed by danbert8 · · Score: 1

      As long as they go slowly in the proper lane (the right one) it will be a huge improvement over the asshats who drive 15-20mph under the speed limit in the leftmost lane on a mutli-lane highway.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    16. Re:Mixed by danbert8 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      No. You must have never been on the road before. You can ask my wife what I am most likely to yell at other drivers: "WHY ARE YOU BRAKING?!?!?" For some reason many people drive with their foot hovering over the brake pedal and will tap it repeatedly for no reason at all.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    17. Re:Mixed by Bert64 · · Score: 2

      That's why they tailgate, to put pressure on you to move out of their way... If you let them past, you are encouraging that behaviour by demonstrating that it works.

      --
      http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    18. Re:Mixed by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

      I am wondering what will happen to road rage when an auto-car is involved. Or better yet two auto-cars involved.

    19. Re: Mixed by Radres · · Score: 1

      You know what is meant. This is not English class. Stop correcting people - especially for minor mistakes.

    20. Re: Mixed by Higaran · · Score: 1

      The same thing happens to me when I go to poland, I try to drive reasonably, but there are people passing me doing twice the speed limit, on some shitty road that has a memorial ever 50 feet on the side of it because people keep killing themselves. I've seen wider alleys in Chicago that some of the roads in Europe, I'm sorry but it is a travesty for country roads to not be wide enough for two cars going the opposite way. If I'm driving and someone is coming in my direction we should not have to both slow down to a crawl and both almost drive into ditches to pass each other.

    21. Re:Mixed by therealkevinkretz · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Gotta love the oblivious jackass in the left lane who, after the sixth car has passed him on the right as there's nobody in front of him, hits his brakes to annoy the guy behind him who's about to be number seven. Because everyone else is the problem, and not him.

    22. Re:Mixed by therealkevinkretz · · Score: 1

      They've been in a few accidents, just none was the fault of the Google car.

    23. Re:Mixed by Aczlan · · Score: 1

      Not always. If you stomp on the brakes for no reason (ie: "brake checking" someone) and they can prove it (ie: they have a dash cam), you can be ticketed and found to be at fault for causing the accident. Here is an example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Aaron Z

      --
      "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote
    24. Re: Mixed by bws111 · · Score: 1, Informative

      Nope. Following too closely is following too closely. How do you explain that you managed to drive into the back of someone if you weren't following too closely? All your dashcam is going to show is that, yup, you were too close. And nobody said 'slam on your brakes', they said 'hard tap'.

    25. Re:Mixed by bws111 · · Score: 1

      That was an unsafe lane change, which I already said was an exception. The guy with the dash cam wasn't following too closely (tailgating), he was cut off by the idiot in the truck.

    26. Re:Mixed by chmod+a+x+mojo · · Score: 1

      Only if all of you non-American English speakers stop adding "u"'s to every damn thing you can fit them in...

      That said, this is the name of a law. Laws seem to have a few quirks in naming conventions, possibly stemming from the date they have been first written.

      --
      To err is human; effective mayhem requires the root password!
    27. Re: Mixed by bws111 · · Score: 2

      I am fighting a losing battle, because I am arguing with idiots who can't read. However, I am not wrong. I clearly said 'unless the person in front does something illegal'. Guess what? Participating in the swoop and stoop scam is illegal! Bet you didn't know that. BRAKING, by itself, is NOT illegal.

    28. Re:Mixed by Moridineas · · Score: 3, Interesting

      While I also hate tailgaters, as a European who spends many months each year in the U.S. I have to say average American driving habits sometimes make me pull my hair out. I know driving rules and habits are different, still, if most drivers would at least try to keep to the right, to at least try to drive fast enough to be close to the speed limit on highways (not forcing 65-goers to constantly change lanes), to signal lane changes (left and right, yes, both), and not to break randomly on the open road (i.e., even when there's nobody ahead for hundreds of yards), well then maybe I wouldn't curse so much while driving. Oh, and for f* sake, if you enter the freeway and don't plan to leave at the next exit then you might sometimes consider shifting left 1-2 lanes.

      You know, it's interesting--I would say there are even huge changes in driving habits between different parts of the country. This is obviously all anecdotal, but my experiences in parts of the midwest have been that people are very good about staying out of the left lane and allowing people to pass them as necessary. OTOH, in North Carolina, people are very bad about that. There are big differences in tailgating, use of the horn, passing on the right, etc. It seems to b e a fairly "southern" driving trait (I've heard northeasterners comment about this) to swing widely in the opposite direction before turning.

      I just wish people would freaking pay attention at stop lights and watch for the light to change to green. It's almost always this excruciating ballet of watching the cars ahead of me "Oh, the light changed? *2 seconds to process before starting to accelerate" followed by the car behind them seeming to only realize it's time to go after their own two second pause. I'm hoping for network aware (or just aware!) autonomous cars that can all start rolling at the same time after a light change.

    29. Re: Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      I saw a deer! It looked like it was about to run in front of me. That was close!

    30. Re:Mixed by PRMan · · Score: 1

      Their fault for buying a CJD...

      --
      Peter predicted that you would "deliberately forget" creation 2000 years ago...
    31. Re:Mixed by tompaulco · · Score: 2

      I'm hoping for network aware (or just aware!) autonomous cars that can all start rolling at the same time after a light change.

      It will work better than people, but the physics of it require that the car in back not start until the car in front has traveled a safe distance before the car in back starts moving. It will still be the slinky effect, but not as bad as now.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    32. Re: Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Also known as an illegal lane change followed by hard braking. The lane change is the part that transfers fault to the scammer if the victim can convince the police that it happened.

    33. Re:Mixed by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      If you are in the left lane, then you SHOULD move out of their way unless it is impossible to do so. But also under zero circumstances should anyone ever tailgate. One of the places I am frequently tailgated is coming up to an exchange in my town where the exit ramp is on the left. I like to be prepared for my exit so I am usually in the lane by 1 mile to two miles back. Also, I am usually traveling at about 5 to 10 mph over the speed limit. This frustrates the heck out of the people that I have the audacity to be traveling in an exit lane at only 5 to 10 over the speed limit. It impedes their ability to drive at 20 to 25 over the speed limit in the exit lane and then cut over into the not exiting traffic at the last second ( usually bringing the traffic in exit lane to a stand still while they stop and wait for an opening in the not exiting lanes).

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    34. Re:Mixed by bmxeroh · · Score: 1

      Giant Fighting Robots!?

      --
      Central Ohio Home Theater Installation - The Theater People
    35. Re:Mixed by tompaulco · · Score: 2

      They've been in a few accidents, just none was the fault of the Google car.

      Many of them were the fault of the google car, but the google car was not found at fault. The google car is not able to make decisions as quickly as a human and cannot understand how traffic really works like a human, and cannot account for unprogrammed situations like a human, so it acts differently than humans and as a result ends up in statistically more accidents than a human would. Then it is found not at fault because it although its behavior led to the accident it did not technically do anything illegal.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    36. Re:Mixed by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      Maybe in England it's required to go through such a redundant formality, but in America saying "driving too slow" is perfectly correct.

      No its not. But the people who write these things are journalists. If they are going to report as experts on subjects about which they know nothing, then knowing the rules of the language hardly seems like a requirement.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    37. Re:Mixed by spauldo · · Score: 1

      This has been my experience too. I was a truck driver for some years.

      Driving is a cultural thing. You learn your habits from the traffic around you.

      Texas was always my least favorite state to drive in. It has a very aggressive driving culture. Kansas was pretty bad for the opposite reason - so many drivers driving at 10 or more MPH under the speed limit. Northwest Arkansas drivers used to drive really fast everywhere (although it's not as bad as it used to be, after the Fayetteville boom).

      The midwest does seem to have the best driving culture, from what I can tell. I70 from Illinois to Pennsylvania isn't bad at all, and the cities in that area are nothing like the horrible mass of insanity that cities like Atlanta or LA are.

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
    38. Re:Mixed by rholtzjr · · Score: 1

      Ooooh, I like that! Watching them transform on the spot and slugging it out. Cool idea!

    39. Re:Mixed by spauldo · · Score: 1

      In the US at least, speed limits are technically upper bounds, but from a practical standpoint, they're not. They're the suggested speed. The appropriate speed to travel is the speed of the cars around you, which is usually around the speed limit. Too fast, other cars become obstacles. Too slow, you become an obstacle.

      My grandmother was pulled over and ticketed in California (Los Angeles, I think) for driving the speed limit on the freeway. Most of the cars around her were going 10+ mph faster than the speed limit, and she was impeding traffic.

      The only other country I've driven in is Japan, mostly in Okinawa. There's always so much traffic there that you rarely get close to the speed limit anyway. I just loved the two hour trip to the beach... thirty kilometers away.

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
    40. Re:Mixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      "Oh, and for f* sake, if you enter the freeway and don't plan to leave at the next exit then you might sometimes consider shifting left 1-2 lanes."

      Since you are foreign I will educate you:
      -Lanes on american roadways are numbered from left (innermost) to right (outermost): 1,2,3,4, etc... for each direction of travel
      On a typical 6-lane highway, 3 lanes in each direction:
      -Lane #1 is the fast lane and intended for people traveling long distance that will not be taking the next 2-3 exits
      -Lane #2 is the passing lane and intended for people passing slow moving vehicles or vehicles slowing down to exit/merge, etc...
      -Lane #3 is the slow lane and intended for slow vehicles, trucks with trailers, freight trucks, merging vehicles, and vehicles planning to exit the highway

      If you are going faster than someone entering the highway and are in lane #3, it is your responsibility to shift over to lane #2 and pass them, if you intend to take the next exit, it is your responsibility to slow down and match their speed if you do not feel you have adequate time to pass them and get back over to exit. If they remain in the #3 lane with no intention to exit, that is their right to do so as the #3 lane is the slow lane.

    41. Re:Mixed by Coren22 · · Score: 2

      In many states, the left lane is not a passing lane, but a driving lane. http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right....

      I wish that the federal government would make an effort to normalize the traffic laws between states, but it isn't a priority. In my experience visiting Massachusetts, they take turn signals as a threat that must be dealt with, so be careful with your signals there as they will floor the gas pedal to prevent your lane change.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    42. Re:Mixed by Dcnjoe60 · · Score: 1

      Great example why autonomous cars will be far superior to human drivers.

      Actually, that would be one of the use cases where the driver would have to take control of the vehicle.

    43. Re:Mixed by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      http://money.cnn.com/2015/07/1...

      Do you have any other accidents that you can point to the Google car being at fault? It isn't like the Google Lexus can drive through the two cars in front of it.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    44. Re:Mixed by Grishnakh · · Score: 1

      Kansas was pretty bad for the opposite reason - so many drivers driving at 10 or more MPH under the speed limit.

      That's just like Virginia. Not only are the speed limits typically lower than other states, but the drivers just love to drive 10mph under the limit.

      The cops in Virginia are Nazis too.

    45. Re:Mixed by edtice1559 · · Score: 2

      Probably they are tapping the brakes because you are following too closely and they want to politely alert you. Slow down and maintain a safer following distance and you won't see that anymore.

    46. Re:Mixed by Wycliffe · · Score: 2

      or they'll illustrate all the conflicts the law has with itself and reality.

      That's exactly why these 'impeding traffic' laws are written. In most cases, it's perfectly legal to drive 10 mph below the speed limit, even though "everyone" will drive 10 mph faster than the limit. So here you've got this self-driving car, going at bicycle speed on a busy road with everyone else trying to go 45. They can't put the self-driving car in the bicycle lane, so traffic backs up. Add in some gawking by drivers passing by, and the car sounds like a major hazard, even if it's behaving entirely by the letter.

      Do you ticket the 10,000 people going 45 or the one going 25?

      Impeding traffic laws should be illegal. They are a catch-22 that it's impossible to win. Minimum speed limits are fine. Saying you must be with 10 miles of the speed limit when not starting or stopping is fine. Saying that it's illegal to go the speed limit or worse saying you must break one law by speeding to not violate a different law of impeding traffic puts you in an impossible situation where a cop can pull you over depending on the time of the day and/or no matter what you do. If everyone is breaking the speed limit then they either need to pull the entire highway over or raise the limit.

    47. Re:Mixed by Kjella · · Score: 1

      Somehow my yoda-to-English translator kicked in and I read "car is driving" as "is driving the car", I got the terrified part but couldn't quite see the relevance...

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
    48. Re:Mixed by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      Do you ticket the 10,000 people going 45 or the one going 25?

      You don't ticket the hypothetical 10,000 people that you can't identify and can't pull over, but you might ticket the one you have pulled over who is going too slow.

      But you probably don't ticket him unless it is a serious hazard and he is a jerk about it.

      I'd also question your "in most cases". Perhaps in many cases. If you're the only one on the road, go for it. But if there's other people and you are causing a backup, you're going too slow.

    49. Re:Mixed by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      Saying that it's illegal to go the speed limit

      It is never illegal to go the speed limit. But you need to understand that those big signs that say "MAX SPEED" really do mean "max", and that the law for speed also includes road and driving conditions. You can be on a road with a sign that says "55 MPH" and if it is covered in black ice you can get a ticket for going 55 MPH, and almost certainly will get one if you get in an accident while doing it.

      or worse saying you must break one law by speeding to not violate a different law of impeding traffic

      Well, good thing the laws don't say that. If going the appropriate speed for conditions that does not exceed the posted maximum causes traffic to back up, well, that's life. Going well below the appropriate speed for conditions and impeding traffic, not so much.

      If everyone is breaking the speed limit then they either need to pull the entire highway over or raise the limit.

      No, they could do what they do now and let traffic flow at a natural rate and only act against those who are causing problems. I.e., the guy who is going 10 MPH faster than everyone else, or the one going slow enough to cause a hazard. Here's a good general rule that my Pappy taught me when he taught me how to drive: pass as many people as are passing you.

      If they raise the posted limit, then everyone will just go 10 over the new posted limit. The assumption is that the posted limit is the safe design limit for the road, and since everyone is a better than average driver everyone can go a bit faster.

    50. Re:Mixed by Obfuscant · · Score: 2

      In many states, the left lane is not a passing lane, but a driving lane. http://www.mit.edu/~jfc/right....

      Your statement contains two orthogonal concepts. Yes, in most states the left lane IS the passing lane, and passing on the right is illegal. (Every state I've driven in it is that way.) This is born out by the number of states where the right lane is "slower" or "<SL" or however the chart you referenced marks it. If there are a number of cars slower in the right lane, driving in the left is perfectly legal and appropriate.

      Whether you can also drive normally in the left lane is a different matter. It would be silly to try to claim that you cannot drive in the left lane, because that would impede merging traffic. At least in Oregon, despite how we drive here, we really are supposed to assist the merging traffic to merge safely, not try to push them off into the ditch.

    51. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 1

      "Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative, invariably fatal brain disorder. It affects about one person in every one million people per year worldwide; in the United States there are about 300 cases per year. CJD usually appears in later life and runs a rapid course."

      Sometimes we should all just know all the initials people throw around (LOL!) But sometimes not.

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    52. Re:Mixed by ooshna · · Score: 1

      Just imagine when there are a few kids going around a neighborhood spray painting sensors on every self driving car on the street

    53. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 2

      No. I watch very carefully when I'm driving, "l3v1" and "danbert8" are right.... I see it constantly here, people in other lanes with NOBODY behind them... it seems like people don't know how to even coast a bit, if they're not stepping on the gas, they have to be stepping on the break.... or something, I don't know, but when I see people speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down, in the lane next to me, with NOBODY behind them, I have to conclude the world has far too many idiots. I've also been far behind people that I subsequently caught up to - single lane roads where you'd just periodically see them breaking. I honestly don't think that many people are breaking (at least around here) for tailgaters, because I see tailgaters all the time, too, without the people being tailgated breaking.

      And like l3v1 pointed out, people don't signal to change lanes...

      I've actually had this discussion with a group of coworkers, while we were working on site in another state, including people from outside the U.S., and I say you should always signal a turn or lane change no matter what - it's NEVER bad to signal, it's sometimes (if not often) bad to not signal. "Bad," in this case, doesn't even necessarily mean dangerous - signalling sometimes is just an act of common courtesy to let people know what you're doing - it might not even be another car, it could be a bicyclist or a pedestrian. There were actually a couple of people who argued against it... it was unbelievable. And the guy that swore up and down he always signaled "when necessary" was weaving across all the lanes and didn't signal once.

      The bottom line is that far too many drivers lack common courtesy, common sense, and are oblivious to the effects they're having on the world around them. The sad thing is that ONE person going slow on the interstate can create a dangerous situation for hundreds of people, even for people just trying to go the limit, even five or six lanes out. I witness this every day on my commute to work. All it takes is one in a hundred to drive that way to screw things up for everybody, and it's more like 5 or 10 in a hundred that drive that way.

      And along with his freeway comment - if there's more than two lanes, the right lane should be for people entering and exiting the freeway, especially in urban areas where there exits are frequent, but my biggest pet peeve is that people don't use the on-ramp to accelerate up to the speed of the traffic they're going to have to merge with.... 45, even 35MPH all the way down the ramp... then reach the end and can't understand why they can't merge in with traffic going 70MPH (yes, that's the limit where I get on the interstate).

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    54. Re:Mixed by cellocgw · · Score: 1

      Maybe, but plenty of times I've trailed a driver who brakes on every curve, no matter how gentle, or who brakes every time there's an oncoming car. There are lots of idiots (or people with severely limited vision who should lose their license) out there.

      --
      https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
    55. Re:Mixed by HalAtWork · · Score: 2

      Why the fuck are people doing extremely dangerous things just to "annoy" someone else? That's incredibly stupid and beyond irresponsible.

    56. Re:Mixed by danbert8 · · Score: 2

      No, the right lane is for driving. The remaining lanes are for passing. I might let you off the hook in Atlanta or another urban area where there are 5+ lanes and left exits. If people are getting on the highway, sure move over a lane to let them in and then get back right when there is space. If there isn't space to move over and if you don't want to get slowed down by entering traffic, speed up and pass the cars in the right lane.

      Of course all this is theoretical in the US. In real Atlanta traffic, semi-trucks stay in lanes 3 and 4 of a 6 lane highway forming a nice rolling wall down the middle of the interstate that makes it hard to get between the exiting lanes and the passing lanes and an absolute misery with the inevitable asshole mentioned above is going 55mph in the left lane, causing a bottle neck that the semis have trapped you in.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    57. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 1

      What's the problem with people wanting to go faster than you? You want to drive slower, they want to drive faster. Maybe they're dealing with an emergency or late for a critical job interview - we've all been there at some point in our lives. Just move out of the way instead of "sticking it to 'em". If you think they're driving dangerously, call the cops and report it.

      Transactional Analysis (a.k.a. "The Games People Play."). People cannot help but to think of interactions with others as "games," and do what they feel necessary to "win."

      Frankly, I don't get it - I'm generally the faster driver on the road, and it boggles my mind when people go out of their way to block me. When someone wants to go faster than me, I let them... what does it matter to me? They're not the ones that are going to make me miss the next light or anything - it's the slow ones that do that.

      I'd also like to point out (although off topic to this sub-thread), that many lights - especially around rush hour, are timed. If you go slow, you end up missing all the lights. All those hyper-milers waste more gas (and more gas from everyone stuck behind them) idling at red lights, and then accelerating from zero. It's not always true that you make all the lights getting up to and maintaining speed limit speeds - there's only so much they can do with light timing, but in some situations it most definitely behooves you to go faster. I guess my biggest peeve is that, a couple of weeks after moving where I am now, I knew how the lights were timed in the morning on my way to work, and afternoon on my way home. Why other people living here for 20 years still don't get it is very frustrating.

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    58. Re:Mixed by Wycliffe · · Score: 1

      If they raise the posted limit, then everyone will just go 10 over the new posted limit. The assumption is that the posted limit is the safe design limit for the road, and since everyone is a better than average driver everyone can go a bit faster.

      No, this is ridiculous. Here is a video showing how ridiculous it is:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      If the speed limit is the "suggested maximum safe speed", then don't ticket people. It's ridiculous for some places to ticket you for going 5 over the "speed limit" and other places allow you to go over by 20 mph at certain times of the day without getting a ticket. If it's the actual speed limit, then set it at the limit and enforce it. A compromise as people are used to speeding might be set it 10 below what you want the limit is and start enforcing it after 10 over but it's anarchy to have some places enforce it as a hard limit and other places allowing you to go 20 over but not 25 over. It leaves too much discretion in the cop's hands where they can selectively pull over the people they want and ignore other people equally breaking the "law"

    59. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 1

      Frankly, that's pretty dumb. I hear people repeat that old diatribe over and over, and have yet to actually see anyone do it - nobody wants the hassle of an accident, whether you're at fault or not. The best response is simply easing off the gas, create a larger gap in front of you so that you won't have to break as hard should traffic in front of you stop, and the slower speed will reduce the damage should the person behind you still hit you. If it's not inconvenient (i.e. the traffic to your right is going slower than you) then yes, move over to the right and let the idiot pass - it's just not worth getting all worked up over it.

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    60. Re:Mixed by Cederic · · Score: 1

      It is never illegal to go the speed limit.

      It can be in the UK. E.g. drive down a residential road (30 limit) at 4pm on a sunny afternoon at 30 and you may be prosecuted for dangerous driving.

    61. Re:Mixed by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      That depends on how dense the traffic is. Some highways around here have all the lanes pretty well filled, and restricting the use of one lane would cause problems. Also, if the limit is 65 and lots of people are in the right lane going 55, passing them separately (particularly when they're tailgating also) seems like more bother than it's worth. I can always keep an eye out to my 6 and pull over and slow down if somebody comes up behind me driving faster.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    62. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 1

      If the google car is limited to 35MPH roadways, I would think (from my experience) the vast majority of the time it's probably a single lane.

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    63. Re:Mixed by gfxguy · · Score: 1

      Yes, to the previous two comments - I don't want to write my version of a driving manual, but I was referring to urban areas where interstates typically balloon from 2 or 3 lanes to sometimes 6 or more, and typically not rush hour where every lane just becomes another travel lane because of capacity.

      --
      Stupid sexy Flanders.
    64. Re:Mixed by Cederic · · Score: 1

      Rewarding them for tailgating by pulling over at the first opportunity is unnecessary. Especially if the first time they think there's an opportunity it's because there's space in the next lane, whereas you're reasonably waiting for a space large enough that you can pull over, let them pass and still move back out to overtake the next vehicle without having to brake yourself.

      Me, I've had people think I'm tailgating them where I'm merely letting my speed bleed off instead of hitting my brakes. Sometimes they react like twats and slam their brakes on, so I just swerve around them or brake safely without hitting them. They're still twats.

      If I want to overtake someone and they wont move, when I think there's a reasonable gap they should move into and they don't, I move into it myself. I then put my bumper half an inch behind theirs (but in the next lane over) and merrily track their speed while sitting mostly in their blind spot. Most people get the hint and indicate to pull over.

      The third time I have to do that I just go past them on the inside.

    65. Re:Mixed by david_thornley · · Score: 1

      Another neat trick with synchronized lights: when you get that first green, accelerate fast, and arrive at the next controlled intersection a couple of seconds before it turns green, so you have to stop, and then start again from a stop. It can be very frustrating to drive behind someone like that.

      --
      "When you have eliminated the unacceptable, whatever is left, however improbable, must be the truthiness" - Holmes
    66. Re: Mixed by Cederic · · Score: 1

      Causing an accident through dangerous driving however is illegal.

      You make me crash into you by intentionally braking to cause an accident, whether I was being a twat and whether I'm at fault for failing to leave sufficient distance doesn't stop you being prosecuted for breaking the law.

    67. Re:Mixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      So you are an unsafe jackass of a driver that loves to break the law and put other people in unnecessary danger just to make you feel better about your own shortcomings? Karma will catch up to you.

    68. Re:Mixed by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      The point is that the left lane being restricted to passing only is not always the case, very few states have that law (6). There are a bunch where you have to yield to faster vehicles, and if you are driving slower than the flow of traffic, but it isn't a requirement otherwise. The ones marked SL mean that you have to move over if you are going 10 under the speed limit, not traffic speed. It is a crap shoot by state as to how the left lane is restricted, it isn't even always restricted from towing vehicles (often even this only applies to large trucks, not me towing the Boy Scout trailer for example). It just isn't a standard law across the US. Comparing the US to the UK doesn't really get this across, one would be better served to think of the US as comparable to Europe, it is a conglomerate of disparate "states" with their own laws that aren't always compatible with each other.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    69. Re:Mixed by BrookHarty · · Score: 1

      Do what we did in Seattle, we took our passing lane and turned it into a 3+ hov/toll lane. No passing lane, no problem!

    70. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      I didn't say make them actually hit you, I said a hard tap. Naturally, you should then accelerate again while they're busy panicing. I assure you, they will leave a bigger gap after that. I have done that, did not have an accident, did get the tailgater to back off.

    71. Re:Mixed by danbert8 · · Score: 1

      When traffic is nearing capacity, passing is being done constantly. In an ideal flow situation, each lane further left is going faster than the one to the right of it, thus the middle lanes are constantly passing the right lanes and constantly being passed by the left lanes. The basic idea being is that if there is open space in the lane to your right, you should be in it regardless of speed or the number of lanes. If people are passing you on the right, it's because you didn't fill in that space with your car while not passing.

      Once traffic gets dense enough that you can't get to the speed limit, it all becomes moot as it's more of a parking lot than a highway at that point. Which is a typical Atlanta rush hour.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    72. Re:Mixed by Anguirel · · Score: 1

      They should ticket the 10,000, with a full-road blockade and ticket-writing party 3 miles down the road from a couple cops with radar guns, radios, and binoculars sitting on the back-side of a underpass.

      Then they can just party for a month since they filled their quota!

      --
      ~Anguirel (lit. Living Star-Iron)
      QA: The art of telling someone that their baby is ugly without getting punched.
    73. Re:Mixed by chihowa · · Score: 1

      I just wish people would freaking pay attention at stop lights and watch for the light to change to green. It's almost always this excruciating ballet of watching the cars ahead of me "Oh, the light changed? *2 seconds to process before starting to accelerate" followed by the car behind them seeming to only realize it's time to go after their own two second pause. I'm hoping for network aware (or just aware!) autonomous cars that can all start rolling at the same time after a light change.

      That drives me crazy, too. I think what's happening is that the first person is looking at the light (at intervals between looking at their phone) and everybody else is just looking at the car in front of them. Nobody takes any action toward moving until the car in front of them starts moving. It's fucking glacial and sometimes only a few cars make it through the intersection on each cycle.

      I visited one place where every single car took the foot off the brakes when the light turned green and started moving (and spacing out) as a unit. It was beautiful and I wish I remembered where it was so that I could move there. I wonder if people there kept right except to pass, too...

      --
      If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
    74. Re: Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      No, it shows that I can cut through all the BS arguments by demonstrating that the tailgating asshole must at all times be prepared to stop safely no matter how hard I brake. That's why the law presumes his fault if he rear-ends me.

    75. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Your assumptions are odd. For example, you presume I don't move to the right when that option is available. You would be wrong there. You assume I drive under the speed limit. Also untrue unless visibility is near zero or the road is iced over.

      If you're in such a damned hurry, use the left lane. If there is no left lane, pass when oncoming traffic allows it. Do not try to make me go fast enough to get a big ticket by riding my bumper.

    76. Re:Mixed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Here's a general rule for you to live by. If you're in the right lane, and somebody is tailgating you, they're being dicks, whatever. But if you're not, and somebody tail gates you, and you don't get out of the way when traffic allows you to, you're wrong.

      I always remember one instance, somebody came up behind me real quick and tail gated me. I got out of the way as quick as I could and they gunned it. They whipped in to the emergency room lane of the hospital I was coming up on. I don't know why they needed to get to the emergency room, but I assume it was an emergency. Somebody like you could actually cost somebody their life. Remember, somebody bleeding out, an ambulance is too slow, they need to get somewhere they can get blood quickly, and you driving them is a one way trip, rather than the two way trip the ambulance is going to have to do.

      Remember, you're not god. It's not your place to say how fast somebody else should go. You never know, they might have a REALLY good reason for driving the way they are.

    77. Re:Mixed by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      Sounds like the complaint was against tailgaters, not against speeders. Tailgating is aggressive and dangerous. It pisses me off when someone is purposefully putting both of our cars' passengers in increased danger because they're too lazy to move to the passing lane to get around me. Even if I'm blocking their way, they don't have the right to endanger me and my passengers.

      That being said, I keep up with the prevailing speed of traffic, I watch for cars coming up fast behind me, and I try to leave an option for them to pass me on the left, when I can. There are still unreasonable assholes that want to ride my bumper to pressure me into moving when the leftmost lane is perfectly open and available for passing. They want to drive faster? Fine; there's nothing I can do about it anyhow. They want to tailgate for no reason? I'm not inclined to humor them.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
    78. Re:Mixed by laie_techie · · Score: 1

      If the speed limit is the "suggested maximum safe speed", then don't ticket people. It's ridiculous for some places to ticket you for going 5 over the "speed limit" and other places allow you to go over by 20 mph at certain times of the day without getting a ticket. If it's the actual speed limit, then set it at the limit and enforce it. A compromise as people are used to speeding might be set it 10 below what you want the limit is and start enforcing it after 10 over but it's anarchy to have some places enforce it as a hard limit and other places allowing you to go 20 over but not 25 over. It leaves too much discretion in the cop's hands where they can selectively pull over the people they want and ignore other people equally breaking the "law"

      Speedometers in cars are not 100% accurate, therefore cops generally give some leeway (10mph) without giving a ticket for speeding.

    79. Re:Mixed by tompaulco · · Score: 1

      It says something about our traffic laws that actually following them is surprising enough to cause accidents. Aside from the need to fix traffic laws, I think this situation is more an argument in favor of replacing more human drivers with autonomous ones, as soon as the technology is stable enough.

      It certainly says that the laws are not written correctly. Following the spirit of the law is safe enough, but following the letter of the law is not as safe (and sometimes impossible). Of course, an AI can ONLY follow the letter of the law, and not the spirit of the law. Unless, of course, the reason behind the law is programmed in, and then the AI can attempt to follow both, but will have to make a decision when they come into conflict with each other.

      --
      If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
    80. Re:Mixed by samwichse · · Score: 1

      A lot of times, I'm pretty sure what they're doing is taking their foot off the gas and resting it on the brake. But the brake switch is sensitive enough that this makes the brake lights come on.

      I've got a manual transmission honda civic hybrid, and the hybrid system braking effect is tied to the brake switch in the pedal, so it's pretty easy to suss out exactly what pressure on the pedal will trigger the light. I tested it and found that I can lightly rest my toe on the pedal no problem, but even a slight bump will kick in the regenerative braking (and the brake lights). Probably what's happening 90% of the time.

      The other 10% are inexplicable stupidity like this morning when I got stuck behind some fool who braked down to 22 mph in the 35 zone we were in and there were no intersections or ANYTHING anywhere near.

      Sam

    81. Re:Mixed by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      If the speed limit is the "suggested maximum safe speed",

      I don't believe I said that.

      then don't ticket people.

      Why not?

      It's ridiculous for some places to ticket you for going 5 over the "speed limit" and other places allow you to go over by 20 mph at certain times of the day without getting a ticket.

      You've never noticed that conditions in different places are different at different times? Most times, people who are going 20 over without getting a ticket are doing so because they aren't seen doing it. When they are getting away with it, it's because EVERYONE is going 20 over and there is no special hazard being created by that one. It's when they are the only one going 20 over and passing and changing lanes that they get noticed and get a ticket. (Except where there are traps specifically to make money, of course.)

      It leaves too much discretion in the cop's hands where they can selectively pull over the people they want and ignore other people equally breaking the "law"

      I can tell you, you want cops to have that discretion. It's what allows them to issue warnings instead of tickets when they think it is appropriate. And it's what allows them to let the traffic flow at a natural rate instead of creating a hard cut-off and traffic jams.

      No, this is ridiculous. Here is a video showing how ridiculous it is:

      Sorry, no player to watch 'tubes'. But it isn't ridiculous, it's a fact. People know that there is a buffer above the posted limit where they are unlikely to be stopped, so they go that fast. Raise the limit, they'll just go faster. You can see that effect on any road where the speed limit changes. They go a bit over when it's posted at 45, they'll speed up to go a bit over when it changes to 55.

    82. Re:Mixed by Talderas · · Score: 1

      Speedometers have 1-5% tolerance up or down when maintained within factory specs. So if the car says 50 mph you can be going anywhere from 47.5-52.5 mph. Once the vehicle is modified then the speedometer would need to be recalibrated and the most common way that people modify the vehicle, unwittingly, is to change the size of tires they use.

      Increase the diameter of your tired and you increase the distance covered by each turn of the axle causing your actual speed to increase above what the speedometer will read. Add the standard 1-5% drift on top of that.

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    83. Re:Mixed by Obfuscant · · Score: 1

      It can be in the UK. E.g. drive down a residential road (30 limit) at 4pm on a sunny afternoon at 30 and you may be prosecuted for dangerous driving.

      I assume you are trying to describe a condition when there are a lot of other cars on the same narrow, hedge-lined road, with maybe pedestrians walking there, too? Then the real speed limit is not the posted max of 30, it's below that, because of the conditions. And, as a driver, you are supposed to know that at part of driving law.

      Yes, you can get a ticket in the US for "too fast for conditions", which is why I went into detail.

    84. Re:Mixed by spauldo · · Score: 1

      I agree.

      Up north, they tend to keep the roads pretty clear. Down south, they don't need to. It's the states in the middle that tend to have the worst roads in the winter and the best drivers, generally speaking. There are exceptions, of course.

      Of course, in Texas, they make up for all that by not knowing how to drive in the rain. I once saw a woman in Dallas pull out of a parking lot and lose control of her car and do a 180 and slam into the opposite curb. It was a rainy 80 degrees that day.

      I left a truck stop in Michigan around 4am and passed at least ten wrecks in the first ten miles, all near bridges - the bridges had iced over, and the salt trucks hadn't been out yet. You don't see that in, say, Illinois, where the drivers know about icy bridges.

      That still doesn't explain Kansas, though. They get snow and ice that stay on the road for days. I'm from northern Oklahoma, so I'm in a similar situation, but for some reason the drivers here mostly drive around the speed limit, while the drivers there don't. I have no idea why.

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
    85. Re:Mixed by Talderas · · Score: 1

      There's plenty of bad driving habits in the midwest. The major ones I see on my commute are failure to leave adequate space between you and the car ahead of you which mostly manifests as either tailgating or making failing to yield to merging traffic. Then there's also the people that fail to signal before changing lanes.

      --
      "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
    86. Re:Mixed by spauldo · · Score: 1

      You see those everywhere, though. Try driving in Atlanta or Dallas sometime.

      Ohio (as well as a few other states) has a law that if you pass a commercial truck, you have to get a good deal ahead of the truck before you move back over. I really wish that law was more common - following distance on an 80,000lb. vehicle is a lot greater than that of a small sedan.

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
    87. Re:Mixed by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Not going to be nearly as much fun as dropping a child's ball onto the interstate.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    88. Re:Mixed by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      It's not a catch 22. If you insist on driving slow, you just pull to the side whenever you accumulate 3 cars following you.

      That is the CA law.

      You just don't like the idea of not being allowed to 'pace' all the maniacs, you idiot *.

      * Carlin para: 'Everybody faster than you is a maniac, everybody slower is an idiot.'

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    89. Re:Mixed by Wycliffe · · Score: 1

      You just don't like the idea of not being allowed to 'pace' all the maniacs, you idiot *.

      No, I don't like the idea that driving 20 miles over in heavy traffic is ok while driving 20 miles over when the road is empty and the cop is bored gets you a ticket.
      Even worse, when you go from city to city, you have no idea what speed you are supposed to drive because different places enforce it completely different and even 1 mile over you always risk the gamble of getting a ticket. You shouldn't have to risk getting a ticket just to stay in the flow of traffic. Every once in a while they'll set up speed traps and pull over 20-30 cars in a row, yet in other places thousands of cars break the "law" every day. The law should either be enforced or taken off the books.

    90. Re:Mixed by Wycliffe · · Score: 1

      You've never noticed that conditions in different places are different at different times?

      Sorry, no player to watch 'tubes'. But it isn't ridiculous, it's a fact. People know that there is a buffer above the posted limit where they are unlikely to be stopped, so they go that fast.

      Of course, I've noticed it, that's the problem. If you're not local, you have no idea whether it's safe to drive 5 over, 10 over, or if you're going to get pulled over for going 1 over. And there are some places where it's unsafe to not break the law. That's what the video was. It was a group that decided to all drive the "speed limit" on a major road where everyone routinely drove 20 over and they are lucky noone got killed in the mayhem. A buffer is fine but the buffer should be stated not some unspoken mystery that varies from city to city and even day to day. Weaving in and out of traffic and driving dangerously should be ticketed even if you're driving the speed limit but if I can drive 20 miles over during rush hour then driving 20 miles over on a sunny sunday afternoon should also be allowed with risking getting a ticket because I've lost the "herd" protection or because a cop is having a bad day. We shouldn't have laws that are knowingly broken on a consistent basis and selectively enforced where citizens never know if they are going to get in trouble for breaking them or not.

    91. Re: Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      If you think the dashcam of a car BEHIND me will show an angry glare, you have more serious issues than not understanding the law related to following too close.

      But you really should look it up.

    92. Re:Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Except I only do that on 2 lane roads or when the idiot behind me doesn't use the passing lane I left open for him.

    93. Re: Mixed by sjames · · Score: 1

      Helpful note, I've actually seen dashcam footage before. I mean real dashcams, not the imaginary ones they have in police procedurals with the infinite enhance capability.

    94. Re:Mixed by khellendros1984 · · Score: 1

      I'm describing the situation where I'm tailgated the most often. I don't hang out in the passing lane, and I tend to go at or above the speed limit, traffic permitting. You call a distinction without a difference; I call it some unreasonable and enraging bullshit, and not at all uncommon in southern California.

      --
      It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
    95. Re:Mixed by BronsCon · · Score: 1

      I think I might love you.

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    96. Re:Mixed by BronsCon · · Score: 1

      This. And to elaborate:

      If you can be farther to the right, be there. If someone wants to go faster than you, they WILL; if that means they have to change manes and weave through traffic to do it, you are causing them to have to perform additional, potentially unsafe maneuvers in order to avoid the obstacle (you) in their lane. Sure, speeding isn't exactly safe driving, but you are also driving unsafely by being in the incorrect lane and making yourself an obstacle to speeders who only have to weave through traffic in order to maintain their speed because people can't fucking stay to the right.

      The number of times I've been almost clipped by a speeder trying to get by some asshat in the left lane not actively passing someone or even going faster than the traffic in any of the lanes to their right has caused me to be more angry and frustrated at those drivers than the speeders that are almost clipping me! I've taken to getting in front of these "wrong lane" drivers, and taking my foot off the gas while pointing to the right until they get the message. Once they get over, I get back over, and the line of cars behind them typically waves at me or gives me thumbs-up for getting them out of the way.

      feelsgoodman.jpg

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    97. Re: Mixed by BronsCon · · Score: 1

      There was actually a study done (Google is your friend) where they asked a group of people one single question: Are you a narcissist? They then gave each of those people a psych evaluation. I forget the exact correlation, but it was something like 90% of those who answered "Yes" were diagnosed as narcissistic by the psych eval and 90% of those who were diagnosed also answered "Yes" (and yes, those are two differing statements; the first indicated that 10% of those who answered "Yes" were not diagnosed as narcissists whole the second indicates that 10% of those who answered "No" were).

      A 90% accuracy rate for such a simple test is amazing; it also indicates that your average narcissist knows of their "condition" and is completely fine with it.

      In short, if you think bws111 is gonna start therapy on your advice, well... I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

      --
      APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
    98. Re:Mixed by mjwx · · Score: 1

      I can think of many times I am driving I wish others would get pulled over for driving too slowly :)

      Having driven a lot in California recently, it's always a fucking Prius.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    99. Re:Mixed by mcswell · · Score: 1

      Yeah, I live near DC, and I always figured I'd get a ticket for impeding traffic on the Beltway by refusing to drive more than 10mph over the speed limit. Then I got a speeding camera ticket for driving 35 in a 25 zone. Four lane road in DC, no traffic, coasting downhill under a bridge. Sheez...

    100. Re:Mixed by volmtech · · Score: 1

      In defense of people turning left before turning right many Southerners often pull trailers or drive trucks and automatically swing wide when turning even when driving a small vehicle. As to people not watching the light but only moving after the car ahead of them moves you where probably behind my wife. I have learned not to correct her driving habits because I don't want to have to walk home.

    101. Re:Mixed by Bert64 · · Score: 1

      People frequently tailgate instead of moving into the next lane to pass, they frequently tailgate people who are in the outside lane but due to other traffic conditions cannot pull over. If i'm in a passing lane i will move out of it once i have completed passing the slower vehicles, and it will not be possible to pull over as there will be other vehicles on the inside.
      Tailgating such a vehicle is stupid and dangerous, there is clearly nowhere it can go so wait for it to complete what its doing. If someone is sitting in the outside lane for no reason then it's still stupid to tailgate them as they clearly aren't paying attention to the road properly, and could easily be surprised causing them to brake suddenly.

      I will leave the passing lane(s) when it is safe to do so, sitting close behind me is dangerous and it can't make me move over more quickly because there's nowhere to go, at most it will cause me to slow down in order to reduce the impact of a crash and increase the distance to the vehicle in front so i wouldn't need to brake so hard if something happened.

      Something else i find extremely annoying, when you are following the rules and pulling in to the inside lane when not overtaking, you approach a slower vehicle ahead and want to move out, but there is another vehicle sitting alongside you or passing very slowly in the middle lane and the outside lane is clear. They should move out into the outside lane so that you can move into the middle lane, but they usually don't so you are boxed in and forced to slow down.

      --
      http://spamdecoy.net - free throwaway anonymous email - avoid spam!
    102. Re:Mixed by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      There are no cities in CA where the cops enforce speed limits under 20 over on the highway.

      Granting I have to adjust my driving in the midwest. But that's a given. They drive almost as bad as massholes.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    103. Re:Mixed by JohnnyComeLately · · Score: 1

      Because in Europe, they'll pull you over for not passing, while cruising in the left lane. I drove a rental around Belgium and Germany, and was warned by quite a few people to stay out of the left two lanes (assuming 3+ lane) I've watched CHP (California Highway Patrol) roll up on a left lane squatter, cruise for about 1-2 miles behind, and then pass on the right. Which, technically, I think passing on the right is also illegal to go along with the impeding. The only place I've seen here enforce is CHP up north, around Monterey, where retirees in motorhome back up 4+ cars going up hills.

    104. Re:Mixed by the_Bionic_lemming · · Score: 1

      You are forgiven. :)

      --
      _ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
    105. Re:Mixed by Person147 · · Score: 1
      I will take you up on that - once the Oxford English Dictionary removes all the superfluous 'u's and an equivalent US dictionary removes every single adverb.

      Oh and can you PLEASE get them to fix the spelling for aluminium? Aluminum is missing the 'i' unlike in actinium, californium, uranium, plutonium, selenium, etc.

  2. So, they're not fully tested yet? by TWX · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Basically what I take away from this is that the cars are not ready for prime-time if they're limited to NEV speeds and have been mostly used in suburban neighborhoods.

    I actually want autonomous vehicles. I want them to be capable of driving entirely without occupant involvement beyond stating a destination. I do want honest disclosure of how development is going though, and most of the discussion to this point has made it sound like they were further along and further tested than this article describes.

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
    1. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by andymadigan · · Score: 5, Informative

      These prototypes may not be ready for prime time. Personally, I wouldn't buy a car that can't cross the Bay Bridge.

      However, other "Google Cars" (like the modified Lexus) are capable of full highway speed. There are several autonomous vehicles that are being tested at highway speed.

      --
      The right to protest the State is more sacred than the State.
    2. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Informative

      Basically what I take away from this is that the cars are not ready for prime-time if they're limited to NEV speeds

      My wife's Telsa got an autopilot upgrade last week. It can now mostly drive itself. It stays in its lane, changes lanes when necessary, and can brake and/or accelerate to maintain distance. It works fine at full highway speed. It is clearly labeled as "beta" software, so you aren't allowed to take a nap or read a magazine, but The only time the human needs to take control is to turn at intersections.

    3. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

      Errr... I don't think it changes lanes "when necessary". It'll only change lanes when the driver uses the turn signal while autopilot is in operation (and when it has latched onto the proper lane markings).
      (yes, I have received the AP update too, but that was quite a while ago)

      It's very cool technology, but it requires much more attention than just at intersections. There's no need to overstate its abilities: it's already very impressive as it is.

    4. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 2

      My wife's Telsa got an autopilot upgrade last week. It can now mostly drive itself.

      Here is a video of some idiot that got out of the driver's seat, and got into the backseat, while his Tesla was on autopilot and driving 80+ km/hr.

    5. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      Errr... I don't think it changes lanes "when necessary". It'll only change lanes when the driver uses the turn signal while autopilot is in operation

      Sorry for the inaccuracy. I haven't actually used Autopilot myself, because my wife won't let me drive her Tesla. But I did watch her use it from the passenger seat. It is very impressive.

    6. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by gl4ss · · Score: 2

      it's never going to be autonomous driving autopilot. you're pretty much not allowed to take your eyes off the road.

      how they can get away with selling something like this with BETA label is a joke though. sell an expensive car and then sell an expensive DLC that you label as BETA that you market to douchebags with the label autopilot and tell them that it's self driving. it's a driver assist system and not the only one in the world at that, other manufacturers aren't just stupid enough to call it BETA autopilot.

      --
      world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
    7. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by dave420 · · Score: 1

      Railway & elevator cars beg to differ. A car is just a box on wheels, albeit frequently (but not always) used to describe an automobile.

    8. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by dotancohen · · Score: 1

      Sorry for the inaccuracy. I haven't actually used Autopilot myself, because my wife won't let me drive her Tesla. But I did watch her use it from the passenger seat. It is very impressive.

      It doesn't sound like she's exactly 'driving' it either, at least not since the Autopilot update.

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    9. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Highway driving is actually the easy bit. Compared to urban driving the environment is much more regulated. Dedicated roads that are not shared with pedestrians and cyclists, no tricky junctions, slow bends with good visibility of the road ahead etc.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    10. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      These prototypes may not be ready for prime time. Personally, I wouldn't buy a car that can't cross the Bay Bridge.

      It is a truly intelligent car that refuses to take you to Oakland.

    11. Re: So, they're not fully tested yet? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      It is free whilst it is in beta, but we plan to charge for it once it is production ready.

    12. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1

      it's never going to be autonomous driving autopilot. you're pretty much not allowed to take your eyes off the road.

      Elon says it will be fully autonomous by 2017.

      how they can get away with selling something like this with BETA label is a joke though.

      We didn't pay anything for it. It was a free upgrade. In fact, we didn't even ask for it. When my wife got in her car, there was a pop-up on the console that said the software had been upgraded overnight. That was no problem, since it is disabled by default. She waited a few days to turn it on, just in case a few bugs needed to be ironed out. So far, it has worked flawlessly. It drives more smoothly than a human, and likely uses less energy per mile.

    13. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Which Bay Bridge?

      http://www.baybridge.maryland....

      Isn't your's called the Golden Gate Bridge? Mine is called the Bay Bridge.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    14. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      because my wife won't let me drive her Tesla.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

      I can't imagine a relationship where it is her car and you are not allowed to drive it, but I guess every relationship is different.

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    15. Re:So, they're not fully tested yet? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      The truly intelligent car would stop at Davis.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
  3. Bullshit by Etherwalk · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Cops pull people over for "driving too slowly" regardless of safety reasons all the time. And if you're from out of town they fine you. They didn't ticket the google car because it would have brought scrutiny, not because it was legal to drive that slowly on the road.

    1. Re:Bullshit by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Insightful

      They didn't ticket the google car because it would have brought scrutiny, not because it was legal to drive that slowly on the road.

      It may have also been because Google is Mountain View's biggest taxpayer and biggest employer. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

    2. Re:Bullshit by whoever57 · · Score: 1

      It may have also been because Google is Mountain View's biggest taxpayer and biggest employer. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

      Do you think that the King cares about that? The car was on "the King's Road", or perhaps "the royal road".

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
    3. Re:Bullshit by Aighearach · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Cops pull people over for "driving too slowly" regardless of safety reasons all the time. And if you're from out of town they fine you. They didn't ticket the google car because it would have brought scrutiny, not because it was legal to drive that slowly on the road.

      Partly true; the cops don't know the law, so it is only because the cop decided not to write a ticket that the department didn't have to drop it. ;)

      But there is no question at all that it is legal for a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle to drive 24 in a 35. Absolutely legal. The traffic stop was improper, caused entirely by the cop not knowing the laws related to the type of vehicle he was stopping.

    4. Re: Bullshit by oobayly · · Score: 1, Interesting

      You're probably right in this case, if Google cars are clearly sign written as being a driverless car.

      However, I have no problem with the police stopping a slow driver. It's often an indicator of drink driving, or could be an indicator that the driver's sight is impaired.

      I followed somebody home last night - at 11 - and they were doing 30-35 in a 50mph. I contemplated overtaking and then decided against it - mainly because I didn't trust them not to do something stupid. I then watched the car swerve as it came up to a roundabout - almost like the drive didn't see the well lit, well signed junction.

    5. Re:Bullshit by Guy+Harris · · Score: 1

      It may have also been because Google is Mountain View's biggest taxpayer and biggest employer. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

      Do you think that the King cares about that? The car was on "the King's Road", or perhaps "the royal road".

      No, Phil probably doesn't care all that much. (Then again, it stopped being the King's road, except by name, back in 1821.)

    6. Re:Bullshit by AmiMoJo · · Score: 4, Funny

      You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

      Someone should tell my cat.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    7. Re:Bullshit by spauldo · · Score: 1

      Impeding traffic is a thing.

      California Vehicle Code:

      22400. (a) No person shall drive upon a highway at such a slow
      speed as to impede or block the normal and reasonable movement of
      traffic unless the reduced speed is necessary for safe operation,
      because of a grade, or in compliance with law.

      (As an aside, my grandmother was ticketed in LA for driving the speed limit on the freeway - everyone else was speeding, so she was impeding traffic.)

      Granted, that says highway, but I know people who have been stopped on regular streets for the same thing in my state. I would imagine Google could have argued the "reduced speed is necessary for safe operation" part.

      Besides, cops often will pull over slow drivers even when there is no other traffic, just to check if they're drunk.

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
    8. Re:Bullshit by Etherwalk · · Score: 1

      Shouldn't, but as a practical matter do. What you're talking about is going too slow as part of reasonable suspicion for stop related to a different crime.

    9. Re: Bullshit by JackieBrown · · Score: 1, Insightful

      I have no problem with the police stopping a slow driver. It's often an indicator of drink driving, or could be an indicator that the driver's sight is impaired.

      Agreed. Slow drivers also make other drivers less safe by increasing other driver's agitation and frustration. This leads to tailgating, unsafe passing, etc

    10. Re:Bullshit by Coren22 · · Score: 1

      Does Alphabet Inc have a driver's license? is it even technically old enough? How would that even work to give a corporation a driver's license?

      --
      APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
    11. Re:Bullshit by edtice1559 · · Score: 1

      They didn't ticket the car because the cop was wrong to stop it. NEV vehicles are required to travel at 25mph or less (If they can go faster, they're not a NEV at least in FL where I live and also in NJ where I used to live) and they are allowed on roads with limits up to 35mph. Yes this means you will have a 25mph NEV on a 35mph road. It's how the law is written. The police offer couldn't tell that the vehicle was a NEV so he stopped it in error and apologized. This is a non-story except maybe they should paint NEV in large letters to make it clearer.

    12. Re:Bullshit by edtice1559 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Guess I just have to copy and paste my comment in response to everybody who got modded up without reading the article... oh nevermind. They didn't ticket the car because the cop was wrong to stop it. NEV vehicles are required to travel at 25mph or less (If they can go faster, they're not a NEV at least in FL where I live and also in NJ where I used to live) and they are allowed on roads with limits up to 35mph. Yes this means you will have a 25mph NEV on a 35mph road. It's how the law is written. The police offer couldn't tell that the vehicle was a NEV so he stopped it in error and apologized. This is a non-story except maybe they should paint NEV in large letters to make it clearer.

    13. Re:Bullshit by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      You're one of these false pedants who doesn't realize that quoting something irrelevant in authoritative detail is not helpful or informative.

      Look up the law about Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. I'll give you a hint: you quoted a thing about highways. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are not operated on highways, they are operated on streets with a speed limit of 35 or less, and they themselves are limited to 25 mph. They're intended to be slow moving vehicles that sometimes are slower than other traffic.

      Cops are legally required to have a real reason for a stop; with a computer driver, there is no reasonable concern that the computer is drunk.

      If you read as many words of the story as you pasted from google you'd have realized that was about highways. And if you're licensed in any State you'd know that rules on city streets are different than rules on highways.

    14. Re: Bullshit by Aighearach · · Score: 2

      And of course the corollary is also true; tailgating leads to slower drivers as the person in front can only reduce their speed to reduce the required safe space behind their vehicle.

    15. Re: Bullshit by Aighearach · · Score: 1

      Driving I just stay out of their way, but in the evening I usually walk and I often see an excessively slow driver and shout, "Don't drink and drive!" About half of them slam on their brakes instantly, before realizing they should "act normal" and keep driving.

    16. Re:Bullshit by Cramer · · Score: 1

      Yes they do. It's called the license plate. It takes seconds to run the plate to see the registered class of the vehicle.

    17. Re:Bullshit by spauldo · · Score: 1

      You're one of these false pedants who doesn't realize that quoting something irrelevant in authoritative detail is not helpful or informative.

      And you're one of those people that jump right to personal attacks, apparently. I may or may not be a pedant, but you're certainly an asshole.

      Look up the law about Neighborhood Electric Vehicles. I'll give you a hint: you quoted a thing about highways. Neighborhood Electric Vehicles are not operated on highways, they are operated on streets with a speed limit of 35 or less, and they themselves are limited to 25 mph. They're intended to be slow moving vehicles that sometimes are slower than other traffic.

      Oh, hey look, from TFS: "...The officer stopped the car and made contact with the operators to learn more about how the car was choosing speeds along certain roadways and to educate the operators about impeding traffic per 22400(a) of the California Vehicle Code. The Google self-driving cars operate under the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Definition per 385.5 of the California Vehicle Code and can only be operated on roadways with speed limits at or under 35 mph. In this case, it was lawful for the car to be traveling on the street as El Camino Real is rated at 35 mph."

      22400(a) is the law I posted, and I posted right below that:

      Granted, that says highway, but I know people who have been stopped on regular streets for the same thing in my state. I would imagine Google could have argued the "reduced speed is necessary for safe operation" part.

      So, what's your point again?

      Let's take a look at California Vehicle Code, shall we?

      385.5.
      (a) A “low-speed vehicle” is a motor vehicle that meets all of the following requirements:
      (1) Has four wheels.
      (2) Can attain a speed, in one mile, of more than 20 miles per hour and not more than 25 miles per hour, on a paved level surface.
      (3)Has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds.
      (b)
      (1) For the purposes of this section, a “low-speed vehicle” is not a golf cart, except when operated pursuant to Section 21115 or 21115.1.
      (2) A “low-speed vehicle” is also known as a “neighborhood electric vehicle.”

      Let's see what else is in there. Hrm, not required to be registered in some circumstances... Seller has to inform a buyer of the vehicle's maximum speed and the potential risks of driving a low-speed vehicle... Can be driven on highways if the local authority approves and makes regulations for it, but only for distances of a mile or less and within a mile of a golf course... Local authorities can designate highway crossing areas... Ah, here we go:

      21251. Except as provided in Chapter 6.2 (commencing with Section 1962), Chapter ( ) 7.1 (commencing with Section 1964), Chapter 8 (commencing with Section 1965), and Chapter 8.1 (commencing with Section 1966) of Division 2.5 of the Streets and Highways Code, and Sections 4023, 21115, and 21115.1, a low-speed vehicle is subject to all the provisions applicable to a motor vehicle, and the driver of a low-speed vehicle is subject to all the provisions applicable to the driver of a motor vehicle or other vehicle, when applicable, by this code or another code, with the exception of those provisions that, by their very nature, can have no application.

      One can safely assume that means drunk drivers are not allowed. I'll return to this in a moment.

      And here's something interesting:

      21266. (a) Notwithstanding Section 21260, local authorities, by ordinance or resolution, may restrict or prohibit the use of low-speed vehicles.

      Lemme requote the summary:

      "...The officer stopped the car and made contact with the operators to learn mo

      --
      Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach either, do tech support.
  4. Slow-poke pull-aside laws by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    I believe there's a CA law that says if you are holding up 3 or more cars, you must pull over at the earliest safe turn-out and let them pass. However, I cannot find the text of that law at the moment.

    It may be tricky to detect 3 or more cars computationally, as the view of those further back is often blocked.

    1. Re:Slow-poke pull-aside laws by Ichijo · · Score: 3, Informative

      I believe there's a CA law that says if you are holding up 3 or more cars, you must pull over at the earliest safe turn-out and let them pass. However, I cannot find the text of that law at the moment.

      That's CVC 21656, but it's 5 or more vehicles, and it's only applicable on 2-lane highways.

      Related laws are CVC 22400 and CVC 21654.

      It may be tricky to detect 3 or more cars computationally, as the view of those further back is often blocked.

      And on freeway onramps where 2 vehicles are permitted for each green light.

      --
      Any sufficiently unpopular but cohesive argument is indistinguishable from trolling.
    2. Re:Slow-poke pull-aside laws by zwarte+piet · · Score: 1

      Driving really slowly is often an indication the driver is old, doesn't see very well or drunk and trying not to bump into anything. As a police officer you want to take a look at such cases. Is this guy fit to drive? I got pulled over once and asked to do an alcohol test when my car was filled with furniture that I didn't bother securing for a 5 minute drive and I wanted it to stay upright. I asked why they put me aside and they said I was driving 20km/h below the limit within the city and that made them suspicious.

  5. auto drive car better be able to go over the limit by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    auto drive car better be able to go over the limit on some roads. Like in Chicagoland interstates

  6. Rage by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    "We’ve capped the speed of our prototype vehicles at 25mph for safety reasons. We want them to feel friendly and approachable"

    If I'm stuck behind one and it's going well below the speed limit, I'm going to HATE it and everyone that owns one. Of course, that's after I'm done laughing at how ridiculous it looks.

    1. Re:Rage by g01d4 · · Score: 1
      "Weve capped the speed of our prototype vehicles at 25mph for safety reasons"

      Alas safety depends on real time traffic conditions and not on some database of speed limits. If the car was going significantly slower than the immediate traffic flow it posed a safety hazard. Hopefully the ticket will add this common sense to the programming. There's enough old people driving already.

    2. Re:Rage by tburkhol · · Score: 1

      If I'm stuck behind one and it's going well below the speed limit, I'm going to HATE it and everyone that owns one.

      This "car" is a fancy golf cart. There are lots of little communities (at least in my area) built around golf carts - keeps cars off the streets, lets kids drive themselves to soccer practice, etc. Every once in a while, one of those golf carts will leak out onto one of the real roads surrounding the community. They annoy everyone stuck behind them, but they're usually only going a block or so and they'll often drive in a bike lane, if available.

      Google would do well to have its self-driving golf carts follow similar etiquette.

    3. Re:Rage by LiENUS · · Score: 1

      Hopefully the ticket will add this common sense to the programming.

      What ticket? Did you even read the title of the article you're posting on? It says right there "Doesn't Get a Ticket"

    4. Re:Rage by g01d4 · · Score: 1

      Oops. s/ticket/publicity

  7. Defeat by somenickname · · Score: 3, Funny

    There is a simple explanation for this. After being lost on El Camino Real for hours and hundreds of miles, the car simply lost its will to live and was looking for a safe-ish place to park for the night.

    1. Re:Defeat by dgatwood · · Score: 1

      You've obviously never driven on El Camino Real through Mountain View in rush hour. Let me fix that for you.

      After being lost on El Camino Real for hours and hundreds of yards, the car simply lost its will to live and was looking for a safe-ish place to park for the night.

      --

      Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  8. Re:That's a first by burtosis · · Score: 3, Funny

    I've never heard of a cop pulling over a car for going too slowly. Never once in my life.

    How else do you harass stoned teenagers?

  9. Re:That's a first by idji · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Or the policeman was looking for an excuse to pull over the obviously marked Google car, perhaps so he could boast about giving it a ticket.

  10. Re:That's a first by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I've never heard of a cop pulling over a car for going too slowly. Never once in my life.

    It's pretty much how a lot of drunk/stoned drivers get caught...

  11. Re:That's a first by Krishnoid · · Score: 1

    It had to be an excuse and they were really pulling it over for an illegitimate reason.

    Because if you're a beat cop and want an easy target, you pick ... Google?

  12. Re:The crux of the problem by Firethorn · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's because when you investigate the issue close enough to be 'insightful', you realize that self-driving cars can, at least theoretically, handle themselves just fine up to around 100 mph in ideal circumstances; in less than ideal that scales down, but they're still typically safer at higher speeds.

    That being said, I doubt they're going to be allowed to speed, so you have 5-15 mph right there, but that might change as well as communities realize that yes, that ticket money is indeed gone.

    It typically takes about 0.5 - 1 seconds for a human to react and hit the brakes. Automated cars are a lot faster. This chops a surprising amount off the stopping distance, and properly set up the car can 'see' further as well, especially at night.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  13. Re:auto drive car better be able to go over the li by Aighearach · · Score: 2

    If you read slashdot more often, you'd already know that in California they let the self-driving cars be programmed to go +10mph over the "limit." But the ones they are actually using that way are the ones that drive on regular roads. This kind is a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, not a general purpose car.

  14. Re:That's a first by khallow · · Score: 2

    Happened to me a few months back. He was looking for drunk people. Since I wasn't one, I went on my way.

  15. Re: Can.. by saboosh · · Score: 1

    These assholes possibly stop using the subject as part of their comment?

  16. drunk drivers by BradMajors · · Score: 1

    Mountview cops have been known to pull drivers over who are going too slow because they suspect they are drunk drivers who are being extra careful to avoid being pulled over by the cops. If you are in a bar late at night in Mountview someone will often warn you don't drive too slow when you drive home.

    1. Re:drunk drivers by cyn1c77 · · Score: 1

      Mountview cops have been known to pull drivers over who are going too slow because they suspect they are drunk drivers who are being extra careful to avoid being pulled over by the cops. If you are in a bar late at night in Mountview someone will often warn you don't drive too slow when you drive home.

      And for those of you who don't get out of Mountain View very often, the police do this everywhere in the world.

      They'll often pull you over for speeding with the intent letting you off with a warning if you don't qualify for a for a larger infraction (drinking, drugs, warrants).

      It lets you know that they're out there, doesn't alienate the public as much as giving frivolous speeding tickets does, and gives them an opportunity to catch people that are doing things more egregious than speeding.

    2. Re:drunk drivers by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      This is GREAT! I can just imagine some drunk fool getting in a Google self-driving car to get home from the bar, and the car getting pulled over by the cops. The drunk idiot could mouth off to the police all he wanted, but since he wasn't driving, no ticket!

    3. Re:drunk drivers by BradMajors · · Score: 1

      This is GREAT! I can just imagine some drunk fool getting in a Google self-driving car to get home from the bar, and the car getting pulled over by the cops. The drunk idiot could mouth off to the police all he wanted, but since he wasn't driving, no ticket!

      Actually, he would get a ticket. You don't have to be driving a car to get a ticket for drunk driving. You can get a ticket solely for having control of a car. For example, you can get a drunk driving ticket for sleeping while drunk in a car.

  17. Did the car pull over under self-driving control by The+Cisco+Kid · · Score: 4, Interesting

    or did the engineers have to take manual control of it and do so?

  18. Re:That's a first by aevan · · Score: 1

    It does happen. Not going to bother with linking but....

    In Maryland some lady was hit with 2 miles under speed limit, for hogging the left lane. Her excuse that there were 40mph winds that day making for hazardous conditions was denied.

    In North (South?) Carolina a stop was ruled valid because 'The speed limit was 60, everyone was doing 75, so the trooper was right in pulling you over for doing 55'. This was an attempt at an appeal on the basis of unlawful stopping pursuant to a possession charge.

    In Ontario a man was dinged for doing 17 kmph over the speed limit: 'you are breaking the law if you do even one kilometer over the speed limit' said the judge. He protested a month later by doing the exact speed limit, causing a 4km long traffic jam. He was hit with obstructing traffic and had his license suspended. Of note: he had a 'partner' that was nailed with the same fine, who was driving in tandem in the adjacent lane.

    Ontario has a section of it's Highway Traffic Act (132) that states basically 'don't slow or block traffic unless there is a damn good reason' - 110$ fine and 2 demerits.

    Lastly, someone in Australia was nailed by photo radar for 'allegedly doing the speed limit in a speed limit zone'. That one I'm pretty sure was dismissed as a stupid glitch.

    Basically people do get nailed for driving too slow, but it's generally because they are interfering with traffic, or in a few cases, are a safety concern (i.e. it's more that the vehicle is unfit for the highway/severe grade).

  19. You have the right by Snufu · · Score: 1

    to remain silent.

  20. Re:That's a first by gl4ss · · Score: 1

    that's driving erratically, suspiciously, unusually or whatever. not for 'driving 10mph under the limit'. in a neighborhood you would think that they would thank them for not going 35+10mph.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  21. EU vs US by DrYak · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Meanwhile, in european countries, specially the nothern ones (like Germany, scandinavian countries, etc. with Switzerland being the southernish exception among them) and a lot less in southern countries (like all the latin and slavic ones):

    - People tend to respect much more limitations. A robot that meticulously respects every limitation won't stand out that much. You don't need to drive above limits or recklessly just to stay in the flow.

    - People tend to make less a fuss about other driving slowly. No police is going to pull over just because you drive slowly (at least above the minimal requirement. Obviously you can't do 40 km/h on a Highway). In fact, on small mountainy road you can get stuck behind a slow vehicle (heavy loaded utility vehicle that has difficulties climbing the slope), it's your responsibility to overtake when it is safe to do so, the slow vehicle will eventually pull-out once in a while if a giant queue has formed behind.
    In fact, in some jurisdiction it *is forbiden* to make a fuss about slow drivers: On german autobahn, if the driver in front is slower, you are required to stay calm and not start to get aggressive (tail-gate, blink lights, etc.) you could get fined for that.

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
    1. Re:EU vs US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      In fact, in some jurisdiction it *is forbiden* to make a fuss about slow drivers: On german autobahn, if the driver in front is slower, you are required to stay calm and not start to get aggressive (tail-gate, blink lights, etc.) you could get fined for that.

      This is not a correct representation of the facts.

      Tail-gating (not keeping the minimum safe distance) is obviously illegal. However, blinking with your long lights is a common (and the only correct) way of notifying drivers in front of your intent to pass them. They teach you to do this when taking your drivers license. And in fact, any and all drivers are obligated to use the rightmost lane unless in the process of passing another vehicle - it's the law.

      However, there have been some cases where particular drivers were fined for excessive "aggressive" behavior - this does not change the above though, it only means those drivers were stupid (even though probably provoked by the idiot in front of them).

    2. Re:EU vs US by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      You should really remove Germany from that list. Driving in Germany is serious business, and as much as we generally like to stick to rules, particularly speed limits are regarded more like non-binding recommendations. People who stick to the speed limit are constantly harrassed by people who want to go faster, I myself can't help feeling annoyed by people sticking to the speed limit, even if I know those people are doing the right thing. And while you are right that harassing a slower driver is not allowed (particularly tail-gating, blinking is allowed if you stay at a safe distance), driving significantly slower than allowed can get you fined as well. On the Autobahn, if you drive on the left lane at the maximum allowed speed, and someone comes up from behind to go faster (obviously above the speed limit), you are still obliged to get the hell out of the way.

    3. Re:EU vs US by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

      Meanwhile, in european countries,

      Bullshit. I just got back from Europe, driving through Spain, Andorra, and France. If you are driving slowly, people get pissed off where-ever you are.
      This also doesn't address my point. Who wants to drive *in* a slow over cautious vehicle? If you've ever been a passenger of an old driver, you'll know what I mean. A Robot car will be like going everywhere with your grandmother. Most people won't pay a premium for that.

    4. Re:EU vs US by DrYak · · Score: 1

      Meanwhile, in european countries,

      Bullshit. I just got back from Europe, driving through Spain, Andorra, and France.

      I would have really appreciated if you would at least have taken the effort to read past the first words of my post:

      and a lot less in southern countries (like all the latin and slavic ones)

      Spain, Andorra, France (and also Italy, that you don't mention but is also on the same list) are all part of the latin-language-speaking mostly southern countries of europe.

      This also doesn't address my point. Who wants to drive *in* a slow over cautious vehicle? If you've ever been a passenger of an old driver, you'll know what I mean.

      [ Remember that this time we aren't speaking about the big high-speed cars that google has modified to add self-driving capabilities to a regular car that has a steering wheel (and which from a legal point of view are pretty much regular car, with a very fancy and overly complicated advanced cruise control
      We're speaking about the small electric cars that look like a golf cart without any steering wheel, that are 100% autonomous without take-over possibility, only an emergency stop button. ]

      So :
      - Grandma herself would definitely appreciate being driven around, even if it's at a slow speed. Because she hasn't eyes as good as they used to be, and the local authorities would like to remove her driving license. The 100% autonomous slow-speed Google bubble cars, perfectly fit the bill. There's no steering wheel at all. No driver license required. She can still go to do her groceries.

      - Drunken people. At night, when the bar closes, it's not dramatic if it takes a bit more time, as long as you end-up home safe and not crashed against the first tree that "crossed your path". 100% autonomous cars are definitely better idea than drunk driving. And they can still operate at a time when public transportation is closed or at reduced service).

      - Local transportation within campus: lots of pedestrians and bicycles around. No car would be able to drive faster anyway. There's a startup doing exactly that where I work.

      - Getting around special event: I was at an "open cellars wine tasting tour" special week-end event last week. I just don't understand why the above mentionned startup didn't try to propose their services to carry people around between all the wine cellars (spread across 4 villages). That would have made sense and would have been a very nice marketing/public operation.

      - And overall: driving your car requires 100% of your attention. It takes you time and you want to get as fast as possible at your arrival point.
      A 100% autonomous cars drives itself. It doesn't need your attention. Suddenly you have a lot of time: dozing/sleeping, reading, chatting on your smartphone, checking your e-mails, browsing on your laptop, eating, putting on make-up, etc. (well basically everything that lots of stupid drivers already do whereas they shouldn't actually do).

      - Also: no drivers. This type of car could drive around and pick another passenger without needing your control. The cars could really be part of some car-sharing plan. Think them not as driving around. Think them like some kind of public transportation, but that picks you up at your door and drops you at your destination. Basically: a driverless taxi or uber.

      --
      "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
    5. Re:EU vs US by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

      Spain, Andorra, France (and also Italy, that you don't mention but is also on the same list) are all part of the latin-language-speaking mostly southern countries of europe.

      So you say Europe, then exclude most of Europe? I was also in the UK, Netherlands, Germany etc and although I didn't take the wheel personally, I noticed similar behaviours as the other 15 odd countries I have been fortunate to drive in. Humans everywhere do not like being caught behind slow drivers.

      A 100% autonomous cars drives itself. It doesn't need your attention. Suddenly you have a lot of time: dozing/sleeping, reading, chatting on your smartphone, checking your e-mails, browsing on your laptop, eating, putting on make-up, etc.

      I already have that choice on the train/bus. I choose not to do it because it takes longer than when I drive myself, just like a robot car will.

      - Also: no drivers. This type of car could drive around and pick another passenger without needing your control. The cars could really be part of some car-sharing plan. Think them not as driving around. Think them like some kind of public transportation, but that picks you up at your door and drops you at your destination. Basically: a driverless taxi or uber.

      I realise what it could be in a perfect world. My point is that the world isn't perfect.
      What happens when a drunk throws up in one, then comes to pick you up? Oh now you're late, how often will you put up with that?
      What about when the kids up the street put cardboard boxes down the end of your street effectively preventing the vehicle from operating?
      What happens when that guy in front of you decides to have a laugh and emergency brakes, speeds up, and emergency brakes again, just to piss you off and make you car sick?
      How do the roads scale when the millions of people who normally take public transport now choose the robot car? So even if it operated perfectly it doesn't address the major issue of transport in large cities. Scale. Far too many potential issues in the real world that the marketing hype doesn't answer...

  22. Capped for safety reasons by DrXym · · Score: 1

    Gosh they're really putting the system through its paces then. It really shows how immature this tech is and will be for the foreseeable future.

    1. Re:Capped for safety reasons by DrXym · · Score: 1
      Of course it's difficult - assuming there are pedestrians and lots of turning. But El Camino Real is one of the straightest roads in San Francisco. It runs straight for about 30 miles, 3 lanes each way and there are very few pedestrians crossing because it is a hideously pedestrian unfriendly road to cross. Most will cross at lights if they bother at all.

      But there is probably a grain of truth here. I bet Google is terrified of their vehicle being involved in a high profile accident so they make it crawl along knowing that even if it does screw up they can pretend it was a fender bender or suchlike. And a pedestrian hit by their car is obviously more likely to survive a low speed collision than a high speed one.

  23. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by DrXym · · Score: 1

    I think the answer to that is obvious. I bet the engineers have to take over a lot because the car is acting stupid, or ignoring hazards or signs that a human would easily recognize.

  24. Interesting by nospam007 · · Score: 1

    Wow! So Google cars recognize every single law enforcement uniform and every hand-signs they use to stop cars and direct them to the desired stopping point?

    Also, can any idiot stop them with a sexy Halloween police uniform?

    But seriously, IMO it's just a publicity stunt from Google.

    1. Re:Interesting by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

      stop them with a sexy Halloween police uniform?

      That sounds more like feature than a bug to me.

      --
      Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  25. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The first couple years the cars are available to the general public, the driver will push a button to pull over. A few years later, the police will type/read your plate number into their in-car computer and it will get the signal and pull over.

  26. Re:The crux of the problem by DrXym · · Score: 1

    The best solution would be to allow a human to drive and have a computer to help with emergency braking, skid control, smart cruise control, lane tracking, safe overtake, parallel park etc., Assistance that makes driving safer and more convenient without lobotomizing the vehicle in the process.

  27. Re:The crux of the problem by Firethorn · · Score: 1

    The problem with this, as found by the USAF with drones, is that when you automate too much it becomes impossible for the operator to keep sufficient attention on the drone's automation. And this is with professional pilots.

    'without lobotomizing the vehicle' would be to go ahead and make it fully autonomous. Once it's fully autonomous it can also do things like pick you up at the door of your work, the mall, etc...

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  28. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    I believe self-driving cars in all states are still required to have manual controls in order to be licensed. It's not how Google would like the cars to be operated, but it's currently the law.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  29. Self-driving, not electric by Overzeetop · · Score: 1

    Once they're electric they'll be silent. ;-)

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  30. Good! by sabbede · · Score: 1

    If I were behind that car, I'd be leaning on my horn while smoke poured form my ears. 10 mph under the limit? Shoot the car and burn the engineer. Or is that the other way 'round? Whatever, do it.

  31. More dangerous than it appears by WOOFYGOOFY · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Reposting under my name. /. forgets my login in some browsers

    One of the most dangerous things you can do on a road is to be stopped dead at a long-been-green stoplight, say playing with your phone. That's because *no one sees you as stopped*, specifically the car coming up to the light going 50. No one looks for it. People glance at the light, it's green, keep going at speed. What sort of idiot is stopped at a green light, your big chance to go? It's in the same category as saying "no" to free money. Being stopped at a green light is a nearly invisible event.

    So let's talk about how dangerous going too slow is because your algorithm encountered a novel traffic situation (aren't a majority of them novel, really?) and urged caution to the accelerator. It's nearly as bad as being stopped at a green light, especially if you're the only one *reasoning* the way you reason about things, rightly or wrongly. In fact, this may be their fallback tactic- when confused, slow down. That way Google doesn't have any high-speed accidents that actually kill people. That would be bad, and bad press, too.

    This is another thing about Google cars and self driving cars generally. They're safer *if they're in the majority*. They all know what each other is likely to do and can take account of it in their own behavior. They can coordinate. It's sort of the opposite effect of the Wall Street bots. They all know do the same thing, and then crater the market on account of it.

    So here is a thing to think about. Self driving cars may have real trouble as an incremental approach. I have to think that it's a self conscious part of Google's game plan to reach a tipping point of self-driving cars where they are a significant minority. Until then, the project is a financial loss. Past that point, and working in tandem with insurance companies, expect to pay a first a little then a LOT more for insurance to drive regular cars. This will force the market (that means you) towards self-driving cars, if only for economic reasons. Somewhere along the way to this tipping point, the government will subsidize the purchase of self driving cars using the argument that that money comes back to them and more in the cost savings realized by fewer accidents, less healthcare costs associated with accidents, less police and emergency costs etc etc.

    It's interesting to think that owning a car with self driving features is a status symbol now, reflecting wealth and prestige but in the future, driving a regular car will be the status symbol, signalling wealth and the freedom and autonomy it brings.

    Google must be reasoning all this through even as they try to get self-driving car technology working. The players- insurance companies, the government the regulators, are all talking about these kinds of things- how they can economically *flip* everyone onto self-driving cars. They also have to be thinking about the popular perception and possible resistance to the technology. Obviously, cars are a form of individual autonomy. The government can't remotely pull the plug on your driving or automatically track your whereabouts. But with self-driving cars, expect to see them demand these *features* and Google *begrudgingly* go along with it.

    When we switched from horses to cars, there were obviously numerous social issues that got dragged along. There was a large popular resistance because with a horse, you went where you wanted, the way you wanted. With a car, you could only go where what roads there were were. One of the things that made cars popular was amusingly enough, sex. A car was a kind of rolling bed, a possibly subversive dual purpose technology with a respectable side. The very first porn movie features a man and two women driving in an car in the country. The woman says she has to get out and pee. The car stops and woman gets out and after a little while the man follows. Pants-down embarrassment is followed by flirting which leads to fucking, of course. The other woman follows onto the scene and the gates o

  32. Re:The crux of the problem by DrXym · · Score: 1

    The problem with this, as found by the USAF with drones, is that when you automate too much it becomes impossible for the operator to keep sufficient attention on the drone's automation. And this is with professional pilots.

    And that's why you don't automate too much. And you require the driver to hold the wheel and perform any other tests that measure alertness. And to prevent the driver getting lazy (e.g. letting the car slam the brakes on) the car "punishes" them by ringing an annoying alarm for 30 seconds.

    "'without lobotomizing the vehicle' would be to go ahead and make it fully autonomous. Once it's fully autonomous it can also do things like pick you up at the door of your work, the mall, etc..."

    Except such a thing is virtually impossible any time in the forseeable future. Ain't going to happen.

  33. Re:That's a first by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 1

    In Ontario a man was dinged for doing 17 kmph over the speed limit: 'you are breaking the law if you do even one kilometer over the speed limit' said the judge. He protested a month later by doing the exact speed limit, causing a 4km long traffic jam. He was hit with obstructing traffic and had his license suspended. Of note: he had a 'partner' that was nailed with the same fine, who was driving in tandem in the adjacent lane.

    Wasn't it a Toronto Star reporter or some such? But yes, Ontario traffic law is to 'go with the flow of traffic.'

    --
    Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
  34. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by MightyDrunken · · Score: 1

    With current technology, there's no way any cars can be totally automatically operated on any of the roads in all situations.

    The same is true for manually operated vehicles as well.

  35. Re:revenue generator gets yelled at by his superio by Diss+Champ · · Score: 1

    One thing about ticketing an autonomous car when it is not breaking the law, is that there is likely to be plenty of recorded telemetry fight the ticket in court. Google doesn't infractions on the record, and would likely put all necessarily legal effort into fighting it.

    Would you really want to be the cop who went through all that hassle to not have a ticket upheld? Not the good sort of fame either.

  36. Re:That's a first by rhazz · · Score: 1

    My uncle received a ticket for going to slow in Ottawa, Ontario. He was on a 4-lane highway (always 100 kph max) in the city and was doing 90 kph. No idea if he was obstructing anyone, but he was pretty pissed about it.

  37. Re:That's a first by rhazz · · Score: 1

    In Ontario a man was dinged for doing 17 kmph over the speed limit: 'you are breaking the law if you do even one kilometer over the speed limit' said the judge. He protested a month later by doing the exact speed limit, causing a 4km long traffic jam. He was hit with obstructing traffic and had his license suspended. Of note: he had a 'partner' that was nailed with the same fine, who was driving in tandem in the adjacent lane.

    I remember this, back in the 90's I think (probably why I can't find a link). It was a stupid stunt. Based on what was reported, the license suspension was well deserved.

  38. Re:auto drive car better be able to go over the li by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    +10 over does not work on all roads like.

    I-294 I-94 (IL) I-90 (IL) (I-355) I-55 (IL) I-80 (IL) I-290

  39. It's a NEV, it's not allowed over 25mph by hawguy · · Score: 1

    Since the vehicle is classified as a NEV, it's not allowed to drive over 25mph. If NEV is permitted on a road with a 35mph speed limit,then it's not impeding traffic at 25mph, it's traveling at its maximum legal speed.

    https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/...

    V C Section 385.5 Low Speed Vehicle

    Low Speed Vehicle

    385.5. (a) A "low-speed vehicle" is a motor vehicle that meets all of the following requirements:
    (1) Has four wheels.

    (2) Can attain a speed, in one mile, of more than 20 miles per hour and not more than 25 miles per hour, on a paved level surface.

    (3) Has a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 3,000 pounds.

    (b) (1) For the purposes of this section, a "low-speed vehicle" is not a golf cart, except when operated pursuant to Section 21115 or 21115.1.

    (2) A "low-speed vehicle" is also known as a "neighborhood electric vehicle."

    1. Re:It's a NEV, it's not allowed over 25mph by Art+Challenor · · Score: 1

      An NEV is also an extremely good design choice for a prototype vehicle - I wasn't aware that Google had taken advantage of this. We're all clear that neighborhoods, residential streets, etc. are the most difficult for an autonomous vehicle to navigate. Testing in a vehicle that is MANDATED to travel slowly is an intelligent engineering approach.

      If you don't like the idea of a slow vehicle, then argue with the lawmakers, don't blame the smart engineers.

      It's also a very handy law if you want to take your recliner to work with you. Because the maximum speed is 25mph, the requirements (safety, lighting, etc.) for building such a vehicle are minimal.

  40. Who gets the ticket? by seven+of+five · · Score: 1

    If a self-driving car goes too fast, too slow, gets in an accident, etc who gets the ticket? The driver is software. The owner is merely a passenger. If it's a question of, the town needs money and has to ticket someone, then of course the owner gets stuck. But if the goal is to penalize bad driving, then the ticket should go to Google.

    1. Re:Who gets the ticket? by GuB-42 · · Score: 1

      The software is at fault and may be fined for several MB of memory. For a more serious offense, it may get chroot-jailed.

  41. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by edtice1559 · · Score: 1

    Under self-driving control because it doesn't know if the police car wants to pass or if it is being pulled-over. However, the driver took over and stopped the car just to be sure.

  42. Re:Did the car pull over under self-driving contro by msk · · Score: 1

    And if your name is Ben Caxton, they will signal the doors to lock and knockout gas to be deployed.

  43. Re:That's a first by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    Last time I was on the 401 I did 70 MPH though Toronto.

  44. Re:The crux of the problem by Firethorn · · Score: 1

    Except such a thing is virtually impossible any time in the forseeable future. Ain't going to happen.

    Your 'forseeable' future must be really short then. Because I can see them coming out, with some limitations, within the next 10. They might be 'Sunday drivers' that don't venture out in inclement weather, but I think they're pretty close.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  45. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by BronsCon · · Score: 1

    How many proxies do you post through to make so many AC posts in one day? Seriously.

    --
    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
  46. Re:That's a first by aevan · · Score: 1

    Gord Thomson, a teacher from Campbellford, back in 1995. http://www.freerepublic.com/fo... http://www.drivers.com/article...

  47. Buddy lost the opportunity to be the first cop by laserhead · · Score: 1

    to ticket an auto-drive car.

  48. Re:The crux of the problem by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

    That's because when you investigate the issue close enough to be 'insightful', you realize that self-driving cars can, at least theoretically, handle themselves just fine up to around 100 mph in ideal circumstances;

    Let me know when this has been demonstrated in real life, on a real road, in a real uncontrolled sitiation just like I face on the road everyday. Until then, your claims will sit in the 'marketing bullshit' pile.

  49. Re:That's a first by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

    that's driving erratically, suspiciously, unusually or whatever. not for 'driving 10mph under the limit'.

    "Whatever" includes driving too slowly. Trust me, I know from experience.

  50. Re:The crux of the problem by Firethorn · · Score: 1

    You're moving the goal posts. 'Real uncontrolled situation' is incompatible with 'ideal circumstances'. A highway or race track is hardly uncontrolled. In addition, there's quite the difference between 'theoretically' and 'real world'. There's still a lot of development work to be done.

    Speeds would be lower on highways than race tracks.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  51. Did drive there. by DrYak · · Score: 1

    You never drove in Germany

    *Did* drive quite a lot there.

    German r{oad}s are filled with speed crazed drivers.
    It's not fun for me to drive there.

    You never drove in southern europe (Latin countries. or worse: Slavic countries).
    Compared to there, these "speed crazed german drivers" seems more like a polite club of english gentlement indulging a bit into a few harmless mischief.
    Alors, their german car don't tend to fall appart in the process (unlike the junk you'll find in some slavic countries).

    --
    "Sufficiently advanced satire is indistinguishable from reality." - [Tips: 1DrYakQDKCQ6y52z6QbnkxHXAocMZJE61o ]
  52. Of course not by terrywirth5 · · Score: 1

    there was no backtalk or skin color, nor any body to, tase, plant drugs on, beat, choke or ultimately shoot down. I mean this is so far off from their everyday "reality," like who are they going to write the ticket to? Cops in this scenario were most likely dumbfounded.

  53. Re:The crux of the problem by Jack+Griffin · · Score: 1

    You're moving the goal posts. 'Real uncontrolled situation' is incompatible with 'ideal circumstances'.

    The goal posts are firmly fixed. Operate on a public road, just like I do, under every circumstance that I face every day, and do it as well as me, or better
    I have no emotional attachment to this, if the robot car does that, and costs similar to a regualr car, I'll buy one. Based on what I've seen so far, this is a long way away.

  54. goalposts by Firethorn · · Score: 1

    Ah, you're doing the equivalent of talking about Swimming when I'm talking about football...

    From what I understand, robotic cars are already quite good, superior to humans, at what I'll term Rule 1: Don't hit anything. I guess I wasn't clear about that enough on my first post.

    There remains other concerns - routing and such. I'm not saying they're ready for prime-time.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  55. Driving at 35, can't drive at 35??? by Tanstai · · Score: 1

    The Google self-driving cars operate under the Neighborhood Electric Vehicle Definition per 385.5 of the California Vehicle Code and can only be operated on roadways with speed limits at or under 35 mph. In this case, it was lawful for the car to be traveling on the street as El Camino Real is rated at 35 mph." Maybe my confusion is that El Camino Real is RATED, not POSTED 35? But if it is legal for the car to operate AT OR under 35, and the speed limit is 35....the it was unlawful to be there how?

  56. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    According to what he has posted elsewhere, he uses bridges to to it. Not sure exactly what he means though, as a bridge is something that connects to networks (like a primitive router). If he is using it in that way, it is most definitely a proxy, as it is proxying his connection, but for some reason he thinks it is not a proxy, and so trashposts about it acting like he is some kind of networking god.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  57. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by BronsCon · · Score: 1

    Parsing error... this is what happens when you try to post as someone else, APK. Simply keeping your post short and avoiding bold text isn't enough to hide the fact that this is one of your posts, APK. The giveaways include the insulting tone, complete lack of any actual information that might indicate why you are so superior to everyone else (oh, so you wrote a program, yippee), and your liberal use of the same core vocabulary. That's not to say that your vocabulary is limited, it is clearly not, but there is a small dictionary of words that readily identify your posts; and you've managed to stuff a few of them into this one-liner. Also, referring to yourself in the third person, now? So we can add schizophrenia to the list, alongside narcissism.

    I know how to read just fine, the problem is that you think I even tried to read your series of off-topic (and yes, they are off-topic in the thread in which they were posted) wall-of-text replies. Let me ask, and you educate, since you're oh so great: if not proxies, what do you use and how do they differ from proxies? That is, how is what you're using not simply a proxy by another name? To put it another way, you are posting more than Slashdot would allow an AC to post from a single IP, so you must be using multiple connections, and a lot of them; either you have a couple hundred IP addresses at your disposal at your home or office and have set up a system that allows you to rapidly switch between them (<sarc>because that would be less complex than using proxies</sarc>), you're paying people to repost your trash (<sarc>because maintaining a network of paid sockpuppets is surely less complex than using a few proxies), or you're using proxies by whatever name you refer to them. And here's the kicker: If you're writing the material and paying others to post it, those people are proxies. So, either I've missed something or you're using proxies. Since you claim to not be using proxies, please, tell me what I've missed.

    We're all waiting for you to educate us. You claim to be so great, show us the greatness.

    --
    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
  58. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    Yeah, sure. Keep dreaming that you are so much better at everything than anyone else.

    I have no abused modpoints, and frankly haven't gotten any modpoints in about a month, but that probably relates to me getting 15 twice in a week more than anything else. People down modding your garbage has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with you.

    If that is what you call crying, I am sorry to say that you are overly emotional. I said you are spamming enough, there is no complaint there, just a comment on the lack of the Slashdot editors to give a shit. I am highlighting the problem by goading you into constant shitposting like you did last week, but for some reason not this week, that also isn't crying.

    I have proved you wrong on numerous occasions, you inability to understand when you have been proven wrong vs when you are deluding yourself that you have won an argument is not an issue on my end.

    Other Slashdotters have done nothing of the sort, and I pointed that out to you, you then tried to move the goalposts. No one uses your software. No one will use your software soon, as MS is phasing out the hosts file.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...
    LRN to NETWORK! You are wrong on what a bridge is, and no one who is competent will use a bridge for anything as a router works better. Considering this is not a technique that has any use in faking your source address to get around Slashdot's post limits on AC accounts, I can only presume you don't know what you are talking about and are trying to act like you do.

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    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  59. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by Coren22 · · Score: 1

    So,
    1. You ARE APK, and no one would even think otherwise.
    2. You are claiming that by reading something that you wrote, you have seen proof of something that you claim.
    3. You are claiming that I have never proved you wrong, which is a flat out lie.
    4. You are an insufferable troll, you think you are bothering me, but you just don't get it. I WANT you to keep posting your garbage. The only person you are making look bad is yourself.

    --
    APK likes to ask for responses to the same things over and over. Maybe he just likes the responses?
  60. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by BronsCon · · Score: 1

    That's funny coming from most likely) APK of all people.

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    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
  61. Re:Coren22's "greatest hits" fails #5/5... apk by BronsCon · · Score: 1

    The only thing he (you, APk) broke is his (your, APK) own brain.

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    APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.