Mercedes Benz gains level 3 autopilot computer driving in Nevada. A first.

[Couchpotato]

Do you have anxiety? Honest question. Putting everything into terms of dollars and time suggests you might. High blood pressure, maybe? Seriously, those are things.

When I travel, I enjoy the journey. Business travel is one thing. I want to get in and get out as fast as I can.

But leisure? Why rush that? The trip; the actual traveling part, has always been something I enjoy. I did a six week road trip last year, from Florida to Boston to Seattle to Boston to Florida, and I wouldn't have wanted that trip to be even a single a day shorter. I enjoyed every minute of it.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who says that traveling by train isn't an enjoyable experience is someone who has never traveled by train...

Just because different people put priority on different things than you doesn't mean they're wrong for doing so. I'm not saying you're wrong for liking the train. Have at it. It's a free country. The facts are though that not nearly enough people share you opinion of rail travel or Amtrak wouldn't need billions of dollars every year from the Fed Government to continue to exist. For crying out loud they are subsidized by the Government and their rates are still higher than air travel.

AMTRAK is essentially the WNBA. It only exists because of the largess of some other far more lucrative entity that's willing to subsidize it so it doesnt go away. And all I keep hearing about rail travel is that I should like it and am dumb or an asshole because I dont. That's the same stupid ass argument they make about the WNBA. I spent years in Europe, Im well aware of what traveling via train is like. I just dont prefer it to a car or plane if you do then ride the fucking train no one is stopping you. Why do I have to like it? I dont just dont believe the Government should fund something that clearly people have no desire to use. Frankly it encompasses the worst of both options. It's slow, expensive and inconvenient just not something I look for in a mode of transportation.


Lets do a little math shall we?

A staight line from NY to LA is 2500 miles give or take.

In order to have a truly HSR you need a dedicated HSR line. So lets assume you could just lay track in a completely straight line from NY to LA which you cant but lets just assume it right now.

Estimates from AMTRAK put HSR line at 154-500 million per mile. Even assuming they are correct (when are these things ever?) and using the lowest estimate, it would cost 390 billion dollars to lay one track from NY to LA. That doesnt count the cost of the train, fuel, cars stations at either end just the track.

Now if that track existed it would still take you over 8 hours to get from NY to LA even if the fucking thing could run 300 miles an hour without stopping and no interruptions.

How much would it cost to put HSR tracks all over the nation and interconnect them with required redundant tracks in order for them to run at anything resembling HS? 10 Trillion? More? Thanks but no thanks.

 

[Canon Shooter]

Just because different people put priority on different things than you doesn't mean they're wrong for doing so. I'm not saying you're wrong for liking the train. Have at it. It's a free country. The facts are though that not nearly enough people share you opinion of rail travel or Amtrak wouldn't need billions of dollars every year from the Fed Government to continue to exist. For crying out loud they are subsidized by the Government and their rates are still higher than air travel.

AMTRAK is essentially the WNBA. It only exists because of the largess of some other far more lucrative entity that's willing to subsidize it so it doesnt go away. And all I keep hearing about rail travel is that I should like it and am dumb or an asshole because I dont. That's the same stupid ass argument they make about the WNBA. I spent years in Europe, Im well aware of what traveling via train is like. I just dont prefer it to a car or plane if you do then ride the fucking train no one is stopping you. Why do I have to like it? I dont just dont believe the Government should fund something that clearly people have no desire to use. Frankly it encompasses the worst of both options. It's slow, expensive and inconvenient just not something I look for in a mode of transportation.


Lets do a little math shall we?

A staight line from NY to LA is 2500 miles give or take.

In order to have a truly HSR you need a dedicated HSR line. So lets assume you could just lay track in a completely straight line from NY to LA which you cant but lets just assume it right now.

Estimates from AMTRAK put HSR line at 154-500 million per mile. Even assuming they are correct (when are these things ever?) and using the lowest estimate, it would cost 390 billion dollars to lay one track from NY to LA. That doesnt count the cost of the train, fuel, cars stations at either end just the track.

Now if that track existed it would still take you over 8 hours to get from NY to LA even if the fucking thing could run 300 miles an hour without stopping and no interruptions.

How much would it cost to put HSR tracks all over the nation and interconnect them with required redundant tracks in order for them to run at anything resembling HS? 10 Trillion? More? Thanks but no thanks.

I don't know where the idea of high speed rail came about, but I wouldn't be interested in that. Again, if I'm traveling by train, it's because I'm on vacation and want to relax. I'd rather sit in the dining car watching small town America pass by than watch it fly by in the blink of an eye.

I also don't believe the assertion that people don't want to use rail. There are plenty of people who do. The reason people prefer air travel to rail, though, is because more people think as you do; the vacation can't stay until you arrive at your destination. My vacation starts as soon as I leave my house.

I've not once suggested you're an asshole or that you "should" like anything. What I am actually saying is that I've never met anyone who's traveled by rail and not thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I'm not saying they prefer it over air travel, just that they enjoyed the rail experience. You know, you don't always have to compare something to something else to figure out if it's worthwhile...

 

[Couchpotato]

I don't know where the idea of high speed rail came about, but I wouldn't be interested in that. Again, if I'm traveling by train, it's because I'm on vacation and want to relax. I'd rather sit in the dining car watching small town America pass by than watch it fly by in the blink of an eye.

I also don't believe the assertion that people don't want to use rail. There are plenty of people who do. The reason people prefer air travel to rail, though, is because more people think as you do; the vacation can't stay until you arrive at your destination. My vacation starts as soon as I leave my house.

I've not once suggested you're an asshole or that you "should" like anything. What I am actually saying is that I've never met anyone who's traveled by rail and not thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I'm not saying they prefer it over air travel, just that they enjoyed the rail experience. You know, you don't always have to compare something to something else to figure out if it's worthwhile...

No one is trying to stop you from doing that. No one is suggesting that we rip up the train tracks. I personally would suggest we cut the federal funding to AMTRAK. Either it can support itself through it's fare's or it likely shouldnt exist.

The proof that people dont want to ride on trains is that they arent riding on the trains. I dont know other proof you need.


While you've never met me personally you have on here and so now you cant say that you've never met anyone who doesnt like traveling by train. I've likely travelled more on a train than you have and I do not enjoy it.

 

[jbrownson0831]

Cant wait for this to go main stream. If all the cars were driven by computer we would eliminate traffic, and accidents on highways. Cars could drive 300 mph 1 inch from each other without a problem.

Except when the computers crash, no pun intended.

 

[Couchpotato]

Except when the computers crash, no pun intended.

Basically all commercial airplanes are flown by computer. How often to planes fall out of the sky due to computer crash?

 

[jbrownson0831]

Basically all commercial airplanes are flown by computer. How often to planes fall out of the sky due to computer crash?

Hmmmm not sure I have ever noticed air traffic to rival any busy interstate. Cars are already on the ground, so we just have to avoid them hitting each other which I think is a big challenge.

 

[Couchpotato]

Hmmmm not sure I have ever noticed air traffic to rival any busy interstate. Cars are already on the ground, so we just have to avoid them hitting each other which I think is a big challenge.

You're aware it's exponentially more difficult to fly a boeing 747 than a Dodge Dart right? We let 16 y/o's with minimal training on the roads unsupervised every day. Well aware of the fact that humans that age dont have a fully developed brain, lack impulse control, and are generally fucking morons. But you're worried about a computer that can fly a plane not being able to handle a car.....

 

[jbrownson0831]

You're aware it's exponentially more difficult to fly a boeing 747 than a Dodge Dart right? We let 16 y/o's with minimal training on the roads unsupervised every day. Well aware of the fact that humans that age dont have a fully developed brain, lack impulse control, and are generally fucking morons. But you're worried about a computer that can fly a plane not being able to handle a car.....

Im worried about another car hitting my computer controlled vehicle on a crowded interstate. That seems like a very logical concern to me.

 

[jbrownson0831]

You're aware it's exponentially more difficult to fly a boeing 747 than a Dodge Dart right? We let 16 y/o's with minimal training on the roads unsupervised every day. Well aware of the fact that humans that age dont have a fully developed brain, lack impulse control, and are generally fucking morons. But you're worried about a computer that can fly a plane not being able to handle a car.....

Planes take a while to fall from the sky. If a computer glitch happens on a jet, what happens next to keep it from crashing?
Correct.

 

[Couchpotato]

Planes take a while to fall from the sky. If a computer glitch happens on a jet, what happens next to keep it from crashing?
Correct.

When is the last time you heard of anything of that sort happening?

 

[Couchpotato]

Planes take a while to fall from the sky. If a computer glitch happens on a jet, what happens next to keep it from crashing?
Correct.

BTW I can turn on the morning drive time radio and hear about some idiot who crashed his car every day in every major/minor city in the country. Likely in the morning and afternoon. Planes crash essentially never.

 

[jbrownson0831]

When is the last time you heard of anything of that sort happening?

A computer glitch on a flight? Not sure.

 

[jbrownson0831]

BTW I can turn on the morning drive time radio and hear about some idiot who crashed his car every day in every major/minor city in the country. Likely in the morning and afternoon. Planes crash essentially never.

And relatively empty skies and being at altitudes of 30,000 feet have nothing to do with relatively few crashes?

 

[Couchpotato]

And relatively empty skies and being at altitudes of 30,000 feet have nothing to do with relatively few crashes?

Can you fly a plane? Could you taxi, take off, fly somewhere and land a Boeing 747? Because the computer can. Over and over without incident. The computer has to take into account the X, Y, Z axis, wind speed, direction, differences in air temperature, and a million other inputs in order to keep that plane in the air. It never gets tired. Never gets distracted. Isnt pissed off at it's spouse. Doesnt get mad at the other computers for cutting it off. Doesnt take risks to make up 2 mins because it overslept. Doesnt get drunk. Is never hung over. etc. The reason a computer is better at drivnig is the same reason it's better at chess. It can see every outcome of every move instantly. You cant.

 

[jbrownson0831]

Can you fly a plane? Could you taxi, take off, fly somewhere and land a Boeing 747? Because the computer can. Over and over without incident. The computer has to take into account the X, Y, Z axis, wind speed, direction, differences in air temperature, and a million other inputs in order to keep that plane in the air. It never gets tired. Never gets distracted. Isnt pissed off at it's spouse. Doesnt get mad at the other computers for cutting it off. Doesnt take risks to make up 2 mins because it overslept. Doesnt get drunk. Is never hung over. etc. The reason a computer is better at drivnig is the same reason it's better at chess. It can see every outcome of every move instantly. You cant.

That's awesome. But I am not going to attempt to allow a computer to drive my car in busy street traffic. You can if you want, but if a computer goes down or even flickers its all over. I trust myself more any day.
And to my knowledge I have never been hacked into.

 

[Couchpotato]

That's awesome. But I am not going to attempt to allow a computer to drive my car in busy street traffic. You can if you want, but if a computer goes down or even flickers its all over. I trust myself more any day.
And to my knowledge I have never been hacked into.

You can believe whatever you want to believe but you and all the other people on here who think they can drive better than a computer will still be wrong.

 

[Canon Shooter]

The proof that people dont want to ride on trains is that they arent riding on the trains. I dont know other proof you need.

But they are. That's the point.

The last time I traveled by train (a little over a year ago) the train was sold out; berthing cars, family rooms, everything. So, yeah, I don't know what other proof I would need to know that you're wrong...

While you've never met me personally you have on here and so now you cant say that you've never met anyone who doesnt like traveling by train. I've likely travelled more on a train than you have and I do not enjoy it.

No, you probably haven't.

And I still haven't met that person...

 

[Canon Shooter]

Basically all commercial airplanes are flown by computer. How often to planes fall out of the sky due to computer crash?

Not a fair comparison at all.

What's the air space like above Los Angeles? There are literally 10,000 times more cars on the 405 than there are airliners over LAX...

 

[Canon Shooter]

Can you fly a plane? Could you taxi, take off, fly somewhere and land a Boeing 747? Because the computer can. Over and over without incident. The computer has to take into account the X, Y, Z axis, wind speed, direction, differences in air temperature, and a million other inputs in order to keep that plane in the air.

The cell phone in your pocket has more computing power than every computer used to put a man on the moon combined.

But you take selfies with it.

Not pertinent, I know, but that's the average American.

Now, what happens when one of those computers goes sideways and a fatal accident is the result? Where does the blame for that reside? Who loses the lawsuit which will be inevitably filed by a family against the manufacturer of the car, the manufacturer of the computer, the car dealer where the car was purchased, the guy who designed the thing and the guy who was asleep in the back seat because people like you thought it would be okay for him to catch a nap?

Everyone's gonna' get sued, but who should pay?

The reason a computer is better at drivnig is the same reason it's better at chess. It can see every outcome of every move instantly. You cant.

Garry Gasparov

 

[Canon Shooter]

You can believe whatever you want to believe but you and all the other people on here who think they can drive better than a computer will still be wrong.

Where a computer loses is when it comes to caution. I can spot a drunk driver. A computer can't. I can see a deer on the side of the road a quarter mile up and can prepare myself in the event that deer chooses suicide. A computer can't. I can see a little kid run behind a parked car and can prepare for the kid to jump out in front of me. A car can't.

While I understand the premise of autonomous vehicles, I do not agree with it...