Saturday, March 7, 2015

Goggle Cars

Self-driving Google cars are fairly common in Mountain View CA. I assume they are test cars. Other than a revolving thing on top that looks like a spinning 2 pound coffee can, devices on each corner of the car, and cameras, it looks like a small SUV. The car is remarkable in that it drives the speed limit, stops at stop signs and red lights, doesn't poach left turn signals (running the red arrow), and it appears not to be texting or calling on the cell phone or running over bicyclists or pedestrians. And the driver has her/his hands in his lap.
Of course my only reference is drivers in Salt Lake City who routinely speed, run red lights, ignore stop signs, text, phone, and sadly, on occasion, run into or over a pedestrian or bicyclist. Some Utah drivers also don't have their hands on the wheel, usually holding a phone, toothbrush, or a bag of fries. The most remarkable thing about the Goggle car is that it doesn't cut off bicyclists and when a stupid bicyclist cuts off the car, the car doesn't honk and flip off the idiot on the bike.

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