Live data from Hacker News

NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

ntsb.gov

151–160 of 212 posts

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#151
post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

'Safety' is going to be the thing that kills personal liberty in this country.

We could eliminate food inspection and driver's licenses. That would increase liberty, but I don't think most people would find the freedom worthy of the cost.

What do driver's licenses add to safety? The only people they prevent from driving are someone who is crazy enough to drive a car without knowing how, but draws the line at driving without government approval.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#152
post #80

"43,000 people were killed last year, the greatest number in 16 years" True, but there were also 250 billion more miles traveled than 16 years ago and a population of roughly 40 million more people. So though the raw number is higher, the traffic fatalities per mile traveled and per capita is actually lower than it was back then.

'Safety' is going to be the thing that kills personal liberty in this country.

"trusted computing"

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#153
post #59

Really looking forward to being convicted of a DUI for using mouthwash just before leaving the house. I'm pretty sure orange juice can do it too.

Wait until they use the driver-facing cameras to (try to) detect cannabis intoxication and the cameras think everyone with squinting eyes is intoxicated.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#154

Would it not be way more useful if the NTSB focused on road design? As someone from Europe I oftentimes see very wide roads in the USA with a maximum speed of 15 mph or something, their design does not stop one from driving 50+ mph, however. In Europe, you often see that if there's a lower maximum speed, the width of the road is reduced, and obstacles are placed to ensure you actually can't drive significantly faster…

Yup. This drunk driving detection is just a symptom of the larger problem: car dependency. You don’t need alcohol detection in cars if everyone can just walk or bus safely to their neighborhood bar or friends. Virtually nobody wants to drive drunk, but it’s basically encouraged by the way we design our cities.

Dunno, we had a lot of drunk driving here in the past, especially in the 70s and 80s when I believe my parents' stories. This is in a European city that's not a huge sprawl and with public transport. Yes, it's worse on the countryside, but I think it has gone down enough that it's not JUST a symptom of mainly car dependency.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

By your rationale why don’t you give up cars? If you care for your loved ones so much, Han them from using cars. Does your personal liberty outweigh the need to keep your family safe from tons of metal hurtling at them at insane speeds?

Because in this country the options are 1. Buy a car because it’s required in order to literally feed yourself, or 2. Live in one of the highly desirable, expensive pre-war neighborhoods that remain walkable Many Americans can’t just “give up cars” even if they wanted to. Car dependency is literally codified in out zoning and street building (MUTCD) Maybe if car dependency wasn’t such a requirement in order to live,…

> Maybe if car dependency wasn’t such a requirement in order to live, maybe if everyone could easily walk to the bar, we wouldn’t need alcohol detection in cars.

This is the goal that is worth spending political action on, not snake oil remedies designed only to advance the careers of politicians peddling them.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#156

"43,000 people were killed last year, the greatest number in 16 years" True, but there were also 250 billion more miles traveled than 16 years ago and a population of roughly 40 million more people. So though the raw number is higher, the traffic fatalities per mile traveled and per capita is actually lower than it was back then.

> True, but there were also 250 billion more miles traveled than 16 years ago and a population of roughly 40 million more people. So though the raw number is higher, the traffic fatalities per mile traveled and per capita is actually lower than it was back then. OK, but it's the greatest number of fatalities per mile traveled in 14 years, and the highest number per capita in 13 years, though. The recent trend upwards…

All of those would be great things to point out for context, but this article chose only one number to use. The same goes for talking about causes, as you point out by mentioning phone use and vehicle construction. I can add one more to that list: cars equipped with all the latest gadgets that do everything except help the driver focus on other vehicles and road conditions (vividly illustrated by one of those "Mayhem" commercials for Allstate).

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can’t limit acceleration. That would cripple accident avoidance

Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong? Limiting acceleration isn't a great solution, but your idea that accelerating cripples avoidance makes even less sense.

> Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong?

you're in the middle lane with cars to your left, right, and rear. the one on the left doesn't see you and starts merging into your lane. if you slam on the brakes, you wouldn't be legally at fault for whatever happens next, but it would probably be best to briskly accelerate.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don’t know why you put safety in quotes. You’re implying that this won’t make streets safer, by reducing drunk driving. But reducing drunk driving would in fact make streets safer. Our goal should be to have zero deaths related to common car usage and driving. For example, the backup camera is there to help reduce the number of people backing up over their own kids. This is a good thing. You can argue that this syste…

I'm not aware of any technology reliable, trustworthy, affordable, and quick enough to accomplish said goal without regularly inconveniencing a significantly larger portion of drivers who may need their vehicles in other emergencies. If you could provide a mechanism that didn't infringe non-drunk drivers rights I'd be more apt to accept this idea. I'd also need to know an override mechanism exists because it seems li…

An override mechanism seems reasonable to me.

How about: when you engage the override, a light on your car turns on, as a signal to everyone else on the road that you may be under the influence. Cops who see the light can consider it "reasonable suspicion" to pull you over.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#159

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong? Limiting acceleration isn't a great solution, but your idea that accelerating cripples avoidance makes even less sense.

> Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong? you're in the middle lane with cars to your left, right, and rear. the one on the left doesn't see you and starts merging into your lane. if you slam on the brakes, you wouldn't be legally at fault for whatever happens next, but it would probably be best to b…

Only an idiot believes this. Please stop driving.

Re: NTSB Calls for Alcohol Detection Systems in All New Vehicles

#160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong? Limiting acceleration isn't a great solution, but your idea that accelerating cripples avoidance makes even less sense.

> Can you provide a scenario where to avoid an accident the best choice is to add speed, which would have the effect of worsening the accident if you are wrong? you're in the middle lane with cars to your left, right, and rear. the one on the left doesn't see you and starts merging into your lane. if you slam on the brakes, you wouldn't be legally at fault for whatever happens next, but it would probably be best to b…

Or.. honk your horn? Slow down without "slamming on the brakes"?

You are not legally at fault for stopping to avoid an accident.

In your scenario, lets make one small change, instead of the car being behind you it is in front... does accelerating help?

Post reply on HN