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California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

cpuc.ca.gov

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Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#141

Post by dragonwriter »

rufus_foreman wrote: post #27
clay_the_ripper wrote: post #9

As a resident, I don’t support this at all. Waymos are annoying to have on the road - they go extremely slowly (with good reason) and make weird traffic moves. Do we want our roads getting clogged up with super slow taxis that steal jobs from ordinary people and give them to the tech industry?

>> Do we want our roads getting clogged up with super slow taxis Can't we just pass some laws that require Waymos to drive above the speed limit at all times, like normal drivers?

> Can't we just pass some laws that require Waymos to drive above the speed limit at all times

A law that sets the legal maximum speed as also the legal "must not meet or fall below" speed.

I dunno, seems problematic.

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#142

Post by crawshaw »

tempest_ wrote: post #24
austinkhale wrote: post #8

Fantastic news. I use them all the time in Phoenix. My mom uses them to get to her doctor appointments. I think people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft.

> people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft I do underestimate it. What are quality of life improvements? Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. I guess if you are concerned for your safety from the uber driver it is an improvement but it is the only one that comes to mind.

Safety is the most important point across all customers. But as someone who is less concerned with safety, I still get enormous value out of Waymo. Let me try to explain:

Consider the distribution of Uber/Lyft drivers you have had. All the way from smooth driving, well-maintained car, through to erratic behavior and unpleasant environment. Imagine if the next time you got a driver you really like, you said "this driver only from now on" and that was the consistent experience you always got out of Uber/Lyft.

That is what Waymo is like. It is the same every time I get in. I do not have to think or adapt to a new environment. It is like sitting on my own couch at home.

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#144

Post by JumpCrisscross »

NewJazz wrote: post #101
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t think our speed limits are universally set to be obeyed. If they were set at 25 with the expectation of 30 to 35, it does make sense to acknowledge that if autonomous vehicles will actually do 25.

Yeah, they are actually. They do research and surveys into traffic speeds. Just because it is difficult to enforce doesn't make it any more justified to go 35 in a 25. That is a big difference, by the way. Almost twice as fast. The fastest humans can run at 25 mph (albeit at short distances). Zero humans can run at speeds of 35 mph. So not just a mathematical difference but a physiological difference as well. Suddenl…

> do research and surveys into traffic speeds

I know, I’m asking if they adjust for how humans actually drive. There are places in America (funny enough, Phoenix and LA) where going 25 in a 25 will subject you to aggressive driving from others.

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#145

Post by bagels »

SeanAnderson wrote: post #103
tempest_ wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft I do underestimate it. What are quality of life improvements? Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. I guess if you are concerned for your safety from the uber driver it is an improvement but it is the only one that comes to mind.

A recent Uber driver of mine encountered bay bridge traffic, said, "I know a shortcut!" and veered out of the line waiting to enter the bridge. Then, Uber Safety called my phone asking if everything was alright. Then, the driver realized he didn't know where I was trying to go, asked me, realized I needed to go to Oakland, and spent 10+ minutes going in a slow circle to get back to the line of traffic. A few drives l…

How will waymo help with something like the super bowl? It's going to be overcapacity too.

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#147

Post by rufus_foreman »

NewJazz wrote: post #106
JumpCrisscross wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What are quality of life improvements? Not having to tip. Having the car take a sensible route and not some idiotic detour Waze thought was clever. Having a car that’s always paying attention instead of being on a perpetual phone call. Being able to make phone calls without feeling obnoxious or worrying about one’s rating. Being in an objectively safer ride. Not having to listen to a rant about how the angel Mohame…

You don't have to tip anywhere for any reason.

Can you respond to a reasonable interpretation of "don't have to tip"?

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#148

Post by JumpCrisscross »

throwitaway222 wrote: post #140
SeanAnderson wrote: post #103

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A recent Uber driver of mine encountered bay bridge traffic, said, "I know a shortcut!" and veered out of the line waiting to enter the bridge. Then, Uber Safety called my phone asking if everything was alright. Then, the driver realized he didn't know where I was trying to go, asked me, realized I needed to go to Oakland, and spent 10+ minutes going in a slow circle to get back to the line of traffic. A few drives l…

> Stuff where I want to be surrounded by robots all my life. I mean, if a tree falls in a forest, does it make a sound? Even if yes, does it matter? If we're just going to let the robots be the only thing we see all day long, why not just call it - hang up the hats build full AGI and blow up the humans.

> we're just going to let the robots be the only thing we see all day long

This is an uncharitable reading of someone wanting peace and quiet from time to time.

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#149

Post by mavhc »

singleshot_ wrote: post #60
tempest_ wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> people underestimate how much of a quality of life improvement these are for people even when compared to Uber/Lyft I do underestimate it. What are quality of life improvements? Seems to be the same thing from a customer perspective. I guess if you are concerned for your safety from the uber driver it is an improvement but it is the only one that comes to mind.

I don’t need to be given a numeric rating by my chauffeur on how well I sit in the back of a car. The social play-acting part of ridesharing apps became exhausting to me (admittedly: an introvert) sometime during the first ride.

But the safety of the driver is increased if bad passengers are eliminated from the job. Taxi driver is more dangerous that Police Officer in USA

Re: California Approves Waymo Expansion to Los Angeles and SF Peninsula [pdf]

#150

Post by dragonwriter »

1970-01-01 wrote: post #110
rufus_foreman wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> Do we want our roads getting clogged up with super slow taxis Can't we just pass some laws that require Waymos to drive above the speed limit at all times, like normal drivers?

How about this: Since they are statistically better than average drivers, we study the results of sending them around town 10% faster than the speed limit.

It's well known that speed differences on the road are a major cause of safety problems, so unless you are going to have segregated self-driving corridors, having them operate at a higher speed than other traffic is dangerous even if the speed would be safe for them if the other traffic was also self-driving at similar speeds and safe for the non-self-driving traffic if the other traffic was non-self-driving at the lower speed.
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