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Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

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Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#21

Post by sp332 »

mrgriscom wrote: post #13
codemac wrote: post #9

Unfortunate how many humans we have driving cars at various levels of impairment. It's killing so many people. Drunk driving in suburban areas is rampant and feels almost inherent without real public transportation options at last call. I think most of Seattle's public transit options stop right around midnight.

I don't see where in the article it says anyone involved was drinking.

Odd, the photo caption doesn't match the article text. "Robert Malsch, accused of drinking and of driving more than 100 mph" vs "He faces vehicular homicide and felony hit and run charges."

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#22

Post by revelation »

jstalin wrote: post #15
codemac wrote: post #9

Unfortunate how many humans we have driving cars at various levels of impairment. It's killing so many people. Drunk driving in suburban areas is rampant and feels almost inherent without real public transportation options at last call. I think most of Seattle's public transit options stop right around midnight.

Not to minimize drunk driving deaths, but it's hardly "rampant." About 10,000 people are killed each year in drunk driving accidents in the US. 30,000 a year die from falls. http://responsibility.org/drunk-driving/drunk-driving-fatali... http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_02.pdf

Well yes, millions of people die every year from causes we could pretty much summarize as old age. None of this has any meaning if you don't differentiate by age.

Thankfully, the CDC has done that, and here it is in an easy graphic:

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/leading_causes_of_deat...

Unintentional injury dominates deaths in ages 1-44, and indeed the biggest killer of people ages 5-24 is traffic:

http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/leading_causes_of_inju...

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#23

Post by johnward »

chez17 wrote: post #14
codemac wrote: post #9

Unfortunate how many humans we have driving cars at various levels of impairment. It's killing so many people. Drunk driving in suburban areas is rampant and feels almost inherent without real public transportation options at last call. I think most of Seattle's public transit options stop right around midnight.

It's funny you mention suburban drivers. I have lived and have friends who lived in both suburban and rural areas and I found that without exception rural drivers are far, far , more likely to drive drunk.

There aren't really alternative other options (aside from a DD and or just being responsible). Most rural people can't even get a cab.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#24

Post by drzaiusapelord »

codemac wrote: post #9

Unfortunate how many humans we have driving cars at various levels of impairment. It's killing so many people. Drunk driving in suburban areas is rampant and feels almost inherent without real public transportation options at last call. I think most of Seattle's public transit options stop right around midnight.

Cars are pretty safe, but I'm always a little shocked that we don't have governors built into cars with sane limits. How is it even possible to do 100mph and why should that speed be allowed? Cars should top off at 75.

Not to mention, why are cars dumb machines? If someone is going crazy fast in an area where there is no safe way to decelerate, then the car should not allow that speed to be reached. Freeway speeds should not be allowed when you're not on the freeway.

The self-driving car isn't the solution here. Its too sci-fi, too out there, and no one can make it work with snow and rain right now. We middle a practical middle-ware nanny and we need one quick. We need a new Ralph Nader focused on intelligent safety systems and advocating for them to be law. We'll never stop drunks, but we might be able to stop drunks from performing fatal strikes. Its great that they caught the drunk, but that doesn't bring Mike back to life.

Personally, I dont think we're getting to these self-driving cars without these kinds of baby steps. Best to start advocating them now, which will give us public support when fully automated cars are truly here.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#25

Post by johnward »

sp332 wrote: post #21
mrgriscom wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't see where in the article it says anyone involved was drinking.

Odd, the photo caption doesn't match the article text. "Robert Malsch, accused of drinking and of driving more than 100 mph" vs "He faces vehicular homicide and felony hit and run charges."

It says he was accused in one part and then later they make it sound like it was some sort of road rage / anger thing.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#26

Post by munificent »

jstalin wrote: post #15
codemac wrote: post #9

Unfortunate how many humans we have driving cars at various levels of impairment. It's killing so many people. Drunk driving in suburban areas is rampant and feels almost inherent without real public transportation options at last call. I think most of Seattle's public transit options stop right around midnight.

Not to minimize drunk driving deaths, but it's hardly "rampant." About 10,000 people are killed each year in drunk driving accidents in the US. 30,000 a year die from falls. http://responsibility.org/drunk-driving/drunk-driving-fatali... http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr64/nvsr64_02.pdf

> About 10,000 people are killed each year in drunk driving accidents in the US. 30,000 a year die from falls.

That number is highly biased towards the elderly. "Falls" are basically another kind of "died of old age". If you exclude people over 55, you get about:

- ~6,700 deaths from drunk driving

- 2,459 from falls

If you look at all driving fatalities (because we fleshy humans can be impaired by more than alcohol and often make mistakes), you have

- 25,499 deaths

Cars are deathtraps.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#28

Post by wavefunction »

[deleted] wrote: post #27
spydum wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

that is a sad, super strange coincidence, in a relatively small (but.. growing?) field

[deleted]

The Oculus guy was killed by some gangsters on the run from police, so your theory is unlikely.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#29

Post by Chevalier »

oflordal wrote: post #8

Säd. Coindidentally the same happened to one of the Oculus founders. http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/01/oculus-vr-co-founder-andrew...

Not that it's any more or less tragic, but I've always been astonished that Silicon Valley is so car-dependent. We've concentrated the most brilliant minds in the world in this small area... and then force everyone to pilot two-ton bullets to pick up groceries?

Not all workers can demand decent living conditions, but you'd think the competitive draw for workers in Silicon Valley would entice company towns to, I don't know, add segregated bike lanes so programmers' kids can get to school safely. Add public parks and dense housing so you can walk down to the corner coffee store or take your dog for a walk. Ban cars from certain streets to encourage local commerce and nightlife. SOMETHING.

Google's at least trying to improve Mountain View with their new campus (and Apple is very much not trying to improve Cupertino). But what the hell. An international group of wealthy geniuses can't get it together enough to demand marginally walkable lifestyles?

And people wonder why everyone commutes from San Francisco.

Re: Mike Ey, Microsoft HoloLens designer, killed in hit and run

#30

Post by sfeng »

egor598 wrote: post #17
influx wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I assure you that there are stupid people outside of America. In fact, the majority of stupid human beings are not American.

Of course the majority of stupid people will be outside of America (statistically speaking), the world is huge, you stupid :-), in comparison with your 'Murica! But I am inclined to believe that the ratio of stupid people in 'murica might as well be higher than in the rest of the world.

> you stupid :-)

Obviously he was making the exact same point you are, but because he makes it with some subtlety, he's the dumb one?

In any case, there's no real evidence that Americans are significantly less smart than members of any other country: http://www.photius.com/rankings/national_iq_scores_country_r...

All countries are made up of people, and all people are basically the same.

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