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Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

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Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#41
post #34
post #21

The way this has apparently been handled saddens me. I worked for Cruise, a Waymo competitor. A Cruise vehicle famously had a very unfortunate accident and Cruise government relations employees famously tried to cover up the worst details when reporting it to the CA DMV. Of course the cover-up was discovered and guess what? Cruise lost their license and not long after lost all their funding and shut down. Self drivin…

It is also literally insanely hostile for Waymo to respond like this. The parent company, Alphabet, is valued over four trillion dollars. The proper response would have been: "oh, terribly sorry for the inconvenience, we'll immediately turn it around, wait there". If that was somehow actually possible, the next response should have been: "Oh, sorry that is impossible because of [actual reason X], we are terribly sorr…

[deleted]

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#42
post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I steal your luggage, do you expect to be paid to get it or that I return to you? Waymo should have white-gloved this and sent Larry Page himself to deliver the luggage. This is horrible PR. Airlines will send you their luggage if misplaced. One day Waymo will drive-off with your toddler and ask you to file for adoption if you want them back.

Airlines will send you their luggage if misplaced That's because airlines often have their own cargo/courier service which they can easily use for delivery; and everyone knows that even those lose packages at a nonzero rate. One day Waymo will drive-off with your toddler and ask you to file for adoption if you want them back. Your failed attempt at outrage sensationalism didn't help your argument.

> airlines often have their own cargo/courier service which they can easily use for delivery

That is indeed convenient. But not quite as convenient as having your own self-driving cars you can use for delivery.

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#43
post #34
post #21

The way this has apparently been handled saddens me. I worked for Cruise, a Waymo competitor. A Cruise vehicle famously had a very unfortunate accident and Cruise government relations employees famously tried to cover up the worst details when reporting it to the CA DMV. Of course the cover-up was discovered and guess what? Cruise lost their license and not long after lost all their funding and shut down. Self drivin…

It is also literally insanely hostile for Waymo to respond like this. The parent company, Alphabet, is valued over four trillion dollars. The proper response would have been: "oh, terribly sorry for the inconvenience, we'll immediately turn it around, wait there". If that was somehow actually possible, the next response should have been: "Oh, sorry that is impossible because of [actual reason X], we are terribly sorr…

> I'm no lawyer, but as soon as someone takes off with my stuff, that sounds like theft.

I expect it's not theft. In England the intent requirement is famously "permanently to deprive" and so any situation where you're getting it back isn't theft. Doubtless the US has slightly different rules but I don't think that'll be theft.

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#44
post #21

The way this has apparently been handled saddens me. I worked for Cruise, a Waymo competitor. A Cruise vehicle famously had a very unfortunate accident and Cruise government relations employees famously tried to cover up the worst details when reporting it to the CA DMV. Of course the cover-up was discovered and guess what? Cruise lost their license and not long after lost all their funding and shut down. Self drivin…

Cruise was legendary, awesome bunch of people. I remember finding out how you guys had an angel syndicate and speaking to a few guys, hope you all are onto bigger and better things

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#45
post #19

take two complementary rides to pick it up That seems... reasonable? They're not saying "come at your own expense" but giving him a ride there and back.

If I steal your luggage, do you expect to be paid to get it or that I return to you? Waymo should have white-gloved this and sent Larry Page himself to deliver the luggage. This is horrible PR. Airlines will send you their luggage if misplaced. One day Waymo will drive-off with your toddler and ask you to file for adoption if you want them back.

Love that. Larry where's my stuff?

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#46
post #21

The way this has apparently been handled saddens me. I worked for Cruise, a Waymo competitor. A Cruise vehicle famously had a very unfortunate accident and Cruise government relations employees famously tried to cover up the worst details when reporting it to the CA DMV. Of course the cover-up was discovered and guess what? Cruise lost their license and not long after lost all their funding and shut down. Self drivin…

>keep things quiet, dismissing concerns, and making half assed restitution for problems

That is exactly the Tesla strategy, and it seems to work well for them. Though Waymo doesn't have a daily PR disaster to distract like Musk.

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#48
Fearful that a simple software issue could do exactly this, I have adopted an approach to using Waymo with luggage:

1. Get out. 2. Leave the door open. 3. Open the trunk. 4. Get stuff. 5. Close the trunk. 6. Close the door that I left open.

I've had enough stupid stuff happen in a Waymo. I'm not going to leave it to faith that it won't drive off with my laptop, etc.

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#49
post #28

They offered him two free hour-long rides to their facility and back just to pick up the suitcase? Waymo trouble than it’s worth

Why couldn’t they just stick the suitcase in a Waymo and send it to him ?

Sounds like there's no guarantee it would let him retrieve it

Re: Waymo Drives Off with South Bay Man's Luggage

#50
Not keeping the door open while grabbing luggage is NPC behavior no matter if it's waymo, Uber or a taxi.

The fact he mad this mistake, then went to the news media to broadcast his bad decision making is embarrassing.

I bet he finds himself the victim of bad situations all the time and doesn't know why

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