Safe Speed Forums

The campaign for genuine road safety
It is currently Sat Apr 25, 2026 01:44

All times are UTC [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 23:10 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 11, 2005 20:28
Posts: 1267
Location: not too far in front, not too far behind.
If I recall the version I read about, it was seen as a closed system - roads that only allowed computer controlled vehicles on them, for example.

What struck me at the time was that surely the best way to move several (hundred) vehicles at a very high speed very close together would be to put them on a train. I don't think motorails still runs on the island, but it's quite popular on the mainland - I used to work in the tour operating business, our German colleagues told of a fairly common holiday type where the "family" (mum and kids) would fly to spain or Italy, and "dad" would either drive or often motorail overnight, so they had their car there for the holidays. They also made a fairly hefty amount of money in flying cars from Germany to the canaries for a couple of weeks holidays.

I guess Eurotunnel agreed with me - although that may be more to do with the fact that one tunnel with multiple uses (freight, passengers, vehicles) has to be managed much more carefully than a road does. Speed through the tunnel is fairly rapid?

_________________
COAST Not just somewhere to keep a beach.

A young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, the powerless, in a world of criminals who operate above the law.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 17:38 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 16:34
Posts: 4923
Location: Somewhere between a rock and a hard place
And what operating system would it work under? Not Multiple Sclerosis I hope :o

What happens when it hangs up? Do I stay put and keep pressing Ctrl/Alt/Del or do I just jump out the sunroof while my car thinks about rebooting?

My motorbike already has enough electronics to land a rocket on Mars, and occasionally it spits at me because I'm wearing the wrong underpants or something.

I'd rather ride a wild horse, bare back, through a pack of starving wolves.

I say, bring back the KISS principle.

_________________
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 19:39 
Offline
User

Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2005 21:10
Posts: 1693
Quote:
I say, bring back the KISS principle.


Here Bloody here!

(What I like *most* about my old "Series" Landrover is a complete absence of semiconductors! :lol: )

_________________
"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Jul 09, 2007 20:59 
Offline
User
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 30, 2005 13:55
Posts: 2247
Location: middlish
hmmmm

i'm having trouble discerning in all these posts whether your objections are actually safety based ...?

just seems a bit ooooh you dont want to do it like that.... we dont like change round here :wink: and back patting about how good a drivers we all are cos we dont need such things.

should these things not be researched at all ?
should we get all het up about it based on a press report ?
(which is any number of months out of date)

and if you think any safety critical systems on cars run anything even approaching an MS operating system, do some better research!


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2007 07:42 
Offline
Gold Member
Gold Member
User avatar

Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 16:34
Posts: 4923
Location: Somewhere between a rock and a hard place
ed_m wrote:
hmmmm

i'm having trouble discerning in all these posts whether your objections are actually safety based ...?

just seems a bit ooooh you dont want to do it like that.... we dont like change round here :wink: and back patting about how good a drivers we all are cos we dont need such things.

should these things not be researched at all ?
should we get all het up about it based on a press report ?
(which is any number of months out of date)

and if you think any safety critical systems on cars run anything even approaching an MS operating system, do some better research!



I may not be the brightest bulb on the tree at times but I'm no a dinosaur either. I actually work at the cutting edge of technology with some 30 years working in electronics and mechanical engineering, so please credit me with some knowledge.

Amongst other things, I program various equipment which has its own OS and I can tell you none of them are foolproof.

From mobile phones to aircraft, they all have foibles. My last Nokia 6280 completely failed me, a problem many others had too I was to find out. I have been on an aircraft which has been delayed while the pilot reboots the system. (Not very reassuring when you're about to fly across the Atlantic I can tell you) :shock:

My dig at MS wasn't meant to be taken seriously, although I'm sure many will understand my frustration with that particular operating system. (please feel free to use sarcasm detector in future) MS themselves admitted to thousands of known bugs with XP before it came on the market, but still sold it to us. I'd rather they worked on Windows 98 reliable than fat chance XP.

My dear Mazda, which I praise so much, was a slave to the mysterious magic box. If I fluffed it a minute after starting up, pulling out of a junction on a cold morning, it was an absolute bugger to get going again. It messed up its brains and had to check everything on the planet before it would start again, which was about a minute later. And before you ask, it wasn't because I flooded it.

I agree with you that it shouldn't stop progress but I have serious concerns about technology taking over to the extent that I'm almost just a bum on a seat. Not there yet but the slippery slope and all that.

If you were a pilot and the instruments were telling you you're at 50,000 feet but you could see yourself heading for a mountain what would you believe?

So in answer to your question; change yes, but not change for change sake. :roll:

_________________
The views expressed in this post are personal opinions and do not necessarily represent the views of Safe Speed.
You will be branded a threat to society by going over a speed limit where it is safe to do so, and suffer the consequences of your actions in a way criminals do not, more so than someone who is a real threat to our society.


Top
 Profile Send private message  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 25 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Bing [Bot] and 21 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You can post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
[ Time : 0.138s | 11 Queries | GZIP : Off ]