Driverless cars speed ahead

I am a great fan of the concept of driverless cars. I am looking at driver behaviour every day that I'm sure autonomous cars would never be guilty of. Simple stuff like driving while drunk or under the influence of other substances. The one thing that really annoys me is those drivers who overtake me only to immediately slow down or turn off the road, thereby causing me to apply brakes.

There are so many problems that would be solved. but it seems that some control will remain for the human, even if it's elective. We will still have to be licensed and insured, and we will still have some degree of responsibility.

The list of capabilities being in-built into these models of the future is really fabulous. However,  the car is left with any number of moral decisions that affect humans as well, but the difference is that the car will be able to react much faster. For one thing inattention will not be one of its faults.

Inattention is perhaps the human's greatest downfall, leading in far too many cases to death on the highway. Take for instance simply driving for far too long a period of time to the point where your eyelids begin to close. This can happen day or night. The problem with this is there is no hard and fast rule to avoid it. Yes, we should stop and take a break every two hours, or less to recharge our personal batteries. However, in reality it depends on whether you slept well last night; or did you have a lunch that was too heavy, rendering you a prime subject for a siesta?

Perhaps you are fully alert but your attention is diverted by children fighting in the back, or something happening outside the car that takes not only your attention but everybody's else as well.

It's a sad commentary that science is on this track because we recognize that we humans are not to be trusted to be in charge of  these potentially lethal machines. Twenty-seven years ago I made the prediction that within the coming 50 years we would have self-driving vehicles, because it was so evident then that something had to be done.

Providing insurance cover is going to be a massive problem. So far, under very controlled circumstances there have been very few crashes, and that is to say we are in the development stage. I suppose that the car would be insured, as they do here in Spain, rather than the driver. The problem will arise in those cars that allow the human to take back control. That may take us back to Square One.

The most keen market should be us old fogies who have been driving for many years. I would love to be driven, especially on the long runs. Young people will be the least likely to take that choice, as long as there is a choice. I think I remember the days when I enjoyed driving. Those were good times and I was as happy as a clam. Now it's a chore, even in the Jag.

I really shouldn't just come right out and say this, but truth is that if I can't have a staff of beautiful women to drive me I'll just have to settle for a driverless Jag or Maserati.

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael

When two great Sins collide

For some time I have noticed that people have been committing two sins against common sense. They are equal in their gravity and they are done without thinking by adults who should know better.

The first of these are those persons who take their very small children for a walk by pushing the child in a push chair. When they come to cross the street, instead of swinging the child around so that it is the adult who crosses first after making certain that it is safe, the child is simply pushed out into the street and is exposed to crossing traffic. It is something of an everyday miracle that we have not had to read of somebody's baby having been killed by being run over. However, parents if you continue this practise it will happen.

You will cry and you will have to suffer the indescribable pain of  having to bury your child who died because of your own  thoughtlessness. I'm sorry to be the one to bring you this reality, but at least you can consider this as an alert. You can also be the first one to set the example by pulling your child across the street. Others will get the point and the trend will develop.

I have written about this before, but of course no-one takes unsolicited advice from me. What is needed is a big push from Trafico ( the Dgt) to heighten people's awareness, but evidently they don't see this as the clear and  present danger that it is.

The other sin that most people have committed at least once is that of talking on the mobile while driving. I have done this by using the hands-free system, but even that is a distraction. That would be the best way of talking to someone by phone while driving if you really must, but it is not the same thing as speaking to a passenger in the car sitting beside you. Anything at all that distracts the driver is a bad thing.

We have now read a report that in downtown Valencia a driver was speaking on her mobile phone, presumably while holding it to her ear, when she came face-to-face with two children in the same push chair crossing the street. She was driving a 4x4 as she plowed right into them, fortunately at a very slow speed.

It appears that for those who saw what happened this was a scene of utter horror. However, she did stop promptly and determined that the children, while badly shaken up were probably not seriously hurt. She gave all her particulars and then left the scene. I prefer to think that she left because of the trauma of what she and the children's father had done.

This was a wake-up call that says we really must change the way we do things to avoid a full-scale tragedy, one that will take place. It's just a question of "When."

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael

The Tailgater

One of Clint Eastwood's early movies featured the storyline that as an ordinary driver he inadvertently picks up a tailgater driving a truck. The entire movie was about how the tailgating terrorist proceeded to make the driver's driving experience a living hell.

So it was in my own case this past week. I was driving my classic Jag between Denia and Valencia when I noticed that a Man brand truck was stuck to my rear bumper. The only things I know about the driver are that, (a) he was a complete and utter imbecile; (b) he was intent on making me as uncomfortable as he could; (c) and that he, and the whole world would be much better off were he to simply lie down and give up his last breath.

Firstly, let me state what I think are redeeming qualities of  truckers. These guys are responsible for massive moving vehicles that potentially, in the hands of irresponsible persons could cause the motoring public and pedestrians a lot of trouble. Mostly the drivers handle their responsibilities well. They also show extraordinary good judgement, except when driving in convoy. Then they all seem to lose their collective minds and cruise along nose-to-tail.

That creates a wall of trucks through which people wishing to exit the highway cannot penetrate. Why do they do this? They know it is illegal. It is against all common sense, and for each driver it's potentially a death trap.

How do we know when we are leaving enough braking space between us and the vehicle ahead? We can know by picking any landmark and when the vehicle ahead passes it we count "one, one thousand, two one thousand." We must be able to count in a normal tempo, and to complete the count before we reach the same landmark. That will work at any speed, provided your brakes and tyres are in good condition, and that you are alert.

Under rainy conditions and at night we are better prepared if we leave additional space. To get that space count up to "three, one thousand" or more.

The genius I had tailgating behind me probably thought that I was one of those ultra car proud Jag owners who treat their cars as though they are the most valuable thing in the world. No! In so far as I am concerned it's a car, and every time I take it on the road I run the risk of encountering some horses' ass who will end up writing off my car. When that happens I will simply get another one, if I'm still alive.

I found myself driving for both of us. I had to control him by slowing him down in anticipation that we may have had to stop. A stop for me might have been easy, but for him in his 12-wheel rig is a lot more difficult. Finally I had enough of the risk he was imposing upon me. We were approaching an off ramp that I knew was there, which also had an easy on-again ramp, so without signalling to him I suddenly increased speed and pulled off road. Had he tried to follow me he would have jack-knifed his trailer and made an awful mess.

So, to that one man who clearly has fecal matter where his brain is supposed to be, I wish upon him a whole case of very bad piles that will force him out of driving every thing.

One thing that is for certain is that he has no place behind the driving wheel.

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael

Hydroplane, but only if you want to!

As we say goodbye to Summer we have to now fix our concentration on other kinds of driving other than nice dry road types. There are people who live in areas that become socked in with snow and ice. I won't even pretend to know anything about driving in such conditions. I just ask how is that done? It seems to me to be an extra difficult thing to get around, especially on hilly terrain when you are faced with blizzards, ice on the road, and snow banks, if you can even find your car. I am just not hardy enough to be able to cope with those conditions.

I wanted to talk about simply driving in rainy conditions, because we do need to refocus our minds. The greatest danger to winter weather drivers is that we will have to drive in rainy conditions, which brings along with it special protocols. If we are not aware or choose to ignore them we are likely to end up in a bad way, and worse, we will be the cause of misfortune to others.

The number one danger is that of Hydroplaning our cars due to the loss of control. I am told that there are several things we should keep in mind:

One: Slow down during wet periods. If we drive too fast for the state of the road your wheels will not be able to maintain contact with the surface. The result will most likely be a disaster.

Two: Maintain tyres in good condition. Good thread equals good contact with the road surface.

Three: I'm told that to turn off the cruise control should probably be number one on the list. The driver has to take back control to be able to make crucial decisions at all times.

For manual geared cars it is better to drive in at least one gear down from the top gear. In other words, I drive in fourth rather than fifth. This gives me better control and means that I drive at a reduced rate. At night time, even if my eyesight was 20/20, which it's not, it's better to reduce speed from say, 120 kph to 100. The lower speed results in an increased ability on my part to see things that are hard to see because of the dark. If its raining I reduce even farther down to 90. This is especially helpful in seeing pedestrians crossing the road.

When cruising on water in the road, if we turn sharply or make hard braking stops this indicates that we were not sufficiently focused or that we failed to anticipate what lay ahead. Making such sudden moves when our contact with the surface is not secure will probably lead to a crash.

We must remember that during dry periods vehicles are constantly dropping little bits of oil. This builds up over time and when it rains water is added to oil. That's a cocktail that should be avoided at all costs; but we are unable to avoid it. Perhaps as much as the first half hour of the first rain is washing away the residue of the oil into the gutter. While that is happening we face the worst of conditions.

One final point to be aware of: Sometimes we see ahead a nice large pool of water. Wouldn't it be nice to drive into that and make a really nice splash. There are no pedestrians around to drown, so go for it! Not! We may find that we totally lose control and the weight of the water swings the car out of control, even flipping it over. I resist the temptation, as difficult as that is, because that little kid in me sometimes get the better of me.

Copyright (c) 2016
Eugene Carmichael