On 6/11/2026 1:03 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
While it's not written Science Fiction, the Dr. Who episode
_Gridlock_ came immediately to mind.
When I think if driving SF, I alway sremcall "Code THree" by Rick
Raphael. Swell little novel.
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
On 6/11/2026 1:03 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
While it's not written Science Fiction, the Dr. Who episode
_Gridlock_ came immediately to mind.
-a When I think if driving SF, I alway sremcall "Code THree" by Rick
Raphael. Swell little novel.
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
In article <KlEWR.57785$0o1c.20130@fx08.iad>,
Lee Gleason <lee.gleason@comcast.net> wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:03 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
While it's not written Science Fiction, the Dr. Who episode
_Gridlock_ came immediately to mind.
When I think if driving SF, I alway sremcall "Code THree" by Rick
Raphael. Swell little novel.
Speaking of gridlock I recall an old Analog story, might have
been a Chap Foey Rider, set on an island
somewhere with more cars than street. They were having to
dynamite cars out of traffic to make room for motion.
Why don't they just have fewer cars?
On 12/06/2026 07:52, Lee Gleason wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:03 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
While it's not written Science Fiction, the Dr. Who episode
_Gridlock_ came immediately to mind.
-a When I think if driving SF, I alway sremcall "Code THree" by Rick
Raphael. Swell little novel.
This is available for free at Project Gutenberg though whether it is
worth the trouble I am unsure as it was rather clunky and imaginative
rather than predictive. The USA police cars were large enough to contain sleeping quarters, kitchen etc as well as a miniature hospital. They
were staffed with a medical person as well as police officers and
despite their size travelled at about a thousand kph. One patrol shift
lasted about a year. I don't remember the story but suspect it was a
series of incidents on patrol. Two stars.
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups,
some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- analyst-says-yes/
pt
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups,
some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one-
analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not
fared well.
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups,
some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- analyst-says-yes/
pt
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups,
some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- >>> analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not
fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and
hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in
train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently complex transportation system project will include an implementation of
half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation
system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven
that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups,
some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- >>>> analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not
fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and
hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in
train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently
complex transportation system project will include an implementation of
half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation
system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally
specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven
that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>> some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- >>>>> analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not
fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and
hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in
train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently
complex transportation system project will include an implementation of
half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation
system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven
that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
Does it always pass a green light, or does it first assess whether there
is room after the intersection?
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>> some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- >>>>>> analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
In article <110irfh$2nhqa$1@dont-email.me>,
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla >>>>>>> are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>>> some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one-
analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
This could be a problem. If you are in a Reginald Denny situation,
you may have to take drastic measures.
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:[...]
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
Does it always pass a green light, or does it first assess whether there
is room after the intersection?
I've not checked for that specifically, but in a year I've never been stranded in the middle of an intersection.
pt
On 6/13/2026 11:42 AM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
In article <110irfh$2nhqa$1@dont-email.me>,
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science FictionThe autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla >>>>>>>> are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>>>> some humorous, some not).
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/ >>>>>>>>
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving >>>>>>>> (supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my >>>>>>>> car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd >>>>>>>> say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one-
analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that >>>>> daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
This could be a problem. If you are in a Reginald Denny situation,
you may have to take drastic measures.
How *should* an autonomous vehicle, or for that matter Mr. Denny
have dealt with it? Run people down?
On 6/12/2026 1:53 PM, Cryptoengineer wrote:one-
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla are
already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, some
humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my car is 7
years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd say it
drives as well as an average human, and supervising it is far less a
drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-
analyst-says-yes/I'll add to that that I take the safety claims with a grain of salt.
pt
Tesla drivers tend to be older, wealthier, and more experienced than the average driver, and comparison should be done only under similar
conditions. People will use the self-driving tech more on highways than
on city streets.
pt
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla
are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>> some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one- >>>>>> analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
Does it always pass a green light, or does it first assess whether there
is room after the intersection?
I've not checked for that specifically, but in a year I've never been stranded in the middle of an intersection.
pt
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
On 6/14/26 04:01, Charles Packer wrote:
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
Speaking just about cruise control, I find it has two advantages. It
prevents leg pains caused by having to control the accelerator for long stretches when your speed doesn't need to change (e.g., driving on less- traveled interstates out west). And it helps keep your car under the
speed limits set on some of the roads and streets, where your instinct
would have you speed up.
I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
On 14/06/2026 23:20, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
On 6/14/26 04:01, Charles Packer wrote:
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
Speaking just about cruise control, I find it has two advantages. It
prevents leg pains caused by having to control the accelerator for long
stretches when your speed doesn't need to change (e.g., driving on less-
traveled interstates out west). And it helps keep your car under the
speed limits set on some of the roads and streets, where your instinct
would have you speed up.
I found that the major advantage of using cruise control and other
electronic enhancements makes distance driving less tiring though not so useful in town nor city. I have a complaint with the cruise control on
my Honda which increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed
going downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
In article <110k6mf$33uh6$1@dont-email.me>,
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/13/2026 11:42 AM, Ted Nolan <tednolan> wrote:
In article <110irfh$2nhqa$1@dont-email.me>,
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science FictionThe autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla >>>>>>>>> are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>>>>> some humorous, some not).
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/ >>>>>>>>>
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving >>>>>>>>> (supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my >>>>>>>>> car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd >>>>>>>>> say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it >>>>>>>>> is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one-
analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>>>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>>>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>>>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>>>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>>>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow >>>>>>> implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and >>>>>>> self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally
specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>>>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that >>>>>> daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower >>>>> speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
This could be a problem. If you are in a Reginald Denny situation,
you may have to take drastic measures.
How *should* an autonomous vehicle, or for that matter Mr. Denny
have dealt with it? Run people down?
It shouldn't deal with it, but neither should it stop the car owner
from deaing with it.
On 14/06/2026 23:20, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:I use cruise control all the time on the interstates to maintain a
On 6/14/26 04:01, Charles Packer wrote:
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
Speaking just about cruise control, I find it has two advantages. It
prevents leg pains caused by having to control the accelerator for long
stretches when your speed doesn't need to change (e.g., driving on less-
traveled interstates out west). And it helps keep your car under the
speed limits set on some of the roads and streets, where your instinct
would have you speed up.
I found that the major advantage of using cruise control and other
electronic enhancements makes distance driving less tiring though not so useful in town nor city. I have a complaint with the cruise control on
my Honda which increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed
going downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:[...]
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
Does it always pass a green light, or does it first assess whether there >>> is room after the intersection?
I've not checked for that specifically, but in a year I've never been
stranded in the middle of an intersection.
pt
How does it perform on surfaces with changing grip, e.g. firm to loose;
dry to wet, muddy, or icy? Can it detect skids? How about blowouts?
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 9:32 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-13, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 7:58 PM, Nuno Silva wrote:
On 2026-06-12, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/12/26 10:53, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:Don't relax your supervision. Aside from battery fires
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be >>>>>>>> solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla >>>>>>> are already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, >>>>>>> some humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my
car is 7 years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd
say it drives as well as an average human, and supervising it
is far less a drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-one-
analyst-says-yes/
pt
operators of Teslas who took the "self-driving" for granted have not >>>>>> fared well.
I'd argue this technology doesn't even qualify as science fiction, and >>>>> hasn't for decades. The technology for such safe driving has existed in >>>>> train operation.
I guess trains are the Common Lisp of transportation. Any sufficiently >>>>> complex transportation system project will include an implementation of >>>>> half of the rail engineering status quo.
Or well, I guess I mean... any sufficiently complicated transportation >>>>> system contains an ad-hoc, informally-specified, bug-ridden, slow
implementation of half of railways technology!
(cf. <https://enwp.org/Greenspun's_tenth_rule>)
"Self driving" is going to be a quite hard problem to solve, and
self-driving systems shouldn't really be allowed unless they've formally >>>>> specified every detail that needs to be catered to, and they've proven >>>>> that the "self driving" system can operate safely outside of a
motorway.
Well it does operate safely outside of a motorway. I use it for that
daily.
My older system does miss on some things, such as responding to
school busses and emergency vehicles. The newer cars don't have
a problem.
How does it handle a road with less visibility, does it always lower
speed accordingly?
It slows down in heavy rain or snow. My older system can have
problems if I'm driving directly into the low sun. The newer ones
have improved cameras and processing ability. I expect they do
better.
How does it behave when there is a pedestrian crossing?
It sees crosswalks, and stops for people on the road, or
standing on the curb beside a crosswalk.
Ok, these answers are all looking like it's sophisticated enough to be
better than a lot of human drivers (those who should not be legally
allowed to drive motor vehicles, but I digress) - as far as for this
point specifically it stops for pedestrians crossing *anywhere*, not
just crosswalks.
Does it always pass a green light, or does it first assess whether there >>> is room after the intersection?
I've not checked for that specifically, but in a year I've never been
stranded in the middle of an intersection.
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes
or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I'm also wondering about the accuracy of the systems, of course it has
to be very good to allow for completely autonomous driving outside of motorways. Not that it cannot function well as an active driving aid,
with the driver ready to take over in case the system fails.
pt
On Fri, 12 Jun 2026 20:03:57 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
On 6/12/2026 1:53 PM, Cryptoengineer wrote:one-
On 6/11/2026 1:00 PM, James Nicoll wrote:
-a Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
The autonomy solution is the closest to reality. Waymo and Tesla are
already offering driverless taxi rides (with occasional screwups, some
humorous, some not).
The systems are only getting better. I have "Full self driving
(supervised)" in my Tesla, though not the latest HW and SW (my car is 7
years old, and upgrading is a major hassle).
Its a joy to use, though I still have to keep an eye on it. I'd say it
drives as well as an average human, and supervising it is far less a
drain than driving myself.
The latest versions are, by all reports, much better.
https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-tsla-full-self-driving-hits-level-4-
analyst-says-yes/I'll add to that that I take the safety claims with a grain of salt.
pt
Tesla drivers tend to be older, wealthier, and more experienced than the
average driver, and comparison should be done only under similar
conditions. People will use the self-driving tech more on highways than
on city streets.
pt
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
On 6/14/26 04:01, Charles Packer wrote:
All of your comments have been interesting.
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
Speaking just about cruise control, I find it has two advantages. It prevents leg pains caused by having to control the accelerator for long stretches when your speed doesn't need to change (e.g., driving on less- traveled interstates out west). And it helps keep your car under the
speed limits set on some of the roads and streets, where your instinct
would have you speed up.
Charles Packer <mailbox@cpacker.org> wrote:
I've never even used cruise control and it's been on cars since,
gosh...the 1980s? I'd take an autonomous taxi in a minute but
I can't imagine wanting to own a car with autonomous capability.
There are some people who actually enjoy driving.
I enjoy driving and so I have a car that is fun to drive and requires
a great deal of care and attention that might not be needed in a modern
car. It is a much more mindful kind of driving.
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the argument
for autonomous operation.
I also would like an autonomous vehicle for occasional use, for when I
need to just get somewhere without the experience of driving there.
The idea that you could sleep while the car drives is a wonderful one,
if in fact you could actually sleep.
When autonomous vehicles become actually reliable and common, people will start drinking a lot more. Invest in liquor companies because they will
be the first and most to profit on vehicle automation.
My worry is that the move to autonomous operation and the move to electric power are happening at the same time and are getting coupled. What I would really like is an electric vehicle with unassisted steering, limited or
no computer control of motors, and crank-up windows. I do not see that ever being sold in the US.
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes
or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even >waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes
or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even
waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on >>>>> its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes >>>>> or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even >>>> waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
How well do YOU handle it?
Better than many as I didn't
overreact. But in reality, there's no time to react;
maintaining control becomes the overriding concern.
On 6/15/26 15:33, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on >>>>>> its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes >>>>>> or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic >>>>>> effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even >>>>> waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane >>>>> roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
How well do YOU handle it?
Better than many as I didn't
overreact. But in reality, there's no time to react;
maintaining control becomes the overriding concern.
Indeed! Consider using a motorcycle on highway 1 north of the
Golden Gate. Deer come out the woods close to towns and you have/had
to practice braking. Never hit one though. That is like 50 years ago.
jdnicoll@panix.com (James Nicoll) writes:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
https://reactormag.com/safer-driving-through-science-fiction/
While it's not written Science Fiction, the Dr. Who episode
_Gridlock_ came immediately to mind.
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes >>>> or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even
waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
How well do YOU handle it?
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes
or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even
waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
On 6/15/2026 11:13 AM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes >>>> or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even
waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
Not a deer but testing was done, perhaps courtesy of ACME Industries, to compare Tesla's cameras verses others use of LIDAR to detect obstacles.
If the tunnel looks real....
https://insideevs.com/news/753642/tesla-autopilot-road-runner-test/
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the
argument for autonomous operation.
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:00:19 -0000 (UTC), James Nicoll wrote:
Safer Driving Through Science Fiction
Surely, issues like traffic jams, speeding, and road rage can be
solved through these creative strategies...
I remember a short story about a future world where the flow of
traffic became the absolute topmost priority. Everything else had to
give way to that: there were highways in all directions, stacked level
upon level, cutting through high-rise buildings where necessary. There
were regulations on minimum speed and maximum following distance, to
try to pack the traffic as efficiently as possible. Helicopters would
drop paint-bombs to mark vehicles moving too slowly, for later
enforcement action.
Too bad if you lost control at speed and spun off the road ... just so
long as you werenrCOt blocking other traffic ...
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:22:45 -0500, Lynn McGuire wrote:
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
But thatrCOs getting rid of vehicles entirely, and making the roads >themselves the transport mechanism.
On Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:43:46 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the
argument for autonomous operation.
Horses were more automatic than that, weren't they. They often had the
smarts to figure out where you were going, and you could leave it to
them to get there on their own.
In article <11107ae$2e9gl$6@dont-email.me>,
Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?= <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:43:46 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the
argument for autonomous operation.
Horses were more automatic than that, weren't they. They often had the
smarts to figure out where you were going, and you could leave it to
them to get there on their own.
Yes, and I think that a well-behaved horse (not one that will kick and bite you) is a good model for how an autonomous vehicle should function.
--scott
On Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:43:46 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:Particularly if it led to the barn and food.
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the
argument for autonomous operation.
Horses were more automatic than that, werenAt they. They often had the
smarts to figure out where you were going, and you could leave it to
them to get there on their own.
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
I guess I left out what may have been another interesting question on
its capability: does it promote proper distances when overtaking bikes >>>> or passing by pedestrians, especially factoring in the aerodynamic
effects of the car's own speed?
I've encountered this a number of times. It gives plenty of room, even
waiting for a clear spot to swerve into the oncoming lane on two lane
roads if needed.
How well does it handle a deer bolting in front of the vehicle from
the side, without warning?
How well do YOU handle it?
I did get hit by a deer once, but it was in a
Suburban, not a Tesla. It slammed into the driver
side door, and left an amazing amount of fur
stuck to the car. I didn't see it until it was
about 10 feet from me.
Here's one video of a Tesla dodging around a deer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWAmZBEK2Wk
Here's a Tesla slowing down before the deer even
enters the road:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30BTkMsHC7w
pt
In article <11107ae$2e9gl$6@dont-email.me>,
Lawrence =?iso-8859-13?q?D=FFOliveiro?= <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:
On Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:43:46 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
But... seeing that most people do not enjoy mindful driving (witness
the number of automatic devices on cars today) I understand the
argument for autonomous operation.
Horses were more automatic than that, weren't they. They often had the >>smarts to figure out where you were going, and you could leave it to
them to get there on their own.
Yes, and I think that a well-behaved horse (not one that will kick and bite >you) is a good model for how an autonomous vehicle should function.
On 6/15/26 15:33, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
-a-a-a-aIndeed! Consider using a motorcycle on highway 1 north of theAt BCFD many, many years ago, we had a guy on a motorcycle try to become
Golden Gate.-a Deer come out the woods close to towns and you have/had
to practice braking. Never hit one though. That is like 50 years ago.
-a-a-a-abliss
BobbieSellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextremeinvalid.com> writes:
On 6/15/26 15:33, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Not just Highway 1. Uvas Road in Santa Clara county is anotherHighway 9 from Saratoga to Santa Cruz, Bear Creek Road, Hwy 236 are all
deer hotspot. The most common areas for deer encounters are I280
through the highlands and Highway 17 over to Santa Cruz.
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind
area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
On 6/15/26 16:50, BobbieSellers wrote:
On 6/15/26 15:33, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/15/2026 12:13 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/14/2026 4:40 AM, Nuno Silva wrote:
[some text deleted, as requested by Ms. Leeper]
At BCFD many, many years ago, we had a guy on a motorcycle try to become
-a-a-a-a-aIndeed! Consider using a motorcycle on highway 1 north of the
Golden Gate.-a Deer come out the woods close to towns and you have/had
to practice braking. Never hit one though. That is like 50 years ago.
-a-a-a-a-abliss
one with a deer. It didn't go well for either of them. The guy lived,
the deer and the motorcycle didn't. One of the Captains took the deer
home and butchered it. He said some of the meat was spoiled, but lots of
it was still good.
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind
area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is
questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind
area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:24:33 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:22:45 -0500, Lynn McGuire wrote:
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
But thatrCOs getting rid of vehicles entirely, and making the roads
themselves the transport mechanism.
WITH their own theme song! I support the creation of the BosWash
Road City.
And as the latest news reports, horses also have their safety issues
...
EVs tend to be extremely quick, and provide a definite adrenaline
rush when you put your foot down.
Evelyn C. Leeper <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> wrote:
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Take it back out! The word is "crepuscular" as in the famous piece "Crepuscule for Nellie."
--scott
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:05:08 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 04:24:33 -0000 (UTC), Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:22:45 -0500, Lynn McGuire wrote:
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
But thatrCOs getting rid of vehicles entirely, and making the roads
themselves the transport mechanism.
WITH their own theme song! I support the creation of the BosWash
Road City.
Kind of neat to have the concept of caf|-s and shops etc in the middle express strip. Gives you something to do while waiting to get to your destination.
I canrCOt recall -- did he have any kind of barriers between different regions of the road? IrCOm wondering how you keep it from getting too
windy in the faster parts. The central sections might even need to be completely enclosed.
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind
area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
On 6/18/26 00:22, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
I remember a short story about a future world where the flow of
traffic became the absolute topmost priority. Everything else had
to give way to that: there were highways in all directions, stacked
level upon level, cutting through high-rise buildings where
necessary.
All designed by Robert Moses, one suspects...
On 6/18/2026 7:17 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
Kind of neat to have the concept of caf|-s and shops etc in the
middle express strip. Gives you something to do while waiting to
get to your
Here's some very early footage from the Paris Exposition in the
1900. They had a two-tier system running at the fair.
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:34:41 -0400, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
On 6/18/26 00:22, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
I remember a short story about a future world where the flow of
traffic became the absolute topmost priority. Everything else had
to give way to that: there were highways in all directions, stacked
level upon level, cutting through high-rise buildings where
necessary.
All designed by Robert Moses, one suspects...
I had no idea who he was -- had to look him up.
Seems he destroyed a predominantly black-populated suburb just to make
way for Central Park ...
On 6/18/2026 5:10 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind >>>> area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
I've encountered deer is residential areas of San Carlos
in the past couple of years.
Here's some very early footage from the Paris Exposition in the 1900.
They had a two-tier system running at the fair.
This clip's been tarted up a bit with sound and colorization, but
gives a flavor of such a system in use. The entire video is an
interesting look at a bygone era.
https://youtu.be/fo_eZuOTBNc?t=297
I have a complaint with the cruise control on my Honda which
increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed going
downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
... I've never been stranded in the middle of an intersection.
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 10:45:45 -0400, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
And as the latest news reports, horses also have their safety issues
...
Absolutely nothing new there. (See also:
Christopher Reeve.) David Nutt (look him up) was
once a UK Government advisor on drug policy. He
got into conflict with the politicians because
he refused to look at the issue as a political
one, but purely as a scientific one, with
decisions to be based on evidence.
For example, he pointed out that taking
Ecstasy/MDMA was about as dangerous (or as safe,
if you prefer) as horse-riding. And then had to
field an angry phone call from some minister
or other who tried to counter by saying that
one was illegal while the other was not.
Which is the essence of circular argument,
is it not?
But I use the cruise control all the time, in 40 km/h zones - school
zones mainly, here in Oz --a it keeps me below the limit without having
to take my eyes from the road that those pesky children are likely to
run out onto.
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:29:15 +1200, Titus G wrote:
I have a complaint with the cruise control on my Honda which
increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed going
downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
Have you tried using a lower gear?
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:04:15 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
EVs tend to be extremely quick, and provide a definite adrenaline
rush when you put your foot down.
Ah, the joys of electricity ... being able to apply maximum torque
from 0 rpm.
A similar thing can still work with an internal-combustion engine, if
the power transmission to the wheels is mediated electrically,
than mechanically.--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
... mediated electrically,
electronically?
On 19/06/2026 14:41, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:29:15 +1200, Titus G wrote:
I have a complaint with the cruise control on my Honda which
increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed going
downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
Have you tried using a lower gear?
Continuously Variable Transmission.
On 16/06/2026 00:47, Gary R. Schmidt wrote:
But I use the cruise control all the time, in 40 km/h zones - school
zones mainly, here in Oz --a it keeps me below the limit without having
to take my eyes from the road that those pesky children are likely to
run out onto.
Unlike Don, I have a problem with the Honda in that if I use the cruise control in town traffic, it is too sensitive and will stop about two car lengths from the car stopped in front at the traffic lights. The
distance adjustment works well on the open road when travelling at twice
the speed.
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:04:15 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
EVs tend to be extremely quick, and provide a definite adrenaline
rush when you put your foot down.
Ah, the joys of electricity ... being able to apply maximum torque
from 0 rpm.
A similar thing can still work with an internal-combustion engine, if
the power transmission to the wheels is mediated electrically,
electronically?
On 6/18/26 18:29, Scott Dorsey wrote:Bing, combined with cut-and-paste, is your friend.
Evelyn C. Leeper <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> wrote:You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still* screwed
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Take it back out! The word is "crepuscular" as in the famous piece
"Crepuscule for Nellie."
--scott
it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. :-(Ah. A write-only medium.
Here's some very early footage from the Paris Exposition in the 1900.
They had a two-tier system running at the fair.
This clip's been tarted up a bit with sound and colorization, but
gives a flavor of such a system in use. The entire video is an
interesting look at a bygone era.
https://youtu.be/fo_eZuOTBNc?t=297
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/2026 5:10 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is >>>>> going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind >>>>> area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it >>>>> jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>>>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell >>>> you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so >>>> they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
I've encountered deer is residential areas of San Carlos
in the past couple of years.
West of the avenue of the fleas[*], I would guess, I280 is only
a hop-skip-and jump away.
[*] Paseo de las Pulgus.
On Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:57:05 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
... I've never been stranded in the middle of an intersection.
Inconsiderate other drivers?
Here in Efc|Efc+, the rule for a full-green signal (i.e. no arrows) is rCLdo not enter the intersection unless your way out is blocked by
*stationary* trafficrCY (my emphasis).
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:04:15 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
EVs tend to be extremely quick, and provide a definite adrenaline
rush when you put your foot down.
Ah, the joys of electricity ... being able to apply maximum torque
from 0 rpm.
A similar thing can still work with an internal-combustion engine, if
the power transmission to the wheels is mediated electrically, rather
than mechanically.
On 6/18/26 10:42, BCFD 36 wrote:
On 6/15/26 16:50, BobbieSellers wrote:
At BCFD many, many years ago, we had a guy on a motorcycle try to-a-a-a-aWhich is why if you ride on however many wheels braking practice is a necessity.
become one with a deer. It didn't go well for either of them. The guy
lived, the deer and the motorcycle didn't. One of the Captains took
the deer home and butchered it. He said some of the meat was spoiled,
but lots of it was still good.
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is
going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind
area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it
jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that
is questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell
you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
On 6/18/26 20:11, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:34:41 -0400, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
On 6/18/26 00:22, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
I remember a short story about a future world where the flow of
traffic became the absolute topmost priority. Everything else had
to give way to that: there were highways in all directions, stacked
level upon level, cutting through high-rise buildings where
necessary.
All designed by Robert Moses, one suspects...
I had no idea who he was -- had to look him up.
Seems he destroyed a predominantly black-populated suburb just to make
way for Central Park ...
No, Central Park predated him by quite a bit; Frederick Olmsted who destroyed Seneca Village in 1857. Moses was the Cross-Bronx Expressway.
On 6/18/26 14:10, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
Maybe that is why the cougars are coming into the towns down
the Peninsula, looking for the deer they should be eating.
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/2026 5:10 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is >>>>> going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind >>>>> area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it >>>>> jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>>>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell >>>> you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so >>>> they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
I've encountered deer is residential areas of San Carlos
in the past couple of years.
West of the avenue of the fleas[*], I would guess, I280 is only
a hop-skip-and jump away.
[*] Paseo de las Pulgus.
On 6/18/2026 8:50 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/2026 5:10 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is >>>>>> going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind >>>>>> area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it >>>>>> jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>>>>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell >>>>> you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so >>>>> they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
I've encountered deer is residential areas of San Carlos
in the past couple of years.
West of the avenue of the fleas[*], I would guess, I280 is only
a hop-skip-and jump away.
[*] Paseo de las Pulgus.
A little further northeast, on Hillcrest.
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still* screwed
it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. EfOU
On 6/18/2026 6:27 PM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:--
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still*
screwed it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. EfOU
Little convoluted but...
Close Thunderbird completely.
Open Thunderbird and go to the menu and select Help > Troubleshooting Information.
Under the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder, click on Open Folder.
In the profile folder that opens, locate the file named persdict.dat.
Open persdict.dat with any basic text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit. Delete, add or modify the word you want, save the file, and restart Thunderbird.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 07:34:41 -0400, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:
On 6/18/26 00:22, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
I remember a short story about a future world where the flow of
traffic became the absolute topmost priority. Everything else had
to give way to that: there were highways in all directions, stacked
level upon level, cutting through high-rise buildings where
necessary.
All designed by Robert Moses, one suspects...
I had no idea who he was -- had to look him up.
Seems he destroyed a predominantly black-populated suburb just to make
way for Central Park ...
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
And mine seems to get the distance right, but I do increase it when
on the open road. :-)
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best
(run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do
best (apply any amount of torque necessary, regardless of actual--
running speed).
That steady thrum as they come past on a level crossing ... you can
just hear the efficiency.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
Lawrence D-|Oliveiro wrote:
Horses were more automatic than that, weren?t they. They often had the >>smarts to figure out where you were going, and you could leave it to
them to get there on their own.
Particularly if it led to the barn and food.
On 6/18/26 15:50, BobbieSellers wrote:Up here, it is hard to say, when reading a headline about cougars
On 6/18/26 14:10, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
[stuff deleted]
Maybe that is why the cougars are coming into the towns down
the Peninsula, looking for the deer they should be eating.
No, they are looking for young guys that they can take home and use as
they will. I know of one cougar bar in Los Gatos. Of course, Los Gatos
also has the 4 footed variety also.
On 6/18/26 17:50, Scott Lurndal wrote:When I was in the Army and stationed in Northern Virginia in 1976 or
Cryptoengineer <petertrei@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/2026 5:10 PM, Scott Lurndal wrote:
"Evelyn C. Leeper" <evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> writes:
On 6/18/26 13:39, BCFD 36 wrote:
My wife has been hit by deer twice. No amount of AI sophistication is >>>>>> going to fix that problem. Both times the beasts came out from a blind >>>>>> area. Maybe if she was doing 10 mph she could have seen it before it >>>>>> jumped off the hillside or came out from behind a tree, but even that is >>>>>> questionable. And once it was dark at the time.
As someone who lives in an area (over-)populated with deer, let me tell >>>>> you that that is when the deer come out. (Well, they are crepusular, so >>>>> they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
(And I just had to add that to Thunderbird's dictionary. Apparently
Mountain View (CA) is not a deer area.)
Definitely not now. 75 years ago, when it was still all
orchards, there were likely deer coming down from the
neighboring Los Altos hills - which still have deer
sightings occasionally.
I've encountered deer is residential areas of San Carlos
in the past couple of years.
West of the avenue of the fleas[*], I would guess, I280 is only
a hop-skip-and jump away.
Deer have been known to hop-skip-jump. I've seen a few pulped deer on
I280 over the years. And possums and raccoons and rabbits.
On 6/18/2026 6:27 PM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:My guess would be to ensure the target file is unlocked and so is
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still* screwed
it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. ?
Little convoluted but...
Close Thunderbird completely.
Open Thunderbird and go to the menu and select Help > Troubleshooting >Information.
Under the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder, click on Open >Folder.
In the profile folder that opens, locate the file named persdict.dat.
Open persdict.dat with any basic text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit. >Delete, add or modify the word you want, save the file, and restart >Thunderbird.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
On 6/18/2026 11:24 PM, Lawrence DAOliveiro wrote:Optimist.
On Sat, 13 Jun 2026 01:57:05 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
... I've never been stranded in the middle of an intersection.
Inconsiderate other drivers?
Here in ??, the rule for a full-green signal (i.e. no arrows) is odo
not enter the intersection unless your way out is blocked by
*stationary* traffico (my emphasis).
'not blocked', surely.....
On 2026-06-20, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best
(run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do
Do you mean the speed at which energy is generated or something else?
On 2026-06-20, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best
(run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do
Do you mean the speed at which energy is generated or something else?
Constant RPM. Electric power generated but not used for traction
or auxiliary power needs is dissipated as heat.
On 6/18/2026 6:27 PM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:What are you doing giving good, accurate, non-derogatory advice on the internet?
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still*
screwed it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. EfOU
Little convoluted but...
Close Thunderbird completely.
Open Thunderbird and go to the menu and select Help > Troubleshooting Information.
Under the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder, click on Open Folder.
In the profile folder that opens, locate the file named persdict.dat.
Open persdict.dat with any basic text editor, such as Notepad or TextEdit. Delete, add or modify the word you want, save the file, and restart Thunderbird.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
In article <3xyZR.6$Rg34.3@fx11.iad>, Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote: >>Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> writes:
On 2026-06-20, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best
(run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do
Do you mean the speed at which energy is generated or something else?
Constant RPM. Electric power generated but not used for traction
or auxiliary power needs is dissipated as heat.
But that's not much loss because the engine doesn't take much fuel to
keep a constant speed when unloaded... as the load increases the fuel
demand goes up.
kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) writes:
In article <3xyZR.6$Rg34.3@fx11.iad>, Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> writes:
On 2026-06-20, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:Do you mean the speed at which energy is generated or something else?
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best >>>>> (run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do >>>>
Constant RPM. Electric power generated but not used for traction
or auxiliary power needs is dissipated as heat.
But that's not much loss because the engine doesn't take much fuel to
keep a constant speed when unloaded... as the load increases the fuel >>demand goes up.
There's also dynamic braking to consider, where the electricity
generated by the traction motors while braking is dissipated as
well. The heat sinks (resistor grids) on those DE locos aren't small.
I was googling around on this subject once, and found that they actually
did make some diesel-only locomotives, but the plethora of gears needed
were too complicated to be really practical. Another interesting fact: >apparently no company building steam locomotives successfully made the >transition to diesel-electric.
On 6/19/26 12:06, Jay Morris wrote:
On 6/18/2026 6:27 PM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:What are you doing giving good, accurate, non-derogatory advice on the internet?
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still*
screwed it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. EfOU
Little convoluted but...
Close Thunderbird completely.
Open Thunderbird and go to the menu and select Help > Troubleshooting
Information.
Under the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder, click on
Open Folder.
In the profile folder that opens, locate the file named persdict.dat.
Open persdict.dat with any basic text editor, such as Notepad or
TextEdit.
Delete, add or modify the word you want, save the file, and restart
Thunderbird.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
Another interesting fact: apparently no company building steam
locomotives successfully made the transition to diesel-electric.
In article <1112kcn$33p5r$4@dont-email.me>, Titus G <noone@nowhere.com> wrote:
On 19/06/2026 11:25, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 12:04:15 -0400, Cryptoengineer wrote:
EVs tend to be extremely quick, and provide a definite adrenaline
rush when you put your foot down.
Ah, the joys of electricity ... being able to apply maximum torque
from 0 rpm.
A similar thing can still work with an internal-combustion engine, if
the power transmission to the wheels is mediated electrically,
electronically?
No, like a diesel-electric locomotive. Some hybrids do this, while others have direct mechanical coupling like a conventional vehicle with electric assist.
--scott
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:32:16 +1200, Titus G wrote:
On 19/06/2026 14:41, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:29:15 +1200, Titus G wrote:
I have a complaint with the cruise control on my Honda which
increases power going uphill but does not restrict speed going
downhill so braking is required which switches off the cruise
control. NZ is a hilly place.
Have you tried using a lower gear?
Continuously Variable Transmission.
Is it Tiptronic -- i.e. has both automatic and manual modes?
I donrCOt think I could ever be happy with a pure automatic
transmission.
On 19/06/2026 15:30, Titus G wrote:
On 16/06/2026 00:47, Gary R. Schmidt wrote:
But I use the cruise control all the time, in 40 km/h zones - school
zones mainly, here in Oz --a it keeps me below the limit without having
to take my eyes from the road that those pesky children are likely to
run out onto.
Unlike Don, I have a problem with the Honda in that if I use the cruise
control in town traffic, it is too sensitive and will stop about two car
lengths from the car stopped in front at the traffic lights. The
distance adjustment works well on the open road when travelling at twice
the speed.
That sounds like Adaptive Cruise Control - as my Octavia has - but which
I suspect to OP(CC) does not have, they just have the ordinary "maintain
this speed" CC.
And mine seems to get the distance right, but I do increase it when on--- Synchronet 3.22a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
the open road.-a :-)
-a-a-a-aCheers,
-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Gary-a-a-a B-)
kludge@panix.com (Scott Dorsey) writes:
In article <3xyZR.6$Rg34.3@fx11.iad>, Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> writes:
On 2026-06-20, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:50:51 -0400 (EDT), Scott Dorsey wrote:Do you mean the speed at which energy is generated or something else?
... like a diesel-electric locomotive.
I like diesel-electric locomotives. The diesel does what it does best >>>>> (run at a nearly constant speed), while the electrics do what they do >>>>
Constant RPM. Electric power generated but not used for traction
or auxiliary power needs is dissipated as heat.
But that's not much loss because the engine doesn't take much fuel to
keep a constant speed when unloaded... as the load increases the fuel
demand goes up.
There's also dynamic braking to consider, where the electricity
generated by the traction motors while braking is dissipated as
well. The heat sinks (resistor grids) on those DE locos aren't small.
On 20/06/2026 05:06, Jay Morris wrote:
[SNIP]
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
IIRC it's to force TB (and therefore BB) to flush the dictionary to disk. *NEVER* believe that something has been written to disk unless you've actually seen the ferrite align!
If I have to fiddle with TB/BB configuration like that I just exit it
and go to the profile directory, but I already know where that is.
-a-a-a-aCheers,
-a-a-a-a-a-a-a Gary-a-a-a B-)
On 6/19/26 12:06, Jay Morris wrote:
On 6/18/2026 6:27 PM, Evelyn C. Leeper wrote:What are you doing giving good, accurate, non-derogatory advice on the internet?
You know, I triple-checked I was spelling it right, and *still*
screwed it up.
I have no idea how to remove a word from the dictionary. EfOU
Little convoluted but...
Close Thunderbird completely.
Open Thunderbird and go to the menu and select Help > Troubleshooting
Information.
Under the Application Basics section, find Profile Folder, click on
Open Folder.
In the profile folder that opens, locate the file named persdict.dat.
Open persdict.dat with any basic text editor, such as Notepad or
TextEdit.
Delete, add or modify the word you want, save the file, and restart
Thunderbird.
The initial close and open is in my notes but I don't remember why it
was actually necessary.
There's also dynamic braking to consider, where the electricity
generated by the traction motors while braking is dissipated as
well. The heat sinks (resistor grids) on those DE locos aren't small.
Scott Lurndal <slp53@pacbell.net> wrote:
There's also dynamic braking to consider, where the electricity
generated by the traction motors while braking is dissipated as
well. The heat sinks (resistor grids) on those DE locos aren't small.
This is the same heat that would be dissipated by mechanical braking,
just in a wider area that makes it easier to get rid of. But hopefully
a train is not doing all that much braking except at stops.
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:22:45 -0500, Lynn McGuire wrote:
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
By the way, seems it wasnrCOt Heinlein who invented this idea.
H.G. Wells is one earlier reference, but not the only one ...
<http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=737>
On 6/21/2026 6:18 PM, Lawrence DrCOOliveiro wrote:
On Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:22:45 -0500, Lynn McGuire wrote:
What about Heinlein's "The Roads Must Roll"?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Roads_Must_Roll
By the way, seems it wasnrCOt Heinlein who invented this idea.
H.G. Wells is one earlier reference, but not the only one ...
<http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/content.asp?Bnum=737>
Elsewhere I linked a 1900 film clip of people riding such a system
at the Paris Exposition.
(Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:11:18 -0400, "Evelyn C. Leeper" ><evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> wrote:
(Well, they are crepusular, so
they start before it's totally dark. And one way to tell if someone
lives in a deer area is whether they use the word "crepusular".)
Also known to fans of the band Phish (which is probably how I learned
the meaning):
https://phish.net/song/wombat/lyrics
"Herbivorous, crepuscular
Cuddly, but muscular"
In article <v3go3ldmt40uokhchtdfqoe57290sit0h9@4ax.com>,
Bice <eichler2@comcast.net> wrote:
In the Skulduggery Pleasant books, Skulduggery's old partner (and
On Thu, 18 Jun 2026 15:11:18 -0400, "Evelyn C. Leeper"
<evelynchimelisleeper@gmail.com> wrote:
(Well, they are crepusular, so they start before it's totally
dark. And one way to tell if someone lives in a deer area is
whether they use the word "crepusular".)
Also known to fans of the band Phish (which is probably how I
learned the meaning):
https://phish.net/song/wombat/lyrics
"Herbivorous, crepuscular
Cuddly, but muscular"
current, mostly evil, mentor to Omen Darkly) was Crepuscular Vies.
Mind you, he chose that. For some reason.
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