Thread: They're here...
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Old 10-15-10 | 07:17 AM
  #98  
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SBRDude
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Originally Posted by kludgefudge
If these hypothetical vehicles weren't significantly advanced enough to operate safely in the presence of bicycles, they wouldn't be safe enough to operate in the presence of pedestrians.
My point is philosophical and addresses the issue of whether or not the requirement for all vehicles to be automated would be an acceptable tradeoff for the inability for people to drive manually if they wanted to. If at some point in the future it can be clearly demonstrated that society is significantly safer with automated vehicles, then this issue will likely become a matter of public debate about whether or not people should have the right to drive their own vehicles. As cyclists, its easy for us to say "no manual" mode, but there are drivers who consider driving a pleasure, just as there are cyclists who consider cycling to be more than just a means of transportation, and as such I am simply asking the cycling community here how they would feel about giving up their bikes for the greater good of increased public safety IF the situation ever arose that car automation could only work without cyclists. It's a hypothetical situation created to show that there are tradeoffs that would meet with strong opposition from anyone who travels the roads for pleasure.
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