[nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets

Fri Apr 12 17:14:32 UTC 2013

So often some of us are held fast by reliance of tefchnology which 
more often than not malfunctions. I have found it much more 
meaningful depending not on technology that can (and 
does)  malfunction, leaving blinkie at a loss, and notions of 
independence in a state of free fall. but people instead. 
Independence accorded me by technology is still, as I see it, a 
litttle fake. Don need to make sure you have a back up system in the car, or a
>default systemin case the computer breaks down.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>sandersj6 at att.net
>Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 9:25 AM
>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
>
>Hi,
>I would as well.
>I'm 27 years of age and it takes me an hour to get to where I'm going on the
>city bus.
>And having to stand outside in the cold weather in the winter isn't good.
>I would take a Google car over the city bus.
>Sincerely,
>John Sanders
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Suzanne Germano
>Sent: Friday, April 12, 2013 8:54 AM
>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
>
>I would drive one of these in a heartbeat. I hate the bus! I am 49 and have
>been riding the bus since I was 12. I am frustrated it takes me 2 or more
>hours to get somewhere that takes 20-30 minutes by car. And this has been
>both in San Diego and Phoenix with buses running every 20-30 minutes I
>almost always end up with 2 hour trips each way.  It is frustrating to only
>be able to apply to a company who is on a bus route. I want the freedom to
>work where I would enjoy myself the most and with the position that matches
>my skill best. I also live in Phoenix (for now) and by the time I get
>anywhere I am dripping in sweat. that is not good when going to work. Give
>me a Google car!!
>
>
>On Fri, Apr 12, 2013 at 4:09 AM, christopher nusbaum <
>dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > Kirt,
> >
> > I agree with you. Before we make any judgments on the Google car, we
> > must remember that it is still in the planning stages and that  all
> > Google cars that have been tested so far are no more than prototypes.
> > This is evidenced by the need for the Google car to be taken over by
> > human driver when it pulls off the highway, as the story which someone
> > reposted here mentioned.
> >
> > Carly, we must also take into account that some blind people don't
> > live in areas where public transportation is easily available, such as
> > Boston or New York City. I, for instance, live in a semi rural town in
> > Maryland, where our only options For public transportation are
> > paratransit and a cab service. As you can imagine, neither of these
> > options are preferable Because of the cost if not the reliability. For
> > this reason, I would love the independence that the Google car might
> > give me in this area.
> >
> > Just my thoughts,
> >
> > Chris Nusbaum
> >
> > Sent from my iPhone
> >
> > On Apr 12, 2013, at 2:41 AM, Kirt Manwaring <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Patrick,
> > >  If it's time they want, I'm willing to give it.  I hope you're
> > > right; we'll have to wait and see.  I guess my only point was that
> > > this thing isn't right around the corner; while it's realistically
> > > viable now, it's still probably a long ways off before we'll be able
> > > to drive.  Where the Google car is now is probably comparable to where
> > > the internet was thirty or so years ago; people could see the
> > > possibilities, it was realistic and people "in the know" were probably
> > > aware it was coming...but it still had a long way to go before it was
> > > viable to the general public.
> > >  And, Patrick, you're probably right that airplane pilots don't have
> > > to manually control the plane very much between takeoff and landing.
> > > Still, I can almost guarantee you they are paying very close attention
> > > in the event something goes wrong.
> > >  Carley,
> > >  I don't really see anything inherently wrong or undesirable about
> > > driving.  In most places it is probably more efficient than public
> > > transport.  Of course there are exceptions; New York city comes to
> > > mind, for instance.  Still, living where I do now, I would totally
> > > jump on the chance to drive if I could and it were realistic and safe,
> > > at least most of the time.  That being said, it's far enough away that
> > > I'm definitely not going to stop riding my busses and trains any time
> > > soon.
> > >  Best,
> > > Kirt
> > >
> > > On 4/10/13, Justin Williams <Justin.Williams at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >> Count me in.  I'm driving.   No wait; not driving, driven.
> > >>
> > >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carly
> > >> Mihalakis
> > >> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 11:33 PM
> > >> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list; National
> > >> Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
> > >>
> > >> Hi, List,
> > >>
> > >> On the other hand, for my whole life I have watched sighted folk seem
> > >> to agonize over so much turmoil, and hostility toward their fellow
> > >> man, as they drive. I have always been grateful not having that crap
> > >> to contend with. Besides, I am not confident about chances of ever
> > >> affording such a car. And, I don't care about the principles personal
> > >> cars supposedly afford. Where can they take you that a bus, train, or
> > >> friend/driver cannot?
> > >>  Ultimately, i believe traveling from point A to point B, oughta be
> > >> a communal affair. Leave the driving to ol' Sighty!
> > >> So no, on the car!
> > >> Car At 06:23 PM 4/11/2013, Sophie Trist wrote:
> > >>> I can't wait to see these Google cars come out. It will be a major
> > >>> milestone in the independence and assimulation of blind people in
> > >>> sighted society. My only worry is that the sighties won't trust us
> > >>> to drive, even (maybe especially) if the car was
> > >>> computer-controlled. Even my boyfriend, who is blind, says he will
> > >>> never trust a self-propelled car. Our trouble will be convincing
> > >>> them that it's safe for us and for others on the road.
> > >>>
> > >>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>> From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
> > >>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> > >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > >>> Date sent: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 14:02:08 -0700
> > >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
> > >>>
> > >>> Hello,
> > >>> The reason why the Google Car is Superior is because it is already
> > going
> > >>> mainstream, it has a major company behind it and there is nothing
> > >>> wrong
> > >> with
> > >>> backing both cars.
> > >>> The big debate will be if people want to drive under their own control
> > or
> > >>> a
> > >>> computers. It is not unlike reading Braille or using a screen reader
> > >>> to
> > >> read
> > >>> a book. Braille is all fine and dandy, but a screen reader is very
> > >>> important. The difference is the Google car is going mainstream and
> > will
> > >>> have mainstream support. It would be the same if Jaws went mainstream
> > and
> > >>> companies like Google started making units that used Jaws and no
> > screen.
> > >>> Braille would be useful, but not particularly necessary for most
> > >>> common
> > >>> tasks.
> > >>> If one used a car on city roads and highways, there would be very
> > little
> > >>> or
> > >>> no need to manually drive. If one wanted to map a long driveway or
> > country
> > >>> road, one would need to manually drive it till the road could be
> > >>> completely
> > >>> entered into the database.
> > >>> Thanks,
> > >>>
> > >>> Brandon Keith Biggs
> > >>> -----Original Message-----
> > >>> From: Sophie Trist
> > >>> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 1:37 PM
> > >>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
> > >>>
> > >>> Brandon, I totally 100% agree!!! However, didn't the NFB invent a
> > >>> self-propelled car of sorts? If so, it might be hard to convince
> > >>> them to back the Google car unless we can prove theirs is
> > >>> superior.
> > >>>
> > >>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>> From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
> > >>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
> > >>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> > >>> Date sent: Thu, 11 Apr 2013 10:05:01 -0700
> > >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
> > >>>
> > >>> Hello,
> > >>> Yes in a way, the logistics of liability still need to be taken
> > >>> into account
> > >>> I'm sure and licensing probably still needs to be worked out, but
> > >>> if the
> > >>> government officials are pushed, it will happen very soon.
> > >>> I think the NFB should push for these quite hard. Perhaps they
> > >>> could even
> > >>> ask that a car come to the convention, I think Google would take
> > >>> the
> > >>> challenge.
> > >>> Thanks,
> > >>>
> > >>> Brandon Keith Biggs
> > >>> -----Original Message-----
> > >>> From: Justin Young
> > >>> Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 9:13 AM
> > >>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> > >>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Google car takes to the streets
> > >>>
> > >>> So does this mean these vehicles will soon be on the market for
> > >>> individuals to purchase in Nevada?  Sounds like a very
> > >>> interesting
> > >>> project.
> > >>>
> > >>> On 4/11/13, Robert William Kingett <kingettr at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >>> Google's self-driven cars will soon be appearing on Nevada roads
> > >>> after
> > >>> the state's Department of Motor Vehicles approved on Monday the
> > >>> nation's
> > >>> first autonomous vehicle license.
> > >>>
> > >>> The move came after officials rode along on drives on highways,
> > >>> in
> > >>> Carson City neighborhoods and along the famous Las Vegas Strip,
> > >>> the
> > >>> Nevada DMV said in a statement.
> > >>>
> > >>> The Nevada legislature last year authorized self-driven cars for
> > >>> the
> > >>> state's roads, the first such law in the United States. That law
> > >>> went
> > >>> into effect on March 1, 2012.
> > >>>
> > >>> Google's self-driven cars rely on video cameras, radar sensors,
> > >>> lasers,
> > >>> and a database of information collected from manually driven
> > >>> cars to
> > >>> help navigate, according to the company.
> > >>>
> > >>> The DMV licensed a Toyota Prius that Google modified with its
> > >>> experimental driver-less technology, developed by Stanford
> > >>> professor and
> > >>> Google Vice President Sebastian Thrun.
> > >>>
> > >>> Google's self-driving cars have crossed the Golden Gate Bridge
> > >>> and
> > >>> driven along the picturesque Pacific Coast Highway, according to
> > >>> the
> > >>> company.
> > >>>
> > >>> Autonomous vehicles are the "car of the future," Nevada DMV
> > >>> director
> > >>> Bruce Breslow said in a statement. The state also has plans to
> > >>> eventually license autonomous vehicles owned by the members of
> > >>> the
> > >>> public, the DMV said.
> > >>>
> > >>> Legislation to regulate autonomous cars is being considered in
> > >>> other
> > >>> states, including Google's home state of California.
> > >>>
> > >>> "The vast majority of vehicle accidents are due to human error.
> > >>> Through
> > >>> the use of computers, sensors and other systems, an autonomous
> > >>> vehicle
> > >>> is capable of analyzing the driving environment more quickly and
> > >>> operating the vehicle more safely," California state Senator
> > >>> Alex
> > >>> Padilla said in March when he introduced that state's autonomous
> > >>> car
> > >>> legislation.
> > >>>
> > >>> Other car companies are also seeking self-driven car licenses in
> > >>> Nevada,
> > >>> the DMV said.
> > >>>
> > >>>
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