Why Self-driving Cars Won't Catch On

Random thoughts during this morning's ride, inspired by observation of  typical US driving habits...

i believe that the self-driving car will never be popular in the USA. Here's my short-list of reasons:

The Auto-piloted car will:

1) always drive the posted speed limit,

2) come to a complete stop at every stop sign at all times,

3) accelerate smoothly and gradually from a complete stop (no "jack-rabbit" starts,)

4) not pull sudden U-turns,

5) never drag race the auto-pilot car in the next lane,

6) never go around a lowered railroad gate.


i am convinced that no American driver will tolerate these operational conditions and limitations, especially when it comes to speed limits and stop signs.

Add to that the costs of adding reliable infrastructure and technology to major US highways and arterial roads to support/guide these vehicles. i don't have a real big picture of American taxpayers footing that bill to improve even the most important major roadways, and forget about all the rest of the country's barely driveable roads and streets.

i think we'll be looking at a modern, high-tech version of the Edsel.

Really Big Gears!

Saw this bike yesterday while on my ride:

Classic Old School speed machine!

The owner told me that it was a 68(!) tooth ring. The inner ring looked like maybe a 62, but he wasn't sure himself. i forgot to ask who built the frameset, but was told it was titanium and about 25-30 years old. The original fork was replaced with a Kestrel carbon unit. It appeared that the rear brake was fitted to an adapter mounted on cantilever studs. Given the generous clearances, i wonder if it was originally built for cyclocross?

Jacques Anquetil would be envious... T.A. rings, 225mm Bullseye crank arms. Minimal ground clearance!

The rider had just come in from riding a rather rolling circuit. Looked like he had a 13-25 freewheel mounted. i asked how he got up those hills, and he said basically that he just takes a good run at them. i couldn't imaging turning over that windmill crank at any speed under 25mph! It reminded me of pictures i'd seen of the time trialists  in the old British cycling magazines, back when road racing there almost exclusively consisted of 25 and 50 mile TTs.

The guy was probably about my age or so, meaning late middle aged. As i get older my choice of the big rings has gone from 53, to 52, to 48, down to 46T... i have a bit of envy for a fellow whose knees and leg muscles can still turn over those gears!

If i encounter this rider and machine again (and it will probably be in the parking lot as there's no way i'd catch him on the road!), i'll try to take more pics of this unique bike. If you have an idea as to its origins/builder, pass them along? Thanks! 

Oh-for-Four

Last Saturday i made an attempt at a 300k rando. i've attempted that distance three times before. Only once was i able to complete the distance, but that time finished two hours over the time limit. i came to the realisation sometime around the seven and a half hour mark that i was not fit enough to face the coming hills and the rising heat. After turning around, i felt almost no pressure to make any kind of speed on the return trip, except that i really wanted to get back to Delavan before Brody Beef (-the best italian beef sandwich and fries north of the Illinois border,) closed. Didn't make it... sigh.

Still hoping to get a longer ride done sometime... the next 300 attempt will be next year. Meanwhile, i'll be content to plug away at 200's as perhaps the Slowest Randonneur in the Midwest.

Update

Charles E. Pickett, 50, of Battle Creek, Michigan, has been charged with five counts of  Second-degree Felony Murder in the deaths of the cyclists near Kalamazoo last Tuesday evening.

In my humble opinion, it's about friggin' time a prosecutor took such incidents seriously.

We will wait to see if these charges get pleaded down. ( i have to wonder, is there such a thing as misdemeanor murder?)