Human Paper is like Fly Paper, but Bigger

Forums: News, Technology, Self-Driving Cars, Pedestrian Flypaper
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Google patents pedestrian flypaper for self-driving cars
http://www.theverge.com/2016/5/19/11711738/google-self-driving-cars-patent-sticky-flypaper
"THE ADHESIVE BONDS THE PEDESTRIAN TO THE VEHICLE"

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Type: Discussion • Score: 4 • Views: 769 • Replies: 15

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@edgarblythe,

Very interesting idea. We live in interesting times!

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Would the egg shell over the fly paper also break during a hail storm, or if you brush against tree branches or something? What about a bird, or even a big insect that you hit going highway speed?

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@chai2,

I didn't say I like the idea. I can't see it lasting long, after the first lawsuit for some mishap is filed.

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@edgarblythe,

they're about to interview someone on CBC radio about this

edit ...

5:38 podcast

clickety click link

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Quote:

"So, not every bug or stick becomes affixed to the hood," explains Walker Smith. "Only in an abrasive impact would that coating break — revealing the adhesive that ultimately keeps the pedestrian stuck."

In a statement to As it Happens, a spokesperson from Google said, "We hold patents on a variety of ideas — some of those ideas later mature into real products or services, some don't. Prospective product announcements should not necessarily be inferred from our patents."

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@chai2,

Related to people getting hit by a SDC.

I've owned a Prius for about 3 months now, and I really love it, except for one thing.

On an average of once a week at least, adult pedestrians (never children) simply wander into the road in front of my car when it's in electric mode.

Each time it happens, I'm amazed. Isn't this the first thing your mother taught you to do when you were old enough to walk down a sidewalk? Look both ways?

Once the person was close enough that I actually had to slam on the brakes, screeching tires. That stopped him. Shocked

I've heard how people think they should put some kind of device making a sound on the car, so the visually impaired can hear a prius coming. Never mind that, so anyone can hear you coming.

I believe if people can so quickly forget to look for cars unless they can hear a motor, they will just as quickly think "Those self driving cars won't hit me. They know to stop."

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@edgarblythe,

edgarblythe wrote:

I didn't say I like the idea. I can't see it lasting long, after the first lawsuit for some mishap is filed.

Oh I wasn't arguing, just thinking of potential issues.

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@chai2,

chai2 wrote:

they will just as quickly think "Those self driving cars won't hit me. They know to stop."

people are stupid

I worked for a trucking insurer for quite a while. People would straight-faced tell me that they thought a transport could stop faster than a car - bigger vehicle, bigger brakes - and that's why they thought it was safe to cut off a transport on the highway.

idiots

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@chai2,

No. No argument. Something about forums makes non arguments seem like arguments a lot of the time. I am looking to get away from that.

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@edgarblythe,

Quote:

," says the patent, adding that this prevents secondary impact between the pedestrian and the road surface or other object."

Yeah, it's also a neat way to collect and display trophies.

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I have never noticed a sound coming from the street level trains in Houston. Maybe that is why they have lots of accidents.

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@roger,

I can think of at least one awful case I worked on that might not have been so horrid if there had been human glue strips.

A guy was jay-walking, hit by one car, tossed into the air, landed on another car, slid off, driven over by a third car. Because he was jay-walking, he was found at fault so not a lot of coverage was available. The basic $3.5 million doesn't go far with the kind of injuries he received.

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@roger,

roger wrote:

Quote:
," says the patent, adding that this prevents secondary impact between the pedestrian and the road surface or other object."

Yeah, it's also a neat way to collect and display trophies.

That reminds me of a 50s theatrical cartoon, of a car with a glass bottom, allowing the driver to see if the pedestrian just run over has a familiar face.

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@edgarblythe,

edgarblythe wrote:

I have never noticed a sound coming from the street level trains in Houston. Maybe that is why they have lots of accidents.

Also maybe because what Beth said. People are stupid.

When I worked in Ft Lauderdale, every day I had to cross railroad tracks that were downtown. There were traffic signals all over too of course. At one particularly bad light, there was room for maybe 2 car lengths at the light before the tracks. I don't know how many times that third car would just pull up and sit there on the track. Even worse, most of the time the 4th car would just pull right up behind the car on the track, blocking that car in. My heart would be in my throat when that happened. I would sit there terrified the train signal would start.

Are most of the accidents with the trains with cars, or pedestrians?

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Are most of the accidents with the trains with cars, or pedestrians?

Seems about equal. Last one I noticed was with a Police car.

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Human Paper is like Fly Paper, but Bigger

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