By Dan Barber
I have just learned that new technology will make cars able
to talk to one another to avoid accidents on the roads.
But, what if it leads to noise pollution as in increased
honking, cars screaming expletives at other cars and the mass screeching of tires
on cars trying to avoid a “dumb” old car cutting them all off?
An option on these new smart cars will be a giant finger
that can pop up from the roof of the communicating car.
When I was in the fifth grade I read a story that in the
future cars would be able to drive themselves. Passengers could just sit back
and read, take a nap or now text or talk on their cell phones. At the time I
found that unrealistic and still do.
It would make more sense to install fast moving conveyor
belts for people to ride on like they do at some airports… but even those can
cause accidents. I’ve seen people running down those conveyor belts at airports
trying to get to their gate quicker and tripping over the baggage that an old
person set down next to them. Also, as one of those old people I now walk
slower then the airport conveyor belts and some escalators move … I have to
take a running start before I can use them, and that can be a funny picture to
a young person.
For nearly a half a century Los Angeles
and surrounding suburbs enjoyed the use of electric rail cars to move them
into, out of and around Los Angeles .
Then some “brilliant” (oil company and parking lot owner connected) community
planners invented freeways so people could conveniently drive their personal
vehicles into, out of and around Los
Angeles . Then a half a century later some “brilliant”
(environmental activists connected) planners thought it would be a better idea
to establish rail lines to move people into, out of and around Los Angeles ! Add to this mix the “brilliant”
(Silicon technology connected) planners coming up with an idea so drivers can
text and talk on communications devices, eat and drink while safely riding in
an electric vehicle that can talk to other electric vehicles while traveling
into, out of and around Los Angeles .
The new highlight of the nightly “Eye Witless News” cast
from Los Angeles won’t be the high speed car chase, it will be the aerial video of a person suffering from road rage beating the crap out of their own “smart,
electric” car next to the 101 freeway.
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