Smarter cars?

[slabghost]

I've been seeing more support for delinquent drivers these days. Anti lock brakes started it years ago so idiots wouldn't need the skill to operate brakes. Then they made cars that can parallel park. Now mercedes supposedly has some kind of avoidance system. I'll have to slow my push of the mute button to learn more.
I wonder if this is a reaction of the industry to dumber people? So many I see on the judge shows and around town can't even speak American English. Some of my favorites-
I axed him to---- Well that sounds painful.
I borrowed him da money.... Huh?

And this is the only language these people ever heard! Is there some kind of contest with a fantastic prize for who can be the stupidest?
Post your comments on smart cars or dumb people here. This should be entertaining. :smilie_happy:

 

[detdrbuzzard]

the auto industry may be making dumber drivers but don't worry you will not be able to afford one of those new smart cars. i hear that the new focus will cost $20,000 or more

 

[joedrum]

people are diffinitly dummer....icant beleave how stupid america gotten ....look what the gov has done ...and people thaink they live in the land of the free ...it couldnt be more opposite..... :sensored: :head bang: :doh: :mrgreen:

 

[dan filipi]

As cars get smarter (ha) they get more and more complex electronics stacked on. Less and less You and I can fix!
I think that's all part of the master plan. My van and Suburban are pretty dumb but I'm afraid to touch anything
fearing I could blow a $2000 computer or make the muffler bearings pop out!

I saw that Mercedes on Top Gear. It will brake itself to a stop with proximity sensors.
I think that's dumb because all the even dumber people out there will get used to trusting the damn thing then what happens, get into a dumber car and that dumbaxx will take out a motorcycle or pedestrians.

We don need no stinking smart cars!

 

[WindNWing]

Some would say vehicles have been getting smarter for a long time. When I was a junior in high school I learned to drive on a friends old 1 ton flat bed farm truck.
Un-synchronized four speed on the floor (required double clutching), hydraulic brakes (a fantastic improvement over mechanical brakes) and no power anything.
After a good 6 months of this I finally got my learners permit..... :yahoo:
Dad (unaware that I already knew how to drive) was going to teach me how to drive in his new Chevy Nova , power steering, brakes and automatic transmission, which I could drive in my sleep. I did my best to fake it with jerky starts and stops (some jerky stops were not planned due to the power brakes) and wandering back and fourth in the lane.
When we got home after the first lesson, he just said, “you learned to drive the quickest of anyone I’ve ever seen” :smilie_happy:

shhhhh....

 

[scdmarx]

These things are actually consumer driven. The car manufacturers will simply cash in on it. This particular feature will start with a high end import for those with more money than sense, just so they can show the rest of their circle they have the newest whiz-bang option. As a marketing strategy it will become standard equipment, and pushed as a safety device. Then the soccer moms will do back flips when they discover they too can have this "safety" on their mini vans.
Eventually this will become..."what? you mean this car has no accident avoidance system? :ahem: I wouldn't buy this car for MY kid!"
And no matter how much it costs, you know the insurance companies are gonna offer a $5 discount if the car is equipped.

 

[slabghost]

These things are actually consumer driven. The car manufacturers will simply cash in on it. This particular feature will start with a high end import for those with more money than sense, just so they can show the rest of their circle they have the newest whiz-bang option. As a marketing strategy it will become standard equipment, and pushed as a safety device. Then the soccer moms will do back flips when they discover they too can have this "safety" on their mini vans.
Eventually this will become..."what? you mean this car has no accident avoidance system? :ahem: I wouldn't buy this car for MY kid!"
And no matter how much it costs, you know the insurance companies are gonna offer a $5 discount if the car is equipped.

I couldn't say it better than that! Unfortunately that just reinforces the new "right" to be stupid. Ya gotta buy this if you really care for your loved ones. Is it really so desireable to be with stupid?

 

[joedrum]

when you need something realy spelled out ....ron to the rescue.... :hihihi: :ahem: :mrgreen:

 

[mcgovern61]

Don't think it is limited to cars! My older brother is able to afford a fairly expensive boat (go figure, I am the Licensed Captain and he gets the boat???? :cheeky: ) He bought a twin engine 42' Sea Ray with a special controls system. The propellers are actually podded drives that turn 360 degrees. Normally, the operator would have to learn how to steer the vessel and manuoever with both engines with a combination of forward and reverse moves to dock the vessel. His boat has a Zeus drive control system which uses a single joystick to control the boat in every direction including speed. It is a computer control that takes all of the skill needed to run a boat and allows anyone to drive a boat and dock a boat like a professional (supposedly). The boat still has the dual engine and clutch controllers, but he only uses the joystick. I asked him, "what would you do if the joystick controller fails?" He said that "they have a great track record and he isn't worried about that!"

I reminded him that "I have been running boats of all shapes, sizes and tonnage for more than 30 years and I can assure you, the joystick drive controller will fail." In that circumstance, he would actually have to drive the boat manually. He said, "that is impossible...do you know how hard it would be if I had to use both engines manually????....I will just call someone to come get us!"

Spoken like a true Old Salt! (BTW...I did not offer to be the one to come get him....I can't afford a boat! :smilie_happy: )

 

[dan filipi]

Call me a woos but if I were to go out to sea with my own boat I'd want to know EVERYTHING about the boat to get home in case of ANY failure!
Couldn't imagine it any other way.

 

[slabghost]

Call me a woos but if I were to go out to sea with my own boat I'd want to know EVERYTHING about the boat to get home in case of ANY failure!
Couldn't imagine it any other way.

I feel the same way about every vehicle. If you know your machine you can often make do with what is left after trouble arises. At least far enough to get help. :good:

 

[sledge]

to me thats kinda like using a Calculator .....if you use one a while you get to the point you don't trust yourself WITHOUT It. just think about a 16 year old that lets the car park for them..........then....... they drive a car that THEY have to Park theirself.

 

[Flinx]

to me thats kinda like using a Calculator .....if you use one a while you get to the point you don't trust yourself WITHOUT It. just think about a 16 year old that lets the car park for them..........then....... they drive a car that THEY have to Park theirself.

Hehehe that reminds me when I was last at the MOT (Ministry of Transportation), I was watching some young bucks take their parallel parking etc testing before they went on the road test. I almost died laughing at one point watching one trying to parallel park one of them new Austin Mini's, 10 minutes at least before he got it in there and he still failed by being to far from the curb. Best part was listening to his buddies saying "Why do we even need to know how to parallel park?", at that point I did fall on my ass trying to catch my breath then I realized he was serious. Stopped laughing real quick then The only thing I could think of then was dear god let him fail too as I DON'T want him on the same roads I drive on.

 

[slabghost]

Unfortunately they do pass and are on the roads around us. I took my drivers test in a 69 Cadillac Sedan Deville. Try parallel parking that street yacht! :smilie_happy:

 

[Flinx]

Unfortunately they do pass and are on the roads around us. I took my drivers test in a 69 Cadillac Sedan Deville. Try parallel parking that street yacht! :smilie_happy:

I could do it, I drove a LTD Station wagon for a bit, thats past street yacht into aircraft carrier territory :smilie_happy:
But yeah thats a big boat of a car as well.
Oldest son was practicing parking cause I and his Mom told him he couldn't even think of going for his test till he could park perfectly almost gave up till I parked my Flatbed with a F250 dually on the hook beside him. Walked up to him while his jaw was still on the ground and said "If you think parking that Cougar is tough try what I just did, now get back in that car and do it right!" He didn't get it right (about 3 or 4 more tries later) but after that not once did he ever question me or his mom on why we made him practice so much before trying for his test.

 

[scdmarx]

There are some people who cannot parallel park, and they never will. They just can't put it together in their head.

 

[AApple]

:fiddle:
Mama always said Stoopid is as Stoopid does....

I been readin up on some new crap they're putting in cars now TO KEEP THE DRIVER AWAKE. :headscratch: What the h :sensored: l?
If you cain't stay awake, get the hell out from behind the dang wheel....don't depend on your friggin CAR to wake you up, like an old Cheek & Chong routine....
The new systems will first make a chiming noise, and then it will start, now stay with me here ya'll.... it will start SHAKING THE STEERING WHEEL in your hands. Now THAT, my friends, is intelligence. Sure...go ahead and shake the ONE thing that needs to stay steady while driving down the road @ 75-80 mph....sounds like a great idea, yeah?
Friggin boneheads.... :rant: :rtfm: :sensored:

 

[BigAndrew]

Sure...go ahead and shake the ONE thing that needs to stay steady while driving down the road @ 75-80 mph....sounds like a great idea, yeah?
Friggin boneheads.... :rant: :rtfm: :sensored:

They could always have the car stomp on the brakes to wake you up instead... :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:
But then the seat would have to auto clean itself after you shat your pants :mrgreen:

 

[slabghost]

:smilie_happy: :Egyptian: :smilie_happy: Honest officer I wasn't trying to get rear ended! :smilie_happy: :smilie_happy:

 

[sledge]

I saw a TV show about how cars in the future are gonna drive you where you want to go. Ain't that gonna be a Blast to Drive...... :smilie_happy: