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Robots in your bike lane, coming soon

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Robots in your bike lane, coming soon

Old 07-15-19, 05:23 PM
  #1  
Chinghis
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Robots in your bike lane, coming soon

Well, hopefully not. But The Verge reports that a startup has recently unveiled plans to develop delivery robots for the last mile that use bike lanes instead of sidewalks. Because we obviously have even less political clout than pedestrians. I already have an issue with the e-boarders, uniwheel guys, random parked cars, etc. in bike lanes. Sure, let's add robots that may or may not see the primary users of the lane. Heck, we don't even know how well driverless cars are going to interact with us.

Last edited by Chinghis; 07-15-19 at 05:24 PM. Reason: Typos, as always
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Old 07-15-19, 07:13 PM
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Slightspeed
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What happens when a driverless car runs over an e-robot delivery thing?
E-Rage?

Is there an app that calls an e-cop to sort it out?
An e-doctor?
An e-lawyer?

Oh, the humanity!
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Old 07-15-19, 07:17 PM
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Hmm... delivery-bot bike polo!
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Old 07-15-19, 08:49 PM
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Already here in my town, already a problem. I haven't hit one yet but they're fidgety and unpredictable. They don't always keep to their side, they break down... They sit at crossings forever and take up all the space whilst doing so, because they sit between the yellow posts we have at every crossing (pictured)...

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Old 07-15-19, 08:55 PM
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And we need these things ... WHY? 😡

What about the "no motorized vehicle rule" on bike paths?
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Old 07-15-19, 09:05 PM
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How fast do these puppies move? I wouldn't complain if I could get a good 25MPH draft...

I'd be really surprised to see these things last more than a week or two before disgruntled cyclists start flipping them upside down and leaving them on the sidewalks or disgruntled drivers start mowing them down.
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Old 07-15-19, 10:22 PM
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Don't worry about it yet. They are only allowing them in civilized countries. If they started using those things her the druggies and the homeless would scrap them and sell the parts off. Her meaning California.
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Old 07-16-19, 04:36 AM
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Originally Posted by wipekitty
How fast do these puppies move? I wouldn't complain if I could get a good 25MPH draft...

I'd be really surprised to see these things last more than a week or two before disgruntled cyclists start flipping them upside down and leaving them on the sidewalks or disgruntled drivers start mowing them down.
E-turtles!

-Matt
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Old 07-16-19, 04:59 AM
  #9  
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Pretty sure the only way these would be legal on most American bike paths is if they put pedals on them or have disabled people riding them.

Seriously, if motor rules aren't made very clear, there's some urban paths that could essentially turn them into commercial delivery routes. For example, pedal assist rules currently limit speed, but so far no regulation of weight, which is inviting to heavy cargo bikes.
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Old 07-16-19, 05:27 AM
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Originally Posted by MattTheHat
E-turtles!

-Matt
Tip them over like turtles and see how far they get.
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Old 07-16-19, 05:28 AM
  #11  
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Originally Posted by Rick
Don't worry about it yet. They are only allowing them in civilized countries. If they started using those things her the druggies and the homeless would scrap them and sell the parts off. Her meaning California.
Pretty much my take also. I fail to see how they, or their potentially valuable continents would be protected. They sound like a solution in search of a problem.
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Old 07-16-19, 05:29 AM
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Originally Posted by Slightspeed
And we need these things ... WHY? 😡
Haven't you seen the film WALL-E?
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Old 07-16-19, 05:39 AM
  #13  
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Haven't you seen the film WALL-E?
Ha, missed it, thanks. Must have been otherwise preoccupied back in 2008.
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Old 07-16-19, 05:49 AM
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Originally Posted by bobwysiwyg
Ha, missed it, thanks. Must have been otherwise preoccupied back in 2008.
It's set in the future. People have become too fat and lazy to do anything for themselves. They move around on hover lounge chairs, watch TV and eat.

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Old 07-16-19, 05:59 AM
  #15  
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What do you guys who love Continental tires so much think of Continental's robot system?

It is an autonomous vehicle which spews lots of little robots.



Still gonna buy Continental bike tires after these things start rolling?


-Tim-
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Old 07-16-19, 06:24 AM
  #16  
eja_ bottecchia
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Originally Posted by MikeyMK
Already here in my town, already a problem. I haven't hit one yet but they're fidgety and unpredictable. They don't always keep to their side, they break down... They sit at crossings forever and take up all the space whilst doing so, because they sit between the yellow posts we have at every crossing (pictured)...

There is something sad about that picture, the little bot, like a kid, waiting until it is safe to cross the street.

There will be a bot in your future. My son teaches robotics and is the coach of the school’s robotics tean.

It has been a long time since Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics.
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Old 07-16-19, 06:37 AM
  #17  
eja_ bottecchia
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Originally Posted by Slightspeed
... What about the "no motorized vehicle rule" on bike paths?
The future is here.

Does that rule apply to e-bikes as well? It should.
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Old 07-16-19, 07:22 AM
  #18  
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Originally Posted by wipekitty
I'd be really surprised to see these things last more than a week or two before disgruntled cyclists start flipping them upside down and leaving them on the sidewalks or disgruntled drivers start mowing them down.
Took the words right out of my ... keyboard.

Or treat them like dogs and hit it in the camera with the contents of a water bottle. Containing something sticky and salty.
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Old 07-16-19, 07:57 AM
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indyfabz
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Originally Posted by TimothyH
What do you guys who love Continental tires so much think of Continental's robot system?

It is an autonomous vehicle which spews lots of little robots.



Still gonna buy Continental bike tires after these things start rolling?


-Tim-
Yes.
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Old 07-16-19, 08:24 AM
  #20  
indyfabz
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Meet Marty. He works for a regional grocery store chain roaming the aisles looking for spills, which he then alerts management to. The day I met Marty he was slowly spinning around in the same space not doing much of anything. So in that respect he was much like some of the human employees. That aside, he's a robot that works at a grocery store. Let that sink in.

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Old 07-16-19, 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by indyfabz
Tip them over like turtles and see how far they get.
E-zactly!

-Matt
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Old 07-16-19, 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Slightspeed
What happens when a driverless car runs over an e-robot delivery thing?
E-Rage?

Is there an app that calls an e-cop to sort it out?
An e-doctor?
An e-lawyer?

Oh, the humanity!
e - Looting
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Old 07-16-19, 09:29 AM
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Cool! More fun than shooting drones.
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Old 07-16-19, 09:53 AM
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It's robot fighting time!!!




But seriously....I'll just rig up a system where this robot automatically stays 10 feet ahead of my bike and the delivery robot problem will be solved.



(Those of you who get it...I love you)

Last edited by Skipjacks; 07-16-19 at 12:27 PM.
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Old 07-16-19, 10:15 AM
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Bike path escort service? Sure!


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