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Ryan M Allen's avatar

I am sorry about your grandmother. Agreed all around on self-driving cars. Ive sparred with so many urbanists recently who are vehemently against them. They often get really nasty in their derision too. Need these kind of personal narratives.

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Ryan Puzycki's avatar

Thanks, Ryan. I appreciate the sentiment and hope we can have better discourse on this topic.

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Heike Larson's avatar

Great post. Saving grandmas (and grandpas) is huge with these self-driving cars—not just by avoiding older pedestrians being hit but also by getting older people who aren’t save drivers anymore out of cars without condemning them to be stuck at home in areas without good public transport.

I love Waymo—took three rides in a day a week ago while in SF. So much safer and more comfortable than a human-driven ride share!

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Ryan Puzycki's avatar

Thanks, Heike! I think your point about accessibility is really underrated. AVs can make travel safer for people living in suburbs as well as cities with limited transit (which includes Austin!).

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M Wright's avatar

THIS "accountability and awareness". We have to acknowledge how careless and distracted we have become as drivers and that it will only get worse. I am guilty of it.

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Ryan Puzycki's avatar

I think it happens to even the most conscientious drivers!

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KLevinson's avatar

I'm so sorry about your grandmother. Careless drivers are a danger to all of us. And I'm also excited to try a robotaxi. I do believe they will be safer than most drivers.

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Ryan Puzycki's avatar

Thanks, Kim. After one ride, I'd already prefer to take only Waymos over human-driven cars. I hope those of us in Austin can help steer the conversation around AVs and city planning in a positive direction!

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KLevinson's avatar

Absolutely! And the next time I need a ride I’m taking a Waymo!

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