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It already is. For instance, let's say you pull up to a red light and the intesection is empty. No cars, no pedestrians. Common sense tells you to just run t

It already is. For instance, let's say you pull up to a red light and the intesection is empty. No cars, no pedestrians. Common sense tells you to just run the light, there is no reason not to. But it's illegal for a human to use their own judgement to do this, and the instructions of the red light have to be followed regardless.

X2kJSkesvUFhG8B 9y ago
> the instructions of the red light have to be followed regardless No they don't. If there's no enforcement, and no moral reason to follow the law, you've reduced yourself to a robot if you follow it. As far as red lights are concerned though, you'd better be damn sure cars or bikes or pedestrians aren't going to leap out from around a corner before you run them. Especially if the intersection is empty at 3am and visibility is poor. In fact in that situation it's better to play it safe.
goatlover 9y ago
If there is no camera and no police, you can run treat the light as a stoplight. Just be safe about it. By can, I mean that a human being can choose to do so. Maybe smart cars in the future won't allow the driver to make that decision. But nothing forces us to always obey traffic laws right now.
- Danihan 9y ago
  Enforcement is just a technicality.
  - contingencies 9y ago
    In China and many other countries, rules are typically so numerous, draconian or fuzzy that you are nominally constantly breaking something. If the authorities want to alter your behavior, they call in the specter of potential enforcement to encourage behavioral change. On the one hand this seems horrible - shifting sands, constant unknowns, zero security - but in reality it's kind of liberating - less need to hire lawyers and asking for forgiveness is tolerated. The gap between enforcement and law is precisely where most people seek to operate, because it typically creates additional efficiencies. In short, enforcement is law. Or to rephrase this in the words of Snowden - Policy is a one-way ratchet that only loosens over time.

X2kJSkesvUFhG8B 9y ago

> the instructions of the red light have to be followed regardless No they don't. If there's no enforcement, and no moral reason to follow the law, you've reduced yourself to a robot if you follow it. As far as red lights are concerned though, you'd better be damn sure cars or bikes or pedestrians aren't going to leap out from around a corner before you run them. Especially if the intersection is empty at 3am and visibility is poor. In fact in that situation it's better to play it safe.

goatlover 9y ago

If there is no camera and no police, you can run treat the light as a stoplight. Just be safe about it. By can, I mean that a human being can choose to do so. Maybe smart cars in the future won't allow the driver to make that decision. But nothing forces us to always obey traffic laws right now.

Danihan 9y ago
Enforcement is just a technicality.
- contingencies 9y ago
  In China and many other countries, rules are typically so numerous, draconian or fuzzy that you are nominally constantly breaking something. If the authorities want to alter your behavior, they call in the specter of potential enforcement to encourage behavioral change. On the one hand this seems horrible - shifting sands, constant unknowns, zero security - but in reality it's kind of liberating - less need to hire lawyers and asking for forgiveness is tolerated. The gap between enforcement and law is precisely where most people seek to operate, because it typically creates additional efficiencies. In short, enforcement is law. Or to rephrase this in the words of Snowden - Policy is a one-way ratchet that only loosens over time.