5 ms·

The tech is interesting, granted. And I find the overall idea of it quite beguiling from an outlaw/risky/renegade POV. But I can't help but feel it's still mass

The tech is interesting, granted. And I find the overall idea of it quite beguiling from an outlaw/risky/renegade POV. But I can't help but feel it's still massively irresponsible from both a public safety and environmental perspective. It's one thing to drive your car into a tree in the middle of nowhere at 120mph, quite another if you drive it into someone else obeying the speed limit and going about their day.

Filligree 7y ago
Agreed. Well, presumably they're going to be arrested soon.
- tonyedgecombe 7y ago
  I'm pretty sure they would be in the UK. There have been convictions where idiots took pictures of their speedo then posted them on social media.
- millzlane 7y ago
  Some of these guys post the footage years after it's completed to try and avoid prosecution.
  - dole 7y ago
    Statute of limitations is a year; the run happened more than a year ago and they delay in publishing exactly for this reason.
Stubb 7y ago
I'm happy to accept the slight increase in risk when I leave the house to know that people are undertaking great adventures like this. As for the environmental impact, I'll run the hot water a couple minutes longer before stepping into the shower tonight as tribute these kings.
- jeffwass 7y ago
  Ok, You are happy to accept this risk. What about all the drivers NOT willing to accept this risk for themselves and their families?
  - ddunkin 7y ago
    What about all the drivers who take major risks daily by playing with their phones? This makes even legal speeds dangerous, at least these guys were looking ahead and aware of their situation.
    - gpderetta 7y ago
      Isn't playing with your phone while driving also illegal?
      - ddunkin 7y ago
        In theory, if enforced. That has not stopped the behaviors of a majority of the population.
  - ProAm 7y ago
    If were okay accepting that self driving autonomous cars will occasionally kill people Im okay with drivers like this occasionally killing people too, its the same in my book.
- andybak 7y ago
  It's easy to accept a small risk of a catastrophic outcome but you'll probably feel rather differently about the wisdom of your choice in hindsight.
- namdnay 7y ago
  I don't understand your second point - how would that negate anything?
  - 7y ago
ncmncm 7y ago
No question but that it is massively irresponsible, and deserving serious jail time. But the question remains: will there be anyone else more massively irresponsible? Answer: sure, any Trump voter.
- chasd00 7y ago
  I have to say, this is my new favorite comment of all time. So perfectly ridiculous.
  - ncmncm 7y ago
    A cannonball runner can only kill one or a few innocent people.
- dang 7y ago
  Please don't post flamebait to HN or turn threads into partisan battles. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
nodesocket 7y ago
> environmental perspective Rolling eyes. Going insanely fast sustained > 100mph and putting other peope's life in danger I agree with. The drive being a detectable impact on the environment I'm suspect.
- namdnay 7y ago
  That's the tricky thing about the environment - nothing we do individually has a detectable impact on the environment. And yet all of us doing it has a massive impact. So maybe the best is to just try to be a good person and not pollute unnecessarily
- ablation 7y ago
  It's a completely needless long journey, in an uneconomical vehicle. The impact of one single person may be negligible but it's precisely this sort of collective tragedy of the commons approach that is proving problematic in regards pollution.
turk73 7y ago
I'm amazed it could even be done given the huge amount of gridlock and traffic in US cities today. It takes me 1hr to go 14 miles most of the time where I have to get to. I don't think there's an "environmental perspective" here. In fact, it's a sad testimonial to the effectiveness that enviro-propaganda is in infecting people's minds and altering behaviors. You believe you must change your behavior and cede individual rights for environmental reasons. I say, that is extremely dangerous. If you have studied how effective German propaganda was, and how effective Soviet propaganda was, and how it was used to enslave people and bludgeon any effective opposition, you might care to give the greenies a bit more scrutiny as far as their totalitarian aims go. Instead you believe that one car racing across the US at high speeds is somehow an environmental issue.

Filligree 7y ago

Agreed. Well, presumably they're going to be arrested soon.

tonyedgecombe 7y ago
I'm pretty sure they would be in the UK. There have been convictions where idiots took pictures of their speedo then posted them on social media.
millzlane 7y ago
Some of these guys post the footage years after it's completed to try and avoid prosecution.
- dole 7y ago
  Statute of limitations is a year; the run happened more than a year ago and they delay in publishing exactly for this reason.

Stubb 7y ago

I'm happy to accept the slight increase in risk when I leave the house to know that people are undertaking great adventures like this. As for the environmental impact, I'll run the hot water a couple minutes longer before stepping into the shower tonight as tribute these kings.

jeffwass 7y ago
Ok, You are happy to accept this risk. What about all the drivers NOT willing to accept this risk for themselves and their families?
- ddunkin 7y ago
  What about all the drivers who take major risks daily by playing with their phones? This makes even legal speeds dangerous, at least these guys were looking ahead and aware of their situation.
  - gpderetta 7y ago
    Isn't playing with your phone while driving also illegal?
    - ddunkin 7y ago
      In theory, if enforced. That has not stopped the behaviors of a majority of the population.
- ProAm 7y ago
  If were okay accepting that self driving autonomous cars will occasionally kill people Im okay with drivers like this occasionally killing people too, its the same in my book.
andybak 7y ago
It's easy to accept a small risk of a catastrophic outcome but you'll probably feel rather differently about the wisdom of your choice in hindsight.
namdnay 7y ago
I don't understand your second point - how would that negate anything?
- 7y ago

ncmncm 7y ago

No question but that it is massively irresponsible, and deserving serious jail time. But the question remains: will there be anyone else more massively irresponsible? Answer: sure, any Trump voter.

chasd00 7y ago
I have to say, this is my new favorite comment of all time. So perfectly ridiculous.
- ncmncm 7y ago
  A cannonball runner can only kill one or a few innocent people.
dang 7y ago
Please don't post flamebait to HN or turn threads into partisan battles. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

nodesocket 7y ago

> environmental perspective Rolling eyes. Going insanely fast sustained > 100mph and putting other peope's life in danger I agree with. The drive being a detectable impact on the environment I'm suspect.

namdnay 7y ago
That's the tricky thing about the environment - nothing we do individually has a detectable impact on the environment. And yet all of us doing it has a massive impact. So maybe the best is to just try to be a good person and not pollute unnecessarily
ablation 7y ago
It's a completely needless long journey, in an uneconomical vehicle. The impact of one single person may be negligible but it's precisely this sort of collective tragedy of the commons approach that is proving problematic in regards pollution.

turk73 7y ago

I'm amazed it could even be done given the huge amount of gridlock and traffic in US cities today. It takes me 1hr to go 14 miles most of the time where I have to get to. I don't think there's an "environmental perspective" here. In fact, it's a sad testimonial to the effectiveness that enviro-propaganda is in infecting people's minds and altering behaviors. You believe you must change your behavior and cede individual rights for environmental reasons. I say, that is extremely dangerous. If you have studied how effective German propaganda was, and how effective Soviet propaganda was, and how it was used to enslave people and bludgeon any effective opposition, you might care to give the greenies a bit more scrutiny as far as their totalitarian aims go. Instead you believe that one car racing across the US at high speeds is somehow an environmental issue.