6 ms·

Yet another reason for me to avoid private transportation like the plague. As if humans driving 1 ton death machines wasn't bad enough, we've decided to add exp

Yet another reason for me to avoid private transportation like the plague. As if humans driving 1 ton death machines wasn't bad enough, we've decided to add experimental technology into the mix. Nope. I'm sticking to trains whenever possible, thank you very much.

Cthulhu_ 5y ago
But what if the bus/train stops unexpectedly and another drives into it? It happens. Mechanical failures happen. Human error happens. Accidents happen.
- Aeolun 5y ago
  I think if we compare deaths / passenger miles driven between cars and trains. Trains come out very favorably. Possibly only beaten by airplanes. Edit: Numbers In the US > Over the last 10 years, passenger vehicle death rate per 100,000,000 passenger miles was over 9 times higher than for buses, 17 times higher than for passenger trains, and 1,606 times higher than for scheduled airlines That sounded rather high for trains (dunno what the US is doing wrong), so I checked some other country. In the UK: > Over the last 10 years, passenger vehicle death rate per billion passenger kilometers was over 5 times higher than for buses, 1100 times higher than for scheduled airliners, and an infinity higher than for passenger trains (no deaths were reported). Deaths/billion passenger-km Car 1.1 Van 0.4 Water 0.4 Bus or coach 0.2 Air 0.01 Rail* 0 In general of the already almost negligible death rate, it seems that rail deaths are mostly people at rail crossings, and maintenance personnel, not passengers.
  - dymk 5y ago
    How about when you compare a Tesla in driver assist mode per-mile with a human driver per-mile?
    - llampx 5y ago
      Given that Tesla drops you out of assist mode as soon as it encounters a confusing situation, that's a tricky question.
    - Aeolun 5y ago
      Not really a fair comparison unless we can somehow only count non-autopilot accidents that happen in places where autopilot actually works.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
- cmonagle 5y ago
  Human error does happen, but it results in death an order of magnitude less frequently in buses, trains and airplanes than in private vehicles. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics/deaths-by-transportation-mode/ https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics...
dopamean 5y ago
Nice for you that that’s an option.
- Kaze404 5y ago
  Indeed. I'm fighting for a world where it's an option for everyone.
rr808 5y ago
They're usually 2 tons now.
rootusrootus 5y ago
OTOH, most of us will die from a heart attack or cancer. So to the extent that I can control risk factors, driving a car is fairly low on the list. Especially given the degradation of lifestyle I would suffer if I tried hard to avoid it.
- Kaze404 5y ago
  That's totally understandable. I certainly don't think driving a car is a moral failure or anything. I just personally try to avoid it as much as I can because, from my perspective, it's not worth it for me or the other people involved. Ideally I would live in a world where nobody needs cars to live comfortably, but for now all I can do is optimize for myself and organize to make it happen for my grand children.

Cthulhu_ 5y ago

But what if the bus/train stops unexpectedly and another drives into it? It happens. Mechanical failures happen. Human error happens. Accidents happen.

Aeolun 5y ago
I think if we compare deaths / passenger miles driven between cars and trains. Trains come out very favorably. Possibly only beaten by airplanes. Edit: Numbers In the US > Over the last 10 years, passenger vehicle death rate per 100,000,000 passenger miles was over 9 times higher than for buses, 17 times higher than for passenger trains, and 1,606 times higher than for scheduled airlines That sounded rather high for trains (dunno what the US is doing wrong), so I checked some other country. In the UK: > Over the last 10 years, passenger vehicle death rate per billion passenger kilometers was over 5 times higher than for buses, 1100 times higher than for scheduled airliners, and an infinity higher than for passenger trains (no deaths were reported). Deaths/billion passenger-km Car 1.1 Van 0.4 Water 0.4 Bus or coach 0.2 Air 0.01 Rail* 0 In general of the already almost negligible death rate, it seems that rail deaths are mostly people at rail crossings, and maintenance personnel, not passengers.
- dymk 5y ago
  How about when you compare a Tesla in driver assist mode per-mile with a human driver per-mile?
  - llampx 5y ago
    Given that Tesla drops you out of assist mode as soon as it encounters a confusing situation, that's a tricky question.
  - Aeolun 5y ago
    Not really a fair comparison unless we can somehow only count non-autopilot accidents that happen in places where autopilot actually works.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
cmonagle 5y ago
Human error does happen, but it results in death an order of magnitude less frequently in buses, trains and airplanes than in private vehicles. https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics/deaths-by-transportation-mode/ https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/home-and-community/safety-topics...

dopamean 5y ago

Nice for you that that’s an option.

Kaze404 5y ago
Indeed. I'm fighting for a world where it's an option for everyone.

rr808 5y ago

They're usually 2 tons now.

rootusrootus 5y ago

OTOH, most of us will die from a heart attack or cancer. So to the extent that I can control risk factors, driving a car is fairly low on the list. Especially given the degradation of lifestyle I would suffer if I tried hard to avoid it.

Kaze404 5y ago
That's totally understandable. I certainly don't think driving a car is a moral failure or anything. I just personally try to avoid it as much as I can because, from my perspective, it's not worth it for me or the other people involved. Ideally I would live in a world where nobody needs cars to live comfortably, but for now all I can do is optimize for myself and organize to make it happen for my grand children.