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My years on this blue ball have repeatedly taught me that technical solutions meant to "correct" human interpersonal problems don't usually work out how they're

My years on this blue ball have repeatedly taught me that technical solutions meant to "correct" human interpersonal problems don't usually work out how they're intended. They initially _work_, but humans rebel against them and the problem ends up compounded. Reminds me of traffic cameras.

halfnormalform 3y ago
On the Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm they have infrared light beams above the log flume that trigger a loud pre-recorded "Sit down!" message if you raise your hands up too high. It was so much fun in Jr High to try and set them all off.
- frebord 3y ago
  Makes me think of the digital speed limit signs that start to flash red and blue when you hit 10 mph over the limit. Like of course every 16 year old kid ever is trying to make them flash red and blue and also me at 32.
  - Veen 3y ago
    In the UK, we have signs that show a happy face when you're under the limit and an angry face when you're over. It's hard to resist the temptation to go a little over to make it frown.
    - closewith 3y ago
      In Ireland, they used to show the actual value in flashing red when speeding, but getting the "highest score" became a goal amongst the youth, so now they just say "TOO FAST" when more than 10km/h over the limit.
      - DonHopkins 3y ago
        https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20734665 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20734665 When I was at TomTom, they ran a contest for employees to come up with fun ways to gamify their internet-connected GPS Personal Navigation Devices. Some wise guy came up with the brilliant idea of maintaining a real-time "Top 10 Speeders" leaderboard for every single road on the entire map. Kinda like Foursquare for speeding on local roads. No matter where you were driving in the world, you could instantly see the top ten speeds of other TomTom users who drove down that same stretch of road, and put the pedal to the metal to claim or defend your own spot on the leaderboard! That one went over like a lead balloon with the legal department. The only thing worse would be a chat app for texting while driving above the speed limit with other Leaderboard members along the same stretch of road. They also didn't appreciate my proposal for TomTomagotchi: a simulated personality on your PND that relentlessly begs you to drive it all around town to various interesting places it wants to visit, to improve its mood and satisfy its cravings. (Kind of like having virtual kids!) I'm sure there's a revenue model having drive through Burger Kings and car washes pay for placements.
  - sixstringtheory 3y ago
    I especially like do that on my road bike!
- toast0 3y ago
  If you do it enough, the attendant yells at you over the PA, as I recall. Sadly, they got rid of the box car racers elsewhere :(
yowzadave 3y ago
What's the problem with traffic cameras? They seem fairer and more effective than discretionary police enforcement.
- junofan 3y ago
  The goal is safety, not effective enforcement. Cameras have increased accidents in many areas.
  - JoeAltmaier 3y ago
    That seems an exceptional claim. Where I live folks obeyed the speed limit scrupulously where traffic cameras were in use. That has to reduce accidents, as expected?
    - version_five 3y ago
      Hes probably talking about cities shortening yellow lights after they install red light cameras to make more people into "offenders" and cause accidents as a side effect https://ww2.motorists.org/blog/6-cities-that-were-caught-shortening-yellow-light-times-for-profit/ https://ww2.motorists.org/blog/6-cities-that-were-caught-sho... https://www.salon.com/2017/04/05/this-may-have-happened-to-you-revenue-hungry-cities-mess-with-traffic-lights-to-write-more-tickets_partner/ https://www.salon.com/2017/04/05/this-may-have-happened-to-y...
      - JoeAltmaier 3y ago
        Ah. We only have speed cameras.
    - SoftTalker 3y ago
      Any road has a "natural" speed that ~80% of drivers will drive at if not otherwise restricted. If you limit the speed below that, you have a lot of annoyed, frustrated drivers and that is a recipe for more road rage and accidents.

halfnormalform 3y ago

On the Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm they have infrared light beams above the log flume that trigger a loud pre-recorded "Sit down!" message if you raise your hands up too high. It was so much fun in Jr High to try and set them all off.

frebord 3y ago
Makes me think of the digital speed limit signs that start to flash red and blue when you hit 10 mph over the limit. Like of course every 16 year old kid ever is trying to make them flash red and blue and also me at 32.
- Veen 3y ago
  In the UK, we have signs that show a happy face when you're under the limit and an angry face when you're over. It's hard to resist the temptation to go a little over to make it frown.
  - closewith 3y ago
    In Ireland, they used to show the actual value in flashing red when speeding, but getting the "highest score" became a goal amongst the youth, so now they just say "TOO FAST" when more than 10km/h over the limit.
    - DonHopkins 3y ago
      https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20734665 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20734665 When I was at TomTom, they ran a contest for employees to come up with fun ways to gamify their internet-connected GPS Personal Navigation Devices. Some wise guy came up with the brilliant idea of maintaining a real-time "Top 10 Speeders" leaderboard for every single road on the entire map. Kinda like Foursquare for speeding on local roads. No matter where you were driving in the world, you could instantly see the top ten speeds of other TomTom users who drove down that same stretch of road, and put the pedal to the metal to claim or defend your own spot on the leaderboard! That one went over like a lead balloon with the legal department. The only thing worse would be a chat app for texting while driving above the speed limit with other Leaderboard members along the same stretch of road. They also didn't appreciate my proposal for TomTomagotchi: a simulated personality on your PND that relentlessly begs you to drive it all around town to various interesting places it wants to visit, to improve its mood and satisfy its cravings. (Kind of like having virtual kids!) I'm sure there's a revenue model having drive through Burger Kings and car washes pay for placements.
- sixstringtheory 3y ago
  I especially like do that on my road bike!
toast0 3y ago
If you do it enough, the attendant yells at you over the PA, as I recall. Sadly, they got rid of the box car racers elsewhere :(

yowzadave 3y ago

What's the problem with traffic cameras? They seem fairer and more effective than discretionary police enforcement.

junofan 3y ago
The goal is safety, not effective enforcement. Cameras have increased accidents in many areas.
- JoeAltmaier 3y ago
  That seems an exceptional claim. Where I live folks obeyed the speed limit scrupulously where traffic cameras were in use. That has to reduce accidents, as expected?
  - version_five 3y ago
    Hes probably talking about cities shortening yellow lights after they install red light cameras to make more people into "offenders" and cause accidents as a side effect https://ww2.motorists.org/blog/6-cities-that-were-caught-shortening-yellow-light-times-for-profit/ https://ww2.motorists.org/blog/6-cities-that-were-caught-sho... https://www.salon.com/2017/04/05/this-may-have-happened-to-you-revenue-hungry-cities-mess-with-traffic-lights-to-write-more-tickets_partner/ https://www.salon.com/2017/04/05/this-may-have-happened-to-y...
    - JoeAltmaier 3y ago
      Ah. We only have speed cameras.
  - SoftTalker 3y ago
    Any road has a "natural" speed that ~80% of drivers will drive at if not otherwise restricted. If you limit the speed below that, you have a lot of annoyed, frustrated drivers and that is a recipe for more road rage and accidents.