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    Waymo robotaxis are now giving rides on freeways in LA, SF and Phoenix

    (techcrunch.com)
    281 points nharada | 17 comments | 12 Nov 25 16:06 UTC | HN request time: 0.669s | source | bottom
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    s1mon ◴[12 Nov 25 16:48 UTC] No.45902388[source]▶
    How will Waymos handle speed limits on highways? In the city, they seem to stick to the rules. A large percentage of drivers in the bay area, including non-emergency police, drive well above the legal limit regularly. Unless Waymo sticks to the slow lane, it's going to be a weird issue.
    replies(10): >>45902469 #>>45902480 #>>45902496 #>>45902654 #>>45902852 #>>45903565 #>>45903832 #>>45905893 #>>45906032 #>>45906425 #
    1. cortesoft ◴[12 Nov 25 17:06 UTC] No.45902654[source]▶
    Luckily this won't be a problem in Los Angeles, because traffic prevents you from ever going over the speed limit.
    replies(4): >>45903417 #>>45903920 #>>45904462 #>>45904540 #
    2. nradov ◴[12 Nov 25 18:00 UTC] No.45903417[source]▶
    It's hilarious to see people in LA buying sports cars. Like even if you're willing to risk a speeding ticket you won't be able to drive faster than the traffic in front of you. Just a status symbol, I guess.
    replies(6): >>45903525 #>>45903601 #>>45903931 #>>45904454 #>>45907347 #>>45908591 #
    3. btian ◴[12 Nov 25 18:08 UTC] No.45903525[source]▶
    There are many race tracks in LA area.
    4. kirubakaran ◴[12 Nov 25 18:13 UTC] No.45903601[source]▶
    To the extent that it's rational, it's more about acceleration than velocity
    replies(1): >>45904428 #
    5. sib ◴[12 Nov 25 18:30 UTC] No.45903920[source]▶
    Have you driven in LA? Traffic speed is generally bimodal: either stuck in traffic jam or easily 15 mph above the limit. (Source: live in LA, drive regularly.)
    replies(1): >>45908335 #
    6. sib ◴[12 Nov 25 18:31 UTC] No.45903931[source]▶
    A sports car on the roads through the Malibu hills is very fun...
    replies(1): >>45905258 #
    7. djoldman ◴[12 Nov 25 18:59 UTC] No.45904428{3}[source]▶
    It's about acceleration + other things. If the other things didn't matter, they would just drive a Tesla Model S Plaid with 2 second 0-60mph.
    8. kjkjadksj ◴[12 Nov 25 19:00 UTC] No.45904454[source]▶
    There are car clubs that go on drives in the twisty santa monica mountains and san gabriel mountains.
    9. toast0 ◴[12 Nov 25 19:01 UTC] No.45904462[source]▶
    While young and stupid, I did 100 mph on the 710 once. Driving home from work at 12:30 am on Monday gives opportunity for lots of speed. There's no traffic at that time of day. It was many years ago, and traffic grows with population, but still, I can't imagine there's much traffic then; I visit the area at least once a year for about a week and there's always some opportunities during the trip to travel above the speed limit, even though I'm not out very late anymore.
    10. edm0nd ◴[12 Nov 25 19:05 UTC] No.45904540[source]▶
    I remember my buddy telling me it would sometimes take him 2 hours to go a few miles in LA traffic and sometimes he would just walk to work instead because he'd get there faster.
    replies(1): >>45906498 #
    11. astrange ◴[12 Nov 25 19:41 UTC] No.45905258{3}[source]▶
    But not as much as knowledge.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GIwTG8V-Ko

    12. asdff ◴[12 Nov 25 20:53 UTC] No.45906498[source]▶
    2 hours for a few miles is pure hyperbole. In my experience bad highway traffic moves at like 20mph.
    replies(1): >>45906703 #
    13. rkomorn ◴[12 Nov 25 21:07 UTC] No.45906703{3}[source]▶
    It used to take me 50 minutes to go 11 miles on 101/110 from studio city to downtown LA, so 20mph seems optimistic.

    Heck, it wasn't even all that rare for it to take me 45 minutes to go 5 miles on 101 from Rengstorff Ave to Willow Rd in the Bay Area in 6pm rush hour just because of the exit.

    It even once took me 2h to make it from Candlestick Park to the 101 after an NFL game.

    So yeah, maybe 2 hours for a few miles isn't quite right, but I've experienced daily counterexamples to your 20mph number too.

    replies(1): >>45908647 #
    14. ojr ◴[12 Nov 25 21:57 UTC] No.45907347[source]▶
    traffic in LA never got back to pre-pandemic levels, maybe during the Olympics it will other than that after 9pm until 6am there's no one on the road, which is horrible for Ridesharing drivers, the demand is less and being taken by Waymo
    15. cortesoft ◴[12 Nov 25 23:22 UTC] No.45908335[source]▶
    Yes, I drive in LA every day, since I have lived here 20 years. I literally have the 405 in my back yard. I can verify that there is always traffic on it by looking out my window.
    16. ◴[12 Nov 25 23:51 UTC] No.45908591[source]▶
    17. asdff ◴[12 Nov 25 23:57 UTC] No.45908647{4}[source]▶
    Usually the backup on the 101s doesn't start until around santa monica blvd and clears up after alvarado.

    That being said, you also have a heavy rail alternative.