Monday, April 10, 2017

What good idea doesn't work because people are... stupid?

Reddit top voted comments...

"Do Not Block Intersection" signs

"Pay what you can" charity shops.

In the U.K. We have 'smart motorways', which controls speed limits and lane closures when traffic backs up or if there is a blockage in one lane.

It's run by fancy computers with clever algorithms and such, and if you reduce your speed or change lane when directed, you won't get stuck in the traffic. But people won't be told, which means while I'm slowing down to 40 the dick next to me carries on at 70(or more) and adds to the chaos further up when s/he hits it.

This is what causes 'phantom traffic jams' (where traffic slows down without any obvious cause, or miles ahead of the cause) and is exactly what the smart motorway system was designed to prevent.

But people are stupid AND impatient, so it doesn't work.

Selling on Craigslist.. nowadays people either ridiculously lowball you, or flake out because they think you want to rob them.

I remember when NFL Blitz came out in the arcades the cabinet had a built in N64 memory card reader so you could transfer your stats. I excitedly brought my memory card later that week only to find someone jammed gum inside the reader.

When JC Penney did away with sales and priced their merchandise honestly, they almost went out of business.

8 comments:

bagoh20 said...

Passing lanes. Because traffic jams are not caused by people going fast and passing, but rather by people refusing to do either. Every traffic jam that is not caused by an accident or other obstacle in the road, has one asshole at the front. We should use armed drones to solve this.

bagoh20 said...

Living in Los Angeles has made me a very angry man behind the wheel. I'm a powder keg, I tell ya.

ndspinelli said...

There should be a hunting season for left lane drivers. Thin the herd.

edutcher said...

Politicians telling the truth.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Bank notice via text of low funds.

The persistence of overdraft fees means people interpret the text as good news 'you still have some money you can withdraw'.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I think Reddit is dumb or maybe it's me but I don't get it.

ricpic said...

Speaking of traffic jams -- why do people slow to a crawl when passing an accident? I'd rather not look and get by the thing as quickly as possible. But most are ghouls.

Amartel said...

Rubberneckers do slow things down but the cops sometimes stop traffic or slow it down and it takes a while for the flow to renew or there's stuff in the roadway that slows traffic.