Examples of "soul sucking" traffic?

[GolanB]

That’s why I can’t fathom living on the east side of the Hudson.

I’m about 25 miles due west of your destination, where we have grass, and trees, and birds chirping and, well, traffic that moves.

Our saving grace here in NYC are our parks and gardens. I can't imagine I'd stay without them. After today's miserable commute, I stopped by the Botanical Garden while hitting the supercharger to air out.

 

[Nate977p]

I had to dig this one up. Nothing like 2.4 mph

 

[Needsdecaf]

Living in Stafford VA, commuting to Arlington VA or downtown DC.

40 mile trip 1 way. If I hit it during rush hour it would take me 2 hours...each way. Bumper to bumper almost the entire drive, every...single....day. My last day commuting before relocating there was an accident, took me 4 hours to get home.

Here in KC I live in the suburbs and work downtown. People ask me how I can deal with the traffic on my commute. 25 miles...if I leave my house at 8 it can take me 45 minutes, an hour if there is an accident. Leaving at 9 means a 30 minute commute, leaving at 7 is the same. I always say "what traffic?".

We moved to NoVA in 2008. My wife worked in Fairfax, by the Hospital. We were looking at a house in Centerville, just on the border with Fairfax. "Too far west" she says. I'm like "what do you mean, it's 15 miles". That's 45-60 minutes, she says.

Stafford to DC SUCKS. 95 is nothing but a parking lot.

 

[GolanB]

I have several memories of really terrible traffic; the first was close to twenty years ago in Venezuela - traffic was at a literal stand-still for hours - at one point, we had to pass through a tunnel which lacked proper ventilation, and I thought I was going to asphyxiate. During positions on that route, we got out of our cars several times and bought food from vendors who came by to peddle their wares.

The second memory was on and post-9/11 - I drove to the edge of Brooklyn to the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge to pick-up my sister who was stranded and on her way back from Manhattan after witnessing the terrible carnage. I was fortunate enough to have missed that whole ordeal, having left to the office late that day.

Amazingly, the following days were far worse as they shut down lower Manhattan and forced traffic to NJ via Staten Island. I recall a number of 4-hour 30-mile commutes. This was also a case where many of us just exited our cars to get air and walk around. It was practically a parking lot.

The traffic in India was also something to behold - I'd never quite seen anything like that. Getting automation to work where I visited would be a miracle. The infrastructure (if you could call it that) on two-lane roads somehow bore traffic from all directions (and I mean all). Traffic was also accompanied by pedestrians, scooters, various farm animals (starving cows mostly), dogs, and the occasional elephant.

Surprisingly, during my visit to Pudong in Shanghai, I expected traffic to be much worse, but it moved quite well, and their transit system works.

 

[dmurphy]

Our saving grace here in NYC are our parks and gardens. I can't imagine I'd stay without them. After today's miserable commute, I stopped by the Botanical Garden while hitting the supercharger to air out.

It’s not nearly the same but I live just a few minutes from the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. It’s my serenity spot - very calm, peaceful and just beautiful. NYC has a tremendous park system, and of that I’m jealous - but at least I can appreciate what all we do have out here in the boonies.

 

[OCR1]

I’m always thinking about Elon’s autonomous robotaxi service which he wants to launch within three years when I’m driving around LA. As I drove through Studio City I’m reminded that they have not invented the left turn signal yet, so at best two cars can make a left turn through the light, usually with one running a red light. How is FSD going to handle that?

Then I drove past Hollywood Blvd where you are lucky to drive 1 mile in 20 minutes. They had a policeman directing traffic there because it was so congested. Will the Tesla learn to read a policeman’s hand signals to know when to go and when to hold up?

Then I get to a four way stop sign where everyone reaches the intersection at the same time. We make eye contact or use hand gestures to waive people through. How will FSD respond to these situations?

I try to pull over at Hollywood Blvd but there is absolutely no place to park and double parking would create havoc. How will FSD drop someone off at a location like this without disrupting traffic?

I get on the 405 freeway and it’s bumper to bumper. I’m on FSD trying to change lanes but there is always someone in my blind spot so FSD never initiates the lane change. If I’m driving myself I just cut into the lane because sometimes you just have to cut someone off to get across. Will FSD ever make it across the congested 405 freeway to get into the right lane?

I drive through a school zone with crossing guards. The guard waives her stop sign and directs the kids across the street. How will FSD handle the school zone speed limits and crossing guard activity?

I think level 5 autonomy will get there eventually, but I’d be willing to bet it’s more like ten years out, not three years. Elon’s robotaxi service seems more like a wacky publicity stunt than anything to take seriously.

 

[TT97]

I’m always thinking about Elon’s autonomous robotaxi service which he wants to launch within three years when I’m driving around LA. As I drove through Studio City I’m reminded that they have not invented the left turn signal yet, so at best two cars can make a left turn through the light, usually with one running a red light. How is FSD going to handle that?

Then I drove past Hollywood Blvd where you are lucky to drive 1 mile in 20 minutes. They had a policeman directing traffic there because it was so congested. Will the Tesla learn to read a policeman’s hand signals to know when to go and when to hold up?

Then I get to a four way stop sign where everyone reaches the intersection at the same time. We make eye contact or use hand gestures to waive people through. How will FSD respond to these situations?

I try to pull over at Hollywood Blvd but there is absolutely no place to park and double parking would create havoc. How will FSD drop someone off at a location like this without disrupting traffic?

I get on the 405 freeway and it’s bumper to bumper. I’m on FSD trying to change lanes but there is always someone in my blind spot so FSD never initiates the lane change. If I’m driving myself I just cut into the lane because sometimes you just have to cut someone off to get across. Will FSD ever make it across the congested 405 freeway to get into the right lane?

I drive through a school zone with crossing guards. The guard waives her stop sign and directs the kids across the street. How will FSD handle the school zone speed limits and crossing guard activity?

I think level 5 autonomy will get there eventually, but I’d be willing to bet it’s more like ten years out, not three years. Elon’s robotaxi service seems more like a wacky publicity stunt than anything to take seriously.

This is the way I see it.

I figured in my life I have driven about 250,000 miles (I don't drive much). In those 250,000 miles, I have encountered every "fringe" scenario you listed above at least once in my life (most many more times).

Assuming there is currently 500,000 Teslas currently in circulation with FSD hardware, each driving about 30 miles per day, that is 15,000,0000 miles per day or 60x as much as I have ever driven. So, for any "fringe" scenario I have ever encountered, the Tesla fleet would encounter it 60x each day.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Wouldn't brisk walking be faster?

 

[Whitehawk]

Geez - you guys need bicycles, not cars.

 

[Shewillbemine]

If you don't drive in Socal, don't even talk to me about your "traffic".

 

[S'toon]

don't drive here - YouTube