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Some observations on driverless cars
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Round and about
And for the final Saturday of the year, a few stray thoughts and a few general observations and a few points of view (all my own work):
Like there are fast cars and there are slow cars, and now there are driverless cars.
Like we were told driverless cars would observe traffic lights and drive safely and on the promotional videos Google made, they looked good. But when they are let loose on the mean streets of Mumbai, they break all rules.
Like accidents can happen even to driverless cars.
Like driverless cars are so popular that even people who haven’t driven them own up to having driven them.
Like such accidents can happen even near Pedder Road and Breach Candy, where my friend on the 21st floor lives.
Like Pedder Road is now called Deshmukh Marg and Breach Candy is now called Bhulabhai Desai Marg, which may explain a thing or two.
Like India should send a strong note of protest against Google for demonstrating its driverless car in Mumbai at 1.30 in the morning.
Like I do not think that the Aston Martin now parked at Gamdevi Police Station was driven by James Bond. The English may have lost an empire, but not their manners.
Like in the old days, the English were gentlemen. Sean Connery would have said sorry for the mess he left. Roger Moore would have winked and smiled. Pierce Brosnan would have asked Q to build better brakes. Even Daniel Craig would have waited to sign autographs before disappearing.
And these stray thoughts:
Like the last week has shown why Indian journalists only publish what can be proven and seen, and do not believe in rumours.
Like social media should take lessons in responsible journalism from Indian publications. One of the slogans I remember from the Emergency is this—rumour mongers are enemies of the nation.
Like there was another important slogan during the Emergency: work more, talk less. And after the Emergency was lifted, L.K. Advani told Indian journalists that when they were asked to bend, they crawled.
Like looking at the physical fitness of many journalists, I don’t think they can bend or crawl.
Like after the Emergency Cho Ramaswamy was once asked if Indian journalists were so corrupt that they could be bought for two bottles of imported whiskey. At this Cho looked outraged and said that was simply not true. Some could be bought for even a single bottle of Indian whiskey.
Like I do not believe the driverless car was at fault, for Google says driverless cars obey traffic rules. In Mumbai drivers don’t obey traffic rules. Accidents happen when someone breaks the traffic rules. So the fault lies with a driver. And since the Aston Martin did not have a driver, the fault lies with the other driver. The moral of the story then: everyone should have driverless cars.
And this final point of view:
Like if Indians can have cars without drivers, Indian diplomats should have homes without servants.
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