Hazard perception

 Bikes, scooters, e-bikes, e-scooters, cargo bikes, bikes carrying 3 children, a cargo bike carrying 3 traditional bikes, mopeds and e-mopeds, roller skates, skateboards and even an electric unicycle;  the roads (and more worryingly the pavements) of Hackney sometimes feel like a battle ground for space, and that's before factoring in buses, cars and vans. As a cyclist, pedestrian and occasional driver amidst all the mayhem, I sometimes wonder how to avoid all the hazards.

So a day discussing 'perceptions of self driving vehicles' had a special fascination. Part of a government funded study a small group of us gathered in engineering workshops at Imperial College London. We heard about the technology which will eventually lead to fully autonomous vehicles taking to our roads. A timeline of 10 years was suggested to get to the point where human intervention in the journey can be completely eliminated, but the progress will be rapid and we can expect the rapid introduction of many more driver aids.

The big question of the day arose from the need to 'teach' the computer systems to deal with every conceivable situation a vehicle could face. 'Edge' situations, those things which cannot be predicted fascinated and tested us. At various points in the day we were polled to elicit our feelings about driverless vehicles. How safe did we feel they were? The big question was whether if a fully autonomous vehicle was available today, we would be happy to get in and travel, perhaps while catching up on sleep, watching a movie, or presumably having a wild party! I was the only one who enthusiastically said I would do it! It sounds exciting to me, but each participant came with heir own agenda which inevitably led to a range of views.

The photo of a wrecked Tesla, on which the systems had mistaken a concrete barrier for another lane on the Freeway, spooked some of the group. I was more concerned that any sensors could work out how to deal with the manic electric unicycle rider who picks up frightening speed, looking like Darth Vader sitting on a rocket pack.

Of more immediate concern is the announcement of a fleet of new delivery vehicles which are coming to streets of Hackney any day. Amazon: e-cargo bikes to replace thousands of van deliveries in London | Amazon | The Guardian


Cargo bikes, electrically assisted or not, are becoming a familiar sight in our neighbourhood. They can be huge - with enormous carrying capacity for goods, children and animals. One crashes over the speed hump outside our house without fail at 9am and 9pm every day - the goods in its metal carrier making an awful din. This new delivery contraption takes the whole concept a step further. 

I'm not sure what I think about them. I fear they could make the already cycle lanes harder to negotiate, or if they are not permitted to use those, will become something else for drivers to be aware of as we still try to keep the eyes in the back of our heads on the kamikaze delivery scooter riders. But, they also come with the promise of reduced pollution and might even speed up delivery times. 

As I have already mused in this series of thoughts, the chance to stand back has opened up new interests which have excited, challenged and enlivened. You can bet that when I first see one  these 'bikes'  I will be excitedly taking photos.

I can't help feeling that such vehicles have more in common with more vintage modes of transport than with the cutting edge technology of self driving cars. But that may be no bad thing - and I would be just as excited to try a passenger version if (or almost certainly) when one is available. 

During the discussions about future technology the subject of personal car ownership was raised. It is becoming clear, that in cities at least, the idea of everyone owning their own car, which spends lots of time going nowhere, new models of access will grow up. Shared use of bikes is now common, increasingly it is available for cars, and in Hackney we can pick up a standard cargo bike to rent by the hour. 

So, I look forward to a new pick up point for covered, 4 wheel cargo bikes, with space for passengers and luggage. I'll be happy to steer, but maybe a sensor to warn me when Darth Vader is about to fly past?







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