There is surely a case to be made for giving select committees more formal subpoena power?
I know that the US system has tremendous problems right now, but if this had blown up across the pond we’d have had days of witness evidence on this stuff by now.
It's very clear PMQs has no teeth and the speaker is a spineless partisan stooge so something is needed for account holding
I saw that Hoyle had permitted a statement from SKS on this at the top of PMQs. I can’t ever remember that having been permitted before, did Badenoch get advanced copy, as is usual?
I did find it rather curious as to why it had to be done just before PMQs, which seemed like a tactical play more than anything else.
(((Dan Hodges))) @DPJHodges · 10m Understand Labour officials are coming under pressure from No.10 to cancel a conference for Deputy Leader announcement. “They don’t want much publicity around the result” I’m told.
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
There is surely a case to be made for giving select committees more formal subpoena power?
I know that the US system has tremendous problems right now, but if this had blown up across the pond we’d have had days of witness evidence on this stuff by now.
It's very clear PMQs has no teeth and the speaker is a spineless partisan stooge so something is needed for account holding
I saw that Hoyle had permitted a statement from SKS on this at the top of PMQs. I can’t ever remember that having been permitted before, did Badenoch get advanced copy, as is usual?
I did find it rather curious as to why it had to be done just before PMQs, which seemed like a tactical play more than anything else.
She did not get a copy. Thats why she was spitting feathers. Labour X accounts think its hilarious and Keir 'played a blinder'
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
There is surely a case to be made for giving select committees more formal subpoena power?
I know that the US system has tremendous problems right now, but if this had blown up across the pond we’d have had days of witness evidence on this stuff by now.
It's very clear PMQs has no teeth and the speaker is a spineless partisan stooge so something is needed for account holding
I saw that Hoyle had permitted a statement from SKS on this at the top of PMQs. I can’t ever remember that having been permitted before, did Badenoch get advanced copy, as is usual?
I did find it rather curious as to why it had to be done just before PMQs, which seemed like a tactical play more than anything else.
She did not get a copy. Thats why she was spitting feathers. Labour X accounts think its hilarious and Keir 'played a blinder'
That sort of trying-to-be-too-clever-by-half cr*p usually ends up backfiring on a government in some way or other, Labour or Tory.
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Man arrested and bailed by police in connection with collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell
A man has been arrested by police in connection with a collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell.
Reports emerged last year that 50 investors, including Campbell’s father – Sir Tony Blair’s former director of communications Alastair Campbell – had lost their money after a fund used to place bets on football had gone bust.
It has been estimated that the fund had been worth as much as £8 million, with bets focusing on Asian handicaps or under/over goal markets, but troubles emerged 18 months before it failed when investors experienced difficulties withdrawing their money.
Campbell had allegedly blamed non-payment by bookmakers based in Asia as the reason for the syndicate’s problems. Investors, whose contributions varied from £10,000 to £500,000 in funding, reported the collapse to Action Fraud in January after negotiations with Campbell broke down.
That same month, the Racing Post was told by one investor involved that "if we got 20p in the pound, I think most of us would be surprised".
The fund had used predictive modelling to spot favourable odds on football matches to exploit, with investors told in 2023 that the organisation, which had grown through word of mouth, had made an average return on investment of eight per cent a year.
However, one investor who had been a senior figure in horseracing experienced difficulties getting his money having asked for a return in 2023 [and has since died], while another investor settled out of court this year after pursuing a private prosecution, according to The Times.
In a statement, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At 7.45am on Tuesday, September 9 officers executed a warrant at an address in Camden [London].
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Great. I'd really like to see it work. It's going to require some give and take to make it work though. As things stand Waymo are going to face a lot of fines or there's going to be a lot of gridlock.
I can readily see how a great many American cities are compatible with self drive, whilst London would be the ultimate test. (Well, maybe Milton Keynes beats it but who wants to go there?)
Milton Keynes would actually be a good place to test this stuff.
I think there's two reasons why Waymo hasn't chosen Milton Keynes:
Firstly, I'm not sure there's enough volume in MK to make it pay. In London, you'll get a lot of the international jetset crowd who use Waymo in SF/LA/NY and love the fact they can just use the same app. (These people will also probably pay a premium.)
Secondly, they've done grid cities. London is hard, and if they can make it work in London, they can make it work anywhere in the UK.
I think it's the right call; however, I would note that it's taken six years in Pheonix to make it a sensible alternative to Uber, and it still doesn't go on the Freeways. It will get there in London, but it'll take a while. (It also won't eliminate Uber entirely. Because the Waymo fleet will be sized to achieve 80+% utilisation, which means that something else will need to take up the slack during peak times.)
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
A hotly contested Green-RefUk contest would be a joy to behold! Particularly if there were any journalists willing to put either party (preferably both) under a bit of rigorous scrutiny.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
If it was a pressurisation issue resolved by going down to angels ten, as they used to say, and there was no other issue they might as well fly a little longer and get to where there are good ol' USAF mechanics, as well as good ol' armed USAF ground troops and security generally.
I'm worried independence will be gaining steam again, with support or at least apathy from too many in England helping that along.
It was interesting to hear the leader of the Ulster Unionists at the weekend saying that English Nationalism was now the biggest threat to Ulster, not Irish Nationalism.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
Although to get the full MPs pay pay-off you have to stand and lose iirc.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
A hotly contested Green-RefUk contest would be a joy to behold! Particularly if there were any journalists willing to put either party (preferably both) under a bit of rigorous scrutiny.
Its an interesting seat. The Greens benefitted from heavy tacticals. The Tories will have some entrenched strength. Even at 20% nationally id expect about 25% here for them. Reform ought to be on for about their national share so let's say 30% and the Greens if they lost tactical votes would also be around 30% with Lib Dems and Labour sharing the odds and sods. Its likely to ve a cracking three way battle, not out of the question for the Tories if they work it hard and Greens fall back. Its more natural rural Tory territory than some in the East, Reform will score well in Diss which has had Migrant Hotel protests, but it is a fairly small market town with maybe 7-10% of the electorate.
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
Although to get the full MPs pay pay-off you have to stand and lose iirc.
Adrian's had successful runs in Green Industry so I don't think it will be a major concern. He walked away from local politics in 2011 whilst deputy Green party leader. Hes not wedded to elected politics like some
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
Depending what you count, a 70-90% reduction in incidents.
The 90% comes from a report on insurance claims on incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
Thanks - certainly beginning to overlap with one order of m. there. Interesting.
It’s fairly unsurprising in a way. The founders of Waymo stated, upfront, that the only way they thought autonomous vehicles would be allowed was by demonstrating a clear improvement in safety.
Their whole approach is based around that - restricted demo areas, generating their own “map” complete with difficult spots resolved, the backup remote operators etc.
Rather like how, at the start of Tesla, they knew that battery fires could be a problem with the adoption of EVs. So they developed a tech stack for the batteries which emphasised safety. Which has been very largely copied by their wider EV industry. And is proven to reduce vehicle fires to a fraction of those for ICE.
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Maybe he’s stopped in to do a surprise weigh-in on the troops.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
Depending what you count, a 70-90% reduction in incidents.
The 90% comes from a report on insurance claims on incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
As CEO of an insurance company whose customers are mostly in Phoenix... I can tell you that Waymos do occasionally have accidents. We've had half a dozen involving them. The most common reason, by far, is that the passenger opens the door into the door of one of our insured's vehicles. But we've been rear ended at low speeds too, and I think in one occasion a Waymo changed lanes into one of our customer's cars.
None of the accidents were serious. Waymo was an absolute pleasure to deal with, especially, as we shared our telematics data with them.
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Maybe he’s stopped in to do a surprise weigh-in on the troops.
Just breaking the journey for a few pints of Brains SA.
I'm worried independence will be gaining steam again, with support or at least apathy from too many in England helping that along.
It was interesting to hear the leader of the Ulster Unionists at the weekend saying that English Nationalism was now the biggest threat to Ulster, not Irish Nationalism.
He's right, and it's the same in Scotland. I'm increasingly convinced any break-up in the union will be because politicians in England want it to happen, not because of nationalists in the other parts of the UK.
Man arrested and bailed by police in connection with collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell
A man has been arrested by police in connection with a collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell.
Reports emerged last year that 50 investors, including Campbell’s father – Sir Tony Blair’s former director of communications Alastair Campbell – had lost their money after a fund used to place bets on football had gone bust.
It has been estimated that the fund had been worth as much as £8 million, with bets focusing on Asian handicaps or under/over goal markets, but troubles emerged 18 months before it failed when investors experienced difficulties withdrawing their money.
Campbell had allegedly blamed non-payment by bookmakers based in Asia as the reason for the syndicate’s problems. Investors, whose contributions varied from £10,000 to £500,000 in funding, reported the collapse to Action Fraud in January after negotiations with Campbell broke down.
That same month, the Racing Post was told by one investor involved that "if we got 20p in the pound, I think most of us would be surprised".
The fund had used predictive modelling to spot favourable odds on football matches to exploit, with investors told in 2023 that the organisation, which had grown through word of mouth, had made an average return on investment of eight per cent a year.
However, one investor who had been a senior figure in horseracing experienced difficulties getting his money having asked for a return in 2023 [and has since died], while another investor settled out of court this year after pursuing a private prosecution, according to The Times.
In a statement, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At 7.45am on Tuesday, September 9 officers executed a warrant at an address in Camden [London].
Who puts money into an unregulated betting syndicate without a really good long term track record? Also, what possible edge will these guys have over Mathew Benham and Tony Bloom?
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Maybe he’s stopped in to do a surprise weigh-in on the troops.
He's bringing Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels with him.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
From today's Guardian:
"Waymo said its cars were now on their way to London and would start driving on the capital’s streets in the coming weeks with “trained human specialists”, or safety drivers, behind the wheel.
...A fuller rollout of self-driving taxis is expected in the UK after the Automated Vehicles Act fully takes effect in late 2027...
... Its cars use cameras, artificial intelligence, radar and lidar – sensors that use lasers to measure distance in three dimensions – to create a map of objects around the vehicle, including in darkness and weather conditions such as rain."
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
Although to get the full MPs pay pay-off you have to stand and lose iirc.
Adrian's had successful runs in Green Industry so I don't think it will be a major concern. He walked away from local politics in 2011 whilst deputy Green party leader. Hes not wedded to elected politics like some
But standing as an Independent Green would add extra spice to the contest.
That seat was one of many where the anti-Tory tactical voting was laughably blatant. I'd love to see the conspiring fuckers get confused by candidate range and get it wrong for once.
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
Depending what you count, a 70-90% reduction in incidents.
The 90% comes from a report on insurance claims on incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
As CEO of an insurance company whose customers are mostly in Phoenix... I can tell you that Waymos do occasionally have accidents. We've had half a dozen involving them. The most common reason, by far, is that the passenger opens the door into the door of one of our insured's vehicles. But we've been rear ended at low speeds too, and I think in one occasion a Waymo changed lanes into one of our customer's cars.
None of the accidents were serious. Waymo was an absolute pleasure to deal with, especially, as we shared our telematics data with them.
I noticed when using Waymos in Phoenix that they would pull up to let passengers out in spots where a good actual driver would avoid. For example, stopping adjacent to cars parked by the side of the road (double parking).
It’s flying at 10,000ft, which is indicative of a pressuration problem.
They’ve been using a number of these for diplomats and journalists over the past few days.
Twitter says it's Hegseth. Cant be Vance, it would be Air Force Two if he was.
The only two runways in Wales capable of landing a 757 are in Cardiff: one in Cardiff Airport, one in St Athan. It's not heading towards either one. Where is it going?
The Greens are relevant here in Newham - they won two seats in Stratford in 2022 and polled second behind Labour.
The question is whether they and the Newham Independents (NIP) will work out some form of pact whereby the NIP stands in the Muslim Wards and the Greens elsewhere as the leading anti-Labour force.
The NIP should win 15 seats and could win 23 on a good day but in the Wards with more Hindus they will struggle.
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Sir 'I'll double check that' had a ghastly PMQs and Her Britannic Majesty Kemi has well and truly got the measure of him these days. She doesn't let up any more.
Re waymos: surely London represents much more of a challenge than LA, with narrower streets, more cycle lanes, bus lanes, box junctions etc than wide US style roads. If they can navigate the tightness and complexity of UK roads, the future is driverless. It'll only really be when every vehicle is driverless that they can all communicate and anticipate with each other without having to second guess what a human driver is going to do next
Are they programmed with details of the city or do they 'read' the road, as it were?
IIRC it’s they use a combination of general rules and additional specific cases - usually where the road layout has previous caused a problem - which causes the vehicle to call in a human remote operator to resolve.
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
It’s not just a noticeable improvement. It’s an order of magnitude safer
Depending what you count, a 70-90% reduction in incidents.
The 90% comes from a report on insurance claims on incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
As CEO of an insurance company whose customers are mostly in Phoenix... I can tell you that Waymos do occasionally have accidents. We've had half a dozen involving them. The most common reason, by far, is that the passenger opens the door into the door of one of our insured's vehicles. But we've been rear ended at low speeds too, and I think in one occasion a Waymo changed lanes into one of our customer's cars.
None of the accidents were serious. Waymo was an absolute pleasure to deal with, especially, as we shared our telematics data with them.
Not much surprise given the Greens have long propped up the SNP in Scotland and backed independence there and are also willing to work with Plaid in Wales. Also links to Polanski shifting from environmental stances to make the Greens a socialist hard left party on economics and a very socially liberal anti British nationalist party on cultural issues
I can't see that approach playing particularly well with their voters in, say, Suffolk or Herefordshire.
I don't think Adrian Ramsay will stand again in Waveney under Polanski so I expect it to be a Reform gain or perhaps a Con Gain if they recover to 23% plus nationally
Although to get the full MPs pay pay-off you have to stand and lose iirc.
Adrian's had successful runs in Green Industry so I don't think it will be a major concern. He walked away from local politics in 2011 whilst deputy Green party leader. Hes not wedded to elected politics like some
But standing as an Independent Green would add extra spice to the contest.
That seat was one of many where the anti-Tory tactical voting was laughably blatant. I'd love to see the conspiring fuckers get confused by candidate range and get it wrong for once.
Im finding it by far the hardest seat including Norfolk wards (my home county) to call. It ought to be a Tory seat, really it ought to be one of the last redouts but I can see Reform winning with low 30s
NATO summit was in Brussels earlier today, with SecDef Hegseth in attendance, so it’s almost certainly his plane heading for Mildenhall with a problem.
Maybe he’s stopped in to do a surprise weigh-in on the troops.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
I'm worried independence will be gaining steam again, with support or at least apathy from too many in England helping that along.
SNP down over 10% since 2021,most likely Holyrood will be a Unionist majority for the first time since 2011, with the SNP needing Labour support to keep out Reform.
Plaid would definitely need Labour support to keep out Reform in the Senedd as well, Labour would block any indy talk in both
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0lzqvw7 (More or Less BBC Podcast) brings some reality to the safety claims from the manufacturers of self drive cars, worth a listen to understand how they reach they claims that they make.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor @Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
"An upper-middle-class former banker friend recently attended a Reform UK selection meeting for council candidates in a decaying southern coastal town. Although he is a man of the world who once worked on oil rigs and in a shoe shop, my banker friend professed himself ‘shocked’ by the standards of dress and deportment of the other would-be candidates. Naturally all were overweight and tattooed, and all were dressed in shorts, baseball caps and hooded tracksuit tops – the standard everyday uniform of most British men under the age of 60. They were, it is fair to say, an average representation of the male members of what was once called ‘the working class’."
"The UK's largest undeveloped oil field has revealed the full scale of its environmental impact, should it gain approval by the government.
Developers of the Rosebank oil field said nearly 250 million tonnes of planet warming gas would be released from using oil products from the field."
Why do they even have to do this? Does UK North Sea Oil affect the world price of oil enough for anyone to claim it affects significantly the overall amount of oil used?
"Until recently such projects were only required to consider the impact on the environment from extracting the fossil fuels.
But in June last year the Supreme Court ruled that authorities must take account of the impact from also using the products, after a woman in Surrey challenged the development of her local gas project."
No doubt he can claim that "Zios" are early-flowering spring bulbs.
I'm sure the Met have skilled officers who understand these things and can explain that Zios has many meanings and is actually quite complex despite the foolish conclusions the racists plebs might jump to.
Man arrested and bailed by police in connection with collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell
A man has been arrested by police in connection with a collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell.
Reports emerged last year that 50 investors, including Campbell’s father – Sir Tony Blair’s former director of communications Alastair Campbell – had lost their money after a fund used to place bets on football had gone bust.
It has been estimated that the fund had been worth as much as £8 million, with bets focusing on Asian handicaps or under/over goal markets, but troubles emerged 18 months before it failed when investors experienced difficulties withdrawing their money.
Campbell had allegedly blamed non-payment by bookmakers based in Asia as the reason for the syndicate’s problems. Investors, whose contributions varied from £10,000 to £500,000 in funding, reported the collapse to Action Fraud in January after negotiations with Campbell broke down.
That same month, the Racing Post was told by one investor involved that "if we got 20p in the pound, I think most of us would be surprised".
The fund had used predictive modelling to spot favourable odds on football matches to exploit, with investors told in 2023 that the organisation, which had grown through word of mouth, had made an average return on investment of eight per cent a year.
However, one investor who had been a senior figure in horseracing experienced difficulties getting his money having asked for a return in 2023 [and has since died], while another investor settled out of court this year after pursuing a private prosecution, according to The Times.
In a statement, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At 7.45am on Tuesday, September 9 officers executed a warrant at an address in Camden [London].
Who puts money into an unregulated betting syndicate without a really good long term track record? Also, what possible edge will these guys have over Mathew Benham and Tony Bloom?
I guess Benham and Bloom showed it is possible to beat the market on football betting. It has been suggested this syndicate was betting on correct scores, especially 0-0, but I do not know how accurate that is, or if losses began when broadening into other bets beyond its core expertise. To reach a peak valuation of £8 million, they must have been doing something right.
As someone who may vote Green at the next GE, I am not put off by Polanskis position on the independence issue.
If those countries want to secede from the UK then that is a matter for them, and English voters should not oppose it, indeed should come to amicable settlements in order to cement long term good relationships.
"The UK's largest undeveloped oil field has revealed the full scale of its environmental impact, should it gain approval by the government.
Developers of the Rosebank oil field said nearly 250 million tonnes of planet warming gas would be released from using oil products from the field."
Why do they even have to do this? Does UK North Sea Oil affect the world price of oil enough for anyone to claim it affects significantly the overall amount of oil used?
"Until recently such projects were only required to consider the impact on the environment from extracting the fossil fuels.
But in June last year the Supreme Court ruled that authorities must take account of the impact from also using the products, after a woman in Surrey challenged the development of her local gas project."
Fucking hell.
Which is why we must (and will) repeal the Climate Change Act. Similar to Human Rights legislation, which doesn't protect the human rights of British citizens, but in actuality places the rights of all world citizens higher than those of Britons, so the UK's environmental legislation places foreign CO2 above British CO2 in its status under the law.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor @Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
As a driving instructor will tell you, driving at 20mph, persistently in 30mph zone, will get you failed on your test.
Sir 'I'll double check that' had a ghastly PMQs and Her Britannic Majesty Kemi has well and truly got the measure of him these days. She doesn't let up any more.
"An upper-middle-class former banker friend recently attended a Reform UK selection meeting for council candidates in a decaying southern coastal town. Although he is a man of the world who once worked on oil rigs and in a shoe shop, my banker friend professed himself ‘shocked’ by the standards of dress and deportment of the other would-be candidates. Naturally all were overweight and tattooed, and all were dressed in shorts, baseball caps and hooded tracksuit tops – the standard everyday uniform of most British men under the age of 60. They were, it is fair to say, an average representation of the male members of what was once called ‘the working class’."
Yes, Reform are now the natural party of the white working class male, as Labour voters and most Labour MPs were 100 or even 50 years ago.
Labour meanwhile both in parliament and in its core vote is now the party of the public sector middle classes and most ethnic minorities
That doesn't feel right (the ethnic minorities bit)? Have you got any recent stats? ISTR it's only the Muslims where their support is greater than you would expect controlling for other factors (and that's dwindling away now the Islamofascists are on the rise).
No doubt he can claim that "Zios" are early-flowering spring bulbs.
I'm sure the Met have skilled officers who understand these things and can explain that Zios has many meanings and is actually quite complex despite the foolish conclusions the racists plebs might jump to.
I am completely confident in the expertise of Chief Constable Sir Ronald Savage, OBE, DipSHit, in the field of racism.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor @Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
As a driving instructor will tell you, driving at 20mph, persistently in 30mph zone, will get you failed on your test.
Quite rightly too, the speed limit is a limit not a target, but if its safe and legal to be doing the limit, you should be doing it or approximately close to it.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
Why would I? I haven't suggested that anywhere.
But you might find that some people, like pedestrians and cyclists, would find a slower speed optimal for them. Unless you think it's only drivers who matter?
As someone who may vote Green at the next GE, I am not put off by Polanskis position on the independence issue.
If those countries want to secede from the UK then that is a matter for them, and English voters should not oppose it, indeed should come to amicable settlements in order to cement long term good relationships.
Its a matter for them, yes, not Zack Polanski
If 'English Voters' should butt out then so should he
As someone who may vote Green at the next GE, I am not put off by Polanskis position on the independence issue.
If those countries want to secede from the UK then that is a matter for them, and English voters should not oppose it, indeed should come to amicable settlements in order to cement long term good relationships.
I can't work out if you've become an anti Brexit troll or just completely lost the plot.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
Why would I? I haven't suggested that anywhere.
But you might find that some people, like pedestrians and cyclists, would find a slower speed optimal for them. Unless you think it's only drivers who matter?
Yeah, you did. I said
They absolutely can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, just as a regular driver is. 30mph is the speed limit, they should be doing less if they need to but no need to default to less.
They shouldn't be speeding and doing 40 in a 30.
To which you responded
Yep, this proves my point. The concern is that they'll be programmed by someone like you.
I do not want to share the road with millions of BartholomewRoberts.
So when I said that if its safe and legal to be doing the speed limit then you absolutely can and should be doing the speed limit, but not doing 40 in a 30, and you said you don't want to share the road with vehicles programmed by someone like me, what did you mean other than rejecting the idea of doing 30 in a 30 when its safe and legal to do so?
As for others wanting a slower speed optimal for them, they should get that on their paths, not the road. Build cycle paths or footpaths for pedestrians or cyclists, yes, but roads should be set at speeds for vehicles first and foremost, absolutely.
Downtown Portland does have a truly eerie ambience
A kind of opulent dysfunction. The city is clearly wealthy; it is also clearly suffering quite unusually
Is there any evidence that the resident population finds this suffering is unusual?
What are you, a moron?
I’m pretty sure that when the owners of Gucci were choosing their flagship store location in Portland they didn’t say “I know, let’s put it on this corner which is infested with Fent addicts 24/7, ideally we want juddering zombies blocking the door at 2pm. Customers love that stuff”
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
Why would I? I haven't suggested that anywhere.
But you might find that some people, like pedestrians and cyclists, would find a slower speed optimal for them. Unless you think it's only drivers who matter?
Yeah, you did. I said
They absolutely can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, just as a regular driver is. 30mph is the speed limit, they should be doing less if they need to but no need to default to less.
They shouldn't be speeding and doing 40 in a 30.
To which you responded
Yep, this proves my point. The concern is that they'll be programmed by someone like you.
I do not want to share the road with millions of BartholomewRoberts.
So when I said that if its safe and legal to be doing the speed limit then you absolutely can and should be doing the speed limit, but not doing 40 in a 30, and you said you don't want to share the road with vehicles programmed by someone like me, what did you mean other than rejecting the idea of doing 30 in a 30 when its safe and legal to do so?
As for others wanting a slower speed optimal for them, they should get that on their paths, not the road. Build cycle paths or footpaths for pedestrians or cyclists, yes, but roads should be set at speeds for vehicles first and foremost, absolutely.
Those quotes don't demontrate that. Please don't put words in my mouth.
In fact, I've even suggested that self-driving cars might allow cars to drive faster than the current speed limit where the risk-profile is low, such as on motorways.
The rest of your post is crap. It's a carriageway. It's up to the horseriders, God help us.
Be interested to know how a Waymo would distinguish a set of classic temporary roadworks traffic lights that aren't working/stuck on red versus a very long hold but functionally operational 4-way type set of lights.
Good luck with that. London’s one of the worst cities for SD cars.
Because at the moment the humans can’t understand the cacophony of signs at certain junctions.
Councils also need to be very clear that every yellow box junction infringement and bus lane infringement and LTN infringement will accumulate exponentially increasing fines on the operators.
Make that £100 infringement for the 10th time today, and your last fine is £51,200, to be paid within a fortnight otherwise they all double.
Presumably these Waymos will be programme to avoid bus lanes? That's going create havoc. There are times when you have to go iinto a bus lane to avoid creating gridlock. In fact I have often thought that a work-to-rule by London drivers would reduce the capital to a standstill within hours because if every driver follows every rule inflexibly the whole system just grinds to a halt.
Driving on the west coast is infinitely easier than in the UK, ditto LA over london
So London is perhaps the ultimate test. All those tiny medieval streets in the City
Perhaps that’s why Google have chosen The Smoke. It’s a top tier, busy, chaotic world city but with narrow ancient streets in places (unlike NYC)
It’s meant to be exemplary. If they can get it to work in London it can work anywhere
Delhi?
I have a work colleague originally from Delhi. He has just passed his driving test, in Glasgow, after "unlearning" how he drove in Delhi. He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
You mean, in aggregate, people actually drive at the speed limit?
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
Why would I? I haven't suggested that anywhere.
But you might find that some people, like pedestrians and cyclists, would find a slower speed optimal for them. Unless you think it's only drivers who matter?
Yeah, you did. I said
They absolutely can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, just as a regular driver is. 30mph is the speed limit, they should be doing less if they need to but no need to default to less.
They shouldn't be speeding and doing 40 in a 30.
To which you responded
Yep, this proves my point. The concern is that they'll be programmed by someone like you.
I do not want to share the road with millions of BartholomewRoberts.
So when I said that if its safe and legal to be doing the speed limit then you absolutely can and should be doing the speed limit, but not doing 40 in a 30, and you said you don't want to share the road with vehicles programmed by someone like me, what did you mean other than rejecting the idea of doing 30 in a 30 when its safe and legal to do so?
As for others wanting a slower speed optimal for them, they should get that on their paths, not the road. Build cycle paths or footpaths for pedestrians or cyclists, yes, but roads should be set at speeds for vehicles first and foremost, absolutely.
Those quotes don't demontrate that. Please don't put words in my mouth.
In fact, I've even suggested that self-driving cars might allow cars to drive faster than the current speed limit where the risk-profile is low, such as on motorways.
The rest of yoru post is crap. It's a carriageway. It's up to the horse.
I quoted the words, I didn't put anything in your mouth.
Do you agree with the idea that vehicles in a 30mph zone can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, or not?
Slow down if you need to slow down, as I said, but if its safe and legal to be doing 30 then that should be the default and not discouraged.
Be interested to know how a Waymo would distinguish a set of classic temporary roadworks traffic lights that aren't working/stuck on red versus a very long hold but functionally operational 4-way type set of lights.
Control of the Waymo gets passed to a man in a warehouse if they get stuck. It's one of the features they have that the Teslas do not.
Comments
I did find it rather curious as to why it had to be done just before PMQs, which seemed like a tactical play more than anything else.
@DPJHodges
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10m
Understand Labour officials are coming under pressure from No.10 to cancel a conference for Deputy Leader announcement. “They don’t want much publicity around the result” I’m told.
LOL
Apparently heading for RAF Mildenhall.
[EDIT: Sandpit says RAF Mildenhall. Thank you, @Sandpit ]
A man has been arrested by police in connection with a collapsed betting syndicate operated by Rory Campbell.
Reports emerged last year that 50 investors, including Campbell’s father – Sir Tony Blair’s former director of communications Alastair Campbell – had lost their money after a fund used to place bets on football had gone bust.
It has been estimated that the fund had been worth as much as £8 million, with bets focusing on Asian handicaps or under/over goal markets, but troubles emerged 18 months before it failed when investors experienced difficulties withdrawing their money.
Campbell had allegedly blamed non-payment by bookmakers based in Asia as the reason for the syndicate’s problems. Investors, whose contributions varied from £10,000 to £500,000 in funding, reported the collapse to Action Fraud in January after negotiations with Campbell broke down.
That same month, the Racing Post was told by one investor involved that "if we got 20p in the pound, I think most of us would be surprised".
The fund had used predictive modelling to spot favourable odds on football matches to exploit, with investors told in 2023 that the organisation, which had grown through word of mouth, had made an average return on investment of eight per cent a year.
However, one investor who had been a senior figure in horseracing experienced difficulties getting his money having asked for a return in 2023 [and has since died], while another investor settled out of court this year after pursuing a private prosecution, according to The Times.
In a statement, a Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “At 7.45am on Tuesday, September 9 officers executed a warrant at an address in Camden [London].
“A 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation relating to a betting syndicate. He has since been bailed pending further inquiries.”
https://www.racingpost.com/news/britain/man-arrested-and-bailed-by-police-in-connection-with-collapsed-betting-syndicate-operated-by-rory-campbell-asI625M6WF9X/
Firstly, I'm not sure there's enough volume in MK to make it pay. In London, you'll get a lot of the international jetset crowd who use Waymo in SF/LA/NY and love the fact they can just use the same app. (These people will also probably pay a premium.)
Secondly, they've done grid cities. London is hard, and if they can make it work in London, they can make it work anywhere in the UK.
I think it's the right call; however, I would note that it's taken six years in Pheonix to make it a sensible alternative to Uber, and it still doesn't go on the Freeways. It will get there in London, but it'll take a while. (It also won't eliminate Uber entirely. Because the Waymo fleet will be sized to achieve 80+% utilisation, which means that something else will need to take up the slack during peak times.)
Waymo have got where they have by being quite cautious and emphasising safety. The data can be hard to interpret - but most observers believe they have demonstrated a noticeable improvement in safety for *equivelent* journeys in the areas they cover.
https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8gdelw79po
Plenty of other airfields it can drop into on the way, if required.
Depending what you count, a 70-90% reduction in incidents.
The 90% comes from a report on insurance claims on incidents involving Waymo vehicles.
Brian Allen
@allenanalysis
OBAMA: “What if I sent the National Guard into Texas and said I don’t care what Governor Abbott says… and just kind of took over?”
Imagine that.
Fox News would’ve held a 96-hour emergency broadcast with 18 split screens and a countdown to “Tyranny Day.”
https://x.com/allenanalysis/status/1978273849947951431
Their whole approach is based around that - restricted demo areas, generating their own “map” complete with difficult spots resolved, the backup remote operators etc.
Rather like how, at the start of Tesla, they knew that battery fires could be a problem with the adoption of EVs. So they developed a tech stack for the batteries which emphasised safety. Which has been very largely copied by their wider EV industry. And is proven to reduce vehicle fires to a fraction of those for ICE.
None of the accidents were serious. Waymo was an absolute pleasure to deal with, especially, as we shared our telematics data with them.
"Waymo said its cars were now on their way to London and would start driving on the capital’s streets in the coming weeks with “trained human specialists”, or safety drivers, behind the wheel.
...A fuller rollout of self-driving taxis is expected in the UK after the Automated Vehicles Act fully takes effect in late 2027...
... Its cars use cameras, artificial intelligence, radar and lidar – sensors that use lasers to measure distance in three dimensions – to create a map of objects around the vehicle, including in darkness and weather conditions such as rain."
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/oct/15/driverless-taxis-from-waymo-will-be-on-londons-roads-next-year-us-firm-announces
A kind of opulent dysfunction. The city is clearly wealthy; it is also clearly suffering quite unusually
That seat was one of many where the anti-Tory tactical voting was laughably blatant. I'd love to see the conspiring fuckers get confused by candidate range and get it wrong for once.
Does it know how to wave at other drivers to thank them?
The Greens are relevant here in Newham - they won two seats in Stratford in 2022 and polled second behind Labour.
The question is whether they and the Newham Independents (NIP) will work out some form of pact whereby the NIP stands in the Muslim Wards and the Greens elsewhere as the leading anti-Labour force.
The NIP should win 15 seats and could win 23 on a good day but in the Wards with more Hindus they will struggle.
https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a33432833/naked-athena-speaks-out/
https://kotaku.com/portland-frog-costume-ice-facility-protest-oregon-trump-2000634001
He says it is really stressful driving in Glasgow because people are doing 30, whereas 15 or 20 was the most you can manage in Delhi if you are lucky.
Plaid would definitely need Labour support to keep out Reform in the Senedd as well, Labour would block any indy talk in both
And its not just me that is uniquely doing that?
Poor @Eabhal will be having fits of vapours, having to share the road with people who drive at the speed limit when its safe and legal to do so.
Labour meanwhile both in parliament and in its core vote is now the party of the public sector middle classes and most ethnic minorities
"The UK's largest undeveloped oil field has revealed the full scale of its environmental impact, should it gain approval by the government.
Developers of the Rosebank oil field said nearly 250 million tonnes of planet warming gas would be released from using oil products from the field."
Why do they even have to do this? Does UK North Sea Oil affect the world price of oil enough for anyone to claim it affects significantly the overall amount of oil used?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce3xzgdqw3ro
"Until recently such projects were only required to consider the impact on the environment from extracting the fossil fuels.
But in June last year the Supreme Court ruled that authorities must take account of the impact from also using the products, after a woman in Surrey challenged the development of her local gas project."
Fucking hell.
The pax will likely head back to the States on a C17, unless they want to wait on base until another 757 can be sent for them.
If those countries want to secede from the UK then that is a matter for them, and English voters should not oppose it, indeed should come to amicable settlements in order to cement long term good relationships.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/oct/15/kemi-brings-a-shovel-to-a-gunfight-and-starmer-lets-her-dig-her-own-hole
That's not just me that thinks that.
But you might find that some people, like pedestrians and cyclists, would find a slower speed optimal for them. Unless you think it's only drivers who matter?
If 'English Voters' should butt out then so should he
They absolutely can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, just as a regular driver is. 30mph is the speed limit, they should be doing less if they need to but no need to default to less.
They shouldn't be speeding and doing 40 in a 30.
To which you responded
Yep, this proves my point. The concern is that they'll be programmed by someone like you.
I do not want to share the road with millions of BartholomewRoberts.
So when I said that if its safe and legal to be doing the speed limit then you absolutely can and should be doing the speed limit, but not doing 40 in a 30, and you said you don't want to share the road with vehicles programmed by someone like me, what did you mean other than rejecting the idea of doing 30 in a 30 when its safe and legal to do so?
As for others wanting a slower speed optimal for them, they should get that on their paths, not the road. Build cycle paths or footpaths for pedestrians or cyclists, yes, but roads should be set at speeds for vehicles first and foremost, absolutely.
I’m pretty sure that when the owners of Gucci were choosing their flagship store location in Portland they didn’t say “I know, let’s put it on this corner which is infested with Fent addicts 24/7, ideally we want juddering zombies blocking the door at 2pm. Customers love that stuff”
In fact, I've even suggested that self-driving cars might allow cars to drive faster than the current speed limit where the risk-profile is low, such as on motorways.
The rest of your post is crap. It's a carriageway. It's up to the horseriders, God help us.
I wonder how often it happens? Twice in a year feels weird.
Do you agree with the idea that vehicles in a 30mph zone can and should be doing 30mph if its safe and legal to do so, or not?
Slow down if you need to slow down, as I said, but if its safe and legal to be doing 30 then that should be the default and not discouraged.