The Hyperloop & privatized mass transit

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Ashful

Ashful

Minister of Fire
Mar 7, 2012
20,075
Philadelphia
Caught a news story on the Hyperloop One / Virgin merger today. Interesting, with serious potential impact on our daily radius of movement. A normal 45 minute commute might open our radius from 30 miles to 300 miles, for potential employers.

https://hyperloop-one.com/hyperloop-explained

"It will fundamentally change the way we travel, work, and live." No doubt.

Perhaps what's even more interesting, or unnerving depending on your perspective, is the thought of mass transit in the hands of a private company. We've seen how efficient Gmail, Apple, Amazon, and even the dinosaur Microsoft have become with tracking all of us by advertising ID's and analytics. Your "transit pass" could be a powerful behavioral tracking tool, in the hands of anyone more efficient than our local government (i.e. any private industry).
 
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Not unlike those stories of teen girls being sent maternity swag in the mail when some bot somewhere figured out they were pregnant!

I'm surprised that Facebook doesn't try to introduce more people to their spouse's paramours. Maybe they have a filter for that?

Those helpful bots. :confused:

I'd just be happy if my train commute of 14 miles took less than an hour each way. Or I could drive...and still take an hour each way.

I still think the flying car will get here before a faster Septa train.
 
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Ashful said:
Your "transit pass" could be a powerful behavioral tracking tool, in the hands of anyone more efficient than our local government (i.e. any private industry).
Click to expand...
Already started and happening as many vehicles track with GPS. Will happen moreso with autonomous vehicles. Also, many states have started mileage tracking tax of vehicles to compensate for declining gas sales tax. GPS tracking is one way of making sure that the state only charges for miles driven in state.
 
begreen said:
Already started and happening as many vehicles track with GPS. Will happen moreso with autonomous vehicles. Also, many states have started mileage tracking tax of vehicles to compensate for declining gas sales tax. GPS tracking is one way of making sure that the state only charges for miles driven in state.
Click to expand...
True, we're already seeing the trickle that precipitates the damn busting open, on that front. Currently, that GPS data is currently in the hands of parties less interested and efficient with its processing and use, but that is changing... rapidly.

Somehow, I have far less concern with our government having access to this data, than private industry. It's not that I assume one is "good" and the other is "bad", but the former has less historical precedent of selling such personal data to unscrupulous third-parties. The issue is not Toyota, Ford, or Tesla... it's the second-tier companies willing to pay them for your PII, that always frighten me.
 
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woodgeek said:
Not unlike those stories of teen girls being sent maternity swag in the mail when some bot somewhere figured out they were pregnant!

I'm surprised that Facebook doesn't try to introduce more people to their spouse's paramours. Maybe they have a filter for that?

Those helpful bots. :confused:

I'd just be happy if my train commute of 14 miles took less than an hour each way. Or I could drive...and still take an hour each way.

I still think the flying car will get here before a faster Septa train.
Click to expand...

Saw an article a few weeks ago that prostitutes were being suggested friends that were actual clients. Often, both used fake names with each other.
 
IMHO Hyperloop doesnt overcome the fundamental issue that upfront capital costs for fixed infrastructure is going to mean the only ones that get built are ones that are heavily subsidized by the public.

Much as I despise flying commercial, I get the same speed as a hyperloop ride by taking a commuter shuttle with a heck of lot more flexibility
 
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