A question about : Railways, Tramways, Busways, Driverless Vehicles
I started a thread recently about branch line Railway Level Crossings, and the consensus seems to be that the braking systems of modern railway trains cannot be relied upon. To me, this seems to be no less ridiculous than the idea that HGV drivers are routinely unable to see what is happening alongside the nearside length of their vehicle.
I don’t get out much these days, and so I have never seen the modern tram systems of some UK cities. How do modern trams deal with emergency stops? How did old-fashioned trams deal with emergency stops?
And what is the big deal about BusWays? Why are BusWays better than an ordinary road which is only accessible by buses?
We hear a lot about the development of driverless cars, but it is hard to imagine how they will be able to share road space with non-automated road users - the game of Chicken will become even more fun when children can be certain that they are no longer in real danger.
IMO, the perfect test-bed for driverless vehicles would be the lightly-used rural railway branch lines - let’s uproot the antiquated rail system, and replace it, initially, with driverless buses (so far as I know, there is no problem with the braking systems of modern buses). If it can be made to work, then the future possibilities would be endless.
Best answers:
- A busway like the one at Cambridge is reserved for buses fitted with equipment to use it. I assume that it is cheaper to construct with the guidance system as it can then be made using far less concrete than a normal roadway.
https://c1.staticflickr.com/7/6090/6...8fe47d39_z.jpg - Thanks for the explanations about the advantages of a guided busway - it uses less land because it enables buses to pass each other closer than otherwise, and it requires only the 'tyre's width' of hard surface, which is cheaper to install and easier to drain.
My next question is this - are busways (unlike railways) subject to the same regulations as highways?
I believe that busway 'level crossings' are controlled by traffic lights in much the same way as any conventional crossroads. That is to say that the bus driver needs a green light before he/she can claim priority over the opposing traffic. Yes - the lights are automatically switched to green as the bus approaches, but if, for whatever reason, the light stays red, or fails completely, then I would guess that the bus driver will be expected to behave in the same way as a conventional road user. Please correct me if I am wrong.
I have been in favour of driverless transport systems for years, but I don't think it will ever be possible for driverless vehicles to share space with anything except other driverless vehicles.
I can imagine a motorway being equipped with some kind of computer-controlled underground or overhead remote control system which would automatically take over from the vehicle's driver whilst the vehicle is still on the slip road. The driver would then be able to sit back, open the laptop, read the paper, talk on the phone etc whilst the computer system would organise the motorway's traffic flows. - I think the whole idea of driverless vehicles should be disposed of.
Not just through safety reasons but for employment reasons.
As a Train driver I would be out of a job if there were driverless trains and when you add up the amount of Train drivers and Bus drivers who would be out of work it doesn't bear thinking about.
I guess when I'm retired and mortgage free I may consider joining the, "let's get people out of work", brigade but in the meantime it's a no from me. - Driver less trains cannot fall asleep at the controls and miss a stop
Driver less trains don't walk out if they don't get their promised cup of tea in the morning
Driver less trains are never late for work throwing the whole network into chaos
Driver less trains .........
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