Was talking with a friend who’s about to have teenager kids who thinks Waymo might be able to be their “third family car” to shuttle teenagers around (Waymo coming to Atlanta this summer). I think that makes sense. - ThreadSky

conorsen.bsky.social • 29 days ago

Was talking with a friend who’s about to have teenager kids who thinks Waymo might be able to be their “third family car” to shuttle teenagers around (Waymo coming to Atlanta this summer). I think that makes sense.

Reposted from George Pearkes

Uber announces a partnership with May Mobility to deploy autonomous vehicles. Launch in Arlington, TX later this year with "thousands" planned "over the next few years".

Comments

stephenjowens.bsky.social•29 days ago

When I found out how much it costs to add a teenager to your car insurance I became bullish on “anything else” as well

tiggersdad.bsky.social•29 days ago

The ads write themselves. If you’ve got teenage kids they can Waymo for mobility or you can pay way mo for their insurance. Which are you gonna choose? lol

vladimir.theatl.social•29 days ago

and that cost reflects the risk of children both causing and experiencing crashes, Waymo/MARTA/scooters and ebikes could avoid so many

vladimir.theatl.social•29 days ago

"reflects" being used vaguely, the actual risk of increased harm is much higher

conorsen.bsky.social•29 days ago

I was about to ask but I genuinely don’t want to know.

stephenjowens.bsky.social•29 days ago

The best deal my buddy @johnbeeler.com could get was $550 per month for his teens

stephenjowens.bsky.social•29 days ago

Oop I wrote this before reading the second part of your skeet

billwinterberg.bsky.social•29 days ago

$550 a month pays for a lot of short, local ride shares 😳

johnbeeler.com•29 days ago

We tried to do this as well. Even bought a bunch of uber cards. Fun fact! On most carriers you can’t (that’s right, cannot) exempt teenage drivers with licenses from your auto insurance. So check before you buy the Waymo
Gift cards.

johnbeeler.com•29 days ago

Oh just kidding about that being a fun fact.

State Farm was the only one that allowed exemptions - but our agent said that is probably changing soon.

snoozebuttonben.bsky.social•29 days ago

I clearly owe my mother an apology. Not like I drove carefully either. I ripped that Buick Century wagon around corners like it was the General Lee. I no shit rear ended a postal delivery vehicle once.

jda5id.com•29 days ago

From the Waymo terms. I wonder if "watching them online" counts as "supervision."

You must be at least 18 years of age to use our Services. If you are under 18 years of age you may only use our Services under the supervision of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by these Terms.

scottstevrva.bsky.social•29 days ago

How far into the suburbs do they go, typically?

lordhelmet.bsky.social•29 days ago

If I had a kid turning 16 soon. I would offer them subs to waymo, Uber, Lyft instead of getting a car and license.

jarekfa.bsky.social•29 days ago

Sounds great for suburbia. Not sure it'd work so well for us city residents as cars don't scale well in cities.

I fear it begets the vicious cycle of further entrenching car dependency.

Whereas we have amenity access superior to any Buckhead resident despite being car-free.

bahrad.bsky.social•29 days ago

Waymo operates in very dense parts of LA fine. It's a great complement to biking as well.

aniccia.bsky.social•29 days ago

LOL. Waymo puts bikelanes in their app as pickup and drop off locations, allowing anyone to order a robot to break the law and it will, many videos like this one of it in action, sometimes Waymo gets tickets for it.

https://bsky.app/profile/geolikestrains.bsky.social/post/3lnysnvcz2s24

jarekfa.bsky.social•29 days ago

Interesting. I humbly submit that for them to operate safely in NYC, they'd have to be slow as shit. We simply have poorly made and inconsistent street markings. Drivers drive based on vibes and rules of the road and less based on those markings, which are frequently obscured or faded by weather.

bahrad.bsky.social•29 days ago

People think of the arterials when they think of LA, which are damgerously fast but at least on the Westside and Mid-City well engineered and in decent shape. But once you get off those, it is a lot more challenging. Many streets here are as tight as it gets, and markings and quality gets iffy.

jarekfa.bsky.social•29 days ago

My nearby arterial with a protected bike lane is just a constant construction disaster filled with blocks of temporary markings that nobody understands. But if Waymos are indeed safer drivers, then I can't really complain about that.

conorsen.bsky.social•29 days ago

Cities aren’t really for kids in America and I don’t see that changing any time soon.

jarekfa.bsky.social•29 days ago

I guess that is a matter of one's POV. The density makes it easier as a parent. I have a tiny yard, but I have more public goods. I'm a 6 min ebike ride from prospect park. 12 mins from Horseback riding, 12 mins from tennis (on top of a food hall) and 16 mins from swimming https://bsky.app/profile/jarekfa.bsky.social/post/3lo4uvqrq2s2q

jarekfa.bsky.social•29 days ago

I absolutely understand the pull of suburbia - I feel it too. But I really am so wealthy in amenities it's hard to convey to others the full extent. I've got giant playspaces within 8 mins, I've got a real Chinatown within 14 mins. But yes, the apt is cramped and our boys are growing ..

ckjohnsonbk.bsky.social•29 days ago

I raised two children in NYC and it was fabulous. Playgrounds everywhere! Events and institutions abound! Once they hit junior high they can basically get themselves around. It was great. They loved it, too.

mdasilva.bsky.social•29 days ago

Challenges aside there are loads of kids grow up in cities and that also isn’t changing anytime soon.

gpthacker.bsky.social•29 days ago

Right. Cities aren’t for kids. Strip mall filled 900 lane arterial suburban and exurban paradises are for kids. Sheesh.

cavandy.bsky.social•29 days ago

Uber was that for us the boys didn't get their DLs until 18

tmtanalyst.bsky.social•29 days ago

Ha - my almost 20yo still doesn’t have one. City kids

hmeisler.bsky.social•29 days ago

with the school bus driver shortage here lotta parents used uber to send their kids to school

mdasilva.bsky.social•29 days ago

Why not walk?

mnuss.bsky.social•29 days ago

A lot of American cities don't have sidewalks or bike lanes that are safe for kids.

hmeisler.bsky.social•29 days ago

too far away?

pmanville.bsky.social•29 days ago

Never (mines at GT)

mihirpshah.bsky.social•29 days ago

We saw one a couple months ago somewhere near Ponce.

I’m guessing it’s going to remain an ITP thing at best for a while.

rsgore.bsky.social•29 days ago

Is Waymo cheaper than Uber?

mdasilva.bsky.social•29 days ago

Wait why would a household need more cars than licensed drivers?

pd-williams.bsky.social•29 days ago

One (the?) point of sadness living in such a snowy place is that this tech seems almost impossible in our winters and even if it was, I really struggle with idea of trusting it in such a noisy and random environment

bahrad.bsky.social•29 days ago

Works pretty well in LA which easily has the most intense surface street driving and traffic situations in the US.

pd-williams.bsky.social•29 days ago

The issue isn’t traffic density, it’s unpredictable surfaces (how would it handle skidding out on ice when an entire intersection just froze over?) and when visibility for both traffic and road markings goes to ~0

bahrad.bsky.social•29 days ago

There are definitely challenges. But the issues in LA aren't traffic density only -- and it is operating in cities where when it rains, it rains harf. The skidding thing is challenging but I think solvable. I figured it out after only a few terrifying incidents when I was 16.

team644.bsky.social•29 days ago

I know of people who do this and speak highly of it.

seanhecking.bsky.social•28 days ago

Less creepy than Uber. Also great for elderly

wendykd.bsky.social•29 days ago

I would use Waymo if it was available. used in SF and
It was seamless

Comments

Posting Rules

Reply