[baronspam]

I was thinking, I often quote  the idea that a 0 in a skill isn't unskilled, but represents the skill level of the average person.  When it comes to driving a car, I was wondering if the average personal really has any skill at all.  With GridGuide and the state of technology I think the typical car commuter  could climb in, set their destination, set the windows to an AR view of the rocky mountains, and pretty much not need to deal with reality until they actually got to the office.  Do you think driver's licences are even required?  Unless one is going across country (and even then major roads would have grid guide) or into a really bad zone, I don't know that you even have to put your hands on the wheel. 

Just a thought.  Any opinions?

[CanRay]

I'd say they'd still be required.  While their advertising says otherwise, GridGuide goes on a wonky-spree far too often, and some semblance of skill is needed to deal with emergency situations.  Even Pilot Programs can have a BSoD and suddenly you're on manual controls.

It's like some airlines (From my understanding), the pilot mostly just sits there while the plane is on autopilot, but for the hard stuff or when things go wrong, he's gotta do his job.

Rank 0 skill means you passed your Driver's Ed course and got your license after one, two, five tests.  Rank one means you aced your test the first time.  After that, you're in the areas where you're a stunt/combat driver.

[Red Canti]

I dunno. Do people still have Cellphones?

[CanRay]

I dunno. Do people still have Cellphones?

Provision 447 of the US/Canadian Amalgamation Act makes it legal to shoot someone talking on a cell phone while driving, on grounds of "Self Defense".  However, you're still guilty of discharging a firearm within city limits, and you better not miss and hit someone else, otherwise that would fall under Manslaughter.

I cite People Vs. Hendrenson, People Vs. Mikes, and The Crown Vs. The Dunhuras Brothers as proof.

[Lacynth40]

Amen, brother CanRay. Some things got BETTER under the UCAS...

[CanRay]

Firearms laws, for one thing.  US Firearms Ownership ideals in Canada. 

[Valashar]

I was thinking, I often quote  the idea that a 0 in a skill isn't unskilled, but represents the skill level of the average person.  When it comes to driving a car, I was wondering if the average personal really has any skill at all.  With GridGuide and the state of technology I think the typical car commuter  could climb in, set their destination, set the windows to an AR view of the rocky mountains, and pretty much not need to deal with reality until they actually got to the office.  Do you think driver's licences are even required?  Unless one is going across country (and even then major roads would have grid guide) or into a really bad zone, I don't know that you even have to put your hands on the wheel. 

Just a thought.  Any opinions?

Even within a city like Seattle, GridGuide^TM is not universal on all streets, or even all major streets. And former interstate (now international) highways can't be presumed to have it along their entire length either, as different nations have different priorities. One should also consider that in the vehicle price range of most consumers, there aren't really a high number of vehicles with even average pilot ratings, much less better than average (meaning a pilot and handling combining to a dice pool of 5-6). This runs down to a good portion of folks either not being able to give over their vehicle to auto-pilot due to either road conditions or simple lack of trust in the tech. So folks on the main would still know how to drive. Knowing how to drive a manual transmission, however, I would not take as a given. Just tossing that last bit out.

[CanRay]

How often are you likely to find a stick in 2070, however?  Even heavy vehicles are likely to be computer-controlled automatics by then.

Needs more maintenance and jacks the prices up for repairs after all.

[farothel]

How often are you likely to find a stick in 2070, however?  Even heavy vehicles are likely to be computer-controlled automatics by then.

Needs more maintenance and jacks the prices up for repairs after all.

I guess most will be automatics as all cars (except the vintage ones) are hybrids, and hybrids need automatic shift today to be able to make the switch between the electro and fuel engine (if I recall correctly, at least I've never seen a hybrid with manual, even in Europe where most people drive with a manual).  Not sure in 2070 of course, and manual shifts do consume less fuel.

[CanRay]

The price of petrochem fuels is, indeed, high.  But I do like how Shadowrun has stated that vehicles are mostly hybrids, which just make sense.  Having seen a number of them in operation with the diagnostics running constantly, I can say that they're not using the petrol engine nearly as much as the batteries and electric motor.  Acceleration from a stop sign or a red light is about it.

Cabs in Winnipeg have started the switch over to the new hybrids due to gasoline prices (And a few other political issues, some of which even make logical sense for once!).  Ugly frigin' cars, however, and the trunks leave a lot to be desired.

[Valashar]

How often are you likely to find a stick in 2070, however?  Even heavy vehicles are likely to be computer-controlled automatics by then.

Needs more maintenance and jacks the prices up for repairs after all.

Yep. That's basically where I intended to go with the remark about manual transmissions. I had a rough idea with a past rigger PC that I never ended up using, about swapping in a customized manual transmission into any vehicle they wanted to set up as their rigger-mobile. IIRC, past Black Books (ones that included actual vehicle construction rules, not just modding) included manual transmission as an option but my GM at the time was an over-thinking/under-understanding bastard and kept claiming to not be able to get his head around how a rigger adaptation would interact with that.

[JimJungle]

Cabs in Winnipeg have started the switch over to the new hybrids due to gasoline prices (And a few other political issues, some of which even make logical sense for once!).  Ugly frigin' cars, however, and the trunks leave a lot to be desired.

Have you ever seen a hybrid that isnt ugly as sin? Nope.

[Lacynth40]

Hell, I'd like to see one that's affordable, good looking, and can actually break the 100 m/gal barrier...

[FastJack]

Cabs in Winnipeg have started the switch over to the new hybrids due to gasoline prices (And a few other political issues, some of which even make logical sense for once!).  Ugly frigin' cars, however, and the trunks leave a lot to be desired.

Have you ever seen a hybrid that isnt ugly as sin? Nope.

Yes. Yes I have.

But I may be biased.

Oh, and Farothel. The CRZ is a manual transmission too.

[The_Gun_Nut]

That is a handsome car, Jack.

I'm not sure why a hybrid would need to use the gas when taking off from a stop, other than to generate more electricity for the electric motor.  Electric motors tend to have a LOT more torque than gas motors.  Starting current for a motor is outrageous, too, which is why I think the gas engine would be needed to supplement the batteries.