Waymo's meet blackout, lose license to drive.

San Francisco has a blackout affecting 130,000 and it's been going on for nearly a day. There's been earthquakes too. Some reports of a substation caught fire in the Mission District, but the utility has been absolutely mum. But the bigger story is the driverless Waymo taxis are stalling out at intersections because there's no traffic lights. Yeah, this could get every driverless car taken off the road quickly! Traffic is backed up behind these Waymo's, and everything has ground to a halt.

Before 1908, there were nearly as many electric cars on the road as gas vehicles. Cities like NY and San Francisco had almost all their government fleets electrified.
Then the San Francisco earthquake struck, leaving the city without power for over a week. Most of the SF PDs cars became inoperable with no way to charge them, and electric cars quickly became obsolete.

Quote: billryan

Before 1908, there were nearly as many electric cars on the road as gas vehicles. Cities like NY and San Francisco had almost all their government fleets electrified.
Then the San Francisco earthquake struck, leaving the city without power for over a week. Most of the SF PDs cars became inoperable with no way to charge them, and electric cars quickly became obsolete.
link to original post

the waymos didn't run out of power, they couldn't handle traffic lights being down. Just saying.

I'm averaging about 10 miles per dollar of gas for my casino trips this year. I take Premium gas at near $4/gallon, and 30 mpg for highway driving. Most of my trips are 30 miles round trip, so $3 per visit.

But my favorite bubble craps machine broke last night and I was told it will be replaced next month with individual bubble craps machines. So in the interim, I've got to find a $5 table somewhere. The next nearest place is a 140 mile round trip, or $14 + $5 tolls on some of the worst interstate roads that need repair. I may need new navigation maps for my car when they finish construction, and those cost money. They are tearing out an interstate viaduct from the inner city and making it a 30 mph business loop, complete with new traffic circles. Traffic goes where now? Maybe Google Maps on my phone is keeping up with the changes.

I just ordered a new radar detector and the accompanying dash cam. My old detector is 10 years old and the app it used has been retired and there's new speed cameras and traffic light cameras to contend with in some areas that are addressed in the new app. I've got to unbox them soon and get it installed. I've never really used the old app, but the new app can plug in via car play, so that will be different.

I've run into the internet talk to not even enter Eastern Canada with a radar detector, leave it home or it will be confiscated and the driver will be subject to immense fines, even if they find it unplugged in the trunk. 3 demerit points and a $350 fine for possession of a radar detector, and the fines could go over $1K. I mean, you could get that for going 10 mph over the speed limit too in Canada.

Waymo's robotaxis seen failing to stop for school buses at least 20 times, police say - CBS News, Dec. 8, 2025


Comment #1: WAYMO SAID "NO!" WHEN ASKED TO SUSPEND OPERATIONS.
When Austin's government asked Waymo to suspend their operations until this program error is corrected, Waymo simply refused.
That shows corporate is the bigger dog than the law!