Somewhen else
30 September 2003 11:41![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
den"Let me get this straight. You propose to pack people in to 1.5 ton metal and glass boxes whose only control is provided by gravity and friction, and then shoot them toward each other at 110kph along a surface made of gravel and a crude oil derivative?"
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"
"What I have a problem with is the 'at each other' bit.What's to stop them from slamming together at 220kph?"
"We'll paint a white line along the middle of the road."
"Paint a line."
"White line. Yes."
"Right. And this paint is...?"
"Just white paint."
"It doesn't have some force field properties in it?"
"No, just a white dye and some tiny plastic beads to make it reflective."
"Ah! So the beads are-"
"Just plastic."
"Ah. Right. Okay. And this will stop the boxes from slamming into each other?"
"Yes."
"A painted white line."
"With plastic beads, yes."
"Right. Beads. Right. Okay, so where two of these 'roads' as you call them intersect, what happens? How do you stop the metal boxes from slamming together?"
"That's where we use the coloured lights."
"Coloured lights."
"Yes."
"And the lights are-?"
"Just coloured lights."
"Ah-huh."
"Red, amber and green."
"Red amber and green lights."
"Yes."
"And a painted white line. With plastic beads."
"Yes."
"Right. You know, it sounds stupid. It'll never work."
"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"
"What I have a problem with is the 'at each other' bit.What's to stop them from slamming together at 220kph?"
"We'll paint a white line along the middle of the road."
"Paint a line."
"White line. Yes."
"Right. And this paint is...?"
"Just white paint."
"It doesn't have some force field properties in it?"
"No, just a white dye and some tiny plastic beads to make it reflective."
"Ah! So the beads are-"
"Just plastic."
"Ah. Right. Okay. And this will stop the boxes from slamming into each other?"
"Yes."
"A painted white line."
"With plastic beads, yes."
"Right. Beads. Right. Okay, so where two of these 'roads' as you call them intersect, what happens? How do you stop the metal boxes from slamming together?"
"That's where we use the coloured lights."
"Coloured lights."
"Yes."
"And the lights are-?"
"Just coloured lights."
"Ah-huh."
"Red, amber and green."
"Red amber and green lights."
"Yes."
"And a painted white line. With plastic beads."
"Yes."
"Right. You know, it sounds stupid. It'll never work."
Social Conventions....
Date: 29 Sep 2003 21:39 (UTC)Re: Somewhen else
Date: 29 Sep 2003 23:43 (UTC)Re: Somewhen else
Date: 30 Sep 2003 00:06 (UTC)Re: Somewhen else
Date: 1 Oct 2003 10:44 (UTC)