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Patrol Robot Knocked Down by Drunk Guy — Parallax Forums

Patrol Robot Knocked Down by Drunk Guy

JLockeJLocke Posts: 354
in Robotics
Anyone see this story? Not sure what kind of a deterrent to crime it is if a drunk guy can knock it over.

POLICE: DRUNK MAN KNOCKED DOWN 300-POUND ROBOT IN MOUNTAIN VIEW

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2017-04-26 15:39
    As I often say, beer and robots just go together well! Would love to see the robot's FPV camera video of the incident.

    This was inevitable. Typical drunk guy behavior, somewhere between mischief and vandalism. Make him pay for the damages, just as if he damaged any other property.

    Funny that it's the same model robot that ran over a toddler's foot at a Stanford shopping center last year. Silicon Valley is setting the robot pace.

    Maybe there's a market for MY kinda security robot. Something that does a tad more than say, "You are standing too close to the robot, please step away. "

  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    Yep ... a personal injury lawyer's dream-come-true. Drunk or not, he'll sue. I'm not saying it's right, just that it has to be an accepted part of heavy mobile robots working in public spaces.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    If Trump builds a wall to keep the heavy mobile robots out, can he make them pay for it?
  • KeithEKeithE Posts: 957
    "Please Do Not Board the Elevator with the Robot" - real sign that I've seen here in the bay area
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    I have a little problem here.

    At the end of the news in Europe they might have a silly story to lighten up things after a lot of depressing world news. The comments about which are not supposed to be taken seriously.

    However the news on TV in the USA is so bizarre I can't tell if this robot story is supposed to be taken in jest or not.

    I take it very seriously. Those Knightscope robots are big scary things. I have met them face to lidar. The comments in the news report personifying them as "a victim without arms" or "innocent robot" scare me even more. How can people be so naive?

    There is nothing innocent about them. One has already attacked a toddler in Stanford. The drunk guy spent a night in jail and no doubt has a fine to pay. I don't recall the owners of the toddler attacker having to suffer any penalty.

    I'm sure the police and security companies are just itching for the day when such bots can be armed. With tasers or whatever. The move from surveillance to enforcement. ED 209 here we come.

    I'm siding with the drunk guy. We should stamp this idea out before it takes hold. Where can I send money to help pay his costs?






  • TorTor Posts: 2,010
    +100.
    This robot enforcer future must be nipped in the bud. Now.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,257
    edited 2017-04-27 13:47
    Heater. wrote: »
    Where can I send money to help pay his costs?


    Aren't you visiting the Bay area right now? Use your money to bail the bloke out of the slammer and buy him a pint.
  • MikeDYurMikeDYur Posts: 2,176
    He got all caught up in this, and is fully capable of rolling his own robots.

    Till further notice, garage your robots Bay area!
  • GordonMcCombGordonMcComb Posts: 3,366
    edited 2017-04-27 16:47
    When a drunk guy bowls over a robot, we feel bad for the robot (even though it has no feelings -- humans are so silly).

    But the public is fickle. Have the same drunk guy knock over the robot, and have the robot fall and injure or kill a child, then all hell breaks loose. They'll blame the drunk guy, but pour gasoline on the robot (and everything robotics), then question the need of using heavy robots in public spaces. The parents will sue everyone even remotely connected to the robot, the shopping center, the city ... the deeper the pocket, the faster the lawsuit.
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