Again, please show using evidence in the form of quotations that a proponent of this technology has in these comments denied that the current technology is semi-autonomous.

When speaking of “being able to kick back and text or read or watch a movie,” it’s a reference to the POTENTIAL of this technology.

“…I observed with my own two eyes and discussed with people involved.”

Ah, anecdotal evidence. Do you have any documented evidence? Again, it really doesn’t matter because it’s an attempt to discredit 2012 technology by finding fault with 1987 technology. That is: it’s a fallacy.

Can’t re-write history. So what you were REALLY saying, and making your reader infer, is that it costs $2.5 million per mile not “just to pave” but to build a road.

Word choice matters.

Please show that a proponent of this technology has in these comments denied that the current technology is semi-autonomous.

Every discussion and article of this technology ends up along the lines of the driver not actually having to drive, but being able to kick back and text or read or watch a movie because the car is driving itself without human intervention. As opposed to reality, which is 1% autonomy, and 99% needing active human monitoring.

And I don’t need to “research” something I observed with my own two eyes and discussed with people involved.

Pavement overlay is a 2-3″ milling and replacement of the top wearing surface.

To build a road full depth requires an dense compacted aggregate base and over one foot of total asphalt thickness in base coat and wearing coat.

One recent bid I received for work was $100 per sq. yard to install pavement on an already graded subase. That is $1.75 million per mile for a 30 ft. wide roadway. Add in aggregate and grading, and you get the price I previously noted.

“you are one amazing dude to be able to pick out a flock of geese at three miles against an urban background in your scan. Superman, surely.”

There was no ‘urban background’. They were below and heading upwards on a northwest heading. This was an unusually large flock at 12 o’clock and high and sticking out against a clean background like a sore thumb. Easy pickins, and yes, at 3 miles – provided, of course, you’re looking. Those guys weren’t.

“If there were more pilots like you, we’d never have bird strikes, surely.”
Sarcasm aside, Dan, most bird strikes are small birds at low altitudes – typically on liftoff – and are not preventable. This particular strike occurred at altitude and involved large birds flying in a known migratory flyway. It was preventable.

Second, you are one amazing dude to be able to pick out a flock of geese at three miles against an urban background in your scan. Superman, surely. If there were more pilots like you, we’d never have bird strikes, surely.

Thank you ever so much for sharing your concerns and your transport solutions!!!

DS

http://youtu.be/NUuBXCEWOhc

A quick search of Google revealed these tidbits:

“Generally speaking, asphalt paving costs approximately $280,000 per mile, but can vary widely depending on the current asphalt price, road width and asphalt thickness.”

“An asphalt overlay can range anywhere from $95,000 to $130,000 per mile depending on the width of the road and cost of the asphalt.”

It’s a bit more in Sacramento, of course: “For well-maintained roads, the pavement rehabilitation cycle, meaning an asphalt overlay, comes due in 15 years for arterials and 30 years for local streets, costing $300,000-$400,000 per mile.”

You’re way off with this $2.5M figure.