Friday, January 22, 2016

Goodbye California, Hello Massachusetts

Dear California,

I told you so. So did many other people. Those driverless regulations are just proposed, not even adopted, and they are already spurring other states into action. Well, liberal, over-regulated, snobby, over-educated Boston tech types and universities have convinced the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Bay State, to put up a welcome banner for driverless vehicle development.

I can see those cute pods in Cambridge, Somerville, and Alston. Frustrated with the Red Line? Feel like coming home in style at two in the morning? Mom and dad of college student might feel more comfortable with the driverless door-to-door service than with junior trying to catch the last train before the T closes.

Sorry, California. You're nicer; you have year-round good weather; and there's the whole Hollywood glam thing (even as far north as Silicon Valley), but you want an actual driver behind the wheel. Oh so retro. Soon, we'll only be seeing those in the movies.

We have beaches too,
Bay State

Dear Michigan,

We counted you out for a long time. You even have one university with serious research buzz and smart people. Now you have MCity. Stupid name, but there's actual work going on. But you are making the mistake that the government's billion or two will save you. Maybe. But here in Boston and Cambridge, especially Cambridge, we're smarter than everyone - and not ashamed to let you know it. Don't come here and try to engage a waiter or waitress in conversation. No Midwestern smiling and chatting. Oh no, our wait staffs will tell you about their Ph, D. theses, their extensive reading and travel. So you can imagine how smart and ambitious actual university people are.

We've got you this time. We're determined to have driverless emerge here in the land of the Pilgrims and the REAL tea party into the big time, so we can finally get recognition from regular people for our superiority. And stop giving us those smiles; it's so irritating.

Passing you on the left,
Massachusetts

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