Can we rely on self-driving vehicles?

Readers debate the reliability of driverless cars. Other topics: depression, road safety

The Dubai Smart Self-Driving vision sets a goal of 25 per cent of all journeys in the emirate to be self-driving. Roads and Transport Authority
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Regarding Brett Debritz's opinion article Should driverless cars make life-or-death decisions? (January 8), I would trust a self-driving car more than most of the drivers I've seen here.

A food delivery rider was so close to me recently for more than 500 metres that I thought he was wanting to climb into my car. It was utterly stupid and dangerous driving.

Michael Dowds, Dubai

It’s hard to use logic on the road where there are so many irrational drivers. It might work perfectly well if all vehicles were driverless.

Mohamed Abushaker, Dubai

An algorithm will never replace human logic.

John Paravalos, Dubai

I would never get into a driverless car. I must be weird but I like talking to people and would trust even an average driver over a machine to react to the scenarios mentioned in your excellent piece.

Edward Howes, Thailand

No easy solution to depression

I don't believe there's a single solution for every individual suffering from depression (Exercise better than pills in battling depression, UAE doctors say, January 7). People suffer from different levels of depression. Depression is not an illness to be sniffed at.

Telling someone to “get out there” shows the ignorance towards individuals suffering from depression. But yes, having someone close to you who can help you in a way that you need to be helped is the key to “getting out there”.

This may require a bit of medical assistance that can be monitored and reduced as one continues on a plan of getting out there. Ultimately, your plan may not work, so patience and understanding is of paramount importance.

Teryl Bailiff, Dubai

Sometimes medication is what is needed to enable people to get out of the house so they can begin an exercise regime.

Jodie Hunter, Dubai

Take action over road safety

Lowering speed limits alone will not help (Speed limit on Sharjah's Maliha Road reduced to 100kph, January 2). It is also not helpful to address the road-safety issue in a particular emirate. The country needs to adopt a unified policy on this matter and enforce rules without exception.

Enough has been said and more than enough time has been spent on this issue. It’s time for action. It’s either now or never.

Name withheld by request

I read your article on road safety (UAE road safety 'wish list' for 2017 drawn up, January 3) and I totally agree. However, I have lived in a Dubai for more than 10 years, and I see huge improvements to the roads, and far better driving than a decade ago. Our police force is also amazing.

However, one thing that some of our officers still do wrong, and which really sets a bad example for other drivers on the roads, is that they do not use their indicators before changing lanes or turning corners.

I humbly request, on behalf of the drivers who do use their indicators, that our police personnel always use their indicators.

It only takes the flick of a finger, before turning a corner, to show respect for other road users and makes our lives less stressful, and indeed safer.

Thanks for being there and I sincerely hope that 2017 proves to be a safer year for everyone.

Andrew Bannister, Dubai

I would like to see heavy fines being issued to drivers who don't give way to pedestrians at pedestrian crossings (Road-safety expert offers ways to make UAE roads safer for pedestrians and drivers, January 7). An amount of at least Dh10,000 would be ideal.

At the same time, cyclists who want to use the same road as drivers should be fully insured. Otherwise, please make a specific lane for them along the main roads.

Finally, one more request to the authorities: please introduce fines for reckless honking, too.

Sultan Josefski Tamimov, Dubai