Yea, Though I Walk Through a Valley in the Shadow of Death Valley, I will fear no Evil

It’s easy to criticize the driving skills of a local population. Different regions exhibit varied adherence to following the rules of the road. For instance, in Las Vegas, drivers do not seem to acknowledge the vehicular right-of-way of emergency vehicles. Las Vegans are not easily shocked, thus the flashing lights and blaring sirens signify nothing. Drivers carry on unfazed. In fairness, the ceaseless sun may have seized up their senses. Or, the poor public education here may have dulled their decision-making powers. Whatever the cause, the effect is is a free-for-all on wheels.

Another shortfall of the Vegas driving public is the habit of backing out blindly from parking spaces. Most parking lots do not feature angled spaces, but rather straight-in spots, which further hinder the exiting driver’s view. Many newer cars include a back-up camera display to provide extra visibility. A back-up camera does not provide carte blanche power to simply flip it in reverse and go, without turning one’s head to survey the situation unfolding behind the car. Vegas drivers look forward and drive backward with impunity, pedestrians and other cars be damned. It’s dicey and dangerous.

Recently, Google introduced an accurate way to predict whether a hospital patient might die, by using AI to collect and compare medical information related to hospital mortality. Therefore, Google can predict the odds of a patient making it out alive. Using critical thinking, without any AI data, my conclusion is that my personal odds of making it out of Las Vegas alive, are almost nil. I foresee my demise at the hands of an oblivious driver. It’s a sure bet that I’ll meet my maker in a fancy casino parking lot underneath the back end of an outsized SUV with Nevada plates. The image of my lifeless body will be displayed on some grainy back-up camera, while the unwitting driver pulls away to gamble another day.