sudo wrote on August 18, 2017 at 1:49 AM

Reply to comment by tnstaec in Barcelona attack: 13 killed as van rams crowds in Las Ramblas by NEOalquimista

Besides dodging? No.

NEOalquimista OP wrote on August 18, 2017 at 2:25 AM (edited on August 18, 2017 at 2:29 AM)

Perhaps by effectively blocking the passage of cars in places like that one in Barcelona, using small concrete structures that only leave enough space for people to pass.

But I'm not sure it would be efficient everywhere, and it would have to be something less noticeable to preserve some sense of freedom for visitors of our parks.

Imagine this applied to self-driving cars. They would hijack many vehicles around the area and program them to attack places with a lot of people, pretty much the same way it happened in the last Black Mirror episode, but with cars.

sudo wrote on August 18, 2017 at 2:05 PM

You mean these? That would probably stop runaway cars; I'm not sure about runaway trucks. But good luck moving those into position by hand - they can only be placed by a large truck designed for them. So, this wouldn't work for spontaneous crowds. Plus, it'd be impractical to put these up every time a large crowd gathers, since these terrorist attacks are so rare.

NEOalquimista OP wrote on August 18, 2017 at 2:47 PM

Yes, I imagined those blocks. But I get your point. It needs to be something more portable. Who knows? Someone could come with a solution for this, a new invention.

sudo wrote on August 18, 2017 at 4:05 PM

Well, that's just the problem. A runaway van has a lot of momentum, so it would take something very massive to stop it in a short enough distance. Anything light enough to be carried by a person wouldn't be heavy enough to stop the van, and you can't create a barrier that gets heavier on command, because of conservation of mass. So, any type of portable barrier wouldn't work in this situation.

NEOalquimista OP wrote on August 19, 2017 at 3:33 AM (edited on August 19, 2017 at 3:36 AM)

Well, as you said down there, we need to look for other ways to stop attacks then. Placing ourselves in cages won't do it. We need to make use of community power and unity to take care of ourselves. The authorities can't respond fast enough to stop a shooter or a moving van. They are not everywhere, they are fewer. But we are many. We need to start "doing the dishes" ourselves.