Man Against Machine

In the struggle against the perversity of inanimate objects, man seldom emerges victorious. But on two fronts there shines a glimmer of hope.

Few things are more frustrating than a vending machine that sits in smug silence after gobbling a harried human's coins. Michael DeNardo of Cranston, R.I., is not one to put up with such machinations. When an automaton at the foundry where he worked failed to produce the requested coffee, and the coin-return lever offered no peaceful settlement, DeNardo belted the contraption.

All he got was an injured arm. Although he was clearly hurt in the line of duty for his fellow man, the Workmen's Compensation Commission turned down his claim for benefits. The state supreme court, however, was more sympathetic. It ruled that in the turbulence of the machine age, what DeNardo did was "a permitted act" and he should be paid compensation, the full amount to be later determined. Right on.

The innocent-looking house by the side of the Florida road was in little danger of getting a speeding ticket: it was clocked at only 28 m.p.h. But a seemingly stationary palm tree was zipping along at a frightening 86 m.p.h. Or so recorded a radar unit, similar to ones used by police, that was tested for accuracy by Miami television station WTVJ. After the demonstration exposed such ludicrous errors, Judge Alfred Nesbitt ordered 950 speeding cases held in abeyance while he began a hearing on whether or not to accept radar readings as evidence.

Experts lined up in Nesbitt's courtroom last week to testify against the electronic nemesis of motorists. "Radar is highly inaccurate, and the officers who use it are grossly undertrained," claimed former Traffic Cop Rod Dornsife. Said Dale Smith, who used to manufacture the units and is now a consultant for Fuzzbuster radar detectors: "Our experience shows that radar is probably wrong 30% of the time." That comes as no surprise to many an aggrieved driver, let alone maligned houses and palm trees in Florida. Bring back the cop on the motorcycle.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.