4 ms·

When I think of flying cars, I think of hovercrafts. It would a step in the right direction for maximizing quality of life in the first world. Poor roads (due

When I think of flying cars, I think of hovercrafts. It would a step in the right direction for maximizing quality of life in the first world. Poor roads (due to stress and lack of maintenance) being the main irritant at the moment. Hover crafts would: make tollbooths obsolete (their main function: road-tax for maintenance -- gone), reduce accidents all around (trivial: liquid spills, minor: flats and whip lash, major: hydroplaning, ice-caused accidents, and crushed-by-car accidents), decrease consumer and government costs (via aforementioned need for tollbooths and road maint, wear-and-tear/ car maint, and insurance), and, as well, keep the aesthetic quality of the roads intact for longer. Also: leaders plant the seeds into their followers imaginations. Electric cars and getting to Mars are relatively boring things (think: mass-media popularity), but Musk was able to get everyone on-board, although at the cost of promising Utopia. The same can be done against flying cars, if one is possessed on the issue.

pixl97 9y ago
>Poor roads (due to stress and lack of maintenance) Uh, hovercraft (and flying things) are extremely loud. Their weight causes things not well attached under them to go flinging out at high speed. You have to keep the ground pretty clean to keep peoples heads from getting knocked off.
- stagbeetle 9y ago
  The loudness is definitely a problem, but it looks like there's headway being made on helicopter noise-reduction that could be transferred over to hovercrafts. On second issue, do you mean rocks and sharp objects that could be thrown from the air being pushed out? I don't know how applicable it is to hovercrafts in this situation. We're either pushing air up or down, not side-ways. I don't imagine a rogue knife will be a problem for anyone else but the owner of the vehicle (a quick-fix would be to use a catcher cage). But none of thee issues damn hovercraft. It'd be more likely the technology's just not at a practical level.
hutzlibu 9y ago
"Poor roads (due to stress and lack of maintenance) being the main irritant at the moment." My main problem with roads are not the roads, but all the noisy, stinking cars on them. They all have a explosion engine after all ... so I will be allready very happy, if electric cars become standard ... and citys enjoyable again. And then maybe we can focus on anti-grav etc. ... ;)
- stagbeetle 9y ago
  I'm right there with you. Even in the suburbs, a car going faster than 15 mph is annoying (not even because of the engine!). Then there's the Harley Davidson's that are louder than the train station, while still being farther away.
  - hutzlibu 9y ago
    And since no one wants to miss that, the new electric Harley is made loud on purpose ... http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/electric-harley-davidson-motorcycle-sounds/story?id=24212041 http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/electric-harley-davidson-mo...
maxerickson 9y ago
There are plenty of people that roll their eyes at Musk and Mars. And probably even more that have maybe heard his name but know little else about him.
- stagbeetle 9y ago
  Regrettably (or as expected, for some), their voices are never as loud (or obnoxious) nor are their views en vogue. There is, however, money on the table for anyone who can keep a calm head. The current state of irrational exuberance is showing signs of wear.

pixl97 9y ago

>Poor roads (due to stress and lack of maintenance) Uh, hovercraft (and flying things) are extremely loud. Their weight causes things not well attached under them to go flinging out at high speed. You have to keep the ground pretty clean to keep peoples heads from getting knocked off.

stagbeetle 9y ago
The loudness is definitely a problem, but it looks like there's headway being made on helicopter noise-reduction that could be transferred over to hovercrafts. On second issue, do you mean rocks and sharp objects that could be thrown from the air being pushed out? I don't know how applicable it is to hovercrafts in this situation. We're either pushing air up or down, not side-ways. I don't imagine a rogue knife will be a problem for anyone else but the owner of the vehicle (a quick-fix would be to use a catcher cage). But none of thee issues damn hovercraft. It'd be more likely the technology's just not at a practical level.

hutzlibu 9y ago

"Poor roads (due to stress and lack of maintenance) being the main irritant at the moment." My main problem with roads are not the roads, but all the noisy, stinking cars on them. They all have a explosion engine after all ... so I will be allready very happy, if electric cars become standard ... and citys enjoyable again. And then maybe we can focus on anti-grav etc. ... ;)

stagbeetle 9y ago
I'm right there with you. Even in the suburbs, a car going faster than 15 mph is annoying (not even because of the engine!). Then there's the Harley Davidson's that are louder than the train station, while still being farther away.
- hutzlibu 9y ago
  And since no one wants to miss that, the new electric Harley is made loud on purpose ... http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/electric-harley-davidson-motorcycle-sounds/story?id=24212041 http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/electric-harley-davidson-mo...

maxerickson 9y ago

There are plenty of people that roll their eyes at Musk and Mars. And probably even more that have maybe heard his name but know little else about him.

stagbeetle 9y ago
Regrettably (or as expected, for some), their voices are never as loud (or obnoxious) nor are their views en vogue. There is, however, money on the table for anyone who can keep a calm head. The current state of irrational exuberance is showing signs of wear.