4 ms·

Ownership as we know it will become meaningless. Sure, you could buy a self-driving car, but do you need to? I wonder if people who say things like this are ac

by gaius 8y ago

Ownership as we know it will become meaningless. Sure, you could buy a self-driving car, but do you need to? I wonder if people who say things like this are actually drivers, because every driver I know has a car full of random stuff that lives permanently in it incase it’s needed. No one is going to carry all that with them; if they did it wouldn’t live in the car in the first place! Ownership isn’t going anywhere, or taxis would already have killed private ownership (and hotels would have killed the housing market...)

sanedigital 8y ago
But then where do people without cars keep all of these necessary items? I live in an urban area, I own a car, and I have almost nothing in it besides a car seat. Taxis have killed ownership in places where taxis are more convenient than car ownership. As ride sharing becomes more ubiquitous—especially as self driving vehicles move into the space—that's going to become a reality in more and more locations.
- dsfyu404ed 8y ago
  >But then where do people without cars keep all of these necessary items? They just don't carry them. If it starts raining and you didn't bring an umbrella then oh well, you get wet.
- ghaff 8y ago
  First of all, I just have the car customized for my needs. Cables for electronics, roof rack and cradles for kayak and canoe, seat covers, etc. Then I tend to keep rain gear and various equipment related to the current season's sport so I don't need to remember to put it in the car when I go out. Various spares of things like glasses in case I forget. Things like jumper cables, windshield fluid, and warm clothing in case of problems. Do I need to keep all that in my car? Probably not and maybe I wouldn't if I lived in a city and just needed a car for basic transport now and then. But it's convenient and it describes how pretty much everyone I know uses their car--especially if they have kids. And, as I said elsewhere, I actually expect self-driving will tend to cause people to spread out more and create even more incentive to make cars a customized self-contained work and entertainment space. Added: More transportation options definitely make a difference at the margins, whether it's a second family car or dropping an infrequently used automobile in the city. I know a couple in SF who don't own a car but depend heavily on a combination of biking, short-term car rentals, regular rentals, and Uber/Lyft. Pre-Zipcar and Uber/Lyft I'm guessing they'd still have a car. On the other hand, I live in a semi-rural area and I'm going to own a car pretty much no matter what other options you introduce.
francisofascii 8y ago
Having a hard time thinking of stuff that needs to stay in the car. A child car seat is certainly a big one, but that could be equipped in a shared car. What other stuff do these people need?
- traviscj 8y ago
  - earthquake kit (water, energy bars, flashlight, first aid kit, foil blankets, ...) - mess cleanup (paper towels, wipes, windex) - small tool kit (leatherman, couple wrenches, battery post brush, duct tape) I think there’s more but that’s off the top of my head.
- gaius 8y ago
  Off the top of my head I have chargers, sunglasses, brufen, snacks/water/hand gel, a giant umbrella, assorted maps and a compass, a change of clothes or two, boots, IFAK, shovel, a couple of flashlights and some tools. Most of these things are used frequently enough that it would be massively annoying not to have them, and some if you need them then it’s too late to get them from somewhere else.
  - paulddraper 8y ago
    + coat, toys, diapers, paper towels, mirror, first aid kit.
    - gaius 8y ago
      And a saw, needed that more than once. How is a passenger in a self-driving car going to deal with a tree fallen across the road?
      - deleted 8y ago
        [deleted]
nradov 8y ago
My car also serves as a convenient mobile storage locker whenever I go somewhere. I can park it and leave my jacket, sports equipment, lunch, umbrella, etc without having to carry that stuff around with me. But it's easily accessible if I need it. That convenience and security is worth a lot.
- djhn 8y ago
  To me this sounds like a bizarre example - I and everyone else who lives in European cities do carry all of these things on our persons. I don't see this as an inconvenience. It all fits neatly in a briefcase or a backpack of your choice. Besides lunch of course, because we're not savages. We enjoy our lunch sitting down at a restaurant. ;)

by gaius 8y ago

sanedigital 8y ago

But then where do people without cars keep all of these necessary items? I live in an urban area, I own a car, and I have almost nothing in it besides a car seat. Taxis have killed ownership in places where taxis are more convenient than car ownership. As ride sharing becomes more ubiquitous—especially as self driving vehicles move into the space—that's going to become a reality in more and more locations.

dsfyu404ed 8y ago
>But then where do people without cars keep all of these necessary items? They just don't carry them. If it starts raining and you didn't bring an umbrella then oh well, you get wet.
ghaff 8y ago
First of all, I just have the car customized for my needs. Cables for electronics, roof rack and cradles for kayak and canoe, seat covers, etc. Then I tend to keep rain gear and various equipment related to the current season's sport so I don't need to remember to put it in the car when I go out. Various spares of things like glasses in case I forget. Things like jumper cables, windshield fluid, and warm clothing in case of problems. Do I need to keep all that in my car? Probably not and maybe I wouldn't if I lived in a city and just needed a car for basic transport now and then. But it's convenient and it describes how pretty much everyone I know uses their car--especially if they have kids. And, as I said elsewhere, I actually expect self-driving will tend to cause people to spread out more and create even more incentive to make cars a customized self-contained work and entertainment space. Added: More transportation options definitely make a difference at the margins, whether it's a second family car or dropping an infrequently used automobile in the city. I know a couple in SF who don't own a car but depend heavily on a combination of biking, short-term car rentals, regular rentals, and Uber/Lyft. Pre-Zipcar and Uber/Lyft I'm guessing they'd still have a car. On the other hand, I live in a semi-rural area and I'm going to own a car pretty much no matter what other options you introduce.

francisofascii 8y ago

Having a hard time thinking of stuff that needs to stay in the car. A child car seat is certainly a big one, but that could be equipped in a shared car. What other stuff do these people need?

traviscj 8y ago
- earthquake kit (water, energy bars, flashlight, first aid kit, foil blankets, ...) - mess cleanup (paper towels, wipes, windex) - small tool kit (leatherman, couple wrenches, battery post brush, duct tape) I think there’s more but that’s off the top of my head.
gaius 8y ago
Off the top of my head I have chargers, sunglasses, brufen, snacks/water/hand gel, a giant umbrella, assorted maps and a compass, a change of clothes or two, boots, IFAK, shovel, a couple of flashlights and some tools. Most of these things are used frequently enough that it would be massively annoying not to have them, and some if you need them then it’s too late to get them from somewhere else.
- paulddraper 8y ago
  + coat, toys, diapers, paper towels, mirror, first aid kit.
  - gaius 8y ago
    And a saw, needed that more than once. How is a passenger in a self-driving car going to deal with a tree fallen across the road?
    - deleted 8y ago
      [deleted]

nradov 8y ago

My car also serves as a convenient mobile storage locker whenever I go somewhere. I can park it and leave my jacket, sports equipment, lunch, umbrella, etc without having to carry that stuff around with me. But it's easily accessible if I need it. That convenience and security is worth a lot.

djhn 8y ago
To me this sounds like a bizarre example - I and everyone else who lives in European cities do carry all of these things on our persons. I don't see this as an inconvenience. It all fits neatly in a briefcase or a backpack of your choice. Besides lunch of course, because we're not savages. We enjoy our lunch sitting down at a restaurant. ;)