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So the bicyclists claim “when the bridge collapses and the semis can’t carry mail and freight, we’ll do that important job. We provide a necessary utility.” So
by joezydeco 7y ago
So the bicyclists claim “when the bridge collapses and the semis can’t carry mail and freight, we’ll do that important job. We provide a necessary utility.”
So the bridge fails one day in a storm and the bicycle owners are all handed 200-lb loads and told “go.”
Are they compelled to go? What if they all refuse? Where is the utility now?
- TeMPOraL 7y ago> Are they compelled to go? They are compelled by their own morals. As it's been proven time and again, whenever a bridge collapses, those bikers carrying 200lb loads are among the very first responders.
- joezydeco 7y agoUtilities don't operate on moral compulsion. They operate on schedules and strive for reliability. Let's extend the analogy. Say the bridge is going to be out for 2 years and the bicyclists need to carry loads 24/7. They'll need to quit their regular day jobs to do it. Are they still compelled to go?
- TeMPOraL 7y agoEver heard of volunteer fire departments? HAMs are not FEMA. They're a purely volunteer op. They do what they can, the best way they can, which turns out to be very good and very reliable in practice. Read up on HAM emergency communications; people participating in it treat it very seriously. I wouldn't think this would be so hard to understand here, on this site. HAM emergency response works the same way the best of Open Source projects work - through people who do things out of passion and kindness for others, and not because of economic incentives.
- darkpuma 7y agoTo say that firefighters aren't at least in part motivated by helping people isn't very charitable.