4 ms·

it is not necessary though that 8 tons of energy displacement moves 60 kg individuals. we should absolutely cut down on private transit

recursive 2y ago
That vehicle would require a commercial license.
- rootusrootus 2y ago
  The lower limit in most jurisdictions in the US is 13 tons. And also, in most jurisdictions there is an exemption for vehicles used for personal recreation (e.g. you can absolutely drive a Volvo tractor to pull your enormous fifth wheel toy hauler with nothing more than a basic driver's license).
paulryanrogers 2y ago
Perhaps street cars and trains could take efficiency even further, with metal wheels.
- hanniabu 2y ago
  And maybe put them on rails
  - lioeters 2y ago
    And have them run on a regular schedule, within and between cities. Imagine the benefit to the public and the environment. It could even be funded by tax payers.
    - ssl-3 2y ago
      We used to have that in the flatter parts of Ohio (which is ~most of it), with street cars, and interurban lines linking many of even the tiniest towns together, and with passenger rail between larger cities. It was privately-funded. It worked. ...until the automobile became more common and people stopped started driving cars instead. (The literal-conspiracy between General Motors and Firestone Tire didn't help, either.) Here's a map from 1908: https://curtiswrightmaps.com/product/electric-railway-map-of-ohio-indiana-and-michigan/ https://curtiswrightmaps.com/product/electric-railway-map-of...
dyauspitr 2y ago
At a certain point people will revolt at that suggestion. Most people I know are not going to give up their suburban/rural acres to live in a cramped, walkable city with no space to do everything they love.
- david-gpu 2y ago
  But some people will, and the easier we make alternative modes of transportation, the more people will choose them. Want to sit in traffic all day while an LRT zips by? Nobody is stopping you.
  - rootusrootus 2y ago
    I occasionally feel bad for the folks on the LRT alongside I-84 on the days I commute to the office. The traffic is congested and very slow at times, and I still beat the train. And that's even before getting to downtown, where the train just crawls from station to station. I wish we could have a real subway. I suspect the best option for most suburban cities to reduce traffic and air pollution is to strongly incentivize employers to allow remote work when feasible.
- deleted 2y ago
  [deleted]
- nosbo 2y ago
  There needs to be more choices. American suburbia is on another level I know, but there is no reason you can't have a bit more density, walk-able or bicycle friendly neighbourhoods, centred around amenities and public transport.
rootusrootus 2y ago
Most cars are more like a ton and a half to two tons, not eight. But in any case, it's not clear that there is a lot of low hanging fruit in cutting down on private transit. Aside from a few outliers, most places with pretty great public transit still have a lot of private transit too. It has many use cases that public transit is unable to fill.
OkayBuddy44 2y ago
[flagged]

recursive 2y ago

That vehicle would require a commercial license.

rootusrootus 2y ago
The lower limit in most jurisdictions in the US is 13 tons. And also, in most jurisdictions there is an exemption for vehicles used for personal recreation (e.g. you can absolutely drive a Volvo tractor to pull your enormous fifth wheel toy hauler with nothing more than a basic driver's license).

paulryanrogers 2y ago

Perhaps street cars and trains could take efficiency even further, with metal wheels.

hanniabu 2y ago
And maybe put them on rails
- lioeters 2y ago
  And have them run on a regular schedule, within and between cities. Imagine the benefit to the public and the environment. It could even be funded by tax payers.
  - ssl-3 2y ago
    We used to have that in the flatter parts of Ohio (which is ~most of it), with street cars, and interurban lines linking many of even the tiniest towns together, and with passenger rail between larger cities. It was privately-funded. It worked. ...until the automobile became more common and people stopped started driving cars instead. (The literal-conspiracy between General Motors and Firestone Tire didn't help, either.) Here's a map from 1908: https://curtiswrightmaps.com/product/electric-railway-map-of-ohio-indiana-and-michigan/ https://curtiswrightmaps.com/product/electric-railway-map-of...

dyauspitr 2y ago

At a certain point people will revolt at that suggestion. Most people I know are not going to give up their suburban/rural acres to live in a cramped, walkable city with no space to do everything they love.

david-gpu 2y ago
But some people will, and the easier we make alternative modes of transportation, the more people will choose them. Want to sit in traffic all day while an LRT zips by? Nobody is stopping you.
- rootusrootus 2y ago
  I occasionally feel bad for the folks on the LRT alongside I-84 on the days I commute to the office. The traffic is congested and very slow at times, and I still beat the train. And that's even before getting to downtown, where the train just crawls from station to station. I wish we could have a real subway. I suspect the best option for most suburban cities to reduce traffic and air pollution is to strongly incentivize employers to allow remote work when feasible.
deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
nosbo 2y ago
There needs to be more choices. American suburbia is on another level I know, but there is no reason you can't have a bit more density, walk-able or bicycle friendly neighbourhoods, centred around amenities and public transport.

rootusrootus 2y ago

Most cars are more like a ton and a half to two tons, not eight. But in any case, it's not clear that there is a lot of low hanging fruit in cutting down on private transit. Aside from a few outliers, most places with pretty great public transit still have a lot of private transit too. It has many use cases that public transit is unable to fill.

OkayBuddy44 2y ago

[flagged]