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It would be incredible if somebody invented a light car, that would transport one or two people and some groceries. Maybe with two wheels instead of four to tak

It would be incredible if somebody invented a light car, that would transport one or two people and some groceries. Maybe with two wheels instead of four to take up less space. Hmmm why has nobody invented this?

AnthonyMouse 2y ago
Crash test ratings.
andrepd 2y ago
Maybe even some sort of pedal-powered contraption. Perhaps we could even build lanes for these bi-cycles instead of 22 lane highways.
Krssst 2y ago
While bicycles are quite convenient for commuting, I am not sure if there is a way for transporting groceries for an entire week for multiple people. Is there such a way? The only solution I see is doing groceries every day.
- const_cast 2y ago
  Groceries every day (or every few days) becomes viable and common in cities like Paris. It’s a lot easier to do when you don’t have to take a car, and the culture then shifts too to fresher food.
- gorbachev 2y ago
  My mom used to this year round, in every weather and temperature (incl. -20C), when I was a kid several decades ago. Honestly I don't know how she did it, but she did. It helped that we had separated bike lanes pretty much everywhere. It is entirely possible if the infrastructure supports it. This sort of thing is why I'm personally a big fan of the 15-minute city concept.
- gnatolf 2y ago
  Plenty of Europeans have cargo bikes and make do with 2-3 supermarket trips per week for families of 4-5 peeps. Only bulk drinks (crates of beer/soda/...) are challenging. But for those, very often delivery systems are in place that surely are more efficient than individual trips anyways.
  - frosted-flakes 2y ago
    I regularly carry four cases of water (48 cans) on my standard bicycle without a problem. Whenever I go grocery shopping I mount a milk crate to my rear rack (this takes about six seconds) and put the cases in vertically. I can also carry a 4L jug of milk in the handlebar-mounted basket.
- Cthulhu_ 2y ago
  We can do it, but it's going to be two trips. However, there's like half a dozen grocery stores within a 10 minute bike radius where I live (modern suburb). Others who live out in the countryside will need to travel further, but that's generally the tradeoff; more comfortable / quiet living in exchange for longer distance to amenities.
- spockz 2y ago
  We just get the bulk groceries delivered. Only fresh vegetables and fruit we get during the week in case we need some that last a week.
- Reason077 2y ago
  In London we had multiple supermarket options within 10 mins walk. And even more within 10 minutes cycling distance. Usually we’d just stop on the way home from work or whatever to do small, quick shops for whatever we needed. But on the rare occasion where we did need to do a “big shop”, we just ordered groceries online for delivery the next day. All the major UK supermarkets offer this, with free or very cheap delivery, delivered by environmentally-friendly electric trucks.
- CorrectHorseBat 2y ago
  We do most of our weekly groceries with a grandma cart, a cargo bike fits much more.
- tirant 2y ago
  I’ve been doing that for years on a cargo bike. I shop for a family of four once a week and everything fits in one cargo bike without any issue.
- dghlsakjg 2y ago
  Cargo bikes or bike trailers are two of many solutions to this dilemma that immediately sprung to mind. In the Netherlands I have seen grocery stores deliver large deliveries in big tricycles. There are billions of people that manage their shopping without a car. Millions of them live in North America. Surely, some of them have solved this problem for a family without having to go shopping daily.
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  It's a bit futuristic, but I heard the Italian company Givi has some great solutions for transporting cargo on two wheelers: https://www.givi.it https://www.givi.it
- ncruces 2y ago
  Why does it need to be either/or? I make do almost the entire week without a car. Schools within walking distance, then mass transit to work. So what if I own and use a small family car, to go shopping and take the kids places? Let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. My neighborhood is a real life 15min city, and most people of all ages choose to walk. We don't need to prevent families from owning a car and taking it grocery shopping once a week.
Cthulhu_ 2y ago
The French have got you covered there [0]. There's also plenty of other, more practical / affordable microcars [1] on the road around where I live, they're considered equivalent to mopeds in terms of legality / requirements but you don't need a helmet, they seat two people and some groceries, etc. They used to be mainly popular for elderly people but they seem to catch on to other people too. Great for local traffic. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcar
- carlosjobim 2y ago
  What do you think about the Japanese solutions to the problem? https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/standard/cb300r https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/standard/cb300r
dkga 2y ago
I‘m delighted to introduce to you the amazing microlino.ch
ianleighton 2y ago
+1 for Cargo bikes, but otherwise if your bike infrastructure sorta sucks, the Citroën Ami and counterparts from Fiat etc are pretty common in European cities… easy to park too.

AnthonyMouse 2y ago

Crash test ratings.

andrepd 2y ago

Maybe even some sort of pedal-powered contraption. Perhaps we could even build lanes for these bi-cycles instead of 22 lane highways.

Krssst 2y ago

While bicycles are quite convenient for commuting, I am not sure if there is a way for transporting groceries for an entire week for multiple people. Is there such a way? The only solution I see is doing groceries every day.

const_cast 2y ago
Groceries every day (or every few days) becomes viable and common in cities like Paris. It’s a lot easier to do when you don’t have to take a car, and the culture then shifts too to fresher food.
gorbachev 2y ago
My mom used to this year round, in every weather and temperature (incl. -20C), when I was a kid several decades ago. Honestly I don't know how she did it, but she did. It helped that we had separated bike lanes pretty much everywhere. It is entirely possible if the infrastructure supports it. This sort of thing is why I'm personally a big fan of the 15-minute city concept.
gnatolf 2y ago
Plenty of Europeans have cargo bikes and make do with 2-3 supermarket trips per week for families of 4-5 peeps. Only bulk drinks (crates of beer/soda/...) are challenging. But for those, very often delivery systems are in place that surely are more efficient than individual trips anyways.
- frosted-flakes 2y ago
  I regularly carry four cases of water (48 cans) on my standard bicycle without a problem. Whenever I go grocery shopping I mount a milk crate to my rear rack (this takes about six seconds) and put the cases in vertically. I can also carry a 4L jug of milk in the handlebar-mounted basket.
Cthulhu_ 2y ago
We can do it, but it's going to be two trips. However, there's like half a dozen grocery stores within a 10 minute bike radius where I live (modern suburb). Others who live out in the countryside will need to travel further, but that's generally the tradeoff; more comfortable / quiet living in exchange for longer distance to amenities.
spockz 2y ago
We just get the bulk groceries delivered. Only fresh vegetables and fruit we get during the week in case we need some that last a week.
Reason077 2y ago
In London we had multiple supermarket options within 10 mins walk. And even more within 10 minutes cycling distance. Usually we’d just stop on the way home from work or whatever to do small, quick shops for whatever we needed. But on the rare occasion where we did need to do a “big shop”, we just ordered groceries online for delivery the next day. All the major UK supermarkets offer this, with free or very cheap delivery, delivered by environmentally-friendly electric trucks.
CorrectHorseBat 2y ago
We do most of our weekly groceries with a grandma cart, a cargo bike fits much more.
tirant 2y ago
I’ve been doing that for years on a cargo bike. I shop for a family of four once a week and everything fits in one cargo bike without any issue.
dghlsakjg 2y ago
Cargo bikes or bike trailers are two of many solutions to this dilemma that immediately sprung to mind. In the Netherlands I have seen grocery stores deliver large deliveries in big tricycles. There are billions of people that manage their shopping without a car. Millions of them live in North America. Surely, some of them have solved this problem for a family without having to go shopping daily.
carlosjobim 2y ago
It's a bit futuristic, but I heard the Italian company Givi has some great solutions for transporting cargo on two wheelers: https://www.givi.it https://www.givi.it
ncruces 2y ago
Why does it need to be either/or? I make do almost the entire week without a car. Schools within walking distance, then mass transit to work. So what if I own and use a small family car, to go shopping and take the kids places? Let's not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. My neighborhood is a real life 15min city, and most people of all ages choose to walk. We don't need to prevent families from owning a car and taking it grocery shopping once a week.

Cthulhu_ 2y ago

The French have got you covered there [0]. There's also plenty of other, more practical / affordable microcars [1] on the road around where I live, they're considered equivalent to mopeds in terms of legality / requirements but you don't need a helmet, they seat two people and some groceries, etc. They used to be mainly popular for elderly people but they seem to catch on to other people too. Great for local traffic. [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_Twizy [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microcar

carlosjobim 2y ago
What do you think about the Japanese solutions to the problem? https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/standard/cb300r https://powersports.honda.com/motorcycle/standard/cb300r

dkga 2y ago

I‘m delighted to introduce to you the amazing microlino.ch

ianleighton 2y ago

+1 for Cargo bikes, but otherwise if your bike infrastructure sorta sucks, the Citroën Ami and counterparts from Fiat etc are pretty common in European cities… easy to park too.