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If Americans were price conscious about transport they wouldn't be driving $60,000, 15mpg, oversized pickup trucks to go drop off their kids at daycare and comm

If Americans were price conscious about transport they wouldn't be driving $60,000, 15mpg, oversized pickup trucks to go drop off their kids at daycare and commute to their office job, they'd be riding the bus. Most Americans don't seem to consider the cost of their transportation in the slightest.

Workaccount2 1y ago
They do, but they price it in cost per month. Finacialization is what made $65,000 cars "cheap".
madamelic 1y ago
People who use ride share use more than one app because they can pick the one that is the cheapest. The people who use these will be price conscious. Of course there will be other factors like amenities. Personally, I think 'style' is going to be a non-insignificant factor to it as well. Few normies will want to get out of a 'nerd car' that has bulbous sensors all over it if they can pay a bit more to have a cooler looking ride, it's the Prius effect. The style thing is just my opinion though but price will be the major one. People will tolerate an ugly robotaxi if it is significantly cheaper or more convenient.
- bryanlarsen 1y ago
  With ride share you can take the cheap option 99 times out of 100, and then rent a limo for your hot date. And then rent a truck or movers when you need to move something. People buying vehicles usually buy something that covers all their needs, however rare.
xnx 1y ago
> If Americans were price conscious about transport ... they'd be riding the bus. Have you considered that Americans might value their time differently than you? That might change your equation.
- vel0city 1y ago
  So in other words, they value other things much higher than cost? Gee, sure sounds like exactly what I stated. People care more about other things than the cost, like how cool they look or how much departure angle they can achieve while they drive around in a parking garage. Overall TCO rarely figures into it.
  - xnx 1y ago
    I think other people might be smarter than you give them credit for and (for example) may chose a 30 minute car commute (plus associated dollar costs) over a much longer and multi-step public transportation trip.
    - fragmede 1y ago
      It depends on if they have a desk in their truck. (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45806903 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45806903) Do other people not receive the same psychic damage from driving, especially during rush hour? Hopefully you're not texting during that 30 minutes that you're driving, but regardless, it's really draining to drive. Advanced lane guidance that actually works is amazing tho. That 1 hour train commute's a nice way to unwind while doing something much more relaxing; reading a book, writing poems, making jewelry, knitting, writing letters to friends, etc That's not to say every train commute's automatically better, 2 trains, a bus, and a tram over 1 hour would be annoying timed. I'm just saying wall clock time isn't the end all, be all metric.
      - vel0city 1y ago
        Everything else held constant and I actually do have the time in my schedule, I'd generally prefer a 1 hour train ride to a half hour drive. I can spend that time doing lots of things I'd much rather do than force myself to stay focused on boring and at the same time stressful situations. I'm far more relaxed when I arrive. I'm probably getting dropped off closer than the parking garage. I'm not worried about my car getting vandalized/broken into/hit by other cars. I don't have to worry about finding a place to park or pay for parking. And its a considerably safer trip in the end.
jjav 1y ago
> If Americans were price conscious about transport they wouldn't be driving $60,000, 15mpg, oversized pickup trucks to go drop off their kids at daycare and commute to their office job, they'd be riding the bus. > Most Americans don't seem to consider the cost of their transportation in the slightest. Time is also an important cost. It would take us about 90 minutes from home to school to drop off my kid by bus (plus walking, since no bus stops near the school). By car, it is 15 minutes worst case if I hit all red lights. By car we leave home 8:15, kid is in school on time and I'm in my work meetings easily by 9:00. By bus, we'd have to leave home at 6am and I might just barely make it in time for 9am meetings, or often be late. So yes, people do consider the cost of transportation but it is not just dollars, also time.
- vel0city 1y ago
  The level of bus service is a societal choice. One could get bus service to be a lot more competitive in time. But I do agree, individuals do not have much control over bus schedules and people do what they can with what's currently available. The context of the previous comments was clearly about monetary cost though, not other kinds of cost. There's also obviously environmental, health outcomes, etc, costs in question.

Workaccount2 1y ago

They do, but they price it in cost per month. Finacialization is what made $65,000 cars "cheap".

madamelic 1y ago

People who use ride share use more than one app because they can pick the one that is the cheapest. The people who use these will be price conscious. Of course there will be other factors like amenities. Personally, I think 'style' is going to be a non-insignificant factor to it as well. Few normies will want to get out of a 'nerd car' that has bulbous sensors all over it if they can pay a bit more to have a cooler looking ride, it's the Prius effect. The style thing is just my opinion though but price will be the major one. People will tolerate an ugly robotaxi if it is significantly cheaper or more convenient.

bryanlarsen 1y ago
With ride share you can take the cheap option 99 times out of 100, and then rent a limo for your hot date. And then rent a truck or movers when you need to move something. People buying vehicles usually buy something that covers all their needs, however rare.

xnx 1y ago

> If Americans were price conscious about transport ... they'd be riding the bus. Have you considered that Americans might value their time differently than you? That might change your equation.

vel0city 1y ago
So in other words, they value other things much higher than cost? Gee, sure sounds like exactly what I stated. People care more about other things than the cost, like how cool they look or how much departure angle they can achieve while they drive around in a parking garage. Overall TCO rarely figures into it.
- xnx 1y ago
  I think other people might be smarter than you give them credit for and (for example) may chose a 30 minute car commute (plus associated dollar costs) over a much longer and multi-step public transportation trip.
  - fragmede 1y ago
    It depends on if they have a desk in their truck. (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45806903 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45806903) Do other people not receive the same psychic damage from driving, especially during rush hour? Hopefully you're not texting during that 30 minutes that you're driving, but regardless, it's really draining to drive. Advanced lane guidance that actually works is amazing tho. That 1 hour train commute's a nice way to unwind while doing something much more relaxing; reading a book, writing poems, making jewelry, knitting, writing letters to friends, etc That's not to say every train commute's automatically better, 2 trains, a bus, and a tram over 1 hour would be annoying timed. I'm just saying wall clock time isn't the end all, be all metric.
    - vel0city 1y ago
      Everything else held constant and I actually do have the time in my schedule, I'd generally prefer a 1 hour train ride to a half hour drive. I can spend that time doing lots of things I'd much rather do than force myself to stay focused on boring and at the same time stressful situations. I'm far more relaxed when I arrive. I'm probably getting dropped off closer than the parking garage. I'm not worried about my car getting vandalized/broken into/hit by other cars. I don't have to worry about finding a place to park or pay for parking. And its a considerably safer trip in the end.

jjav 1y ago

> If Americans were price conscious about transport they wouldn't be driving $60,000, 15mpg, oversized pickup trucks to go drop off their kids at daycare and commute to their office job, they'd be riding the bus. > Most Americans don't seem to consider the cost of their transportation in the slightest. Time is also an important cost. It would take us about 90 minutes from home to school to drop off my kid by bus (plus walking, since no bus stops near the school). By car, it is 15 minutes worst case if I hit all red lights. By car we leave home 8:15, kid is in school on time and I'm in my work meetings easily by 9:00. By bus, we'd have to leave home at 6am and I might just barely make it in time for 9am meetings, or often be late. So yes, people do consider the cost of transportation but it is not just dollars, also time.

vel0city 1y ago
The level of bus service is a societal choice. One could get bus service to be a lot more competitive in time. But I do agree, individuals do not have much control over bus schedules and people do what they can with what's currently available. The context of the previous comments was clearly about monetary cost though, not other kinds of cost. There's also obviously environmental, health outcomes, etc, costs in question.