Crazy proposal: Those billionaire cities, prepare to run one and design it around public transport.
With a million people, each saving $10,000, that would be $10 billion. Start saving and start finding those people now.
“No” -corrupt politicians controlled by automakers
It’s not just that. It’s also the wealthy and powerful not wanting to interact with the unwashed masses. That’s the largest driving force behind US car-centric infrastructure lately
Look at something like the podbike and imagine that as a self driving micro taxi that goes 50 kmh max. Little embedded energy, material and only needs small batteries and incredibly energy efficient because of aerodynamics (slimmer). Energy efficient even compared to trains or busses, especially in areas or times with lower utilization.
If you want to eliminate cars and make mass transit work as energy efficient as possible, you NEED self driving single seater cars (or double seaters with face to face).
Your proposal sounds a lot like a car, but then slower and self-driving.
there is always a need for extremely low volume medium distance travel, taxis are currently the most public transit-esq option for this
You are gonna love Tokyo.
It is going to be hard to do thing like this any time soon in the US & AU because of big oilI do love Tokyo. I had a job all lined up to move there this summer, but it fell through :(
Plus the massive distance between cities, suburban areas and outlying rural areas.
Not too mention the decades of extremely car centric infrastructure design connecting them.
But trains are not boring?
I was gonna comment “fuck cars” but then I checked where I was.
Fuck cars.
Self driving is already here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Rapid_Transit_(Singapore)
–rural areas U.S.A has entered the chat– We need those trains, the stations they serve, and last mile fully electric self-driving vehicles to get our older citizens to their doctor’s appointments in the larger cities, and to and from the fancy train stations, and not have them be made to remember to reserve a seat 3-5 days in advance, and be waiting 45 minutes for a bus to show up to take them where they need to be and then another 45 to get back home. Also, last mile fully electric self-driving vehicles for round-trips to grocery stores around town, TIA.
Neighborhood electric vehicles are available. Rural USA can try electric buses. Increasing numbers of buses on routes will help. USA older folk are very un healthy. They are obese. Many are unable to walk in their own and need assistance. This is mostly unique to USA.
I want flying cars. Fuck trains. Build nuclear powered flying drone-like cars, what’s the fucking problem?
Come to Seoul~~~
Thing is that I live near a city that has this (ok not train travel that could replace plane travel) and I just want to be able to afford to live in it.
To be fair that’s how it is in a lot of countries.
God damn I’d love that. My country has been trying to build a ferry free west coast. A road from southern Norway, along the coast and up to Trondheim. Back in 2012 they decided to green-light the project, but it’s still being argued about.
One of my issues with the whole project is how we’re not building any form of infrastructure based around trains. It’s cars. The geography is really harsh here, but adding train tracks by the road would be more future proof than just highways.
I think this image would be improved without the unrelated first sentence about self-driving cars.
honestly trains that are more affordable than airplanes is super exciting for me
