Small, cheap cars and trucks are ruining the world

[motion]

One thing that strikes me as I travel around the world is that cities/towns/villages are becoming unbelievably congested. After a long day of driving, I just love to arrive at a scenic town and hit the pavement searching for architecture and something good to eat. But, I've noticed that practically everywhere I go, city centers are packed with noisy, polluting cars and trucks that really stink up the place. They're ugly and create a mess. The closer to the center of town you get, the worse it becomes. The infrastructure on the edges of towns to support the growing population of vehicles is just really unbelievable. Its astonishing.

As the world's purchasing power increases, and used, cheap cars become more plentiful and more reliable, the situation grows even worse. I can't even imagine what the situation will be like 10 years from now.

Some cities, like Monaco, San Sebastian, Saigon, Amsterdam etc. have tackled the problem by the citizens adopting scooters and bicycles. In Amsterdam's case, this works well, but even scooters can be loud and are really not that attractive when they're parked a thousand deep.

Dean Kamen tried to solve the problem by inventing the Segway. While a good idea, it was really not practical, due to cost and limited carrying capacity.

I'd love to know everyone's thoughts on this. Its a big issue for me. I think nearly every place would be much more enjoyable if the streets were devoid of vehicles, and the roads were opened up to pedestrians and hardscape/landscape.

I believe the solution is a 2 lane electric walkway, like you see in airports, with a sidewalk and delivery path adjacent. The walkways would be about 4' wide, and move at slow or fast speeds, depending on the pedestrians travel needs (like an express lane). A concrete walkway would allow people to jump off to access destinations, or walk for exercise. Another concrete lane would be used for commercial deliveries.

Residents' vehicles could be parked on the edge of town, possibly in a very large robotic parking structure. Since they wouldn't need them as much, they could be accessed as needed by the moving walkway.

Thoughts? Yeah, I spend a lot of time thinking about this sort of thing

[porsche4life]

So basically you think governments should spend billions of dollars so you don't have to look at cars and scooters when you come to visit their city?


I wasn't aware there were any ivory castles in Montana.

[motion]

Geezus, what a short-sighted way to look at an issue. Having a bad day there?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

I worked in the Swiss mountain village of Wengen one summer.

There are no cars, only vehicles were electric trolleys for the hotels to move luggage about and a few sit on petrol engine agricultural implements for pulling trailers.

After a month of breathing clean mountain air when I was down in the valley where cars were I could smell each one as they drove past pumping out pollution.

Unless there is a fully operating public transport system I can't see people wanting to go carless while living in a city.

[VINMAN]

Being from NYC, I get your drift. I would like to see, a lot of the big cities limit vehicle traffic. One solution in NY, would be to limit single occupant vehicle commuters. There are huge amounts of mass transit in the city. No reason to have to drive in to get to work.

[recycled sixtie]

I agree 100% Motion. I recently just got back from Dublin, Ireland and was impressed by the number of bicycles there(hardly anybody wearing helmets though). Not as many as Amsterdam though.

London UK has imposed tariffs on cars for those going into the City of London which would restrict drivers going there. Their subway system is the fastest way to get around there.

Many folks are just too lazy(or/and out of shape) to peddle bikes any more.

Where gas/petrol is more expensive as in Europe then folks cycle out of necessity. Here it is more of a choice.

I agree . Change is needed.
Guy

[motion]

Milano has installed tolls on roads leading into the city. You want to drive in town, you pay 5 euro. You can't get within 50 miles of Milano without being stuck in a traffic jam.

[motion]

Originally Posted by VINMAN

Being from NYC, I get your drift. I would like to see, a lot of the big cities limit vehicle traffic. One solution in NY, would be to limit single occupant vehicle commuters. There are huge amounts of mass transit in the city. No reason to have to drive in to get to work.

How cool would it be to be able to leave your office downtown, jump on a moving sidewalk and get off at your upper eastside apartment in 15 minutes?

[island911]

Originally Posted by motion

... Yeah, I spend a lot of time thinking about this sort of thing

Yeah, so much contemplative time when traveling about for days on end in various machines.

And have you noticed how much air traffic crisscrosses Europe? We need to end that too.

Seriously, funny thread you've got going.

Ever here about the CA freeway billboard that read: you are not IN traffic - You ARE traffic. (?)

[island911]

Just wait...

[rusnak]

The "WTF" is strong in this thread.

[BlueSkyJaunte]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I wasn't aware there were any ivory castles in Montana.

They're not native to the region. It's an invasive species brought in from Kalifornia.

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by motion

How cool would it be to be able to leave your office downtown, jump on a moving sidewalk and get off at your upper eastside apartment in 15 minutes?

Only problem with that is, someone would end up stealing them for scrap.

.

[motion]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I wasn't aware there were any ivory castles in Montana.

The term is ivory tower. If you're going to take a swipe at me for pontificating, at least get the terminology correct.

[sammyg2]

I was driving down glassell street in orange one day a couple years ago, when from behind me I heard this hellacious roar.
It would have almost sounded sweet and in-tune if it hadn't been so loud and raw.

As is zoomed past i saw it, a Ferrari 360 spyder Challenge Stradale doing 80 in a 35 and gaining speed quickly.
I thouht to myself, how could something that loud be legal on the streets, and what kind of selfish person would drive one like that, with his right foot buried through the gears every chance he got, then tight on the binders?

My question was never answered as the car was gone in a flash. Small concession that I only had to listen to that din for a few seconds.

Seems like the world would be a much better place if people were more considerate of others and were not so selfish that their own temporary enjoyment from being obnoxiously loud was not more important to them that the right of others to reasonable peace and quiet.

Hey I can dream ........

[motion]

Milton Keynes is doing something about it:

Tomorrow's cities: Towards the congestion-free city - BBC News

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by island911

Yeah, so much contemplative time when traveling about for days on end in various machines.

And have you noticed how much air traffic crisscrosses Europe? We need to end that too.

Seriously, funny thread you've got going.

Ever here about the CA freeway billboard that read: you are not IN traffic - You ARE traffic. (?)

Point well taken, and I hereby vow to do my part and never contribute to that traffic or congestion over there in you-rope as long as i live.

you're welcome

[LeeH]

Just another direct by-product of job exportation.

[Nostril Cheese]

Originally Posted by sammyg2

I was driving down glassell street in orange one day a couple years ago, when from behind me I heard this hellacious roar.
It would have almost sounded sweet and in-tune if it hadn't been so loud and raw.

As is zoomed past i saw it, a Ferrari 360 spyder Challenge Stradale doing 80 in a 35 and gaining speed quickly.
I thouht to myself, how could something that loud be legal on the streets, and what kind of selfish person would drive one like that, with his right foot buried through the gears every chance he got, then tight on the binders?

My question was never answered as the car was gone in a flash. Small concession that I only had to listen to that din for a few seconds.

Seems like the world would be a much better place if people were more considerate of others and were not so selfish that their own temporary enjoyment from being obnoxiously loud was not more important to them that the right of others to reasonable peace and quiet.

Hey I can dream ........

Same thing happened to me once in the OC, except it was a red 993 cabrio.

[motion]

Dicks