More on cars

[andrewducker]

Best comment so far on cars is here, where octopoid_horror is incredibly sensible, and will thus alienate 95% of the population.

He also passed on to me this link, saying that comparing this March to last March, americans drove 4.3% less.

That's massive. And it's fantastic news.

Hurray for high oil prices.

Comments

[joexnz.livejournal.com]

yes driving less due to high oil prices is a good thing, tm
high oil prices because a bunch of yuppies are trading in oil futures, is frankly, to stupid for words.

[call-waiting.livejournal.com]

Well, that was a lovely read.

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

It is lucky for me that I like significantly less than 5% of the population.

[chuma.livejournal.com]

"Best comment" is subjective and probably what you want to hear. Just because you think motorists should be discouraged from driving doesn't mean that inflating oil prices will be a good thing. Unemployment from inability to drive is no small thing, especially in the face of economic recession and rising costs of mortgages just after 100%+ mortgages were taken up.

The real solution to the problem is to have cars run on something far less environmentally damaging. Until then, suggesting this is "good news" is frankly demeaning to those who aren't high enough above the breadline to afford to keep driving to keep their jobs or get their kids to school.

[andrewducker]

"Best comment" is subjective and probably what you want to hear.

Of course it is. I mean, I'd be equally happy for someone to say "I've managed to make cars run on water!" - but short of Mr Fusion generators appearing in Argos this week that's not going to happen. Speaking of which:

The real solution to the problem is to have cars run on something far less environmentally damaging.

Electric cars are definitely better - so long as we make massive investments in our power infrastructure, and generate more power from renewables, etc.

But the only way to push people to look at electric cars (which are going to have lower ranges than petrol cars, due to energy density issues with batteries) is to make them look better - and rising petrol prices is one thing that will do that.

[calcinations.livejournal.com]

A lower range for electric cars really doesn't matter, because most people only use them for 5, 10, 20 mile trips. So you just plug it in each evening...
People forget this simple fact.

[sterlingspider.livejournal.com]

What bothers me is the lack of willingness on the part of (my) government to set a good example. Where are the hybrid garbage trucks? Where are the motorcycle cops? Why aren't there solar panels on the governor's mansion and the high schools? It's not like egregious amounts of money aren't funneled into the less environmentally sound ways of doing these things in the first place. And it's not like there aren't ways to maximize return either.

I've gotten used to a fairly low driving lifestyle (initially due to a phobia, and now due to a general dislike of being on the road) and as much as it's nice having the freedom to run out to wherever whenever I damn well please, it's also nice having the planning wherewithal to maximize my trips.

[andrewducker]

Oh, and most people, as Mr Horror says, are going to be able to cut back a lot of the "popping to the shops" journeys before they have to stop driving to work.

[meaningrequired.livejournal.com]

Its also better for your health to walk....

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

Just what I was going to say! Cars that run on water (also a finite resource...) would probably mean more obesity, more heart disease, more diabetes, and a hell of a lot more people run over or hurt/killed in crashes. Working and buying local, and using mass transport and/or walking is still better than "clean" cars.

[meaningrequired.livejournal.com]

That's a good point about water powered cars!

Also, I like your user name :) I think I have a thing for 3 word names :)

[communicator.livejournal.com]

Amusingly (for some limited sense of the word) H and I went out to lunch together yesterday and ended up having a row in Costa Coffee about just this issue. FWIW I took the octopoid viewpoint.

[andrewducker]

It just seems obvious to me that at this point, where saying "We're all doomed!" hasn't encouraged people to change their behaviour, restraining people's actions is the only option.

Bring back rationing, that's what I say!

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I wish I published a magazine called "The Octopoid Viewpoint"

[henriksdal.livejournal.com]

There was something on Look North when I was home last week about passenger numbers on the T&W Metro rising in proportion with increasing fuel costs. And how numbers skyrocketed during the petrol blockades in '00, but as soon as that stopped everyone jumped straight back in their cars. suggesting that many were clearly capable of getting by without a car, but choose not to.