On Thu, Sep 23, 2004 at 08:16:06AM -0700, James Newtons Massmind wrote:
> The automobile, under human control at all times, without any guiding force
> (like a train's rail) is inherently unsafe IMHO.

Excellent point. The fact of the matter is that I'd happily give up driving
if the substitute could meet the needs that driving affords: 1) unscheduled
travel to 2) multiple destinations in a 3) timely fashion with 4) Personal
space (stuff, music, choice of co passengers and the like). Mass transit
generally fails all these criteria big time. The nearest bus stop to my house
is 4 miles away and even if I caught the bus, getting to and from work
would be a 2.5 hour affair each way involving 3 buses, a train, and two 
different transit systems. And BTW every day I take a midday break to pick
up kids from school as the thought of having a 6YO in the house alone is
a very very scary thought.

As it is, I can get to and from work in 20 minutes flat driving each way. It's
the only effective transportation mechanism for me.

But given all of that I'd still give up driving in a minute if a personalized
automated mass transit system could be devised where coupled caravaned cars
that rode on tracks at high speeds, splitting off into smaller units near
the destinations. Couple that with some automated way of transferring
personal items and the like, and I'd probably even be willing to give up 
the personal vehicle altogether and pay nearly what I'm paying for 
car payment, car insurance, gas and maintenance, to be able to do somthing
like this and not have to drive at all.

There needs to be a shift in the thinking of how folks get around.

BAJ

> 
> James 
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu 
> > [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Rigby-Jones
> > Sent: 2004 Sep 23, Thu 02:04
> > To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.'
> > Subject: RE: [OT] rules, was Yes, I canned Olin again. Focus 
> > on the REAL problems
> > 
> 
> 
> > 
> > Bill, you have hit the nail on the head.  There is currently 
> > a regime of motorist persecution in the UK, blaming speeding 
> > motorists for a significant portion of our ~2400 road deaths 
> > p.a. which has lead to vast numbers of speed cameras being 
> > installed and an equally vast amount of money generated from 
> > fines.  Unfortunately, despite publishing false or mangled 
> > accident stats to prove otherwise, the "safety camera 
> > partnerships" focus on speeders has not reduced fatalities 
> > whatsoever, in fact they have increased in the last couple of 
> > years.  The powers that be have decided that the only cause 
> > of this must be not enough speed camera's...
> > 
> 
> 
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