Electric cars

[towny44]

These so called visionaries use their think tanks to project the way forward with new ideas in order that they maximise their own profits. Fact and nothing to do with me being a trainee Luddite.

There was an interesting read, if true, about an old Bunty annual from the 1960s, that had a story supposedly based in the year 2020, where a great virus was wiping out life on earth except for places that had a protective force field.
Maybe we should co-opt the comic book writers onto these think tanks.

[towny44]

I think your observations of the situation are different to mine Ken. My experience is that the first objective of the younger generation once they are old enough is to have driving lessons and then have their own car (often financed via the bank of mum and dad) rather than a bus/train ticket. Bear in mind that public transport for many is not a viable option as it is either limited or non existent.

I would suggest the money spent on HS2, another link into an already overcrowded city, would be better spent on improving links between other cities which have for too long been denied the funding to prosper as they should. Many of these cities away from London and the south east are still serviced by antiquated and out of date rail systems which constantly break down and are simply not up to the task. Get even further away and you will find rural systems which are even more antiquated with rolling stock which should have been consigned to the knackers yard years ago. Instead we invest vast sums of money to satisfy the whims of the London commuters.
In short upgrade and update the systems we already have which will benefit the many, not the few.

Interesting that you managed to put forward your own argument and then destroy it in a single post.

I think you need to read it again Ken.

So do I, although I would be interested to know how he came to that conclusion, and it might help us to understand his logic.

[Manoverboard]

These so called visionaries use their think tanks to project the way forward with new ideas in order that they maximise their own profits. Fact and nothing to do with me being a trainee Luddite.

There was an interesting read, if true, about an old Bunty annual from the 1960s, that had a story supposedly based in the year 2020, where a great virus was wiping out life on earth except for places that had a protective force field.
Maybe we should co-opt the comic book writers onto these think tanks.

I thought we already had

[Mervyn and Trish]

I've been thinking about the notion Ken raised of a fleet of autonomous cars summoned when needed. I can see some sense in the idea but the more I think about it the more snags I spot.

Apart from the issue of public acceptance I have a cost worry. I'm sure the rental charge will be much closer to hiring a car than owning one.

I also think it will be an environmental disaster if it takes off in a big way. With the mileage they do there's not a reputable hire company out that that runs cars for more than a year or rwo. Three at the most. So these cars will also get replaced frequently. As the biggest carbon cost of a car is building it their low emission credentials will be wiped out.

And while I accept there will be fewer cars around the places they won't be will be parked on our drives or outside the office. Unless our travel habits change, which is a separate issue, there will actually be more cars "on the road". As well as those carrying us around there will be a lot more travelling empty on their way to their next mission.

It might be a great notion as a money earner for the likes of Tesla, but the only green solution is to change our travel habits much more radically and get us out of cars all together.

[Manoverboard]

The Lefties and Greens want us to abandon our cars and use public transport, this is the latest attempt in the name of being environmentally friendly but it simply will not work ... at least not in my lifetime but perhaps the snowflakes will go for it.

[oldbluefox]

We already use public transport where we can but invariably it is neither available or is just not a realistic option to get where we want to go. Unless there is a massive investment into the national transport infrastructure it's not going to happen.
I do believe, however, that much of the goods currently transported by road could be carried by air or rail if there was an efficient system of distribution warehouses.
I also think Johnny Foreigner coming over here should pay to use our motorways like what we have to pay on the French and Swiss motorways. To use the Swiss motorways for a year we had to buy a sticker and the crafty blighters made them perforated so you couldn't put/sell them to another car.

I can't think of any more............

[oldbluefox]

I get the impression that those who pontificate over the green agenda hardest are those who have good transport links who would not be unduly affected by their own green policies. This is not the case for the greater majority of the population.

[Kendhni]

I think your observations of the situation are different to mine Ken. My experience is that the first objective of the younger generation once they are old enough is to have driving lessons and then have their own car (often financed via the bank of mum and dad) rather than a bus/train ticket. Bear in mind that public transport for many is not a viable option as it is either limited or non existent.

I would suggest the money spent on HS2, another link into an already overcrowded city, would be better spent on improving links between other cities which have for too long been denied the funding to prosper as they should. Many of these cities away from London and the south east are still serviced by antiquated and out of date rail systems which constantly break down and are simply not up to the task. Get even further away and you will find rural systems which are even more antiquated with rolling stock which should have been consigned to the knackers yard years ago. Instead we invest vast sums of money to satisfy the whims of the London commuters.
In short upgrade and update the systems we already have which will benefit the many, not the few.

Interesting that you managed to put forward your own argument and then destroy it in a single post.

I think you need to read it again Ken.

I d an you totally destroyed your own argument.

[Kendhni]

Well having read about the "planners/modellers" this week saying that all of the data was wrong over Covid I would not trust them come up with anything viable.

I think you would agree that there is is a huge difference in those attempting to model and predict something totally new (like COVID) versus those who are continually modelling and predicting based on empirical data end historical evidence. Of course there is always a margin of error.

Those that analyse and work with this data have determined that new high speed infrastructure will be required in the next few years. The funny part though is all the old duffers up in arms about it when they aren't even the ones that will pay for it.

[Kendhni]

I get the impression that those who pontificate over the green agenda hardest are those who have good transport links who would not be unduly affected by their own green policies. This is not the case for the greater majority of the population.

I would suggest that making something up is not an "impression".

[Stephen]

All electric cars.
Will cause more deaths, as the walking music head phone, mobile reading brigade won’t hear them coming ......shaaaaame

[oldbluefox]

I get the impression that those who pontificate over the green agenda hardest are those who have good transport links who would not be unduly affected by their own green policies. This is not the case for the greater majority of the population.

I would suggest that making something up is not an "impression".

Its called an opinion Ken

[towny44]

I read in todays paper that Jim Ratcliffe's new Grenadier will offer a Hydrogen cell version, and he intends to use Ineos to supply a network of filling stations with hydrogen gas, of course it was only the Mail so some will consider it fake news.

[screwy]

You mean the biggest selling paper in the country.....if I’m not mistaken.!

[Kendhni]

I get the impression that those who pontificate over the green agenda hardest are those who have good transport links who would not be unduly affected by their own green policies. This is not the case for the greater majority of the population.

I would suggest that making something up is not an "impression".

Its called an opinion Ken

Making something up though is still not an 'opinion', it is still just prevarication.

[Kendhni]

I read in todays paper that Jim Ratcliffe's new Grenadier will offer a Hydrogen cell version, and he intends to use Ineos to supply a network of filling stations with hydrogen gas, of course it was only the Mail so some will consider it fake news.

Not fake, just old. Hyundai has been pushing this for quite a few months/years - I believe they may be working with Ratcliffe on this.

[Kendhni]

All electric cars.
Will cause more deaths, as the walking music head phone, mobile reading brigade won’t hear them coming ......shaaaaame

Apparently once they reach 12mph they start playing a sound track of engine noise externally ... personally speaking I think they should use the music for 633 squadron.

[Mervyn and Trish]

You mean the biggest selling paper in the country.....if I’m not mistaken.!

Correct

[Stephen]

All electric cars.
Will cause more deaths, as the walking music head phone, mobile reading brigade won’t hear them coming ......shaaaaame

Apparently once they reach 12mph they start playing a sound track of engine noise externally ... personally speaking I think they should use the music for 633 squadron.

[Mervyn and Trish]

I get the impression that those who pontificate over the green agenda hardest are those who have good transport links who would not be unduly affected by their own green policies. This is not the case for the greater majority of the population.

I agree Foxy. Whenever I hear Jeremy Vine prattling on about the virtues of cycling I wonder if he's ever cycled 10 miles to the nearest supermarket and back with 8 bags of shopping? And how he'll feel about it when he's 80.

[Mervyn and Trish]

All electric cars.
Will cause more deaths, as the walking music head phone, mobile reading brigade won’t hear them coming ......shaaaaame

Apparently once they reach 12mph they start playing a sound track of engine noise externally ... personally speaking I think they should use the music for 633 squadron.

And at 20 mph activate the machine guns....