The Auto Industry

[Wyldesoul]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

Coming from someone who is employed in the auto industry, I would love to see the automobile as we know it die a quick and fiery death. They have no place in the world and are unnecessary. I would much rather see great train and subway systems installed, supplemented by bicycles for short distance treks.

Let cars go the way of the dinosaur. Speaking of which, I would trade cars for dinosaurs any day. Man that would be awesome if the T Rex still roamed the earth.

That is a very easy thing to say for someone who lives in a small, densely populated nation.

What about my parents? They live five miles from the nearest piece of civilization, and there are maybe ten people who live within a mile of them. Should the bus come all the way out there on the off chance they might need to be picked up? Should a subway be built to their front door?

Public transportation is only valid in urban environments, or small, densely populated nations.

What about hauling things? I'm sure that those yokels could get their ox cart for that, right?

I'm sorry, but cars are necessary. Even big cars are necessary, at least in the USA. A "full" public transportation network servicing everyone who lives in the US, or even just 50% of the population is a near impossibility. Very few cities can afford to maintain an effective public transportation network at all.

[Jay2TheRescue]

Thanks Biffmeistro. That is a very good point. My parents live 5 miles from the nearest civilization - A 7-11 store. The nearest grocery store is about 9 miles away. There is so few people out there that cable TV is still not available out there, and (slow) DSL was just made available last month. There is no way a bus line out there will ever be profitable.

-Jay

[Hockey4mnhs]

That is true with people liveing in the country. I am one of them. I dont think getting rid of them is possible for people like me but still if 98% of city people dont have cars that is good enough that I and farmers with big trucks will actually be able to afford gas because we really need it.

[Project84]

If I'm not mistaken, Cincinnati used to have an electric railway but scrapped the program as population increased in the 80's.

I might just be making all that up.... lol I think I remember hearing about it though, and I know for sure there are still roads w/ railways paved in them that aren't used any longer.

[Jay2TheRescue]

I can remember as a kid visiting my grandparents in Connecticut seeing streetcar tracks on some streets in Bridgeport. I imagine the tracks are taken up if major roadwork is done, but otherwise they were left there because tearing the road apart to take an unused track out was an unnecessary expense.

-Jay

[GasSavers_SD26]

Originally Posted by Erdrick

Coming from someone who is employed in the auto industry, I would love to see the automobile as we know it die a quick and fiery death. They have no place in the world and are unnecessary. I would much rather see great train and subway systems installed, supplemented by bicycles for short distance treks.

Let cars go the way of the dinosaur. Speaking of which, I would trade cars for dinosaurs any day. Man that would be awesome if the T Rex still roamed the earth.

That's absolutely ridiculous.

Freedom is unnecessary too, and underground trains will never be built in my semi rural area. Nor would it ever serve the work that I do.

And the T-Rex is extinct. Bikes don't work well in nine inches of snow, let alone three.


As for the US auto industry...

I find it ridiculous that US government regulation treats light trucks the same as cars. An F250 is not the same as a Honda Ridgeline. I don't see other manufacturers making any real in roads to support small businesses, or larger ones, by actually making vehicles for work like that.

The CAFE standards really mess things up for those manufacturers that specialize that way, big US three, right? Seems more than logical to have different categories for vehicle types, period.