Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

engadget.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 59 posts

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#21

Post by gaoshan »

Given the nature of traffic in China the one angle they don't show in the video is the one that matters most... what happens when vehicles in front of the bus straddle the lane, blocking it?

They line up neatly coming from the back because they physically have to but anyone who has seen the traffic in China knows that cars will not get out of the way or obey the lane markers and are quite likely to abruptly (even at risk to themselves or their vehicle) cut the thing off from the front in order to squeeze in front.

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#23

Post by Create »

Flying wrote: post #17
stcredzero wrote: post #3

Are those really busses or are they trains? This scheme looks cool, until I try to picture what happens during turns. Remember that "large vehicles make large turns." One way to think about it is that "turn radius" of the from wheels is much larger than for the back wheels. It's more complicated than that, but it's the gist. EDIT: Watching the video now. The "bus" is divided into many sections which need to "snake" a…

The video says that when the bus has to turn, it will turn on the red light for the lanes under it that is not turning with it.

It is not uncommon to have green light for buses (esp. w. bus lanes) before the other traffic gets the green.

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#25

Post by thatfatcat »

I don't think that it's such a great idea.

ACCESIBILITY: In crowded cities you need people to get in and out of the bus quickly, meaning lots of doors and very few steps. Also let's not forget wheel chairs. How could an elderly person climb all those steps to get out of the bus? How about someone with a baby in a buggy?

INFRASTRUCTURE: Yes, it's cheaper than a subway, but that's the only advantage. When this bus makes a turn, at least some part of the traffic must be stopped. Cars will crash into the bus without doubt. The bus stops will be expensive to build.

SUGGESTION: Spare two lanes and build a light rail, separated from the traffic by fences solid enough to prevent cars from landing on the rail. Make all intersections with regular traffic at different grades (overpass or underpass). It's a proven technology, no accesibility issues, cheap stations, completely separated from the rest of the traffic (because of this it can become completely automated).

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#26

Post by cglee »

gaoshan wrote: post #21

Given the nature of traffic in China the one angle they don't show in the video is the one that matters most... what happens when vehicles in front of the bus straddle the lane, blocking it? They line up neatly coming from the back because they physically have to but anyone who has seen the traffic in China knows that cars will not get out of the way or obey the lane markers and are quite likely to abruptly (even at…

I thought the exact thing. Traffic in China reminds me of a school of fish - cars wiggle and dash in front of one another with total disregard for lanes.

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#28

Post by MC27 »

jacquesm wrote: post #22

Neat idea but it violates the 'kiss' principle on several points. I'll believe it when I see it, in spite of the fact that 'building will commence soon'.

It is simple in a way. It's an alternative to building another deck on top of the road for light rail to run along. Probably cheaper and less devastating to communities that it runs though.

Re: China to build giant buses that cars can drive under

#30

Post by cabalamat »

thatfatcat wrote: post #25

I don't think that it's such a great idea. ACCESIBILITY: In crowded cities you need people to get in and out of the bus quickly, meaning lots of doors and very few steps. Also let's not forget wheel chairs. How could an elderly person climb all those steps to get out of the bus? How about someone with a baby in a buggy? INFRASTRUCTURE: Yes, it's cheaper than a subway, but that's the only advantage. When this bus make…

Why not just build the light rail over the highway, like they do in Bangkok?
Post reply on HN