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Hyperloop One to shut down

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Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#341
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I always wondered just how bad an idea must have been. If Musk didn't go after it. Specially considering that he is the one who published it...

He did it to divert investment into high speed trains, which have the potential to significantly reduce the number of Teslas he could hope to sell. He successfully made investors waste hundreds of millions into these hyperloop startups, which are like real life parody of high-tech scam startups. On the other hand, one must be quite illiterate scientifically to buy into Musks grand sci-fi projects. Should only work on…

Phase 1 of the Californian high speed rail is/was not planned to open until 2030, and is just a 275 km long. Does that really sound like something that will slow the sales of Teslas?

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#342
post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate driving into Manhattan. I'd much rather take rail relative to the alternatives even if it takes longer and maybe costs more (especially leaving aside parking). And many others do as well even if it would be faster to drive. And generally Manhattan is pretty walkable once you're there.

You're missing the fine print. It's like $200 for a ticket if you want to take it at any reasonably competitive time, like a Friday at 5pm. It's basically a system for the 1% of wealthy super commuters.

Yeah, I feel like nobody talks about the price of Amtrak enough. For some reason the conversation is almost always on its speed or that we don't have enough lines.

Those things are true, but like, jeez, the price. I for one don't even mind Amtrak's slow speed on its own, but not when it's more expensive than faster options!

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#343
post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve slowly lost my innocence when it comes to public transportation in the US. At this point I can see that 95% of the country is absolutely locked into low-density single occupancy transportation at least till we invent sky cars. We have trillions in sunk cost that covers nearly every road, every home and every business in America. We will never, ever be Europe.

Yes, and we have generations of people trained to think that walking further than a hundred feet is an extreme workout to be avoided and that transit systems are full of criminals. It seems like that culture is headed for a cliff, however, as the cost of cars continues to increase (the average sale last year was a year’s median pay!), budgets for road infrastructure become tighter, and climate change becomes harder t…

> we have generations of people trained to think that … transit systems are full of criminals

Are they not?

The BART Police Department's reports for 2022 show the following numbers for Part 1 UCR Crimes: Homicide: 3 Rape: 4 Robbery: 156 Aggravated Assault: 81 Burglary (Structural): 17 Larceny & Auto Burglary: 783 Auto Theft: 136 Arson: 10 Property Crime Subtotal: 946 Total: 1,190

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#344
post #336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Mars is the least useful planetary body in the Solar System. Anybody that is trying to sell you on Mars colonization is selling you a children's cartoon, not a serious project.

As someone who is not at all well versed in this area - this surprises me. Surely if there is anywhere in our solar system we have a chance of successfully colonizing, Mars is it. It seems like the obvious first step. Where would you recommend?

The upper reaches of Venus' atmosphere is the most accessible and Earth-like environment in the Solar System. That would be the obvious first step.

And for second steps you'd probably want someplace that is more useful in resources, like some of Jupiter's moons. Mars is probably the last place you'd want to go.

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a bicyclist: no. The problem is the disparity of speed between travelers, same as for a highway. Pedestrians appear suddenly or don't know about your sudden appearance or intended motions, and pain or injury results.

As another bicyclist: yes. That's how we do it here in Tokyo. Almost no one rides on the roads, despite the painted bike lanes that are always ignored by cars and delivery trucks using them as parking spaces.

As someone who just moved here: this is by far my least favorite part of moving around in the city; and having to dodge bikes on the sidewalks is the worst part of my commute.

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#346
post #345

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As another bicyclist: yes. That's how we do it here in Tokyo. Almost no one rides on the roads, despite the painted bike lanes that are always ignored by cars and delivery trucks using them as parking spaces.

As someone who just moved here: this is by far my least favorite part of moving around in the city; and having to dodge bikes on the sidewalks is the worst part of my commute.

Then stop dodging them: pedestrians like you are the worst. Just walk in a straight line where you're going and stop moving around so erratically; let the cyclists go around you.

Anyway, it would be nice if they built some nice, protected bike lanes, but they'd have to remove lanes from the cars to do that.

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#347

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Legalize biking on the sidewalk nationwide. I don’t want to bike on the road for any reason. Bikers have far far lower chances of hurting pedestrians than cars do of bikers.

As a bicyclist: no. The problem is the disparity of speed between travelers, same as for a highway. Pedestrians appear suddenly or don't know about your sudden appearance or intended motions, and pain or injury results.

Correct the speed thing also is relevant on crossings: When the car takes a right turn the cyclist going sttaight on the sidewalk might be unexpected.

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#348
post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, and we have generations of people trained to think that walking further than a hundred feet is an extreme workout to be avoided and that transit systems are full of criminals. It seems like that culture is headed for a cliff, however, as the cost of cars continues to increase (the average sale last year was a year’s median pay!), budgets for road infrastructure become tighter, and climate change becomes harder t…

> we have generations of people trained to think that … transit systems are full of criminals Are they not? The BART Police Department's reports for 2022 show the following numbers for Part 1 UCR Crimes: Homicide: 3 Rape: 4 Robbery: 156 Aggravated Assault: 81 Burglary (Structural): 17 Larceny & Auto Burglary: 783 Auto Theft: 136 Arson: 10 Property Crime Subtotal: 946 Total: 1,190

Just because one transit system isn't policed, doesn't mean all of them are. Transit, by itself, is not "full of criminals" and I'm not sure the one you gave stats for is either (or even correct -- how do you commit "auto theft" on a train lol)?

Anyway, assuming there are hundreds of train cars and thousands of passengers a day, the chance of getting robbed on any one of them, using your stats, is less than 0.001%. Seems pretty safe to me.

Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#349

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The people of Singapore pay a minimum of 100K for the privilege of owning a bottom tier car and the demand for cars there is overwhelming and insatiable, despite the world class and extremely clean mass transit systems. The reality is that cars are freedom and still superior from a continence and comfort standpoint. Americans are insanely privileged to have cheap, powerful cars.

The Singapore thing is about status, not freedom. For the last 15 years I've lived in various places around the world, and for all of them a private car is the most frustrating, least enabling method of transport available. Finding parking is a nightmare, traffic is a nightmare, having to concentrate on the idiots around me is a nightmare, not being able to drink when I go out is a nightmare, dealing with the mechani…

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Re: Hyperloop One to shut down

#350

I thought the point of Hyperloop was to head off the upgrading of Californian railway systems? Created and Hyped by Tesla's owner because Tesla needed Americans to stick to buying ever-more-expensive cars. So, its purpose is done now and it can retire gracefully. Or am I being too cynical?

You are definitely not the only one with that thought
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