Aznman

In the near future, it is likely that cars would become smaller. This is because traffic congestion will rise, and it would not be viable to keep on expanding the size of our roads.
Here are some examples of Narrow-Tracked vehicles that I would certainly love to buy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAnq5DyNG0

If these cars share the roads with you, what would your opinions be by then?
Assume that these cars passed by as you are riding your bicycle. Assume the drivers/passengers are NEUTRALS; they are not too friendly nor shouting vulgarities at you. What would your thoughts be? Below are the options.
1. You used to hate cagers. But you realize that the narrow track cars are lighter and less lethal. They are also much more fuel efficient and eco-friendly. You think that these narrow track vehicles are the change for the better. You think that these drivers are essentially cyclists

2. They are cagers; you will always hate them. Bah with the small light cars.

3. You never hate car users, because you are one too. The smaller track vehicles do seem better though.

joeyduck

I hate cagers, pedestrians, other cyclists, birds, dogs and the wind when they do stupid things.

Otherwise if they work with me or at least not against me I have a feeling of indifference. If they smile, wave, blow me from behind, not peck out my eyes I like them.

no1mad 

Mind you, I didn't watch the linked video in its entirety- fast forwarded about 30 seconds at a time- but the topic covered was not narrow tracked vehicles....

jeffpoulin

I don't hate cars or drivers, but what I don't like is being treated like a second class citizen on the road. Roads are a public utility and while you can drive vehicles on them, they don't have priority over other users. A lot of drivers seem to forget that.

Even small cars are many times bigger than a cyclist, so I don't think smaller cars are the answer. In some ways, they can even be more dangerous since they accelerate faster and can more easily go around other cars. Big, lumbering trucks and SUVs are often easier to ride with because their size limits what they can do and therefore makes them more predictable.

One technology that I'm looking forward to, however, it driverless cars. I'd feel much safer with having an automated car drive around me than a frustrated, impatient, or angry driver.

JPinWI

Ha! I think you are going to see carless roads before you see driverless cars... imagine a driverless car running windows....it will give a whole new meaning to the "blue screen of death"

jeffpoulin

I'll take my chances. What I've heard about the Google cars sounds very promising. Even if completely driverless cars don't become a reality, perhaps computer assisted cars will be. I'd be happy to ride with smart cars that could take control whenever they're about to hit something.

wphamilton

I do not agree with the premise that cars will likely become smaller due to traffic congestion. We've had traffic congestion problems for decades, spent vast sums for improvements and just put up with it, but smaller vehicles has never been part of the solution.

Economics will dictate smaller cars, if anything does.

Tiny personal vehicles will not have general acceptance as long as there are larger and more massive vehicles on the roads. MANY people select the largest vehicle they can afford and operate precisely so that they can have greater protection relative to other vehicles, and this would only encourage them. The only way out of that vicious cycle is if they become too expensive to operate, or taxes and registration become prohibitive.

acidfast7

i use cars somewhat often (about 10% of my commutes to work are by car).

this is a passable example of a small car:

fietsbob

Where you live matters .. location, (3X) .. & whether the public transport sux or was invested in, and Nice.

Hybrid-electrics can take you out, silently. but for your agonized screaming.

acidfast7

I hate cycling with electric vehicles.

China was insane as I couldn't hear anything coming/going.

Aznman

Ay!!! Sorry about that. Here's the correct the correct link.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAnq5DyNG0

acidfast7

I had neighbours in Sachsenhausen, Frankfurt with BMW C1s. They were pretty common due to the tightness on parking.

Aznman

I wish I can live in Europe
I still love America of course, but I wish that narrow-tracked trike vehicles would be more common here.

acidfast7

Yeah, at the SmartTwos would squeeze in sideways as well

Take a look: here's the old neighbourhood in the Autumn

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.10...ZVmewB363Q!2e0

spare_wheel

it's bizarre that you believe that image represents good stewardship of public space (and the environment). any motorvehicle that encroaches pedestrian space like that is likely to be "bumped into" by pedestrians.

i hate lung cancer and cvd.

acidfast7

for a metro are of 5.5M it's quite nice (and that's it's maximum density).

i do too, but i don't see what electric vehicles have to do with either?

spare_wheel

i don't hate cagers but i hate their cages. low occupancy petrochemical-powered motorvehicles are a global tragedy of the commons. if human beings were able to rationally assess the impact of these abominations they would already be illegal.

spare_wheel

tail pipe-emissions are a major contributor to cardiovascular disease and lung/throat cancer.

acidfast7

sure, what does that have to do with electric cars?

build a permanent solution, public transport, and the problem also disappears. electric cars are not required.

spare_wheel

i think electric cars are part of a potential solution.

I-Like-To-Bike

Ya mean like this?

acidfast7

I think when you see what goes into the batteries and how that's processes, you'd see they're not so green.

You could argue NIMBY (North Americans do that a lot) as you probably wouldn't be riding next to the mining, processing, building, removal, detoxification facilities.

I like the concept of moving all of the "emissions" to a single point (power plant filter). So, electric is great. Electric that requires batteries is not so great as it creates other severe issues. Electrification without batteries (public transport) solves that problem.

Don't say that the population density isn't great enough because then you're argument about increased lung cancer goes out the window as the number of particles in the country side is insignificant.

acidfast7

perfect. on the streets I showed in Frankfurt, it was the same

I-Like-To-Bike

Can really pack those Smarts into a tight spot. Pic taken at the Hockenheim Formula 1 racetrack exhibition area.

acidfast7

Cool! I really like them and I think that body panels can be swapped out quite easily to change colour.

I also saw a few Brabus models.

I still roll in the old A4 though as I don't like to invest in cars.