this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2024
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Fuck Cars

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378
Urban Microcars (sh.itjust.works)
submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
151 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Society's got priorities wrong.

  • most car travels are 1 person or sometimes 2 person

  • the majority of car travels are quite short, less than 40km.

  • many car travels are just to get some groceries or drop of a little package or just say "hi" to someone, carrying nothing but themselves.

  • cars are fucking expensive, to buy and to maintain

  • accidents become way worse with heavier vehicles

Microcar is a valid answer to all of these, while still being sheltered from weather.

How are urban places (i'm in Belgium) with almost permanent super heavy road traffic congestion, bad climate statistics, high polution values, very limited available space left, no self-sustaining energy production and high traffic accident statistics still pooring in billions and billions in subsidies year after year into "regular" big heavy SUV-like vehicles instead of these? It's beyond my comprehension. The only real valid reason i somewhat get is the collective scare of being in a crash and not wanting to be in the smaller vehicle. We could save the climate, we choose not to.

  • MICROLINO: 17.990 €
  • OPEL ROCKS: 8.699 €
  • CITROEN AMI: 7.790 €
  • RENAULT TWIZY: 13.000 €
  • FIAT TOPOLINO: 9.890 €

A lot of people here casually spend more on a sunday racing bike every few years for fucks sake.

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Now that you say it, it's been a while since I last saw a 'smart ForTwo'...

...they stopped producing those in March this year?

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I'm not really fond of microcars. Every time I see one I'm like: "Just buy a bike it's cheaper and it doesn't look like a motorized dumpster!". Not to mention that to drive one in France you don't even need a driving license. Talk about a security hazard... My thinking is they're a lot pricier than great top of the line E-bikes (hydraulic breaks and the whole shebang), you can carry as much as a cargo bike and for the rain, a waterproof coat and pants work just fine (tropical regions get a pass I guess).

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (2 children)

First of all it's tiny and limited to 45km/h which is the top speed of an e-bike in the states. I don't want to be hit by a microcar, but I'd hate to get hit by a loaded class 3 cargo bike either. And I'd far rather either of those than some obnoxious dually equipped pickup truck.

Second of all, some people don't want to be out biking in inclement weather..... Or even at all. And that's OK.

Small light electric vehicles like ebikes or electric microcars are a great way to supplement gaps in good public transit and walkable cities. On top of that, unlike full size electric cars which reinforce car dependence, these types of vehicles encourage small, slow streets for cars in urban areas, mixed with bike, walking, and public transit infrastructure.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (9 children)

I don’t really understand the benefit if microcar over golf carts.

Is my understanding correct?

Microcar

  • built to car safety standards
  • silly looking
  • inconvenient to anyone above average size
  • Don’t appear to too useful
  • expensive
  • fit at most a single person

Golf cart

  • different class of vehicle, limited use
  • can be built cheaper
  • Already a huge variety
  • easier access
  • Useable by people without drivers licenses
  • more usefulness options in sizes, cabins, even trailers
  • cheaper
  • can support families

Instead of proposing we all squish into tiny toy-like cars that are unsafe in car infrastructure, wouldn’t a better proposal be to organize downtowns around cheaper, lower speed golf carts that already have a variety of models and customizations? It would save everyone money, and paperwork, while filling the same efficiency improvements

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

You can't rebuild dense areas all at once, and the benefits aren't going to be apparent until you have a good portion of the town built to the new spec.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Ah, the eternal dream of hew "pod".

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

You cant rollerskate in a buffalo herd but you can be happy if youve a mind to

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