:chuckle:
toldailytopic: The oil crisis. What are some ideas that might help us be less depende
- Thread starter Nathon Detroit
- Start date
- Status
:chuckle:
Well if Fox said it then you should go ahead and just believe it. No reason to research or discuss or think about it. :thumb:
Else, you might wonder if natural gas, of which we have enormous reserves, might not be a better way to go while we work out the kinks of our alternatives. And you might think about the fuel consumption rate of the average car on our highways and how being unable to drive faster than 65 would rather impressively reduce consumption. Then you could ponder how it is dramatically cheaper to ship by rail than air.
Or, again, you could just go with whatever Fox tells you.
I think $4/Gal. gas will help some of the alternative fuels look more attractive to people.
And
We should convert all the semis to steam, that would create jobs for people shoveling coal into the boilers.
Idealistically, this would be a good idea. The problem in the US, regarding vehicles, is an addiction to acceleration. Most persons become too impatient when driving; to pass someone moving 50mph on a two-lane highway, it usually takes an acceleration, which would move the passing speed to 75mph. City drivers accelerate to a point where the vehicle would move at highway speeds, then brake to reduce speed, on average, 35mph, then brake again to stop and wait out the light change. A slower acceleration would accomplish the same result and decrease the waiting time at the light, or have it change as the vehicle approaches the intersection.
This would not deal with the greatest waste, acceleration. We have the engineering to make quality vehicles, able to exceed 80mph without a high waste of petrol; the problem is not so much the top speed, as it is the quickness to achieve it. We could make cars that accelerate much slower, yet move along economically at 75mph. The real problem is people want acceleration! It would also be worth considering having manual five, or six speed transmissions on more economy cars; once we all could learn to use manual shifting, now younger persons have never driven a car with a stick, a little basic education at driving school would remedy this problem.
Same deal here, it is not top speed, but the need for quickly getting to the speed limit.
This may be a good idea, but it might be a short fix. For getting around town, electric cars seems a better choice.
I strongly agree! The problem with public transportation is not its inefficiency, rather it is fear of exposure to undesirables, or what may be considered such by some who would rather choose private transportation over possibly being accosted by those who evoke fear. The old streetcars, this was not an issue, yet it has become one today and for it to work, there has to be way better monitor passenger bevaviour.
I agree with you on a need for some measure of control. When the Fed bailed of the banks, most were angry at the Fed, yet the majority dismiss it. When it comes to controlling something the public owns, it is another matter; people would not stand by these measures unless they were introduced gradually.
We have the engineering ability to make highly efficient car and light trucks; the main reason we fail is an unwillingness to spend more on R&D and the idea of losing sales to a consumer public, which has become used to big vehicles. I see many 4-wheel drive, extended cab trucks and with good reason doubt they need 4-wheel drive, not to mention the enormous size! Those who live in rural areas can get by as well in a smaller truck, yet they desire the bigger one.
It may be a good idea to have tariffs on import vehicles for the time being, until we are able to set up for building vehicles on smaller frames, which, in turn, would have smaller engines and less acceleration.
Reducing engine size would make possible, an all gas operated car with a manual transmission, which could get better the 50 miles to a gallon of fuel; we had a beginning for this going back to the 1980s, but consumer demand and higher margin profits brought back the big vehicles, now as utility vehicles few need.
Generally, producers overestimate consumer demand and seldom consider the long-term consequences.
- Drill
- Build Nuke Plants
- Use more Natural Gas
- Drill
Definitely more nuclear energy. We are already flushed with domestically-produced natural gas and can shift towards using more of it without any increase in drilling rates.
Contact your legislators and ask that they legalize industrial hemp because hemp is 4 times as efficient at producing biofuel than corn is at producing ethanol...
"Scientists say it is high time for hemp-based biofuel": http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/1869783/scientists-hemp-biofuel
Check this out..
http://www.hendrixsystems.com/economics.html
Now, rerun this guys calculations with $4 gas.
And it grows in poor soil.
PyramidHead
Active member
ragTagblues
New member
Okay this is actually a realistic suggestion . . . .
Motorcycles or motorcycle engines! My motorcycle does 200 miles to the tank driving normally, not conservatively (as I don't know how), it only cost about £16 to fill up where a car would cost £40+ to fill up and not come even near the economy of my bike. This is with a bike that tops out at a 160mph and does not meet emissions standards etc. which is why it is no longer made.
So maybe we should look at alternative modes of transport using motorbike engines, it would only be a short term solution; but has the benefit of using tried and tested technology . . . Motorbike engines also are reliable, easy to repair and soak up heavy mileage loads. Since all motorbike engines now have to meet emissions standards and have improved on my older it is only going to get cheaper.
Or more people could learn to ride one, their not as dangerous as you think, scooters are a great way of getting round. More motorcyclists, means less cars which makes it a safer option.
Anyways thats my view . . . Now I'll just wait to be called a dirty liberal.
lain:
Motorcycles or motorcycle engines! My motorcycle does 200 miles to the tank driving normally, not conservatively (as I don't know how), it only cost about £16 to fill up where a car would cost £40+ to fill up and not come even near the economy of my bike. This is with a bike that tops out at a 160mph and does not meet emissions standards etc. which is why it is no longer made.
So maybe we should look at alternative modes of transport using motorbike engines, it would only be a short term solution; but has the benefit of using tried and tested technology . . . Motorbike engines also are reliable, easy to repair and soak up heavy mileage loads. Since all motorbike engines now have to meet emissions standards and have improved on my older it is only going to get cheaper.
Or more people could learn to ride one, their not as dangerous as you think, scooters are a great way of getting round. More motorcyclists, means less cars which makes it a safer option.
Anyways thats my view . . . Now I'll just wait to be called a dirty liberal.
lain:
You can meet chicks like that.
ragTagblues
New member
Women or fowl?
The Berean
Well-known member
Or foul women? :idunno:
Yep, chicks dig guys that hitch hike, and/or when I pick them up in my gas guzzling Purple Gremlin.
Last edited:
I seriously doubt most persons would consider riding motorcycles. The 2-cycle engine use, proportionally more gas and oil and the 4-cycle engine, designed for a motorcycle lacks the torque needed for most cars. On the other hand, smaller car engines having the necessary torque would move a car efficiently at most speeds with less acceleration.
You are taking a younger person's point of view, most older persons are not going to ride motorcycles.
You are taking a younger person's point of view, most older persons are not going to ride motorcycles.
ragTagblues
New member
ragTagblues
New member
At current the Yamaha R1 and Suzuki Hayabusa engine's instantly spring to mind . . . . They are generally considered the best to modify, as they require little in modification and it can be done cheaply. Noble used to make cars with motorcycle engines . . . It can be done.
I suggesting we build-on and adapt the technology.
On that you are most assuredly correct . . .
Arthur Brain
Well-known member
Buzzword
New member
Ktoyou said:
Heck, I'M a "young" (25) person, and I won't touch the things.
Look? Oh yes. And probably drool.
But unless they come out with a four-wheeled motorcycle that doesn't require any kind of balance to operate?
I'm sticking to my Accord.
Overall, the problem doesn't seem to stem from available options.
Like you said it's more the American obsession with acceleration. Combine it with the corporate dudes currently raking in $$ from the OPEC countries trying to hang onto them as investors, and you basically have a situation where the people who run things don't want to make the situation any easier on the rest of us.
There's currently a massive campaign in Oklahoma to start switching industries which are currently VERY dependent on oil to natural gas, especially shipping companies.
We'll see how it turns out.
why not let those who want to ride a motorcycle
ride it
and
without a helmet
and
those who want to drive around in a truck
let them
if
they can afford to
ride it
and
without a helmet
and
those who want to drive around in a truck
let them
if
they can afford to
- Status