Future transport: back to bikes and horses
Discussion
www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=13820#followOn
In the next 50 years, unless a viable alternative to cheap oil can be found, we could have to give up being able to travel where we want, when we want, according to a new government report. The Foresight think-tank surveyed 300 transport experts to draw up a series of predictions as to how we'll get around in 2055. These include:
Personal mobility will no longer be assumed, and every journey will have to be justified. More meetings, even personal and family contact, will take place via tele-conferencing rather than face-to-face 'flesh' contact.
We will be unable to build many more roads or transport links, and will instead have to make more intelligent use of existing capacity.
Payment for road use, or use of other forms of transport, will have to reflect the real cost of the journey, including an element of compensation for its environmental damage.
Drivers would have to pay per mile, and in many cases, book a 'slot' to take their journey.
People could be allotted a 'carbon allowance', to cover all their activities including driving, air flights or other energy-consuming and emissions-producing behaviour.
The report remained reasonably optimistic, setting out an ideal scenario whereby a clean, cheap alternative to oil is widely available, enabling travel and global activity to continue according to present trends. However, it outlined a worst-case scenario whereby people are increasingly isolated as fuel prices spiral, leading to the collapse of the economy and any businesses reliant on transportation of goods. Communities will have to learn to be self-sufficient - and people will have to go back to using bicycles or even horses to get around.
In the next 50 years, unless a viable alternative to cheap oil can be found, we could have to give up being able to travel where we want, when we want, according to a new government report. The Foresight think-tank surveyed 300 transport experts to draw up a series of predictions as to how we'll get around in 2055. These include:
Personal mobility will no longer be assumed, and every journey will have to be justified. More meetings, even personal and family contact, will take place via tele-conferencing rather than face-to-face 'flesh' contact.
We will be unable to build many more roads or transport links, and will instead have to make more intelligent use of existing capacity.
Payment for road use, or use of other forms of transport, will have to reflect the real cost of the journey, including an element of compensation for its environmental damage.
Drivers would have to pay per mile, and in many cases, book a 'slot' to take their journey.
People could be allotted a 'carbon allowance', to cover all their activities including driving, air flights or other energy-consuming and emissions-producing behaviour.
The report remained reasonably optimistic, setting out an ideal scenario whereby a clean, cheap alternative to oil is widely available, enabling travel and global activity to continue according to present trends. However, it outlined a worst-case scenario whereby people are increasingly isolated as fuel prices spiral, leading to the collapse of the economy and any businesses reliant on transportation of goods. Communities will have to learn to be self-sufficient - and people will have to go back to using bicycles or even horses to get around.
All of these are renewable-
4stroke, two stroke or turbine using Ethanol, Methanol, Methane
Electric/fuel cells via nuclear, solar, wind, tidal or wood/methanol/ethanol burning or burning recycled waste made into pellets.
Stirling or Steam engines using wood/methanol/ethanol, coal, solar, electric, methane or recycled waste made into pellets.
Plenty to choose from then!
4stroke, two stroke or turbine using Ethanol, Methanol, Methane
Electric/fuel cells via nuclear, solar, wind, tidal or wood/methanol/ethanol burning or burning recycled waste made into pellets.
Stirling or Steam engines using wood/methanol/ethanol, coal, solar, electric, methane or recycled waste made into pellets.
Plenty to choose from then!
I am sick and bastad well tired of all these "reports" and fing "think tank Studys"
on the news this morning they had another of these reports about Doctors in deprived run down areas and they concluded that
"we must pay Doctors extra to locate in deprived areas"
Well i'll go to the foot of our stairs , i wonder how much that pearl of wisdom cost to produce ............
on the news this morning they had another of these reports about Doctors in deprived run down areas and they concluded that
"we must pay Doctors extra to locate in deprived areas"
Well i'll go to the foot of our stairs , i wonder how much that pearl of wisdom cost to produce ............
robinhood21 said:
www.channel4.com/4car/news/news-story.jsp?news_id=13820#followOn
In the next 50 years, unless a viable alternative to cheap oil can
be found, we could have to give up being able to travel where we
want, when we want, according to a new government report.
Don't worry, an alternative will be found.
Why is the UK Gov paying good money out for this kind of
entirely speculative research ?
OTOH, what is the hidden agenda of thr report writers ?
Is it to get us all back onto horses ?
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