Dear Tim You have answered well the EASY objections to PRT. I'll give you that. Perhaps you hope to divert the less diligent from the more serious questions that must be answered before we can go ahead:
1) What if there were an overnight invasion by giant space worms from Orion? Betelgeuse? Dallas TX? How would PRT function then? Could a giant space worm fit in a PRT pod, and would it be better if it did/didn't? 2) What if yes means no and no means yes? Would the system work then? (careful) 3) I hear insistent troubling rumors that pods are easy prey to gryphons, harpies, and three-eyed basilisks from Fridley. I myself have seen said basilisks in action many times, in and out of Fridley (but mainly there), and know whereof I speak; what I have yet to see is, have they a fondness for eating PRT pods? If so, no way will you ever get ME in one of those things. Awaiting your reply. David Shove Roseville On Wed, 16 Mar 2005, Tim Bonham wrote: > > >I have yet to see three questions answered. > > > >1) Who will be cleaning these vehicles between trips? Do they really think > >that all passengers will leave them as clean as they found them? > > > >2) If I should happen to leave my Neiman Marcus or Tiffany's shopping bag > >in my PRT vehicle when I reach my destination, where will the next rider > >leave it so I can easily get it back? > > > >3) What is to prevent some thug from joining me for my ride? > >. . . > >Ray Marshall > >Minnehaha > The answers seem pretty obvious, Ray, and I'm not an expert, only > going on what I've read about PRT. > > 1. Each night, during slow times, the vehicles return to a transit > facility, where a cleaning crew with vacuums, mops, etc. cleans them. Just > like the current MTC buses are cleaned in the garage each night. > > 2. The next rider (if honest) would use the intercom to communicate with > the system operators, and inform them of lost property left in the > vehicle. After it delivers that rider to their destination, the operator > override summons it to the main transit facility, where the property is > taken out and put in a central lost-and-found office, for you to come by > and pick it up. Pretty much like what is done with lost property left on > current MTC buses; it ends up in lost-and-found back at the garage. (It > might even be possible, with credit card payment systems, that the PRT > operator could identify the rider who lost the property, and notify them, > instead of just waiting for someone to come in and claim it.) > > 3. The suggested designs use turnstiles & gates to keep a ride private to > you and your family/friends. But if a thug did jump the turnstile and > crowd into the vehicle with you, you could press the panic button in the > vehicle, which would keep the vehicle stopped in the station with the doors > open, would notify the transit police at headquarters, who could watch on > the vehicle security camera and talk to you (& the thug) via the > intercom. They could also override the controls and send the car directly > to the nearest police station. I suppose the thug could still beat you up > during this ride, but knowing that he was being videotaped & watched, and > on the way to a police station would tend to inhibit this. This seems as > good, if not better, than current MTC buses, where any thug can get on and > come sit down next to you. > > Tim Bonham, Ward 12, Standish-Ericsson > > > > > REMINDERS: > 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. > If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL > PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. > > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn > E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls > REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
