I've been wanting me some fly cars since I was a wee lad. But now, though I still want to see the tech--as I think it can have great potential in areas like rescue--I'm no longer enthusiastic about flying cars for the masses. I mean, can you *imagine* the carnage and chaos if people took their cars into the *air*? I live in Atlanta, which has some of the most aggressive drivers in the US: speeding even on residential streets, changing lanes without signalling, cutting others off in traffic, jokeying for position like members of the Car Acrobatic Team. But hey, they make me drive like that! :) At any rate, I know areas like Houston, Boston, and NYC have bad traffic too, and that's just in two dimensions. Can you imagine adding the dimension of flight to this?? What will people do, "bellygate" as they get too close to the car above them in an attempt to make the driver free up some sky? See an open spot from a 1000 feet up, and put the flying car into a kamikaze dive to get to it, cutting off a dozen lanes of traffic on the way down? Get ticked at each other and drop bricks on some hapless victim below? Man, a wreck in the sky could be devastating, as two or more mangled hulks could crash to the Earth, taking out a whole bunch of other cars on the way down.
What about mechanical problems? While in Texas, I had a rental car simply die in the middle of rush hour traffic at speeds better than 70 mph. I was able to put the car in neutral and coast off the road, but what the hell would i do if an engine cut out at 1,000 feet--jump? And I'm sorry to say, but I've seen too many folks practice that shadetree mechanic stuff, holding their cars together with spit and baling wire. You know the ones: the guys who have to tweak something under the hood every single time they go somewhere, who usually drive off accompanied by loud bangs and a cloud of smoke? Would you *really* want to be under a flying car with a coat hanger holding the bumper on and red tape over the lights? And man, traffic lights are jacked up now, street signs fall over all the time and get ignored, and on the airplane side, there are more near-misses at airports than we'd care to know. What kind of air traffic control system for several thousand--or million--flying vehicles could we muster up right now? No, though it pains that part of me that has always looked to the futuristic tech, I don't think humanity is ready for flying cars on a mass scale--technologically or socially. For now, they'll probably remain curiousities, and maybe become tools of the police, firefighters, rescue workers, and the military. Once we can come up with some decent computer-controlled ground vehicles, and controlled roadways (like "Minority Report") then we can talk about airborne cars. Though gotta admit: I'd *love* to see what the peeps' concept of a lowrider flying car would be!! -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Brent Wodehouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6970031.stm 'Flying saucer' nears US take-off By David Willis BBC News, Davis, California It has been called the vehicle of the future and the ultimate way to beat the rush hour commute. It is the M 200G, otherwise known as a "flying saucer", which is being built by a company in Davis, California called Moller International. It says the futuristic contraption will go on sale in a few months and hopes to expand production to 250 a year. Company representatives say it is easy to operate, with plenty of leg room and space for a passenger. "Highway in the sky" Capable of vertical take-off and landing, the craft hovers like a helicopter up to 10ft off the ground. Any higher and the driver would need a pilot's license. It is the brainchild of Dr Paul Moller, an aeronautics engineer who envisions a "highway in the sky" which he believes could cut conventional commuter traffic in half. "We have this wonderful natural resource above us," Dr Moller told the BBC. "Look at the sky above us - how many aircraft do you see? It's a great space that is not being utilised. That is what we plan to use. Cars are finished as a means of getting around. It's only a matter of time." The flying saucer is powered by eight engines which can run on petrol, diesel or even ethanol. Dr Moller and his team have already conducted more than 200 test flights and say the flying saucer could prove useful to rescue teams as well as landowners. Faster versions It will sell for about $90,000 (£44,700) and the only question now surrounds licensing arrangements. Moller International has yet to establish which US agency - the Federal Aviation Administration or the Department of Transport - will authorise its use. It sees the flying saucer as a precursor to the M400 - otherwise known as the "Skycar" - which looks a bit like the Batmobile, also boasts vertical take-off and landing, and can be driven on the road as well as flown through the sky. By the time the Skycar goes into production - probably in about six years time - it will be capable of climbing 6,000ft a minute and travelling at up to 400 miles an hour. If Dr Moller and his magnificent men get their way, the days of dropping in to the shops or the office may not be far away. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/scifinoir2/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
