Monday, May 14, 2007
The long underground electric car
While scanning the news this weekend, I noticed a piece describing what cars the candidates drive. Romney drives a Mustang, for example, and Obama drives a Chrysler 300. Giuliani, however, responded "I don't drive, I navigate."
That's a very New York thing to say. An amazing number of people in New York City don't know how to drive, and view cars as the territory of foreigners (including Texans) and crazy people. They don't have to drive-- they have a great public transit system and walk. A strong argument can be made, actually, that New York is the most energy efficient city in the country, per capita, since there is such a high population density and use of public transportation.
It all is very odd to me. I'm from Detroit, where progression towards maturity is marked in terms of cars: At 16, you get your license; at 17, your first set of jumper cables; at 18, you may get your own very old car or van.
I think, though, I could get used to this other way...
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I wish that Texas could be more European -- TGV and trains anywhere you want. But, my teal Buick Skylark hatchback was the bomb. I'd drive it now if I could get it out of the dump. Sigh.
# posted by 
: 10:47 AM
: 10:47 AM
The only problem with city living is that the rooms are too small the walls are too thin.
How are you supposed to be able to crank up the White Stripes (or BTO in your case) and rock out if your neighbors are just on the other side of the wall? And if you're listening area is a 6x9 room, how are you supposed to be able to enjoy the sound separation on a Zeppelin LP?
How are you supposed to be able to crank up the White Stripes (or BTO in your case) and rock out if your neighbors are just on the other side of the wall? And if you're listening area is a 6x9 room, how are you supposed to be able to enjoy the sound separation on a Zeppelin LP?
# posted by : 11:33 AM
: 11:33 AM 
Never liked headphones.
-I don't like that feeling of being cut off from the world.
-I'd need a REALLY long cord, since I don't sit still very well.
-My hearing is bad enough as it is. Headphones would only make it worse.
-I don't like that feeling of being cut off from the world.
-I'd need a REALLY long cord, since I don't sit still very well.
-My hearing is bad enough as it is. Headphones would only make it worse.
# posted by : 12:00 PM
: 12:00 PM
Oh, I do kinda miss my lovely maroon 1980 Buick Regal (the Beagle Regal). It was fast, ugly, the doors weighed a ton and the vinyl seats would scorch your legs in the summer and freeze you to death in the winter. Plus, it had a rockin' 8 track tape deck, and I had exactly 2 old 8 track tapes to play in it (Hotel California & Beach Boys Greatest Hits). Yeah, I was cool (ha!) It made this horrible screeching noise when you started it, so it was difficult to sneak it out with out waking my parents, not that I ever did anything like that.
I am fairly certain that it got better milage than the "Yuck-on" I'm stuck with now. I did, however, get more speeding tickets in that Buick than I've ever gotten since, and I only had it a couple of years. Ah, youth....
I am fairly certain that it got better milage than the "Yuck-on" I'm stuck with now. I did, however, get more speeding tickets in that Buick than I've ever gotten since, and I only had it a couple of years. Ah, youth....
# posted by : 5:04 PM
: 5:04 PM
NYC and London are two cities that I would love to live in one day and partially for the public transport systems. I love the convenience of hopping onto a train and being able to do whatever I want while getting to my destination. As I grow older (i.e. not a teenager anymore), I dislike driving more and more.
The only downside... the Underground doesn't have AC... and we were there in June.
The only downside... the Underground doesn't have AC... and we were there in June.
I prefer driving... as does most of America, given the rise of suburbia. ;) I find taking the Tube/Metro/Bart/L... to be wear and tear on the body instead of the car... Maybe it's just old age! I dooo like the Amtrak though! It is above ground, and I'm going places, not going around in circles in one city!
When I'm in Madrid I don't have a car, and I don't want one. Being a Metro rat is great fun. I love letting someone else do the driving. And the people: it's like a living version of Osler's Razor, but everyday and in three-d with Smellovision. Well, maybe in summer that last bit is a little unnecessary, but you get the idea.
Mrs. CL,
What great memories! Couldn't you have shifted to neutral and gotten it down the road a bit before starting? I mean, if you did that sort of thing...
Mine was a rebuilt '82 Mazda RX7, ah that rotary engine! The driver's side door never recovered from being wrapped around a tree, and it squeaked...my stepdad would never fix it. I only recently figured out why- so that there would be no late night shenanigans! (Of course, I could climb over from the passenger's seat...not that I ever did such things). I had one Depeche Mode and one Carpenters tape that were continually rotated.
Good times!
What great memories! Couldn't you have shifted to neutral and gotten it down the road a bit before starting? I mean, if you did that sort of thing...
Mine was a rebuilt '82 Mazda RX7, ah that rotary engine! The driver's side door never recovered from being wrapped around a tree, and it squeaked...my stepdad would never fix it. I only recently figured out why- so that there would be no late night shenanigans! (Of course, I could climb over from the passenger's seat...not that I ever did such things). I had one Depeche Mode and one Carpenters tape that were continually rotated.
Good times!
I do miss the freedom of having my car at times, but I have to say that living in a country with terrific public transportation isa real education in how well it can work. The Swiss trains are NEVER late--and if they are, it's only two or three minutes--and their connections are coordinated remarkably well so that there is always a bus or train waiting that you can hop onto to connect to another place.
I remember the first time I took a train with a connection, and I was all worried because there were only 4 minutes between the connections. But when I got off the train, my connecting train was just across the platform. I literally hopped off one and onto the other, with still three minutes to spare.
And that happens even in tiny towns, where you get off a train and onto a bus that leaves within ten minutes, usually.
And my students can never use the excuse that the trains were late . . .
I remember the first time I took a train with a connection, and I was all worried because there were only 4 minutes between the connections. But when I got off the train, my connecting train was just across the platform. I literally hopped off one and onto the other, with still three minutes to spare.
And that happens even in tiny towns, where you get off a train and onto a bus that leaves within ten minutes, usually.
And my students can never use the excuse that the trains were late . . .
# posted by : 3:41 AM
: 3:41 AM
US President Tim Kalemkarian, US Senate Tim Kalemkarian, US House Tim Kalemkarian: best major candidate.
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# posted by : 12:03 PM
: 12:03 PM << Home
