How to immediately reduce the US fuel demand

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In summary, the conversation discusses the possibility of reducing US fuel demand by managing traffic patterns and implementing telecommuting. The example of how Los Angeles successfully reduced traffic during the Olympics is mentioned, along with the potential of staggering work shifts to reduce demand by 50%. The conversation also touches on the idea of building more roads and the benefits of telecommuting in terms of productivity and quality of life. The conversation ends with a discussion on the laziness of people and the potential effectiveness of telecommuting in reducing fuel demand.
  • #36
the best solution to the fuel demand? Find a alternate fuel. Gasoline is terrible source of fuel but hey petroleum will run out in 30 years neways.
 
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  • #37
blimkie said:
the best solution to the fuel demand? Find a alternate fuel. Gasoline is terrible source of fuel but hey petroleum will run out in 30 years neways.

well obviously that's a better solution...
 
  • #38
Pengwuino said:
How bout we just kill off half the population.

No one will miss LA or NY.

Hey they say give me liberty or give me death. I'll take the liberty of owning an SUV in the future and everyone who doesn't think i should can be given death.

I don't care what you want to own...you can have whatever the hell makes you happy as far as I'm concerned...however that does not mean I should have to share public places with people driving wasteful machines that threaten my life!

You're liberties end when they take away from the freedoms and liberties of other people! In the case of SUVs, they do just that and so you don't have a right to drive them on public roads, you have the privilege and one which I think should be revoked.
 
  • #39
Do you really believe that reasoning? Hell your demanding my liberties being taken away.
 
  • #40
Wow, wrong thread. :blushing:

-deleted-
 
  • #41
yea um that's not happening, i don't see every country in the world banning suvs, and vans and trucks. Maybe as gas prices continue to rise and city streets become morse congested consumers will by more smaller cars which is allreayd happening anyways.
 
  • #42
Pengwuino said:
Do you really believe that reasoning? Hell your demanding my liberties being taken away.

No I am not! Buy an SUV or a monster truck or a .50 cal rifle and go get high on crack...I DON'T care...

I believe people should have the right to do whatever they want unless it takes away from the freedom of other people to do whatever they want. In this case, I want to be able to drive down the road on a scooter and be just as safe as everyone else on the road. How is that possible when people are driving around 6 ton man crushers and they cannot even see over the steering wheel?

If you think I'm no safer with or without SUVs on the road then how about a big foot? Or perhaps I can just drive around an M1 Tank...I don't need to see where I'm going since whatever I hit will just be crushed...as long as I'm safe, right?
 
  • #43
blimkie said:
yea um that's not happening, i don't see every country in the world banning suvs, and vans and trucks.
Trucks are welcome to stay since they have some utility..

Maybe as gas prices continue to rise and city streets become morse congested consumers will by more smaller cars which is allreayd happening anyways.

If gas was cheaper they would be buying bigger cars so they can feel safer at the expense of others...Why do you think there are so many SUVs on the road?
 
  • #44
The people driving those vehicles have just as much a right to the road as you do. Your not going to be able to remove all the large vehicles from the road just ebcuase u think it will amke u feel safer. Its your choice to drive a scooter that doenst even have a seatbelt, i hope u atleast where a helmet. Do you sugest we remove all the large construction vehicles and garbage trucks as well just for your safety. Maybe we can all get out our wheel barrls and move tons of dirt and waste.
 
  • #45
So you really think you are going to have any better chance of living if a 2 ton car hits you at 30mph compared to a 5 ton suv hitting you at 30mph? And what SUV has a steering wheel you can't see over? What kinda crap is this? Thats why seats are adjustable.

And hell, if its all about protecting people who don't know driving scooters on roads is dangerous, let's ban fireworks while we're at it. I feel my liberties are threatened because I may walk into a fireworks show's staging area and get hurt. Ban em all!

And while we're at it, electricity is scary, better take down every electrical line in the country so a bit of risk in life is taken away at the expensive of other peoples freedom.
 
  • #46
Townsend said:
If gas was cheaper they would be buying bigger cars so they can feel safer at the expense of others...Why do you think there are so many SUVs on the road?

There are very FEW people who buy an SUV simply because its safer. I mean hell, people still believe they can tip over with a flick of the wrist.

And wait a second, if you are so concerned with safety, what the hell are you doing out on a scooter completely exposed with hundreds of tons of steel flying by you every minute on the road?
 
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  • #47
Townsend said:
Trucks are welcome to stay since they have some utility..
Vans do as well. The only thing I think could be banned outright is SUVs. But, a more suitable way of dealing with this would be to demand that every car produced from now on has to meet up to certain standards... depending on it's class.
 
  • #48
Smurf said:
Vans do as well. The only thing I think could be banned outright is SUVs. But, a more suitable way of dealing with this would be to demand that every car produced from now on has to meet up to certain standards... depending on it's class.

They already do meet US regulatory standards. Hell most cars from the 70's that seemingly are all concentrated where i live produce more pollution then SUV's.
 
  • #49
blimkie said:
The people driving those vehicles have just as much a right to the road as you do.

And they are welcome to use it as much as they want...that does not mean they can drive whatever they want on the street now does it?

Your not going to be able to remove all the large vehicles from the road just ebcuase u think it will amke u feel safer.

I don't want to remove all the large vehicles from the road, just the pointless ones and I won't have to feel safer because I KNOW I will be safer.

Its your choice to drive a scooter that doenst even have a seatbelt, i hope u atleast where a helmet.
I don't drive a scooter I was just using it as an example...

Do you sugest we remove all the large construction vehicles and garbage trucks as well just for your safety. Maybe we can all get out our wheel barrls and move tons of dirt and waste.
I have no problem with people driving vehicles that serve a purpose...I have a problem with 4 foot tall soccer moms that hit ever curb on the street and change lanes without using a blinker or even looking over their shoulder, driving around a 6 ton vehicle on a public street where they endanger the lives of innocent people due to their inept driving abilities...(sorry for the runon sentence).
 
  • #50
Pengwuino said:
And wait a second, if you are so concerned with safety, what the hell are you doing out on a scooter completely exposed with hundreds of tons of steel flying by you every minute on the road?

I don't drive a scooter and I never said I did...I just said I wanted to be able to do so and still be as safe as everyone else...
 
  • #51
There is something noble and gratifying about sharing a commute with others in a public transportation system that is clean, efficient, and aesthetically appealing. It gives you a sense of community and civilization. I wish cars would get phased out real quick :frown:
 
  • #52
Well we allreayd ahve emissions tests that vehicles msut pass. Do u think they should be stricter that could work.

I partially agree with you townsend but only on a few vehciles persay hummers are terrible on gas but i do not think all suvs and vans should be banned.
 
  • #53
Are you serius townsend? How is putting these idiots into a smaller vehicle going to make a difference? They are ****ty drivers, you can put them in a cardboard box and they will still run into people. Worst part about it is if they hit a wall or a curb or a median, they have a higher chance of dieing simply because you want to ban pointless (although they are not pointless since they serve the EXACT same purpose as cars) vehicles.
 
  • #54
Smurf said:
Vans do as well. The only thing I think could be banned outright is SUVs. But, a more suitable way of dealing with this would be to demand that every car produced from now on has to meet up to certain standards... depending on it's class.

I suppose Vans are used by companies...ok then, Vans can stay too. But just so you know Smurf I don't want to Ban anything...I just don't think they should be street legal...meaning you can have one but cannot drive it on publicly owned streets.
 
  • #55
Ron_Damon said:
There is something noble and gratifying about sharing a commute with others in a public transportation system that is clean, efficient, and aesthetically appealing. It gives you a sense of community and civilization. I wish cars would get phased out real quick :frown:

Yah there is nothing good or pleasing about not living your life according to the governments schedule...
 
  • #56
Townsend said:
I have no problem with people driving vehicles that serve a purpose...I have a problem with 4 foot tall soccer moms that hit ever curb on the street and change lanes without using a blinker or even looking over their shoulder, driving around a 6 ton vehicle on a public street where they endanger the lives of innocent people due to their inept driving abilities...(sorry for the runon sentence).

soccer moms are a perfect example of vans being used as they should. carpool. its saves gas and its conveint for a lot of people going to the same place.
 
  • #57
Townsend said:
I suppose Vans are used by companies...ok then, Vans can stay too. But just so you know Smurf I don't want to Ban anything...I just don't think they should be street legal...meaning you can have one but cannot drive it on publicly owned streets.

So where are you going to drive them? The 3 miles of road per county that is private road? Thats like saying you don't want to ban cigarettes but they shouldn't be sold to the public.
 
  • #58
Townsend said:
I suppose Vans are used by companies...ok then, Vans can stay too. But just so you know Smurf I don't want to Ban anything...I just don't think they should be street legal...meaning you can have one but cannot drive it on publicly owned streets.
That's what I meant
Pengwuino said:
They already do meet US regulatory standards. Hell most cars from the 70's that seemingly are all concentrated where i live produce more pollution then SUV's.
Yes... my point being that US regulatory standards are stupid.
 
  • #59
Pengwuino said:
Are you serius townsend? How is putting these idiots into a smaller vehicle going to make a difference?

Firstly...smaller vehicles are easier to control. Secondly, lighter vehicles have less energy at every given mph...so they will do less damage at every mph as well.

They are ****ty drivers, you can put them in a cardboard box and they will still run into people.
I would rather be hit by a 4 door car than a train...

Worst part about it is if they hit a wall or a curb or a median, they have a higher chance of dieing simply because you want to ban pointless (although they are not pointless since they serve the EXACT same purpose as cars) vehicles.

I don't have a problem with people dieing because of their stupidity...none at all. Everyone is free to die...I mean that.
 
  • #60
"I would rather be hit by a 4 door car than a train... "

trains drive on the street now? maybe ur right we should ban that
 
  • #61
Townsend said:
I don't have a problem with people dieing because of their stupidity...none at all. Everyone is free to die...I mean that.

So if they are free to die of their own stupidity, banning is contradictory to your position.

And as far as being hit with a suv or a car, if your in a scooter its not going to matter. You're goign to die both ways.
 
  • #62
blimkie said:
"I would rather be hit by a 4 door car than a train... "

trains drive on the street now? maybe ur right we should ban that

Of course not...all I am saying is that I would rather be hit by a smaller vehicle if given a choice in the matter. Let's say in your sleep you some how found out that you were going to be hit by a crazy driver sometime tomorrow and you were given the choice of what kind of vehicle to be hit by...would you more likely pick a Ford Excursion or a Honda Civic?
 
  • #63
Pengwuino said:
Yah there is nothing good or pleasing about not living your life according to the governments schedule...

hey, I'm big government's worst nightmare :biggrin: but I am really a sucker for public transportation. I find it edifying to share a moment of the morning with complete strangers, riding through a vibrant city not in claustrophobic small cubicles, but in an open, integrated, organic communion with my world, seeing fresh faces, varied costumes, myriad colors, feeling the air, the trees, sky, all living in harmony and order...
 
  • #64
Ron_Damon said:
hey, I'm big government's worst nightmare :biggrin: but I am really a sucker for public transportation. I find it edifying to share a moment of the morning with complete strangers, riding through a vibrant city not in claustrophobic small cubicles, but in an open, integrated, organic communion with my world, seeing fresh faces, varied costumes, myriad colors, feeling the air, the trees, sky, all living in harmony and order...

Where the hell do you live?
 
  • #65
Townsend said:
Of course not...all I am saying is that I would rather be hit by a smaller vehicle if given a choice in the matter. Let's say in your sleep you some how found out that you were going to be hit by a crazy driver sometime tomorrow and you were given the choice of what kind of vehicle to be hit by...would you more likely pick a Ford Excursion or a Honda Civic?


I would just not go out on the road if inew sumthing bad was going to happen! What are you paranoid or sumthing of cars. If ur that scared then don't go on the road be like my friends 40 year old mom is afraid to drive. You guys can hang out together and complaing about suvs's. This was once about ways to save fuel not its about you afrait of cars its kinda funny..no offense tho but I am sure u will take it
 
  • #66
Pengwuino said:
So if they are free to die of their own stupidity, banning is contradictory to your position.

No...I don't care what people do with themselves as long as it does not impact the freedoms and liberties of other people. Kinda like, you can shoot yourself but not someone else...get it?

And as far as being hit with a suv or a car, if your in a scooter its not going to matter. You're goign to die both ways.

I think I would fair a better chance with a small car than with a large SUV.
 
  • #67
Pengwuino said:
Where the hell do you live?

nowhere in particular
 
  • #68
blimkie said:
..no offense tho but I am sure u will take it

I don't take any offense...don't worry about.. :smile:
 
  • #69
So, I think we need a grass roots movement to stagger work shifts. It has already been shown possible.

Then, I think we should take every SUV and crazy glue the wheels to the ground. :biggrin:
 
  • #70
Ivan Seeking said:
So, I think we need a grass roots movement to stagger work shifts. It has already been shown possible.

Then, I think we should take every SUV and crazy glue the wheels to the ground. :biggrin:

I agree.

Congress had a plan:

U.S. moves to extend daylight time
Last Updated Wed, 20 Jul 2005 21:52:22 EDT
CBC News
The U.S. Congress has adopted a plan to extend daylight time by two months each year as part of a sweeping new energy plan.

The idea was that we would be using more natural light in buildings, thus saving energy. I don't get it. there are still the same number of hours of darkness.
 

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