VW US recall over emissions test cheating

[Talus1]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

To replace every vehicle with a horse would not be a straight one for one exchange ...

Originally Posted by Captain Snooze

Why do we need a strong economy? So we can consume more stuff. Consuming more stuff creates a strong economy.

I remember reading somewhere that if you take the sum total distance driven in a year by all the automobiles currently in existence and divide it by the total time spent driving, maintaining, building, selling, designing, transporting etc. automobiles in a year you come up with walking speed. That's what I call progress.

[joe strummer]

Originally Posted by Talus1

I remember reading somewhere that if you take the sum total distance driven in a year by all the automobiles currently in existence and divide it by the total time spent driving, maintaining, building, selling, designing, transporting etc. automobiles in a year you come up with walking speed. That's what I call progress.

Can you explain this? I can't figure out the point you're making.

[Talus1]

Originally Posted by joe strummer

Can you explain this? I can't figure out the point you're making.

Just that we humans collectively spend a tremendous amount of time and effort just to allow individuals to get where they want to go, faster. Another way to think about it would be to look at the amount of time you spend working just to pay for your car, including the portion of your taxes that support road transportation. Add that to the time you spend driving and your average speed starts to look pretty poor.

The main benefit of the automotive industry to society isn't so much faster travel, on average, its the impact to the economy "so we can buy more stuff", to quote the good Captain above.

It all makes the horse look pretty effective.

On a personal note, I like driving cars more than walking or riding horses and I like a strong economy. I just can't resist a bit of irony mining.

[EAGLE5]

Maintaining a horse is much harder, more expensive, and time consuming than maintaining a typical car. The whole thought experiment id utter bullshit. Horseshit, I mean. Go shovel your car's shit once a day. Collective humanity does not spend six hours a day on my car, which is what my commute alone would take walking,instead of 30 minutes total. I am a dyed in the wool Democrat, but I can acknowledge that the automobile and the oil industry to far more good than harm for humanity.

[Ultramaroon]

I wouldn't call it BS nor would I call it gospel. It makes for an interesting thought in a less-is-more context.

[joe strummer]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

I wouldn't call it BS nor would I call it gospel. It makes for an interesting thought in a less-is-more context.

HS, BS, whatever, it makes no sense.

If my 20 mile drive home from work takes me one hour, then I spend three hours washing and polishing my car, my speed is 5 mph?

Just because it takes time to design, build and use the equipment to determine the speed of light, its speed is still 186,000 mi/s whether 1 or 1,000 people are involved, and they each take a minute or a year conducting the experiment.

There might be an interesting point to make here, but I'm not getting it

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by joe strummer

HS, BS, whatever, it makes no sense.

If my 20 mile drive home from work takes me one hour, then I spend three hours washing and polishing my car, my speed is 5 mph?

Just because it takes time to design, build and use the equipment to determine the speed of light, its speed is still 186,000 mi/s whether 1 or 1,000 people are involved, and they each take a minute or a year conducting the experiment.

There might be an interesting point to make here, but I'm not getting it

It think the idea is that, as an aggregate, the total time mankind spends doing everything it takes to allow a percentage of us to go faster were diverted, we could still do "the other stuff" at a walking pace.

It would be a completely different world but it's an interesting concept. How would we look given the same physics and resources but somehow we magically lacked of any motivation to "go faster?"

Sure it's easy to punch holes through it but it might make for a good time-travel movie.

[Talus1]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Sure it's easy to punch holes through it but it might make for a good time-travel movie.

I want the movie rights!

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Talus1

I want the movie rights!

Too late. I'm already most of the way through a script. Robert Downey Jr.'s on board.

But seriously, is my description anywhere close to how you imagine the scenario?

[fang_gt86]

Well, Audi's in. Who's next?

http://www.wsj.com/articles/audi-con...dal-1443436979

[Talus1]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Too late. I'm already most of the way through a script. Robert Downey Jr.'s on board.

But seriously, is my description anywhere close to how you imagine the scenario?

I pictured Liam Neeson. More highbrow.

Your assessment is about right, though I'm beginning to wish I didn't bother opening this particular rabbit hole.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Talus1

I pictured Liam Neeson. More highbrow.

Your assessment is about right, though I'm beginning to wish I didn't bother opening this particular rabbit hole.

OMG! I first thought Liam but I'm a sucker for Rob. We should co-produce it.

Why not go down the rabbit hole? It's just chit-chat. I find it interesting. NVM people who get uptight.

[Talus1]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

OMG! I first thought Liam but I'm a sucker for Rob. We should co-produce it.

I'm in, but only if we can get Anne Hathaway as the love interest.

[joe strummer]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Why not go down the rabbit hole? It's just chit-chat. I find it interesting. NVM people who get uptight.

I'd like to hear it too. I'm sure I'll loosen up once I understand it.