zlacker

>>amathe+(OP)
Individual transportation has been a staple of civilization for the last few thousand years. As people all have individual ideas on where to go and when, individual transportation is a close to perfect solution to the problem. The question is more: does it need to be SUVs and pickup trucks? I had a Renault Twingo (non electric, current model) once and it dawned on me that this is the maximum size a normal person would need on 99% of the days. Offer them with a slightly enlarged trunk and it would be good 100% of the time for a family of 4. Those cars take half the space of an SUV and still provide the same basic benefit of getting to places on your own schedule.

Another related topic: we should not change cars all 3 years. Why not drive them 20-30? Get replacement parts when needed, get the interior freshed up every 15 years and be happy. With the rising of electric cars, the only really critical part has become the batteries (and they seem to last longer than what we all thought).

>>geff82+le
> Individual transportation has been a staple of civilization for the last few thousand years.

I can't imagine what you mean here by individual transportation. Could you explain a bit more?

>>polyga+qi
It is what it says. Buses, trains, and planes are mass transportation - you have to travel with other people and make stops with them. Cars, bikes, and walking are individual transportation - you travel alone and navigate yourself.

geff82's observation that individual transportation is the norm forever is in fact true.

But they fail to notice that making a city more walkable and bikeable - with appropriate paths and distances - also promotes individual transport.