[Vision2020] Reducing cars in town
Steven Basoa
sbasoa at moscow.com
Thu Aug 3 13:27:41 PDT 2006
I just read an article about The Smart car (Busines 2.0, Aug. 2006).
It's eight feet long, 61-horsepower, inline 3 cylinder turbocharged
engine and gets 47 mpg in city and 70 mpg on the highway. It's "a
Mercedes sub-brand of "micro-class" cars that's currently available
in virtually every Western nation except the United States."
Mercedes expects it to hit the US market sometime in 2008.
The reviewer was very impressed with the car. He said it is
"surprisingly roomy and, true to it's name, cleverly designed."
Would you expect anything less from Mercedes?
There is an outfit in Santa Rosa, California that has been buying
them from 3rd party brokers and modifying them to meet US
regulations. They cost about $12,500 in Europe but after the
modifications for the US, they cost about $25,000. This company
apparently has a back-log of 100,000 orders.
-SB
On Aug 3, 2006, at 12:44 PM, Austin Storm wrote:
I'd like to see these things legal in the US:
http://www.thesmart.ca/index.cfm?id=4904
I've thought about bringing one into the country from Canada, but
it's not legal and I know certain concerned citizens would keep me
honest! =P
-Austin
On 8/2/06, Donovan Arnold <donovanjarnold2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
Hansen, you lack imagination or are unaware of how public
transportation funding works. Do you think public transportation is
actually covered by the $1 fee to ride the bus anywhere, or do you
think that the taxpayer slips in most the funding?
Do you think libraries pay for everything through late fees?
No, the costs to the taxpayer is repaid in savings on the costs for
road repairs, reduction in insurance premiums, and the cost of not
producing more parking spaces. This combined with the charging of a
small fee for the users of the program would cover the costs.
Nobody said anything about free gas. When you rent a car it is filled
up with gas and you are required to return it filled up with gas.
In the Communication Department at UI, most Comm students cannot
afford all the technical equipment of video cameras, editing
equipment, special lenses, etc, so they all pay a fee to pay for
communication equipment, in return, the comm students get to rent the
equipment. Do the same thing with a vehicle program. Students could
leave their cars at home, pay a fee, then access a car on the few
occasions that they really need a car.
Best,
_DJA
Tom Hansen < thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
I am certain that these ideas presented by Arnold will be immediately
adopted once a source of free gasoline and free cars is identified.
Keep us informed, ok?
Tom Hansen
Moscow , Idaho
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather
to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, a drink in the other,
body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO.
What a ride!'"
From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto: vision2020-
bounces at moscow.com] On Behalf Of Donovan Arnold
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 6:29 PM
To: Art Deco; Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Reducing cars in town
What if the University were to include free ( or reduced price) car
rentals for each student and offered free bus rides to Boise, Twin
Falls, Portland, and Seattle, (and cities in between during vacation
times), to students that elected not to bring a car to the
University, which is unneeded for most on campus living students.
If a student could rent a car from the UI for the day, or a few hours
once in a while, they might elect to do that instead of bringing a
car that eats at their wallet when they really don't need one most
the time. It would also free up parking spaces on campus and downtown.
Just an idea.
Best,
_DJA
Art Deco <deco at moscow.com> wrote:
When I was a student here in 58-62 and 66-69, students were actively
discouraged from bringing vehicles to the university. Is there any
chance
of reviving that policy?
W.
----- Original Message -----
From: "david sarff"
To:
Sent: Wednesday, August 02, 2006 9:11 AM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Vision2020 Digest, Vol 2, Issue 16
>I would like to see transportation distribution zones that restrict
>vehicles
> by weight class.
> On national and local levels.
>
> Also, it would be great to give the students incentive to leave
their cars
> home. Offer tuition or housing cost adjustments. Something.
>
> Out of the last 43 years that I can remember of Moscow. The volume of
> traffic seems exponentially larger than the increase in actual
population.
> Growing traffic adds a certain madness to Moscow and to the nation
that I
> certainly would prefer have go away.
>
> By the looks of the developing infeed/outfeed status-quo
infrastructure.
> Traffic pressure does not look as though its going to ease off
anytime
> soon.
>
> Dave Sarff
>
>
>
>>From: Nils Peterson
>>
>>
>>What a fine opportunity to talk about alternative transportation
modes.
>>Thanks Tom Ivie for your recent post on Federal Funding for such
work. And
>>thanks to the COOP for starting your effort to get shoppers to use
>>alternative modes, looks like you were planning ahead.
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
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--
Austin Storm
Sky Cow Books
P.O. Box 9128 Moscow, Idaho 83843
208.596.5752 work | 678.550.5503 fax
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