cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/40818280
If there’s anything we should take from Japan, it’s treating cars like second class citizens behind transit instead of the other way around. The cute tiny cars are more a side effect of that.
cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/40818280
If there’s anything we should take from Japan, it’s treating cars like second class citizens behind transit instead of the other way around. The cute tiny cars are more a side effect of that.
She was specifically talking about high speeds on the interstate - if there is a toddler or pedestrian in this situation, then even something as small ad a motorcycle could cause a deadly crash.
I am also anti-big car, but if there are things that the manufacturer can do to make these kei cars safer (e.g., increase crumple zones and add airbags) then I don’t see why they shouldn’t do that. Those are reasonable asks
In fairness, these cars were designed for environments with narrow, winding highways, not large straightaways like US interstates. They’re going to be better at sharp turns and fast braking than an F150.
I think as long as drivers go in aware of the risks (like motorcyclists) it should be fine, but I don’t think we should ignore that those risks exist. I would absolutely get one of these cars, but I am also a careful driver and don’t have to get on the interstate for my daily commute. That doesn’t fit every US driver.
@UltraMagnus @frizzo One thing we need to do is allow cities to ban personal vehicles over a certain size within their dense urban cores to cut down on crash danger, property damage, and congestion and other nuisances due to oversized vehicles parked where they don’t fit. That way someone who lives an urban lifestyle could choose a minimalist car with less concern about mixing it up with monster trucks on their daily errands.
That sounds tricky to implement, but I’m not strictly opposed. I’ve always been more of the opinion that some streets should just be converted to people-only altogether, at least in my downtown (there’s one street that gets closed to traffic once/week for the farmer’s market anyways…).
In Europe there are quite a few cities that ban cars that don’t meet certain emmission standards. Most big trucks likely fall under these bans, but it would also not hard to ban cars larger than a certain size.
These European citizens usually have exceptions for professional use and stuff like that, so that’s not too hard to do either.
Same goes with pedestrian zones, which are also very common in most European cities.
@UltraMagnus @frizzo Particularly for 2+ car households, a family could trade one of their midsized sedans or SUVs for a kei car and use the bigger one when they go on a weekend road trip or one of them travels out of town on business.
Pick which you would rather me run over your loved one with. Ford 150 raptor with brush guard or a kei truck. The next question is kei truck or a scooter. I’m sure it would destroy our economy to switch to safe reliable public transportation. But keep on thinking the same way your government education propagandized you, how are those school shootings coming along? Better now? I imagine the numbers are lower? /S
Did you read what I wrote? I am in favor of Kei trucks. I just want them to put in better crumple zones and airbags first.
Do you disagree with airbags? I really don’t know what you’re getting at. I know you threw on the /s at the end but that still doesn’t make your post make sense.
Yeah, but at that point, don’t you have something like the Honda fit? Cars that already are sold in the us, but don’t do well? We don’t need a new class of vehicles as much as we need to encourage better choices among the ones we already have
I do disagree with airbags cars should be less safe for drivers.