The universe according to MMM

[Roadgeekteen]

MMM doesn't really care about feasibility in his plans.

Yeah, that went out the window at some point about a hundred or two hundred replies ago.

I think that went out the window before this thread was started–i.e. either in the thread where he was saying he was too much of a wuss to drive the Pennsylvania Turnpike, or maybe the one where he was wrong about the states of Nevada and Arizona.

I think that went out the window when he went out the womb

[kphoger]

Each seat in the car, not just the driver, would have a circular opening that you can push open when you have to go.

Why do they have to be circular?  Couldn't they be octagonal?

Even better if less people ultimately got a license, less traffic, and only the best drivers on the road.

I assume you must be in favor of expanding public transit, then.  I mean, those people still need to get from A to B.

[interstatefan990]

MMM doesn't really care about feasibility in his plans.

Yeah, that went out the window at some point about a hundred or two hundred replies ago.

Even better if less people ultimately got a license, less traffic, and only the best drivers on the road. Not to mention since the minimum age is only 14-15 in my plans, one has tons of time to study for the written test and driving exam.

Less drivers = less people going places = less people conducting business = massive economic recession

It's not purely about getting to the destination, it's also about what you do there.

Well given that one of MMM's goals could start WW3, I don't think that he cares about recession.

Which, ironically, a WW3 probably would cause an economic boom at some point (if WW2 is any indicator).

[Roadgeekteen]

MMM doesn't really care about feasibility in his plans.

Yeah, that went out the window at some point about a hundred or two hundred replies ago.

Even better if less people ultimately got a license, less traffic, and only the best drivers on the road. Not to mention since the minimum age is only 14-15 in my plans, one has tons of time to study for the written test and driving exam.

Less drivers = less people going places = less people conducting business = massive economic recession

It's not purely about getting to the destination, it's also about what you do there.

Well given that one of MMM's goals could start WW3, I don't think that he cares about recession.

Which, ironically, a WW3 probably would cause an economic boom at some point (if WW2 is any indicator).

Not if the nukes used wipe out humanity

[interstatefan990]

MMM doesn't really care about feasibility in his plans.

Yeah, that went out the window at some point about a hundred or two hundred replies ago.

Even better if less people ultimately got a license, less traffic, and only the best drivers on the road. Not to mention since the minimum age is only 14-15 in my plans, one has tons of time to study for the written test and driving exam.

Less drivers = less people going places = less people conducting business = massive economic recession

It's not purely about getting to the destination, it's also about what you do there.

Well given that one of MMM's goals could start WW3, I don't think that he cares about recession.

Which, ironically, a WW3 probably would cause an economic boom at some point (if WW2 is any indicator).

Not if the nukes used wipe out humanity

[kalvado]

Speaking of Drivers Licensing Requirements, I have revised my plans on what they should be:

1. 2 hour long 100 question written exam on road signs, car controls, driving procedures, basic automotive engineering/design, vehicle inspection, road rules, and emergency procedures.

2. 1 hour long road test on basic maneuvers, parallel parking, U-Turns, 2 way streets, signaling, vehicle inspection, distance judging, lane changing, and merging, with a minimum of 1/2 hour of highway driving, and a minimum of 15 minutes of urban driving.

3. No frequency limit on re-taking either exam, with a fixed fee of $5 per test.

4. Both exams must be offered between the hours of 1 pm and 5 pm on weekdays.

5.Tests taken on the weekend must require a higher passing score on both the theory and road tests. One must score at least 75% to pass the written test and 80% to pass the road test on a weekday. To be eligible for a weekend road test, one must score at least 80% on the written test, and minimum passing score rises to 90% for weekend road tests, due to reduced traffic.

6. Minimum ages set at:  14 to receive learner permit, which one must pass the 100 question, 5 choices per answer, MC written test, 15 to take the road test.

7. Free car insurance with comprehensive collision included for those who receive both perfect scores on the written and road tests, (but passed tests can not be retaken for this purposes).

Do you realize there are tens of thousands of license applicants at any given time? This would create a huge backlog and cause some to probably keep waiting more than a year for their license or permit, in addition to already long wait times at many DMVs around the country. The state only has so many resources and that level of complexity is above most DMV employees' pay grade anyway. I remember my road test was less than 15 minutes.

There are about 3 million births in  US annually. Maybe not the best number, but close enough. With 250 working days a year, that is 14 000 applications per day assuming everyone gets a license. Assuming one tester can do 7 one hour tests a day,  that is only 2000 testers US wide, or 1 tester per 150'000 people. With 800 000 police officers in US,  this basically means converting 1 out of 400 officers to a driving test job. Considering time police spends on managing accidents, this may be a net positive if quality of testing is improved and leads to fewer accidents.

[kkt]

My thoughts on public transit are that except for buses, it is stupid. Subway fares should be hiked significantly and that money used to replace tolls on highways. Trackways and subway tunnels should be turned into 2 lane divided highways.

Public transit money and highway money are two different things.

Well technically it's all taxpayer money at the end of the day, although transit does get money from fares as well (and highways from toll roads).

Gas taxes and tolls, and public transit fares, are user fees, not taxpayer money.  They have a choice whether to travel at all and what way to travel.

[GaryV]

Sorry, there have been alot of new posts so it's hard to keep up. The craft would be designed like a wave-runner, with a foward shield to help stop the water from splashing into your car. Since when are there waves that large in lake MI anyway?

Couple of times each winter.

But 10-12 foot waves happen regularly. A splash shield won't help when the wave is twice the height of your car.

Maybe your laser commodes can be adapted to take care of puke from being seasick?

[MultiMillionMiler]

I think driving should be prioritized over mass transit because sitting on a train is just commuting, but driving a car isn't just commuting, it's an art and a science. People don't realize that when they are driving twice a day to whatever their career is, the driving itself is a 2nd career.

[MultiMillionMiler]

Each seat in the car, not just the driver, would have a circular opening that you can push open when you have to go.

Why do they have to be circular?  Couldn't they be octagonal?

Even better if less people ultimately got a license, less traffic, and only the best drivers on the road.

I assume you must be in favor of expanding public transit, then.  I mean, those people still need to get from A to B.

No, they would just need to work harder to get a driver's license.

[ethanhopkin14]

Sorry, there have been alot of new posts so it's hard to keep up. The craft would be designed like a wave-runner, with a foward shield to help stop the water from splashing into your car. Since when are there waves that large in lake MI anyway?

Couple of times each winter.

But 10-12 foot waves happen regularly. A splash shield won't help when the wave is twice the height of your car.

Maybe your laser commodes can be adapted to take care of puke from being seasick?

Hey now, don't make fun of the laser commodes.  All the other ideas are dumb except that one.  I mean, who doesn't want to sit on a toilet that has vaporizing lasers slightly below your derrière?

[Roadgeekteen]

I think driving should be prioritized over mass transit because sitting on a train is just commuting, but driving a car isn't just commuting, it's an art and a science. People don't realize that when they are driving twice a day to whatever their career is, the driving itself is a 2nd career.

Maybe for you it is, but not most of you

[MultiMillionMiler]

But I'm not against buses. The point is Roads over Rails.

[Flint1979]

Understand the power of a Great Lake.

[Scott5114]

I think driving should be prioritized over mass transit because sitting on a train is just commuting, but driving a car isn't just commuting, it's an art and a science. People don't realize that when they are driving twice a day to whatever their career is, the driving itself is a 2nd career.

Look, I'm as big of a roadgeek as you'll ever find in the world, but this is just stupid.

[Roadgeekteen]

But I'm not against buses. The point is Roads over Rails.

What's the problem with trains? I love me some trains.

[MultiMillionMiler]

But I'm not against buses. The point is Roads over Rails.

What's the problem with trains? I love me some trains.

They don't drive on the roads.

[Roadgeekteen]

But I'm not against buses. The point is Roads over Rails.

What's the problem with trains? I love me some trains.

They don't drive on the roads.

And why are roads better than rails exactly?

[MultiMillionMiler]

Because roads go everywhere, train tracks dont.

[webny99]

Respectfully, I would suggest that this thread should be in the Fictional board at this point. It's contributing to the "spamming" of the Off-Topic board, having gone well beyond the bounds of a traditional Off-Topic thread and into fictional territory on multiple levels.

Certainly, any thread that you could reasonably compare it to would be found in the fictional board. That would also hide it from non-members, which might be a good thing for the forum if there's any lurkers or potential new users who might be turned off by its constant presence in the "recent posts" section.

[Roadgeekteen]

Respectfully, I would suggest that this thread should be in the Fictional board at this point. It's contributing to the "spamming" of the Off-Topic board, having gone well beyond the bounds of a traditional Off-Topic thread and into fictional territory on multiple levels.

Certainly, any thread that you could reasonably compare it to would be found in the fictional board. That would also hide it from non-members, which might be a good thing for the forum if there's any lurkers or potential new users who might be turned off by its constant presence in the "recent posts" section.

This thread should probably be put down like a sick dog at this point. This thread fits better in off topic, as it's just MMMs random rambles about random things. Maybe off topic should be hidden from guests as well, as it's not road related. Never got why it wasn't when Travel, Mass Transit, and Fictional Highways are.

[kalvado]

Respectfully, I would suggest that this thread should be in the Fictional board at this point. It's contributing to the "spamming" of the Off-Topic board, having gone well beyond the bounds of a traditional Off-Topic thread and into fictional territory on multiple levels.

Certainly, any thread that you could reasonably compare it to would be found in the fictional board. That would also hide it from non-members, which might be a good thing for the forum if there's any lurkers or potential new users who might be turned off by its constant presence in the "recent posts" section.

Maybe a separate "under the bridge" board would be better?

[Roadgeekteen]

Respectfully, I would suggest that this thread should be in the Fictional board at this point. It's contributing to the "spamming" of the Off-Topic board, having gone well beyond the bounds of a traditional Off-Topic thread and into fictional territory on multiple levels.

Certainly, any thread that you could reasonably compare it to would be found in the fictional board. That would also hide it from non-members, which might be a good thing for the forum if there's any lurkers or potential new users who might be turned off by its constant presence in the "recent posts" section.

Maybe a separate "under the bridge" board would be better?

"Internet compost"

[webny99]

This thread fits better in off topic, as it's just MMMs random rambles about random things.

Sure seems to me like it's mostly rambles about fictional topics, most of them at least semi-road-related. Any other user that wants to do that does it in the Fictional board, and any user that wants to ramble about real-life topics can use the "Random Thoughts" thread.

[Max Rockatansky]

Respectfully, I would suggest that this thread should be in the Fictional board at this point. It's contributing to the "spamming" of the Off-Topic board, having gone well beyond the bounds of a traditional Off-Topic thread and into fictional territory on multiple levels.

Certainly, any thread that you could reasonably compare it to would be found in the fictional board. That would also hide it from non-members, which might be a good thing for the forum if there's any lurkers or potential new users who might be turned off by its constant presence in the "recent posts" section.

This thread should probably be put down like a sick dog at this point. This thread fits better in off topic, as it's just MMMs random rambles about random things. Maybe off topic should be hidden from guests as well, as it's not road related. Never got why it wasn't when Travel, Mass Transit, and Fictional Highways are.

Why would certain boards be hidden from non-members?

I believe to entice lurkers to create accounts.