concept to replace road-based transportation

[Sean D'Epagnier]

I can't understand why this isn't in place everywhere instead of cars, other than that cars are an extension of the evolution of the horse cart (which was never intended for high speed and high density)

Instead of roads, have steel cables suspended from poles. Similar to ski lifts, but the added ability to switch to a new cable easily to switch tracks. This allows the following obvious benefits:

1. Efficiency, low friction, no tires, and ability to transmit power to the cars (either with brushes, or frequently recharged small battery packs) making solar powered possible easy.
2. More life, No more asphalt, so plants can grow there. Currently this is a huge problem as life cannot exist properly where roads are in place, and there is a micro-climate produced worse than the hottest deserts.
3. Safety, No more dangerous collisions
4. Cost, Much cheaper than building and maintaining roads
5. Faster travel, get to your destination sooner, less potential for traffic jams, computer routed, the driver can do something useful instead of focusing on the road. No more intersections which block travel, and pedestrians could walk underneath. Much quieter and smoother ride.
6. No air pollution, much cleaner air for the citizens to breath
7. No petro chemicals needed, Not for fuel, and not for the roads. Use concentrated parabolic solar dishes to forge the steel cables needed.
8. Sail Power, In areas with good winds, a sail can hang under the car powering it when the wind is in most directions.

I thought I had found the solution for the future, but someone pointed out, even though you would get there faster than before, there is a problem:
"How would you pass the other guy so you can get ahead of him?"

[Joe Blake]

Sean,

People get used to having their every whim catered for. In the last couple of elections in Australia (and state election in Western Australia) there was big noise about spending money on public transport, cycleways, etc etc. The usual line. When the votes had been counted the answer was always the same, the money which was promised for these things was better spent by improving the roads, so people could have their comfort.

Except in areas that service huge profit making industries like mining, railways are being allowed to deteriorate and road trucking is to take up the load - eg grain and cattle transport. But the roads don't get upgraded. They deteriorate as well. And oh my goodness, when there is a proposal to have trucks move off main roads and bypass urban conglomerations, the screams of protest are deafening.

The level of immaturity and unwillingness to move out of the comfort zone is immensely disspiriting.

[Alton Root]

When we are thinking about alternative of road-based transportation, we can't uproot the car at all. It is the fact but in order to cut the cost of public transportation and reduce the carbon foot-print, Car Ferry service is the viable solution one can think.
Car ferry service reduce the cost of car fuel for the long-distance trip. When two cities are connected with sealine or huge river, car ferry service would be the potential idea to implement.