[extropy-chat] SUV versus sedan versus motorcycle

[J. Andrew Rogers]

Let us put this topic another way, because some of the perspectives
being applied are far too narrow:


Should we ban or penalize sedan drivers because they are a clear
asymmetric hazard to motorcyclists?  Most cars never have more than one
person in them and are typically used just to move between two points,
so why not a motorcycle, which gets better gas mileage to boot?  I see
idiots in sedans nearly run into motorcyclists all the time, acting like
they own the road.  And a motorcyle can take a corner at speeds that
would roll a car.  We could clearly do with having far fewer cars on the
road and more motorcycles, and imagine all the parking space that would
free up.

This is no more or less specious an argument than much of the SUV versus
sedan argument.  You can relabel "SUV" to "sedan" and "sedan" to
"motorcycle", and essentially apply the same arguments with similar
validity.

Hopefully this makes the real calculus more apparent; most people seem
to be arguing from personal preference or ideology rather than
addressing the underlying calculus of personal transportation choices.


j. andrew rogers