[extropy-chat] Public Transportation

[Samantha Atkins]

On Mar 23, 2005, at 5:02 PM, J. Andrew Rogers wrote:

> Brian Lee wrote:
>> I'm guessing it's because it is cheaper to make an entry
>> level car with a crappy engine that gets 30mpg than an
>> entry level car with a less crappy engine that gets 50mpg.
>
>
> The 50mpg engines were actually less efficient than the 30mpg engines,
> they were just much smaller.  Better gas milage has nothing to do with
> whether or not the engine is "crappy".
>
> To put it in simple economic terms, the fuel economy differences today
> between a two-ton mid-size sedan with a 0-60 in the mid sixes and one 
> of
> the funky subcompact hybrids is about 100 gallons per year.  Or
> $20/month, and less than a lightbulb's worth of CO2 generation.  This
> makes the choice obvious to most people, and the point of the sacrifice
> dubious.

What do you mean?  I used to commute 500 miles a week.  At 50mpg that 
is 10 gallons.  At 25 mpg it is 20.  That is 500 gallons a year 
difference wthout even considering non-commute miles.  So exactly what 
are you claiming?  That most Americans average around 50 miles a week?  
I very much doubt it.