[meme] Trains are 100000x easier to electrify and automate than cars, so why does everyone keep talking about electric and driverless cars?

https://lemmy.world/post/1610378

[meme] Trains are 100000x easier to electrify and automate than cars, so why does everyone keep talking about electric and driverless cars? - Lemmy.world

People associated “freedom to go anywhere” with cars but it’s a disguised argument. For the most part it’s about not traveling with others. To a degree it’s also about status symbol but for the most part they want to be alone and dictate their own schedule. If they really cared about freedom to move wherever they would get offroad motorcycles and never need to pay for parking again.

That’s a very narrow view of things.

There are plenty if trains and buses where I’m from, and they still don’t cover enough land area, let alone come along often enough and go largely in the direction I need to go to be useful.

Cars are about freedom and convenience. Being anti social is a secondary choice, and a perk.

No they are not. Public transport always needs improving, but getting to close where you need to be is always possible. Cycling after that or using some other sort of transport is possible. Even if you do want to ride your own vehicle to desired location, motorcycles are always better than cars. Even more convenient since you can filter through traffic jams, don’t need parking spaces and spend less fuel.
Public Transport takes twice as long to get anywhere for me (and I live fairly close to both trains and buses), and motorcycles are way more dangerous, and can’t really carry anything except yourself. Cars are a happy medium between the two, which is why people use them.
Motorcycles are “way more dangerous” if you drive them that way. Falling off of bicycle, motorcycle or a scooter at 30km/h is the same, with added benefit of wearing a helmet. If you ride it at 200km/h, then there’s little to increase survivability. There’s a reason why speed limits are in place. Sure they are still riskier than armored boxes in which you sit, but they don’t have to be. Also if you really care about safety you’d switch to trains and busses which are significantly more safe than cars.