this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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Fuck Cars

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A place to discuss problems of car centric infrastructure or how it hurts us all. Let's explore the bad world of Cars!

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[–] FReddit@lemmy.world 17 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Just an add here ... Pedestrian fatalities are up, largely due to huge vehicles in general. But EVs tend to be very heavy because of the batteries. So collisions tend to be very unpleasant.

[–] Psythik@lemm.ee 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

Can confirm. Rode a 1000w electric bike to work every day and couldn't wait to get a car after all the near-misses I had. It's even more dangerous than a pedal bike cause no one expects a bicycle to be going almost 30 MPH. Almost got hit at least 3-4 time from people turning right cause they didn't expect me to be inside the intersection so soon.

They're a lot of fun for recreation but not as a daily driver, unless you have a suicide wish.

Had a friend die doing 60mph on a pedal bike down a hill. He got hit by a car, people blamed the car but he was on the wrong side of the road around the bend and the car was only doing 15mph. I just want to live, we are all headed underground. Just a different speeds.

[–] holgersson@lemm.ee 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

It's almost as of going 50kph with a bicycle isnt a good idea to begin with

[–] S_204@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I know a guy who hit a pothole on an electric bike, bounced him off...he broke his neck on the landing.

He's doing alright now, he reffed basketball for decades and the community really is rallying around him to support but he'll never recover to 100%.

There's a risk with these things that should be factored in to the cost benefit.

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It sounds like the only reason they're dangerous in this case is that cars are on the road. Since cars are unethical and should be banned, I don't see why electric bikes would be any problem in a sensible society.

[–] sanpo@sopuli.xyz 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

No, e-bikes with these specs are considered vehicles just like motorcycles (in the EU) and need to follow the same rules.

For example, you can't overtake people on the right, because it's stupid and dangerous (and illegal). And assuming the other guy meant he almost had near-misses while riding on the bike path - e-bike hauling ass at 30MPH has no place on any bike path, it's dangerous for everyone around.

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It sounds like the person above lives in one of those countries where they drive on the right, so the bike lane would be to the right of the cars. So that person is just using the bike lane normally and cars are turning through the bike lane without looking, which is illegal.

[–] hemko@lemmy.world 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

If you're going 50km/h on a bike line, absolutely no one driving car is expecting you to arrive to the crossing in 3 seconds from 50 meters away.

You absolutely have to slow down to a crossing on a bicycle, motorized or not. And this is coming form an cyclist who doesn't own a car or a license.

Edit: also if you're speeding like that on bike lanes where others are going on average less than half your speed, you're causing danger to others.

Ride like maniac and die like maniac

[–] HardlightCereal@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago

America has high speed multilane roads with as many turnoffs and driveways as a street. They're called stroads. Maybe the person above is having problems with those.

[–] FReddit@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Plus I heard there have been a lot of battery fires.

I feel like the EV business got ahead of itself, cars, bikes, trucks. Some of these companies that went public are heading for bankruptcy.

Then there's the usual disrespect for bike riders. I ride mostly off-road. But I've been nearly run over by both cars and horses.

[–] RaoulDook@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sodium Ion batteries can possibly solve all of our major issues with EVs and even solar / wind power storage. They are starting to be commercially available already.

The advantages of Sodium Ion batteries are that they don't require the rare earth minerals like lithium and cobalt that LiPO / LiFePO batteries do, AND they are non-flammable. They have slightly less energy density than lithium type batteries, so they need to be a bit larger for the same capacity, but not as much larger as old-school lead batteries would be for the equivalent capacity.

[–] FReddit@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

I was ignorant of this technology. It gives me hope.

[–] PunnyName@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Larger physical body - that has a higher impact point on a human - has a much greater chance to kill someone, than if it was a lower impact point.

Not to mention the reduction in visibility.

Sauce: https://twitter.com/FreckleEars/status/1624137853872574475/photo/1

[–] FReddit@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

The line of sight numbers are telling. Thank you for providing this information.