Flying Cars

[Weaver]

The way the general public drives on roads with clearly marked lanes, traffic signals and rules of the road, do we really want to give everyone aircraft? The death toll would be staggering.

I quite agree... the General Driving Public has enough problems thinking ahead and anticipating (or just plain being courteous) in 2 dimensions... do we want to introduce a 3rd?
Add in the height you'll fall when the engine/lift stops... eek! May be a good market for automatically deployed parachutes or ballutes?

Cheers

The ATC problem has always been one of the 'impossible' hurdles in front of flying cars, but technology may be about to solve it. The Dutch are working on something called Highways In The Sky which basically links GPS, transponders and high-authority autopilots to create a virtual road system in the air that manages traffic. Basically, your 'amateur-class' licence obliges you to have an autopilot that will positively override you if you tell it to do anything dangerous.

As for falling out of the sky, that's why I like the PAL-V. Being an autogiro, it's power-out autorotational landing is almost as much of a non-event as it's powered one. Of course, you still have to have somewhere safe to actually land, and in the middle of acity, that might get interesting, but an autogiro is still going to have more options than a CTOL aircraft.

[PR19_Kit]

...do we really want to give everyone aircraft?...

Yes, as long as mine can have sidewinders and a minigun.

Never mind having them on a flying car, I want them on my car NOW!

If only to deal with the ruddy BMW drivers who think they're exempt from all traffic laws! 

[kerick]

...do we really want to give everyone aircraft?...

Yes, as long as mine can have sidewinders and a minigun.

Never mind having them on a flying car, I want them on my car NOW!

If only to deal with the ruddy BMW drivers who think they're exempt from all traffic laws! 

According to the TV commercials that exemption comes with the car!

I have as much trouble with the Ford F350 diesel engine jacked up pick up trucks. Is there a possibility of a flying MRAP?

[PR19_Kit]

...do we really want to give everyone aircraft?...

Yes, as long as mine can have sidewinders and a minigun.

Never mind having them on a flying car, I want them on my car NOW!

If only to deal with the ruddy BMW drivers who think they're exempt from all traffic laws! 

According to the TV commercials that exemption comes with the car!

EXACTLY my point............

[McColm]

In parts of Russia large propellers were attached to the rear of the car and the wheels replaced with skis. Just need to add a pair of wings and you can a flying car on a budget!
They are called Aerosanis.
The hydrocopter in its original format is either a flying car or flying boat.

[Rick Lowe]

The trouble with Aerosans, like Hovercraft, is directional control. Except the wind you have to fight is self-generated, rather than natural...

[Weaver]

...do we really want to give everyone aircraft?...

Yes, as long as mine can have sidewinders and a minigun.

Never mind having them on a flying car, I want them on my car NOW!

If only to deal with the ruddy BMW drivers who think they're exempt from all traffic laws! 

Sounds like you need to play Car Wars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Wars 

[PR19_Kit]

...do we really want to give everyone aircraft?...

Yes, as long as mine can have sidewinders and a minigun.

Never mind having them on a flying car, I want them on my car NOW!

If only to deal with the ruddy BMW drivers who think they're exempt from all traffic laws! 

Sounds like you need to play Car Wars: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Car_Wars 

No, I need a laser guided 30 mm turret on the roof of my Signum to take out the Beemers!

[jcf]

Over here the Audi has pretty much superseded the Beemer as the preferred method of
douche transport. The Beemers and MBs are mostly now just regular suburban transport.

[PR19_Kit]

Audis are nearly as bad, especially the MONSTER Q7s! Does anyone actually need a car that big??? 

[Rheged]

Ah, yes!  Vehicles a former colleague described as Deutches Swank-vagenen.  I think we can all translate that easily enough.

[Weaver]

Had a glorious schadenfreude moment last but one Christmas when I went to Sainsbury's in Hazel Grove. The motorbike park is on the inside of the first left turn into the car park, and is 'protected' by an extension of the kerb. However drivers in normal cars frequently (and pointlessly) cut the corner and bounce over the kerb, cutting through the corner of the bike park and nearly hitting any bikes parked there. On this glorious evening, an impatient knob in an Audi R8 had tried this trick and, due to his sports car's low ground clearance, had got stuck good and solidly on the kerb, front wheels flailing in the air.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer guy: I was so sorry for him......

[Rick Lowe]

Payback can be a rather unfriendly girl, if you don't treat her right...

I would have loved to see that.

[zenrat]

Come the revolution all these mobile testaments to excess are going to make some fine Technicals...

[PR19_Kit]

Come the revolution all these mobile testaments to excess are going to make some fine Technicals...

So long as you hack the roof off first with a chain saw.