Going from city centre to city centre? Don't want to join the hussle of the motorway? Then take the next left and join the car-elator - a moving "walkway" similar to those at airports, which runs alongside stretches of motorway, going at a consistent 80mph (to please Lembit Opik). Cars are automatically placed a safe distance apart, and then it's engine off until you reach your chosen destination. There are no turn-offs between city centres, though you are dropped off at a park-and-ride stop, to discourage city-centre driving. Toll required, but less than what you'd pay for petrol. Be warned - it's advised that you empty your bladder before joining the car-elator.
-- spinglespangle, Feb 09 2006

Lembit Öpik http://en.wikipedia...ki/Lembit_%C3%96pik
[hippo, Feb 09 2006]

Lembit Öpik advocates changing the law to allow driving at 120mph http://politics.gua...804,1047827,00.html
[hippo, Feb 09 2006]

How is this different than a car-train?
-- Galbinus_Caeli, Feb 09 2006


There's no train, so you don't have to stick to a time-table, or face delays. It just keeps on rolling....
-- spinglespangle, Feb 09 2006


The major problem with this is getting the cars on and off. Getting on, they'll have to brake from 80 mph, while trying to catch up to the travelator, to 0 mph, to avoid hitting the cars already on it. Getting off, they'll be going from parking speeds to 80 mph in the blink of an eye.
-- DrCurry, Feb 09 2006


Many years ago I saw an idea for a travelator that accelerated/decelerated by twisting the tread, but I don't see how that could help here, unless on/off ramps were equipped with such a system, pushing the car sideways onto the main belt.
-- coprocephalous, Feb 09 2006


A solution that's not too convoluted:
The car needs to be airborn during the transition. Hit an entry ramp at the aforementioned 80mph; once in the air, hit the brakes to stop your wheels turning, so you land on the conveyor belt (for that's all it really is) with both car body and wheels moving at the correct (relative) speed. Getting off the system would be a little more difficult, but if the moving road was elevated above the normal road, you could simply move slowly to the side of the belt, then plant your foot as your wheels (again) became airborn.
As a side effect, learning to drive would be fun - mandatory high-speed jump practice!
-- neutrinos_shadow, Feb 09 2006



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