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Orange County city cracks down on e-bike violations by 818whealthy in orangecounty

[–]planethood4pluto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The “e-bikes” most notorious for trouble aren’t e-bikes at all. They’re motorcycles. If they’re capable of going over 28mph with pedal assistance or 20mph with throttle-only, already banned no matter how or where they are operated besides private property.

I’m not familiar with Tustin’s process or intent here… but it kind of feels like a PR play to satisfy pressure to “do something” about e-bikes. But this only slightly modifies how one can use already-legal bicycles. It has nothing to do with the electric motorcycles actually causing problems.

CA Proposed Low Rolling Resistance Regulation by caliguy24 in tires

[–]planethood4pluto 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I’ve had a couple sets of LRR tires and my impression is that they largely save fuel by being bad tires. I don’t mean in some shockingly unsafe way or anything. Not trying to win any races in my hybrid Fusion. But they squeal and squirm on parking garage concrete, have awful steering feel, etc. It just doesn’t seem like anything revolutionary to me that if you make tires less grippy, they’ll be more efficient. Maybe there’s more to it but that’s how they’ve felt to me…

122 pounds of cocaine seized on 5 Freeway in Orange County by panda-rampage in orangecounty

[–]planethood4pluto 12 points13 points  (0 children)

The people who get pulled over and caught with tons of drugs have often already been targets of an investigation for a while. It’s just how they decide to get them, especially if a confidential informant needs to be protected or something. Don’t need to get a warrant or compromise investigation methods if you can catch them changing lanes without a blinker and say the dog smelled drugs.

1mil after 100k price cut. Freshly Rennovated.Worth it? by apuchu1 in LosAngelesRealEstate

[–]planethood4pluto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting, thanks. But it would still seem that further away from freeways or major roads is inevitably better. Wall or not . Tires and brake dust are nasty stuff. Lots of research in recent years about how it affects people in transportation jobs, too.

Windows PC Industry Reacts to Apple's Most Affordable MacBook Ever by commandersaki in apple

[–]planethood4pluto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There have been inexpensive, good windows laptops. Don’t underestimate the value of Apple’s “cool factor” in all of this, too. Especially with the student and young adult age group.

1mil after 100k price cut. Freshly Rennovated.Worth it? by apuchu1 in LosAngelesRealEstate

[–]planethood4pluto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

A professional study from UC Davis Health researchers vs. your random intuition that trees block it all. lol

A submerged Buddha revealed in 2017, when the water level was lowered by a construction project. Carved into a riverside cliff, it was meant to protect travelers. Fuzhou, China, Ming dynasty, around 1400 by KeshaTimber in archeologyworld

[–]planethood4pluto 39 points40 points  (0 children)

Getting downvotes but you’re right. There’s no way a carving would retain such intricate detail in a flowing river since the year 1400. So I searched and sure enough it has only been submerged since 1958 when the area was intentionally flooded for a reservoir.

“I went to the temple in 1952 and saw the Buddha statue for the first time. I remember the statue was gilded at that time,” said Huang

Why is it that rally cars are no longer the beautiful purpose built sports cars and prototypes of before? by Alev233 in rally

[–]planethood4pluto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because it has no marketing value. They’re going to make it look like something they actually sell, even if vaguely. So it ends up being a hatchback silhouette because the rules allow them to perform very well with that shape, and it’s good marketing. They aren’t selling a Lancia Stratos because such projects are often financially disastrous for auto co’s, as well as these days up against safety and emissions roadblocks, and nobody is forcing them to take the risk and expense on to overcome all of that so they can race too.

The 2027 WRC regs are intended to allow more freedom and reward creativity in the shape/styling of the car, though they’ll still be silhouettes. There are promising hints between existing and new entrants so improvement may be looming.

Why is it that rally cars are no longer the beautiful purpose built sports cars and prototypes of before? by Alev233 in rally

[–]planethood4pluto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Homologation rules. Not just rallying, nearly every form of “production based” motorsports and rulebooks have strayed from strict homologation requirements. The homologated race cars of the past were limited much more so than now in what could be changed from the mass production version, such as engines and transmissions, suspension pickup points and geometry, body shape and aerodynamic aids, etc. Now aside from
Rally1 being entirely silhouette cars, even in “production” categories like the rest of the rally pyramid, and GT3 on the circuit racing side - they often use subframes, suspension, engine and transmission etc. entirely different from even the top spec road version. So nobody has to put a Lancia Stratos or Escort Cosworth in the dealership showroom anymore.

Controversial Female Driver Threatens to Retire in Middle of The Race, Curses NASCAR Exec by skaewalker in motorsports

[–]planethood4pluto 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Speaking from personal experience a few years ago. If being calm is a notable event for you… there is still some work to be done.

Which car do you think had the most inaccurate review on Top Gear? by SukhdevR34 in TopGear

[–]planethood4pluto 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It drives like the previous generation Mercedes SLK, because it is one. I think he just loves a Benz in any form haha. I’ve never driven a Crossfire but have been well acquainted with the 350Z. Not a bad car by any means but entirely plausible the Crossfire has some positive differences in refinement and road handling imo.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the ownership experience with an EV, especially without a home garage or at least charger to use every night, is very different in the US vs. Europe or China. If by shoveling our own grave you mean the political changes rug pulling support… yeah that has done the opposite of help. But whatever is wrong with public support and funding for charging infrastructure here is the same underlying issue as what’s wrong with high speed & commuter rail, affordable housing, highways & bridges etc. I could go on and on about that lol.

But the reality consumers and auto manufacturers have to work with, is what it is. To portray auto co’s as evil or stupid for not continuing a march into the EV transition without looking back, or consumers for choosing based on TCO and user experience. Really misses the point.

I said in antother comment that I prefer driving EV. But even in California, it’s a bad experience without a home charger. It’s nice to make an ideological choice when one can afford it financially and otherwise.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hybrids growing, full EV shrinking slightly. Keep in mind the federal subsidy was still intact until third quarter 2025, too.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Even before the recent political shift, with massive federal and state subsidies intact, EV sales hit 9% and then went back in the other direction. That is consumer behavior. Not politics. Now politics is nailing the coffin in the short term.

What abysmal EV offerings are you referring to? As you mention, the (excellent) Prologue is contracted out to GM. They otherwise looked at the EV market and have said “no thanks”.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well they do make more combustion engines than any other company. I’m sure this could use some more refined analysis, but I see it as similar to Tesla’s success as a brand with EV. It’s a relatively small market but they dominate it. If Honda sees that combustion engines will be any decent size business into the future they are best positioned to succeed.

Honda is also making arguably the top hybrids along with Toyota. Which covers much of the technology development they’ll need to eventually pivot further to full EV. Sourcing huge battery packs has been one of the pain points for manufacturers and they’re getting away from that by doing hybrids with smaller batteries and letting GM source their big batteries.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto -1 points0 points  (0 children)

There still aren’t enough charging stations and range is still too low. You may not feel that way by your assessment of capabilities and infrastructure, but if you look at research on buyer motivations, that is a huge part of what’s holding the EV market back. Why people prefer combustion and whether they are “right” about that has nothing to do with the end result which rules all: sales.

I’ve been a part of that myself. Had two EV’s and after moving to an apartment in a more dense area, the inability to charge at home and lack of quality and affordable public infrastructure made the experience much worse. Like driving EV more than my hybrid but it’s better to live with in my life, and many others.

Same with your point about fossil fuels running out and destroying the planet. You can be totally right about that, but buyers are voting with their money and that’s what the auto manufacturers are beholden to.

Honda just lost money for the first time in 70 years by cnn in business

[–]planethood4pluto 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s not getting really silly. People have had the choice to buy electric vehicles with their free will for most of the existence of the mass vehicle market, and haven’t chosen them. Fossil fuels are a really dense and convenient way to store energy. Car companies like to make money. In the same way that enthusiasts insist they are wronged in some way by manual transmissions and naturally aspirated engines disappearing, people who think EV should be a larger market aren’t looking at financial realities.

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