OP
@trafficjammer avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2008 Teal LX125 ... 2007 Red LX150 ... 2010 Yellow LX125ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3311
Location: Tortola, BVI (Caribbean)
 
Ossessionato
@trafficjammer avatar
2008 Teal LX125 ... 2007 Red LX150 ... 2010 Yellow LX125ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3311
Location: Tortola, BVI (Caribbean)
UTC quote
I am just amazed. Is there anything people won't build! Check out the human car ... and it's only $15,500.00!

http://humancar.com/

The designer/manufacturer claims it is street legal, but I don't see any seat belts and you steer it with your body. If you watch the videos, I think the steering is a little dodgy. Doesn't turn that well.

Things that make yo go hmmmmm!

I guess in a post apocalyptic world, it would be a handy thing to have!
⚠️ Last edited by TrafficJammer on UTC; edited 1 time
@el_scorcho avatar
UTC

Hooked
GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 174
Location: sacramento
 
Hooked
@el_scorcho avatar
GTS
Joined: UTC
Posts: 174
Location: sacramento
UTC quote
Primitive technology
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@peterc avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
 
Ossessionato
@peterc avatar
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
UTC quote
Wow! Flintstones technology, slave galley power, Third World luxury, at a $15.5K price. What won't they come up with next?!
@bagel avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2010 Vespa GTS 300, 2007 Vespa GTS 250, 2007 Vespa GTV, 2010 Stella 4T #3, and a bunch of broke down vintage scoots
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2870
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
 
Ossessionato
@bagel avatar
2010 Vespa GTS 300, 2007 Vespa GTS 250, 2007 Vespa GTV, 2010 Stella 4T #3, and a bunch of broke down vintage scoots
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2870
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
UTC quote
How about a human powered sports car?

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@techguy avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Kymco P250 Now, P200E in the 80's
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3908
Location: Antelope, CA, USA
 
Ossessionato
@techguy avatar
Kymco P250 Now, P200E in the 80's
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3908
Location: Antelope, CA, USA
UTC quote
I watched a couple of the videos and I think there's a market for these. The people using them didn't look like they were over exerting themselves. They pulled on the handle a few times, generated some electricity and the motors moves the car. Very interesting. They showed testing them riding up hill.

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OP
@trafficjammer avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2008 Teal LX125 ... 2007 Red LX150 ... 2010 Yellow LX125ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3311
Location: Tortola, BVI (Caribbean)
 
Ossessionato
@trafficjammer avatar
2008 Teal LX125 ... 2007 Red LX150 ... 2010 Yellow LX125ie
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3311
Location: Tortola, BVI (Caribbean)
UTC quote
Oh, there's definitely a market for them. Golf carts would be a very likely candidate. I can also see them being used by large corporations in massive warehouses, marinas, airports, as intercity (personal) transport, etc. Of course, I am talking about the technology and not the actual car you see in the video. A redesign for each use ... but yeah, the technology (or lack thereof) has a lot of potential.

I just wonder about the steering and how safe it really would be on the roads. Did you see how he came out of that one driveway and out into the oncoming traffic lane? Then he sort of shifted his butt a few times and scooched the car over.

It sure as hell wouldn't work on Tortola with our very steep hills and hairpin switchbacks, but I could see it working for other applications.
@tor2ga avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
Looking for the next one, probably electric
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3685
Location: Babcock Ranch, Florida
 
Ossessionato
@tor2ga avatar
Looking for the next one, probably electric
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3685
Location: Babcock Ranch, Florida
UTC quote
That ad is so wrong from so many points.

"Set to roll out on Earth Day, 2009." So a year on this is the first we have seen of it? How many are on the roads?

My wife has been into recumbent bikes, high performance trikes, and human powered vehicles for some time and I have read a lot of the available info. Nothing that heavy and with that complex and "lossy" a power system can ever be useful. Pushing back and forth generates electricity (loss) which powers an electric motor (loss) which drives a mechanical power train (loss); oh yeah, that's gonna work fine! Even with the most modern construction that thing has to weigh 200 lb. to support four people. Aerodynamics of a shoe box? 60mph? I don't think so.

The last I read the human powered land speed record was about 80mph in the highest tech recumbent bike with extreme streamlining and an elite athlete pedaling. That was back some time, I don't know what it might be now.
@xantufrog avatar
UTC

Moderibbit
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
 
Moderibbit
@xantufrog avatar
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
UTC quote
Frankly, I'd give it a test drive. Might be fun on a quiet country road. Wouldn't dare anywhere near metro Boston. I wouldn't pay to own one though.
@stickyfrog avatar
UTC

Moderatus Rana
MP3 250 and 2 MP3 500s
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22659
Location: Nashville, Indiana
 
Moderatus Rana
@stickyfrog avatar
MP3 250 and 2 MP3 500s
Joined: UTC
Posts: 22659
Location: Nashville, Indiana
UTC quote
Yabba Dabba Do! I think it is great when people invent cool stuff like this. More "power" to them.

60 mph downhill with four people "rowing" indicates it is not quit there yet as a commuter but maybe one day. Since it can be plugged in to charge I could see it maybe as a short commuter in town or a run around town vehicle. It will need a roof though.
@ritchj avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
One of each
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3421
Location: Ranura de Monedas, NorCal
 
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@ritchj avatar
One of each
Joined: UTC
Posts: 3421
Location: Ranura de Monedas, NorCal
UTC quote
Slightly saddened once I read the website and better understood the human powered aspect.

Thought it might be part of a solution to the overpopulation and people that don't agree with me issue.



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@peterc avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
 
Ossessionato
@peterc avatar
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
UTC quote
ritchj wrote:
Slightly saddened once I read the website and better understood the human powered aspect.

Thought it might be part of a solution to the overpopulation and people that don't agree with me issue.



External inline image provided by member with no explanatory text
Now that is a Swiftian "Modest Proposal" that might actually work!
@xantufrog avatar
UTC

Moderibbit
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
 
Moderibbit
@xantufrog avatar
1980 P200E - "Old Rusty", 1976 ET3 Primavera
Joined: UTC
Posts: 8891
Location: Atlanta, GA
UTC quote
Plus the more people your car consumes, the fewer people there are to drive cars, thus further reducing fossil fuel consumption and road congestion!
@peterc avatar
UTC

Ossessionato
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
 
Ossessionato
@peterc avatar
2009 Vespa GTS 250, TBA
Joined: UTC
Posts: 2272
Location: Green Valley, AZ
UTC quote
xantufrog wrote:
Plus the more people your car consumes, the fewer people there are to drive cars, thus further reducing fossil fuel consumption and road congestion!
Ah, the passengers are the fuel. What a brilliant concept!
@mandarinia avatar
UTC

Molto Verboso
LX150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1198
Location: US
 
Molto Verboso
@mandarinia avatar
LX150
Joined: UTC
Posts: 1198
Location: US
UTC quote
They should seriously re-envision some of this stuff w/ less of a "car" driven feel to it.

And they seriously need some help in web marketing.

hell, they need all sorts of help.
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