Light Rail v. Busways raises it's head again

AD, by stopping light, firstly they reduced it’s speed from… well the speed of light really, (3×10^8 metres per second) to 0. They then transferred the light to another point, and let it go again.

That’s teleportation (well to be honest it was more like suspended animation while they moved from one spot to another, but that’s categorically teleportation as well).

I don’t know what’s scarier, the fact that I remember all this or the fact that I know the speed of light off by heart.

shit.

I’m a nerd.

or what are the implications

I hate the ethics pushers – almost with agression (not quite though) – what is meant by stopping light

The obvious exclusion in my previous comment was that the light started again once they finished stopping it..

The current status of Teleportation as far as I know it (Nerderati alert) is that earlier THIS year they managed to stop light in electron form.

The obvious teleportation dilemma then, is how to build an item which can disassemble the electrons at one source and reassemble them at another source, thus creating teleportation, in the huge capacity required to move even the smallest of items.

The other solution that they have come up with is to exactly reproduce everything at an instantaneous point of time, again involving much complex equipment. (sort of like a MRI involving your entire genetic infrastructure at all points at once)

I believe that it was about March when the churchies and other religious zealotry about the place were mentioning how does the ‘soul’ transfer to the new body, as well as thought process, memory, etc etc…

They may have mentioned as well the ethics of what to do with the now surplus ‘shell’ at the teleport beginning, and whether or not it should be allowed to live.

To date I haven’t heard anything further than they’ve managed to stop light..

GurJ:

Thanks for your feedback regarding my previous statements about the ailing public transport system and the tree huggers that use it.

a) What would give you the impression I spend my day forecasting future traffic conditions? I am merely pointing out that 150 million bananas is grossly excessive and the results would be surplus to current requirements. That being said, I can’t see them building residential or commercial areas in the Black Mountain Reserve etc. Can you?

b) You say potayto, I say potarto (tree hugger)

c) Didn’t ask for an apology, but I’ll accept one anyway.

d) I was pointing out the fact that the logistics involved in adding light rail to existing roads would be undeniably immense.

Now, enough of that; Jetpack equiped manta-rays with giant carp strapped to their heads for all!

teleportation – bring it on – last I heard was that they could teleport a photon of light and that was a few years ago now…. surely they are at least up to teleporting chickens

monorail is more of a shelbyville thing…

In Japanese you also have a lot of Carp sushi.

in the japanese I have faith

Oh thats easy fixed – we would wear thermosuits which have utilised all the research the japanese have done on whales to replicate the whale fat that keeps them so warm arctic and antarctic conditions…

bulldog:
(a) civic planning is all about anticipating the needs of a city before they become critical (like Sydney’s roads). I don’t spend all my days doing forecasts for Canberra’s traffic in 20 years; do you?
(b) I’m not a tree-hugger; in fact, I think Canberra’s obsession with staying “green” is unhealthy. However, a reasonable public transport system is an essential equitable measure to lessen the disadvantage faced by poor, students, elderly, etc. and others unable to drive a car.
(c) Why should I apologise for taking an interest in the transport arrangements that I use every day to get to and from work?
(d) Light rail is hardly a newer technology than buses; they’ve both been around since the 19th century. I’m not convinced the costs of spending millions on light rail rolling stock outweigh the benefits of extra public transport capacity, when the existing Belconnen Civic link is already pretty good.

How about riding around on the backs of Mutated Ill Tempered Carp. With lasers on their heads.

PS: Lot of cleaning required to do anything in lake.

How about riding around on the backs of Mutated Ill Tempered Carp. With lasers on their heads.

PS:

I’m now haunted by an image of Ja-Ja Diane.

or we could start a civilisation under the lake (clean it out first) where we travel on the backs of freshwater manta ray

I’m for jetpacks.

Failing that, monorail – see all the sights of Canberra with a faint whirring noise in the background.

I would also like to see construction begin ON the lake, just to piss off the Kingston foreshore lifestylers, and to create a southern hemisphere styled Venice.

I’ve always wanted to take a boat to work.

Failing that; Jetpacks for everyone!

Why so anti-ACTION?

Easy one, the government has decided to run government policy to increase ACTION patronage by penalising motorists.

People LIKE having cars and driving so Government policy is to make ACTION an “us against them” thing.

I think it’ll backfire in the long run.

On another note I don’t honestly see how a busway does much to prepare for rail other than a bit of tree lopping.

But I do think a beachball/skilift style system would really put Canberra on the map as well as bing a lot of fun.

Why so anti-ACTION? What is SO bad about the bus sytem? I have had very few problems with using the bus system to get around.

What’s wrong with the flexibus for night time bus taking? Have you used the service?

Guru J – why lumber the future with a system already from the past. Install light rail and be done with it.

agreed

Typical…

A comment by a Norherner all about Northside “needs”. if it aint broke, don’t fix it.

Why expend (yet more) money to prop up or improve an already ailing Public Transport system? Does anybody truly believe that there will be benefits?

Until ACTION is privatised (under strict user service guidelines) the tree huggers will continue to suffer the same problems they do now. A 150 million dollar shortcut will not change anything.

The busway may save three minutes now, but as traffic congestion increases, the savings will become more substantial. Think about what traffic was like in the 70s compared to today and you’ll get the idea.

There are two main routes under consideration for the busway — the first and most commonly cited does meander past Bruce Stadium, CIT and the hospitals.

The alternative is to go past Bruce Stadium and CIT and then cut straight through the bush (mainly-precleared land) and end up on Belconnen Way much further along. This is a faster option, but (a) could piss off Bruce Ridge protesters even more and (b) bypasses the Hospital which is potentially a major traffic destination.

The route isn’t set in stone, so if you feel strongly about the best way to link Belconnen with the City, provide ACTION with feedback!

I don’t support light rail, since a link from Belco to the City isn’t cost-effective. You would have to also link up the City with Manuka and Woden (and preferably Gungahlin) at a minimum. *Not* a small project and probably not even viable for our comparatively small population.

If you *have* to have light rail, you should add new transport corridors (eg. Gungahlin -> Dickson -> City -> Manuka) rather than replacing existing routes.

However, I do support the concept of the busway. I also think the busway should be light-rail compatible since it’s a comparatively minimal expenditure, allows some arse-covering in the future, and keeps light-rail supporters quiet for a while longer.

It sure does explain the crappy colour scheme (although they’ve been that way for years and years).

True – especially theie ‘new’ and ‘improved’ late night suburban service…. in fact the similarities are astounding – so I kind of guess that it is my fault…. i must ive played my song which mentions beachballs for pTransport to the wrong person… though I haven’t played it in years!!!

AD,
Beachballs not much different from ACTION’s current service, but much cooler idea.

bring on the flying foxes….. and maybe oversized beachballs which go in random directions and turn up at random intervals… its brilliant in that it is cost effective and keeps life exciting….

I kinda like the thought of a rail system going along that middle strip along all our major arterials in town.

It’d be cute.

look at the route of teh busway it meanders everywhere precisely because the major places it will serve where built first, and public transport added later. build a lightrail network now, and in twenty-thirty years time, industry and housing will build around it. thats called planning.

to misquote devo – build lightrail now for the future.

Common people…don’t blame the Greenies. The Gov is going for buses ’cause they’re CHEAPER…no other reason…& as pointed out, the centralised population base just isn’t here for light rail..although I reckon putting light rail in could & would make the city change around it and hence, may well work.

Is light rail worthwhile in the ACT? I think if we had a more centralised population base than it might be worth more consideration.

Additionally unlike Sydney or Melbourne (where the infrastructure had been in place since the twenties and thirties) the logistics involved in setting up light rail now would be really tricky. No doubt it would be a project that would cost us the taxpayers millions of dollars for little or no result.

That being said, I also think the bus system is an absolute farce, and as pointed out by Vic, Shauno and JB, 150 million is gross misuse of our tax dollars to save tree-hugging commuters three minutes on the way to work.

This can not be allowed to happen $150m on a bus lane what the f***.
This sort of money could have been put toward a tunnel for the ridge road which would have saved a lot of angst. And which could have be done due to the favorable geology.

I think a light rail would be nice but the location of the tracks could start a real shit fight and bring out protestors similar to the save the ridge loony’s

What’s poor old Deb to do with this?

Gubbmint’s had a majority the whole time she’s been there.

“why are we spending $150 Million on a busway”?

Cos of ****** commo pinko greeno ******* like fosky, that’s why.