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August 7, 2009 (12:37 PM) by Frank EE Grubich
“What if we had flying cars, like in the Jetsons?”
First, let’s be clear of the definition of a Jetson flying car. It has a bubble-shaped cab with nearly 360-degree visibility. The interior is roomy enough to seat a family of four and one large talking dog comfortably. The car’s engine makes a very different sound than a combustion engine (sort of a hybrid between a bird and a motor boat) — meaning that it runs on something other than gasoline. And the car handles well under reasonable weather conditions (though I can’t recall if George ever had to drive in bad weather). But the car does NOT fold up into a lightweight attaché case. That would be silly.
And also let’s be clear that I’m just talking about the cars. Of course, any technology that enables a one-ton vehicle and its occupants to cruise the heavens like a pontoon boat on water (possibly even defying gravity) will evolve many other things in our lives. When we eventually conquer gravity — all bets are off. (I’ll save that discussion for another time.)
So what would the world look like if we had flying cars?
Well for starters, it would look nothing like the world of the Jetsons. At least not at first.
With humans behind the wheel, flying cars will inevitably crash — into buildings, into the ground, into each other. There will be pandemonium.
No more will buildings be designed to withstand only ground floor collisions and the occasional foul ball. The entire structure will have to protect itself from accidental—and occasionally premeditated — impacts.
Cages and webs made of titanium and concrete will surround buildings (especially government buildings) to absorb any impact before it could reach the people inside.
Crash pits — like retention ponds — will be designed into the landscape as a safety measure for drivers to aim for should their vehicles stall in mid flight.
Trees and other natural barriers will be all the rage. And not just for protection, but for privacy, too. We can see into your place from just about any angle. Creepy.
Skyscrapers will scrape even higher into the sky because the limitations of elevators and access to higher altitudes will be things of the past.
Islands, mountain ranges and other areas deemed isolated from human settlement will now be accessible.
Where we live in relationship to where we work will change dramatically. A typical hour commute could be hundreds of miles. Imagine. Living in mountains, working in the valley. House in Germany. Office in Portugal.
Cities, towns, neighborhoods and municipalities will need to adjust their borders and their tax bases.
Suburban sprawl will expand even further unless zoning and environmental laws are tightened.
Institutions that thrived on local and foot traffic would become less necessary. There would be fewer schools, churches and malls. Instead we would have über malls, schools and churches (larger than Chicago’s O’Hare Airport) to accommodate the masses.
Of course there will be less need for traditional highways and roads. Many, if not all, existing roads would be converted back to fields and parks.
Concrete and iron will be recycled and used to build the skyscrapers of tomorrow.
Architects and engineers will figure out how to build cities above the jet streams in order to minimize the unpredictability of the weather.
If you think air travel today is unpredictable, imagine the chaos in the air when you’ve got a million vehicles soaring by every minute of every day.
There would still need to be an agreed upon flight path for vehicles. Without it, cars would be swarming around like bees near a hive. It would be too dangerous to maneuver in urban areas.
Falling debris (a.k.a. litter) could be a problem. Would areas beneath busy flight paths be designated hardhat areas?
The altitude you live at will literally define social status. Wonder if the new urban neighborhood would be at sea level and the new suburban elite resides above the clouds?
‘No fly’ and ‘high fly’ zones would need to be initiated in certain areas of the globe — making these sanctuaries desirable. Which means these areas would be the most expensive to live in.
Of course, if the cars don’t run on fossil fuels, the air will get noticeably cleaner.
Stormy weather could shut down entire towns and businesses. So giant webs, sails and shields would be constructed to help manage nature’s unpredictable winds and weather.
Sunblock will become a staple of all morning routines.
Soot and grime generated by fossil fuels will be reduced. Los Angeles may actually be pretty once again.
Window washers and car washers will be in less demand. The acidity in the atmosphere will be reduced, making buildings and structures last longer. Maintenance costs would be reduced.
And depending on the cost for these flying machines, alternate transportation may also be reduced.
Can’t imagine the airplane industry surviving. Same with trains and subways. I would think their relevance will depend on whether or not this flying car technology allows for us to have massive flying vehicles the size of jumbo jets. (BTW I recognize the irony of replacing one flying machine with another. But I’m thinking this new flying technology allows for slower and faster speeds with 360-degree maneuverability. Current commercial jets only go forward and up and down. And use fossil fuels.)
If we can build floating transportation as large as that, then I can also see having entire cities in the skies — moving from sunny locale to sunny locale like a never ending cruise ship.
This evolution would completely eliminate the restrictions of physical and political geography. Imagine a world where there are no more land-based cities. Like satellites that circle the outer atmosphere, all of our cities slowly circling the warmer climates at altitudes of a half-mile above the surface. Maybe even occasionally ‘docking’ with each other.
Imagine waking up in the morning, looking out your window and seeing New Paris saunter by over the Pacific Ocean while Hawaii’s volcanoes simmer.
Just imagine.
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