If we ask the average person “Why don’t you want to take a long bike ride?” I would bet that two big concerns are the following: (1) lack of sufficient fitness, and (2) fear of being hit by a car.
I wrote Business idea: Luxury bike tours with electric bikes about how the latest generation of electric bikes, combined with a sag wagon full of spare batteries, could completely address Point 1. What if the sag wagon were a self-driving van, though? Could it address Point 2?
Suppose that the sag wagon follows 10′ behind the cyclist. The sag wagon has some big flashing hazard lights on the back. Approaching traffic has to slow down and swing wide to get around the sag wagon and therefore can never be in a position to hit the cyclist. The self-driving sag wagon contains spare batteries. The sag wagon is immediately available in case of mechanical failure, rain, fatigue, etc.
Readers: What do you think? Will self-driving minivans revolutionize bike touring?
How do you solve the suddenly opened car door problem? Another wagon clearing a path in front?
In the context of widespread self-driving vehicle deployment, one should have to worry much less about being hit from behind.
Plus big flashing hazard lights require much less power than before, and are easy to mount on a bicycle.
I think long bike trips will remain relatively niche for the same reason they always have— they take a lot of time, which is more of a luxury these days.
If we have a van, why on earth would we want to be out there on a bicycle?
Having to drive a minivan to ride a bike is the ultimate absurdity, which is why the government will make it mandatory & make all of us buy sag wagon insurance.
Could a seat with pedals be installed inside the van (maybe something based on Tesla model X — I presume an electric van was suggested above, otherwise this is a really deplorable plan)?
The vehicle can be a convertible, so that one can enjoy outside weather when desirable. Pedals can charge the vehicle’s battery. It’s autopilot can simulate bicycle speed. Or run at higher speeds, while the user still continues operating the pedals (allowing bicycling on freeways!) And one can use a (super)charger when pedal power is not enough.
It’s amazing how a car turns everyone into a bully! I always figured if I were rich I would hire a posse to bike around with me and calm down traffic by looking authoritative.
I suppose we could follow Europe’s lead and reduce traffic casualties tenfold through a combination of infrastructure, taxes, licensing, automated enforcement and land use, but since this is America, why not bet the farm on replacing the entire nation’s vehicle fleet with an unproven technology of unimaginable complexity instead?
crazytrainmatt, this is an American way. leading by example since WWI
Why ride a bike when you can have the same experience with VR glasses while someone else does the actual work?
The danger to a cyclist on the freeway from cars/trucks is no joke. Sag wagons have been hit during Race Across America (RAAM), with scary results.
how many cyclists will be run over by their own self-driving van which is following them?
I just finished my annual long ride on NBCSn – Tour De France. The sag wagons and team cars were pretty dangerous even with the roads closed. Still a spectacle. They made it through 3 weeks without a photo or mention of 7 time winner Lance Armstrong.
No to mention the helicopters(!) and motorcycles.
To be a good city cyclist one must start young. And city cycling is especially dangerous to people of Boston who are often thinking of academic things.
There would be a limited window to offer such a service before self-driving cars were common enough that one need not worry being hit in the first place.
I see a good case for a self-driving ATV that could drop you off at the top of the downhill MTB trail and then drive itself back down to meet you for another round.
And likewise a snowmobile for winter pursuits.