Bush to lift offshore drilling ban

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by ReefHound

Just like rental car agencies. I can't see how it works any different whatsoever except you can pay based on mileage. Looking at the Virtucar site, there aren't any more locations than there are rental lots. You have to reserve in advance (subject to availability) and return to origin. And you get fined if you are late.

Similar, but there is a difference. I know a few car-deprived university students that really love them, because it's cheaper than a rental car, and there is no need to arrange transportation to the car rental store. Far less paperwork, as well.

[ReefHound]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

Similar, but there is a difference. I know a few car-deprived university students that really love them, because it's cheaper than a rental car, and there is no need to arrange transportation to the car rental store. Far less paperwork, as well.

I'm sure different programs vary but the one cited does not deliver the car to you so there is still the need to arrange transportation to the storage lot just as with rental cars. Actually, I've had local rental cars delivered to me.

As for paperwork, there's less needed at actual rental time but more needed in advance. You can't just out of the blue decide to grab this "virtucar". The program cited requires a "membership", a cash deposit to cover insurance, a clean driving record, etc. All in all, far more paperwork and advance planning than a rental car, which I could show up in any city in the U.S. and have a car within an hour by simply showing them a driver license and a credit card, and signing my name by a couple of x's. How much paperwork is that anyway?

I'm sure this niche service appeals to a select few but it's not a scalable solution for the masses.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by ReefHound

I'm sure different programs vary but the one cited does not deliver the car to you so there is still the need to arrange transportation to the storage lot just as with rental cars. Actually, I've had local rental cars delivered to me.

As for paperwork, there's less needed at actual rental time but more needed in advance. You can't just out of the blue decide to grab this "virtucar". The program cited requires a "membership", a cash deposit to cover insurance, a clean driving record, etc. All in all, far more paperwork and advance planning than a rental car, which I could show up in any city in the U.S. and have a car within an hour by simply showing them a driver license and a credit card, and signing my name by a couple of x's. How much paperwork is that anyway?

I'm sure this niche service appeals to a select few but it's not a scalable solution for the masses.

I agree. Again, for the college students I recommended, it's nearly perfect. Yes, you take some time to set up an account, but once that's done, it takes just a couple minutes to book a car. I have yet to experience a car rental process from a traditional company that didn't take a minimum of 30-45 minutes to complete the transaction (not including getting there). Since the zip cars are a popular service, they tend to be scattered all over the immediate area of the university (UCLA is the specific example I'm referring to), and you just walk to the nearest car and go.

I agree it's tough to scale something like that up to cover an entire large city, however.

[ReefHound]

It sounds like a program perfectly made for a university setting where you have a high concentration of potential users with part time needs.

I guess I have different experiences with rental cars. I reserve online in a few minutes and picking up the car at the terminal seldom takes more than 10 minutes. And that's not using any "elite" express lines.

[moosicman]

*yawn*

[SlvrDragon50]

This is a good read..
They have a part about the just picking up a car and going.
The Green Megacity | The Future of the Environment | Popular Science

[reeldive]

[quote]So you say by having two spouses driving out it justifies the point of buying two gas guzzling cars? I think it is far more wise to buy a hybrid or any fuel efficient car for one spouse and then you can buy your SUV or truck for the other. Not to be sexist or anything, but I personally believe females are more attracted to the looks as well as the features of hybrids than males thus leaving two people happy.[quote]\

OK! lets move this over to Man Laws! I drive my Tacoma 4wd. My wife dirves here KIA Spectra. hey it works for us! unless of coarse I have a few to many beers after diveing at the club - Then she gets to drive the Tacoma ( she don't drink ) and we save gas by driving only one vehical

[captain]

I heard on the news this morning that China has been stock piling oil prior to the Olympics and that was driving part of the price runup.

[georoc01]

China is buying every barrel of oil it can get, using US dollars to pay for them, given our massive trade imbalance in China. It has little to do with the Olympics.

[unclepooty]

[quote=reeldive;202187][quote]So you say by having two spouses driving out it justifies the point of buying two gas guzzling cars? I think it is far more wise to buy a hybrid or any fuel efficient car for one spouse and then you can buy your SUV or truck for the other. Not to be sexist or anything, but I personally believe females are more attracted to the looks as well as the features of hybrids than males thus leaving two people happy.

\

OK! lets move this over to Man Laws! I drive my Tacoma 4wd. My wife dirves here KIA Spectra. hey it works for us! unless of coarse I have a few to many beers after diveing at the club - Then she gets to drive the Tacoma ( she don't drink ) and we save gas by driving only one vehical

So your point is that drinking more will save fuel????????? I don't know that I fully understand this theory, but I like the way you think