China Plans Huge Buses That Can DRIVE OVER Cars

[Aubrey 10]

China Plans Huge Buses That Can DRIVE OVER Cars

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/669166

(Go to link for more pictures)

Tue Aug 3, 4:05 pm ET

China has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases and biggest energy consumer.

But the country is also thinking in big and bold ways when it comes to how it will reduce pollution and a new plan to build a "straddling bus" is among the most space-age schemes yet.

In an effort to go green and relieve congestion without widening roads, the Shenzhen Huashi Future Parking Equipment company is developing a "3D Express Coach" (also known as a "three-dimensional fast bus").

The innovation will allow cars less than 2 meters high to travel underneath the upper level of the vehicle, which will be carrying passengers (PHOTOS).

According to China Hush, the 6-meter-wide 3D Express Coach will be powered by a combination of electricity and solar energy, and will be able to travel up to 60 kilometers per hour carrying some 1200 to 1400 passengers.

The first 115 miles of track is set for construction in Beijing's Mentougou district starting in late 2010. The Chairman of the Huashi Future Parking Equipment company boasts it will take only a year and 500 million yuan (around $73 million) to build the futuristic transportation system.

[^_^ 5,021]

If you tried this in America, they'd call you a communist who hates America.

[Nagishkaw 510]

[Peikko 1,575]

That is a weird one. My question is, if you need to change lanes when the bus is over the top of you what do you do? I guess it would depend on how long the buses were as well, but it seems a flawed idea, although it's good people are trying to think about the problem in new ways.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

That is a weird one. My question is, if you need to change lanes when the bus is over the top of you what do you do? I guess it would depend on how long the buses were as well, but it seems a flawed idea, although it's good people are trying to think about the problem in new ways.

Yeah.... my thoughts exactly.

I mean, what if someone slips and losses control and rams into the side of this thing?

I think they need to "think bigger" and make one that expands across 3-4 lanes of traffic that will be over the guard rails/walls that car cross over traffic and cars and go under, etc...

Of course, how does this thing make it under bridges then I suppose.....

[Fandango 1,439]

From the title, I inferred the 'crushing cars in the way' type, lol

[Peikko 1,575]

True, it is rather screaming out accident waiting to happen - traffic simply doesn't travel in straight lines indefinitely, especially not within cities.

[mawilson 2,133]

True, it is rather screaming out accident waiting to happen - traffic simply doesn't travel in straight lines indefinitely, especially not within cities.

It's one of those things that we keep hearing China is going to make that will change the way we live.

Unfortunately, it's all BS - the Chinese haven't had a single original idea since they

invented kites and gunpowder. Everything they have is built with stolen Western technology.

[justashooter 430]

in my experience they use standard busses to run over cars in china. people, too. seen it happen many times. most cities have electric bus lines in at least some areas, and the drivers are usually women. they are also invariably ruthless, which is why i used to deliberately play chicken with them in the far left lane riding a motorcycle. they do not use lights at night because the driver has to pay for bulb replacement should they wear out. they stay on schedule, regardless of pedestrian crossings (anywhere) or traffic lights.

60KPH? 1200 passengers? somebody been drinking too much baijou. maybe long range city to city busses with up to 1K passengers in just a few areas. god knows the trains are falling apart and people are riding ghandi style on top. the stuff they carry on trains...

i was on an overnight between kaifung and beijing in the summer of 2006 and stepped into the chamber between cars to smoke. i put my foot up on a large drab green trunk box with chinese characters and lit up. some fellow in cami pajamis ran up to me from the next car imploring me to leave. the GF at the time translated. it seems my foot was on a box of high explosives. after some discussion i determined that it was plastique. i explained to the grunt that it was nerry a nevermind, and that if he would open the box and carve off a chink we could brew up. he was rather taken aback.

[ScottThuy 140]

A totally stupid idea... an electric monorail would do the same job, reduce emissions and keep autos and mass transit seperate... what happens when someone hts the legs on that stilt bus? Bus comes down on the rest of the traffic....

[mawilson 2,133]

A totally stupid idea...

Made in China

[Aubrey 10]

A totally stupid idea... an electric monorail would do the same job, reduce emissions and keep autos and mass transit seperate... what happens when someone hts the legs on that stilt bus? Bus comes down on the rest of the traffic....

Except you have to bulldoze buildings to build a monorail, typically. this would go over existing roadways.

I'm guessing the bus lane would be a limited merge lane or something.

[Peikko 1,575]

in my experience they use standard busses to run over cars in china. people, too. seen it happen many times. most cities have electric bus lines in at least some areas, and the drivers are usually women. they are also invariably ruthless, which is why i used to deliberately play chicken with them in the far left lane riding a motorcycle. they do not use lights at night because the driver has to pay for bulb replacement should they wear out. they stay on schedule, regardless of pedestrian crossings (anywhere) or traffic lights.

60KPH? 1200 passengers? somebody been drinking too much baijou. maybe long range city to city busses with up to 1K passengers in just a few areas. god knows the trains are falling apart and people are riding ghandi style on top. the stuff they carry on trains...

i was on an overnight between kaifung and beijing in the summer of 2006 and stepped into the chamber between cars to smoke. i put my foot up on a large drab green trunk box with chinese characters and lit up. some fellow in cami pajamis ran up to me from the next car imploring me to leave. the GF at the time translated. it seems my foot was on a box of high explosives. after some discussion i determined that it was plastique. i explained to the grunt that it was nerry a nevermind, and that if he would open the box and carve off a chink we could brew up. he was rather taken aback.

I wonder why it is that your experiences always seem to revolve around you acting like an idiot and expecting to be lauded for it? If other people are driving badly, it is not helpful or conducive of increasing the safety of everyone else around you to engage in dickhead behaviour to 'teach other drivers a lesson' or whatever mad idea you had in your head when you decided that 'playing chicken' with ruthless women drivers was a good plan. In hindsight surely you must realize that you simply added to an already bad situation?

[Teacher Mark 53]

Nice picture.

[Azzudiin 26]

It shouldn't be called a bus, very poorly written story. This is a elevated train, it will run on a track just like any other train, the major difference is instead of spending billions building a elevated track, they are just elevating the train.

It will be no different then driving underneath any other elevated train in China or the US. If you have been to Chicago think about the elevated train there and the road way underneath.

It is actually a very good low cost idea for building a mass transit system, as building a track for it will be simple since it is ground level, and the only other expense is traffic control devices much like crossing arms on train tracks. The stilts it rides on will be protected by fixed gaurd rails for the tracks. The pictures make it appear it can just go where ever it wants, but think train and not bus and it makes lot more sense.

Edited August 5, 2010 by Azzudiin