From Facebook to Uber to electric scooters, corporations are demanding we change our behavior to adapt to their profit-driven technology. This is nothing new, but why do we continue to let it happen?
Urban Design by Corporation
Uber Says It Can’t Be Regulated Because NYC Is Bad At Urban Planning
This week, New York wants to cap ridesharing vehicles to reduce traffic congestion, but Uber claims it’s immune from regulation because New York is bad at urban planning. If only that logic worked for the rest of us. Also, Los Angeles thinks it’s found a way to store excess solar and wind energy – by harnessing the power of the Hoover Dam. Plus, the story of the property in Manhattan that’s the size of a pizza slice and London could have had a futuristic pod system built on top of the Thames.
Strangely, Preserving Public Land is More Popular Than Mining It
This week, fixing the misleading election result maps, traffic congestion increases as people choose Uber and Lyft over transit and walking, only 26% of residents in Mountain West states support increased mining on public land, and a potential app to detect and monitor tsunamis.
Will Uber and Lyft Make Mass Transit Obsolete?
Ridesharing also fills a significant void in late-night transportation options. In most major cities, transit is either non-existent or very limited between 10pm and 4am. Research done by the American Public Transportation Association shows that ridesourcing now accounts for a signficant share of late night/early morning alternative transportation. So perhaps ridesharing alleviates the burden on local governments of needing to provide more late-night transit options. But is that a good thing?
