IP: good point on NYT on "IT"

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

> ate: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 08:31:28 -0800
> To: farber () cis upenn edu
> From: Denise Caruso <caruso () hybridvigor org>
> Subject: Re: IP: NYT on "IT"
>
> Hi Dave,
>
> Obviously an amazing technical achievement, but IT overlooks one of the 
> most critical reasons people use their cars in cities: schlepping.
>
> I don't ride a bicycle in San Francisco because I carry my laptop and 
> usually a bunch of reading material (read: heavy, somewhat bulky), and 
> often a lunch, between home and office every day. It's literally a 
> five-minute commute by car, probably a 15-minute bike ride but still, 
> strapping that stuff all over me so I can bike to work is completely 
> impractical (and unsafe) under these very common circumstances. And I'm a 
> mild case, schlep-wise.
>
> I don't see a trunk built into Ginger, and without a way to carry at least 
> a little bit of stuff safely I don't see how it can catch on in a big way. 
> That may be prosaic in light of Kamen's technical accomplishment and 
> doesn't matter much in the industrial setting, but I'd say it's a gating 
> factor for widespread consumer acceptance.
>
> Denise

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