Saying that autonomous cars cannot co-exist with conventional cars is like saying that horses and cars could not co-exist on the road just after the invention of cars.

Within a few years, there were no more horses on the road.

This is “dinosaur thinking” (or an outmoded way of thinking) that doesn’t consider that transition periods between differing technologies are fast and generally not the slippery slope into chaos that some commenters here would like you to believe.

Get it now?

And it’s too not to.

Speaking of subsides to energy: Report: Energy Department scrambled to justify letting Solyndra’s private backers recoup losses before taxpayers

They get subsidies, as I discussed above. I have no affinity for oil companies, but let’s be accurate and stop spreading the misinformation that they get direct payments from the government as you asserted. That’s a blatant falsehood. Unless you can show that they get direct payments (other than for goods/services rendered) from government, which you so far have been unable to do.

And what floats my boat is walkable neighborhoods. I <3 walking to restaurants and breweries (that aren't chains) and to parks, and I've been living in high density neighborhoods for 11 years (before that rural or national park land). What floats your boat, Dan? Living in a suburb where you have to drive a mile to Wendy's?

I could work the number myself, but I don't really care as I have a strong feeling it's far less than subsides for other modes except for maybe aircraft. I'm pretty sure the Antiplanner showed subsides to automobiles to be about 1 cent ppm. Maybe he can comment on the parking and other stuff.

As far as jaywalkers, just try that maneuver in NYC and see what happens; in Portland, I’m sure everyone would be uber accommodating.

Nevertheless,

But it makes it difficult/impossible to compare the degree of subsidy between different modes of transportation.

You could learn the number yourself – since you are curious – if you have the time and report back to us. Surely someone has done this work. Maybe Setty knows. Let us know what the answer to your question reveals.

DS

So government doesn’t really pay subsidies to oil companies. No direct payments. I can see how it is easy to go with that rhetoric, though.

“How much does this add up to per passenger mile?
I don’t know. My not knowing the number off the top of my head does not invalidate the assertion of these types of subsidy.”

But it makes it difficult/impossible to compare the degree of subsidy between different modes of transportation.

A subsidy need not be so narrowly defined. A direct payment, a tax break, a purposeful allowing to not pay for externalities, other support. Nevertheless, here is the latest OECD report.

How much does this add up to per passenger mile?

I don’t know. My not knowing the number off the top of my head does not invalidate the assertion of these types of subsidy.

DS