Will ‘podcars’ ever take root?

Re “Seeding the future with ‘podcars’,” Opinion, Sept. 8

Catherine G. Burke is right about one thing: “Most people prefer a car that’s available 24/7.”

The proposal of “podcars” and its infrastructure cluttering up our already overdeveloped landscape is preposterous.

The notion that tens of thousands of these little gadgets could crisscross the vastness of Los Angeles at any given time, with any kind of efficiency, is beyond reason.

There is no good comparison between Los Angeles and the examples given of podcars being tested at airports or tiny European cities.

We don’t need to waste time on wacky ideas like podcars. We need to switch to natural gas, encourage people to walk if they can, offer staggered work hours, support specialty shuttles and discourage overdevelopment, which encourages overpopulation and more traffic.

If we succeed with proactive, modern thinking to our current challenges, not 1973 illustrations of podcars, we can save and take advantage of the futuristic system that can transport you in comfort, privacy and with the efficiency of your own personal transport device: your automobile.

Manny Rodriguez

West Hollywood

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Kudos to The Times and Burke for bringing this to our attention.

So podcars are cheaper, cleaner, safer and faster to build than subways or any other form of ground transport. And they are private cars that you don’t have to drive.

And we’re waiting for ... ?

James Bourne

Culver City