When you stop at a light, you simply drive your pull-back Prius backwards for 10 feet. When the light turns green you take your foot off the brake and shoot forward for a block or two. Repeat. Every kid who has played with one intuitively knows it can revolutionize the city stop and go driving experience. Only a small amount of energy is required to drive the car backwards to cock it.
This will, of course, require some adjustment to the stop/go procedure but once we get used to it, it’s all good! So when one car stops at the light, you have to wait for several more cars to stop right behind you. Then everyone backs up at once. At the green light each car waits for the one in front of it to start moving before releasing your brake.By properly adjusting the power of the pull-back motor it should prevent any accidents. There will be a learning curve.
Or we could do full-sized zip-pull cars. It would just take cooperation from the person behind you at the light, to pull your cord for you when the light turns green so you shoot ahead. Then the person behind them pulls their cord, and so on.
But if you don’t stop at red lights, what then? Some places, good places I tell you, don’t even have red lights. Ever wondered why that is so, heh? Thought so. exits at the back to the left, still grumbling
But, but, you have to. I said there would be a learning curve. Or the cars could be hybrid pull-back/electric for longer trips. This is primarily a city solution.
When a line of cars is stopped at a light, it’s only necessary for the rearmost car to pull back and wind it up. When it moves forward, it will hit the line of cars in front of it and get them all moving.
Wait, you need to back up 10 feet? Hell, no! You need an electromagnet on the grill so the car ahead of you will pull you through to the next light. Better yet, use your regenerative braking so that car is helping you recharge your battery.
