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xkcd #2940: Modes of Transportation (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 6 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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xkcd #2940: Modes of Transportation

https://xkcd.com/2940

Explain xkcd #2940

Title Text:

My bold criticism might anger the hot air balloon people, which would be a real concern if any of them lived along a very narrow line directly upwind of me.

alt-text:

A chart that categorizes various modes of transportation based on their practicality and danger level:

Zone of Practicality:

Trains
Airliners
Boats
Walking
Cars
Scooters
Bicycles

Zone of Specialty and Recreational Vehicles:

Motorcycles
Helicopters
Light aircraft
Go karts
Skateboards
Rollerblades
Skis
Unicycles
Sleds
Bumper cars

?????:

Hot air balloons

“Hot air balloons are the optimal mode of transportation, if your optimization algorithm has a sign error.”

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

I really wish the x axis was average distance traveled and the y axis was danger.

I get that the way this graph was designed was for humor and to highlight hot air balloons, but if you’re looking for a safe vehicle for a specific distance, it really doesn’t help out in any way. It probably wouldn’t be safe to drive my car across the Atlantic Ocean.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago (2 children)

Airliners should be below boats for convenience 😂 just because of airport security and bag collection...

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Airplane least convenient for travel from bedroom to kitchen

Walking least convenient for travel to Antarctica

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Oh, and because you have to get to the airport first with some other means of travel and then get to the terminal...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 months ago (1 children)

With helicopters it's more that they're expensive than unsave.

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 6 months ago (2 children)

why are scooters practical and motorcycles not? I only ride a motorcycle. any distance too long for bycicle or inconvenient with public transit, I take my motorcycle.

[–] Michal 1 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Looks like only because they're presented as dangerous. Convenience - wise they're still the same. Practicality seems to be defined here as a balance between danger and convenience.

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[–] [email protected] -1 points 6 months ago

Now I wish I has a hot air balloon for my transportation optimization algorithm.

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