Chinese Straddle Super Bus

[MikeyBikey]

It's not a bike, but it is electric and rechargeable! I've never seen this idea before and wondered how others thought cyclists would cope if these ever got on the road?
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=Hv8_W2PA0rQ
A Chinese Straddle Bus that is a Double-width bus with only a Top deck! Electrically powered with rechargeable batteries, topped up at each stop. It only touches the ground at the sides and cars are allowed to drive underneath it.
No rails or overhead hardware needed, so relatively cheap to implement, but imagine the crashes! And where would we Cyclists go? Amazing concept, but so many wrinkles to iron out. Like where to put all the double-Decker bus stops needed and the steps & lifts. Though we could cycle under the stop, eh?! Cheers, Mikey

 

[jackhandy]

Imagine what it would feel like to have one of these coming up behind your bike - Like being swallowed-up I should think

 

[flecc]

That link doesn't work for me.

This one does.

That bus isn't going to appear anywhere soon, it would need every bridge crossing a road to be built up very much higher and all bridge approaches raised likewise. Completely impractical for existing road networks.

 

[Clockwise]

I dunno, I can think of a handful of rather straight and wide london roads that could take a weird overhead bus service. Routes like tooting/balham to waterloo with them going in one direction(mornings towards london, afternoons out of london) it could really help.

At the same time tho I can see how long it would take to get anything approved and done, bendy buses for example took 7(?) years to get approved and then another 3 after the decision to scrap them for them to get off the roads.

 

[trex]

the scheme is too impractical for existing roads but may be doable on future roads. It's gimmicky though, not as simple as replacing petroleum powered buses with hydrogen powered buses.