Prediction
1955 San Francisco replaces the cable cars with moving stairways.
from The Roads Must Roll by Robert A. Heinlein, published 1940
Reality: Sci fi writers love the moving sidewalk and moving road, but "moving stairway" is just another way of saying escalator.
Cable cars are cool. Escalators are dull. They would have to take up sidewalk space instead of road space. You think tourists are going to wait in line to ride escalators from Market Street to Fisherman's Wharf?
Ahh, hellz no, as we say in Oakland.
There is no way San Francisco would ever give up part of its unique flavor for such a boring idea.
Looking one day... INTO THE FUTURE!
John Elfreth Watkins envisions a high speed railway system linking East Coast to West, making a trip from New York to San Francisco in less than 24 hours ... in the year 2000!
Join me then... IN THE FUTURE!
John Prine sang it best-
ReplyDelete"We are living in the future
I'll tell you how I know
I read it in the paper
Fifteen years ago
We're all driving rocket ships
And talking with our minds
And wearing turquoise jewelry
And standing in soup lines"
We are standing in soup lines
Excellent quote. Thanks for stopping by and I hope to hear from you again... IN THE FUTURE!
ReplyDeleteI think I am in the past. At least it seems like I've lived this day before.
ReplyDeleteZombie Rotten, no! Do not despair. This is the first day k55f5r commented on this blog, so this day is subtly different from whatever day it reminds you of in the past.
ReplyDeleteCrisis averted!